MODELKRAFT SHOW 2013: A FEAST OF SCALE TALENT ON DISPLAY

MAT IRVINE:
The UK-based Milton Keynes Scale Model Club held its annual ModelKraft Show recently, and there were thousands of beautifully-finished miniatures on display.


General view of the ModelKraft main hall (below) reveals a mass of models, and plenty of visitors.

The smaller exhibition area (below) on the first floor, with the main hall visible through windows at the back.

Friend of SMN, and co-organiser of the HaMeX model events, Paul Fitzmaurice’s trade stand (below) was packed with model accessories - and every item on it is transported to and from shows in his Skoda Roomster minivan, which he packs and unpacks with millimetric precision. Paul has also set up the newest model club in the area, details at his website. Visit Paul here.

You can’t have too many Phantoms… despite its antiquity (first flight 55 years ago!) the cranked-wing F-4 is still a major draw with aviation fans and modellers alike.

A neatly-presented 1:25 scale AMT 1965 Lincoln Continental (below) completed with one of the kit’s options, a station wagon back.

Just to prove that model-making need not be all about planes, ships and automobiles, this intriguing diorama was built using a combination of three Airfix skeleton kits and imagination.

Below, part of the club stand of the organisers, the Milton Keynes Scale Model Club.

You never know who you might see at these sorts of events. Who would have thought that Lord Vader himself was a model enthusiast? Well, having rampaged around a galaxy far, far away, and a long time ago, he probably needs to relax these days with a quiet hobby…

A turntable presentation (below) for this AMT Ford Pinto, newly rebuilt from when he first made it years ago, by Harrow Model Club member, Jon Rackham.

A giant-size 1:32 scale English Electric Lightning (below) built from the Trumpeter kit. This is the version fitted with overwing fuel tanks, intended to increase the range of this notoriously thirsty interceptor.

The Airfix 1:24 scale Sea Harrier is always a favourite. The kit may be some years old, but in the hands of a skilled modeller, it still stacks up well.

ModelKraft attracts clubs from across the UK. Here is the table (below) from the IPMS Swindon Branch. 2013 is the 50th anniversary of the UK IPMS, and it will be celebrated at Scale ModelWorld in November, 2013 at the Telford International Conference Centre.

Someone seems to know his science-fiction artwork, as this wrecked spacecraft resembles the sort of thing that book-jacket illustrator Chris Foss was painting back in the 1970s.

* SMN notes: 
The Formula 1 model car display attends Automodellismo on Mat Irvine’s home territory. Auto 3 will be held this coming Sunday - for details of this full-size and small-size show in Hanslope village, click here.


A selection of science-fiction stuff from the International Plastic Modellers Society (IPMS) SF Special Interest Group (SIG) will be at the HaMeX smallspace event on July 7, 2013.

INCOMING - HAMEX 4 MODEL EXPO DUE SUNDAY

SMN PREVIEW:
The sales tables are booked, club stands organized, hot sandwiches on order, models good to go... Yes, it’s HaMeX again, this time the fourth in the annual event series. For anyone living in reach of the Milton Keynes area in the UK, this is the model zone to head for this coming Sunday.

As usual, the two organizers will be there, with Mat Irvine displaying his many models, and Paul Fitzmaurice demonstrating airbrushes and other modelling equipment.

More kits on show
In Mat’s words, “the HaMeX show is invariably less 'things-to-see driven’, compared with Automodellismo and smallspace, as it is intended purely as a swap meet. However I'm aiming to have even more kits there than usual - some 'new old' ones have been dug out, including a range of 1:20 scale cars and I have more 'fix-er-uppers'.

More from Mat
“I will have some models on display (as it's in the publicity...!), but exactly what I've yet to decide. It won't - necessarily - be FX stuff, hence the poster just says 'model display', not 'effects model display'! I'm not saying no FX models will be there, just don't want to be specific!”

Lucky dip
So the show looks like an interesting lucky-dip of good stuff. We’ll be reporting on what actually appears week. Meantime, the pictures of HaMeX 3 should whet your appetite.

Visit HaMeX here for details on all shows. 

Paul Fitzmaurice online here.

COUNTDOWN TO HAMEX 3

SMN update:

Hanslope Model Expo is due Sunday November 27, so here’s a chance to have a look at some of the equipment that will be on demo there.

Airbrush expert

For example, is airbrushing an art that's new to you? Or maybe you need a new one? Whichever option fits the bill, co-organizer Paul Fitzmaurice of little-cars.com will be delighted to demonstrate his wide range from respected suppliers such as Grex and Harder & Steenbeck.

Excellent prices

H&S prices are currently very attractive, and a purchase also covers an included workshop DVD and cleaning brush. Compressors are another part of the airbrush zone, and here too there are good prices to be found, and doubtless Paul will be making offers and deals available for buyers on the day.

Visit Little-cars.com here.

HAMEX 3 details here.

SUNDAY TREAT - AUTOMODELLISMO SHOW FOR SCALE MODEL CARS

SMN preview:

Automodellismo is the only model show in the UK that specialises in cars. The show has been running for several years, but now the venue is that of the HaMeX show - Hanslope Village Hall, north of Milton Keynes, Bucks. Automodellismo is being organised by some of the HaMeX organisers, especially Paul Fitzmaurice of little-cars.com. 

Tools for modelmakers

Paul will be showing his selection of modelling tools and accessories, and also kits for sale. Vince Brown of Models For Sale, the main UK importer of Japanese auto exotica, will be there too, plus SMN’s own Mat Irvine, who will have kits from his vast collection for sale. There’ll also be models from Mat’s latest book Scale Car Modelling, due for publication in September.

And of course, let’s not forget the hundreds of scale cars on display from various model clubs - Automodellismo promises to be a fascinating show.

Opening times

Public entry to Automodellismo is from 19.00-1630, entry being £2.00GBP, with free entry for accompanied under-16 children. There’s also plenty of free parking around the venue.

Automodellismo link here.

Visit Little-cars here.

Visit Mat Irvine here.

Visit Models For Sale here