SMW 22 - Updated

[MikeV]

Well - what a show! I think we can say IPMS is back.

Fistly huge thanks to all involved with the show. Exhibiting this year were Alastair Aird, Callum Andrews, Richard Dallimore, David Hart, Joe Moran, Huw Morgan, Terry Patrick (Saturday) Tim & Emma Young and Me.

We also gained three new members (including Callum's dad Ian who has come over to the dark side) and Alastair took Gold and silver in the competitions. As of this morning we are also featured on YouTube courtesy MsModeler - we'll try and add a link.

We had visitors and members from literally all over the world and I think I can say that our display truly reflected the sheer diversity of subject available to the 144 modeler, definitely the culmination of our modelling year. I can also report that several manufacturers of 144 goodies sought us out for suggestions / advice on future products.

Finally unbounded gratitude to Huw, David, Tim, Emma, Ian and Callum for staying on when they could have just gone home to help with the breakdown and lugging everything out to the cars. It takes around three hours to set the stand up on Friday but we have to have it all packed, dismantled and cleared in about 30 minutes on the Sunday.

Here's to '23!!

First few pictures attached - feel free to add more.

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Most of the '22 crew' Alastair was away collecting his awards and Joe was trying to be in two places at once

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general view of the stand on Saturday morning

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David's prototypes - I'll wager most of these were unique to the show

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Alastair and Callum's distinctive models

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some of Huw's USN display

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the sub-section

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Team T&E again presented a fantastic selection of vignettes

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view from the other end

[Tim R-T-C]

Another top show and thoroughly enjoyable weekend. The table was very well presented and as usual it made for a great talking point; we had a very steady flow of interested spectators and it is always good to see lots of cameras being produced too. Photos from the table (particularly Mike's exquisite submarine scene) have already appeared on several social media feeds.



As usual, not a huge amount of 144 on other tables, although with manning the display and shopping I didn't get to look at all the models and never made it into the competition area.

There were several airliners on show though, including a whole selection of special schemes and some nice apron vignettes.



A lot of buzz was caused by the appearance of the Beacon Models Spitfire and Emil - the full sets are complete and just awaiting combining and shipping from the factory for preorders and general sale.

I was very impressed by the high quality decal sheet and the intricate detail on the mouldings. The gear doors in particular are so slim that photoetch will be unnecessary. These are definitely a big change from the short run plastic kits we mostly get in this scale.



144.co.uk continues to expand their range - with the later Lightning and for the first time an aftermarket engine, which for the purposes of scientific research, I aquired (two of!). More news to follow soon about future projects too.



With the retirement of dedicated 144th seller Martin Blundell, the scale is typically underrepresented at shows (probably good for my wallet) so it can be more of a scavenger hunt - but I still managed to aquire a few bits and pieces (this was Saturday's haul, more followed on Sunday).



This was an interesting example and a great way to sum up the excellence of SMW - I hadn't even heard of this aircraft, let alone the kit before. The box warned of yellowing decals but on initial inspection they looked okay, until I realised later that the grey parts of the decal applied scheme had gone entirely golden yellow.

I walked around to Classic Airliner decals, asked if they had any schemes for thos particular type and an entire box was presented! After a lot of choosing, I picked this obscure Argentinan scheme since it has a nice easy white base tone.

[teddybeer]

During this last Scale ModelWorld, I took more than 600 photos and just over 150 for the SIG144 alone.
I had to make choices and here is a first burst of photos (there are a few more, for this first part on my blog here :
https://144airbattle.blogspot.com/2022/ ... 144-1.html
See you soon for a second salvo.....:

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[teddybeer]

Second part of the report on the SIG during the Scale ModelWorld
Honor to David with his scratch prototypes....
More pictures here : https://144airbattle.blogspot.com/2022/ ... 144-2.html

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[teddybeer]

Continuation and end of the report on the SIG144 in Telford during the Scale ModelWorld.
More photos here: https://144airbattle.blogspot.com/2022/ ... 144-3.html
And sorry for all the pictures I didn't post.... But I'm waiting for the boss, Mike, to issue me a press card...

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