September Meeting

For this month's meeting John Duffield brought along his airbrushes and associated equipment for everyone to have a play with and  see what results they can achieve.

"Big Bob" Nash examines the results of John's airbrushing on an Airfix Vulcan wing.

Bill Nicholls was able to join us, it is good to see that he is on the mend, and intends to be at Scale Modelworld in November.

There were only two entries in the competition, Terry Walton's Canadair Sabre in No. 3 Squadron markings and Ron Adams' HMS Suffolk which was this month's winner.

Ron Adams' HMS Suffolk.

Terry Walton's Canadair Sabre

For those who remember the evocative paintings of Roy Cross that used to adorn Airfix's boxes and headers, Dave Marsh has found a website from which you can download free examples to use as you computer desktop wallpaper called WallPapers King .

Sutton Coldfield Show

Despite worries regarding road closures owing to the Pope's visit to the nearby New Oscott College everyone who wanted to attend the show managed to get there with little or no difficulty.

Members manning the stand apparently in pensive mood.

Being local quite a few members put in an appearance during the course of the day including Peter Betteridge, Norman Otty, Paul Hickman along with his son Lewis, Roger Hartill, David Child, Dave Marsh, Terry Walton and Roland Turner. Notably absent was Bill Nicholls who is still recuperating from an accident and surgery to his broken wrist, Sutton  wasn't quite the same without him and we all wish him a speedy recovery.

Sutton Coldfield Town Hall provides a pleasant venue overlooking the park.

A good display of models was put on by the clubs attending, covering a wide range of subjects and an album of photographs can be seen on our Facebook page.

Sutton Coldfield Model Makers Show

This coming Sunday, 19th Sept, Sutton Coldfield Model Makers' Society will be holding their annual show at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall, Upper Clifton Road, Sutton Coldfield, B73 6AB.

Please be aware the that Pope Benedict XVI will be in Birmingham on the same day and will be making a private visit to New Oscott College in the Sutton Coldfield area. This will result in the closure of a number of main and side roads between central Birmingham/M6 junction 6 (Spaghetti Junction) and Sutton Coldfield from around 10 a.m.including the most direct route the A5127 Sutton New Road through Erdington and Wylde Green.

While this should not effect people approaching  from the north, anyone using the M6 or A38M (Aston Expressway) will be well advised to get there early.

For anyone heading for the show after this time the route shown on the map below is recommended, using the A38 Tyburn Road and B4148 Eachelhurst Road/Walmley Road, however please bear in mind these will probably become heavily congested. 



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Droitwich Salt Day, 2010.

The team report for duty!

Last year we were invited by the Forever Forties Group to put on a display of models at Droitwich's annual Salt Day and they were kind enough to ask us to attend again this year on Saturday 11th September.

The club was represented by David Child, Peter Betteridge, Terry Walton and Roland Turner, we arrived early and having found our pitch, set up our stand only to be caught by a sudden downpour, rapid action was taken to protect the models but some of us got a good soaking.

The day's activities were officially opened by the mayor of Droitwich's French twin town who made a speech in French translated into English to, what must have appeared to him, an unusual audience comprising of the local Air Cadet squadron band, a troop of Roman Legionaries, a few modellers from Birmingham, a quantity of people in assorted WWII uniforms plus ordinary members of the public.

Our display, in keeping with  the Forever Forties theme, was of World War Two subjects and in particular, as we are in the 70th anniversary year, the Battle of Britain.

As the day progressed the sky cleared, the sun shone and we had a steady stream of people coming to look at our models, talk about either modelling techniques or reminisce about the types of aircraft and vehicles giving us the opportunity to hand out flyers for next year's Midland Expo.  

RAF Jeep

The Forever Forties people brought along a variety of 1940s vintage vehicles both military and civilian and dressed themselves in the appropriate uniforms and styles.

Members of the Forever Forties Group.

Two Austin Sixs and an Austin Ten.

RAF military police Velocette motorcycle.

To see more photographs of Salt Day 2010 go to the album on IPMS Birmingham's Facebook page. 





By the end of the day we had talked to a lot of people including one former club member and a couple of potential new members, such events give us an opportunity to show our hobby to a wider public.

Thanks are due to David Bowlas and the Forever Forties Group for inviting us again, those of us that participated had a thoroughly enjoyable day.

Avon Show, Yate

Sunday 22nd August and the club attended the ever popular Avon Show held in the Community Centre at Yate, just north of Bristol.

We were allocated a large L shaped stand and fortunately were able to to fill the space with a varied selection of models, one end being given over, appropriately in the 70th anniversary year, to a Battle of Britain display. 

The branch was represented by David and Christian Child, Pete Betteridge, Terry Walton, Norman Otty, Roger Hartill and Roland Turner. Unfortunately Bill Nicholls, who had intended to attend, had fall a few days earlier and has broken his wrist, however we did speak to him by telephone from the show so he was there in spirit so to speak.

This superbly finished 1/48 scale Fiat BR.20 Cicogna built from the Special Hobby kit was displayed on the Locate & Cement stand.

Imposing in 1/32 scale on the 580 Modellers stand, this Phantom F-4B was in the markings of VA-111 "Sundowners"

It's always good to see a bit of humour creeping in at model shows, sometimes we modellers can take things a bit too seriously, so a variation on "Compare the Meerkat" was welcome - it looks like one of Alexander's relatives managed to get a commission in the British Army!  

Meanwhile outside the hall there was a small display of military vehicles including this Royal Marines, helicopter portable, Citroen 2CV.









For more photos from the show go to the show album on the new IPMS Birmingham Facebook page.

Shows that we will be attending in September:

Sunday 5th - Wombourne,   The Community Centre, Church Road, Wombourne. WV5 9EZ

Saturday 11th - Droitwich Salt Day, Victoria Square, Droitwich, Worcestershire.

Sunday 19th -     Sutton Coldfield Model Makers' Society Show, Sutton Coldfield Town Hall.