Minnesota Military Figure Society - Recently Updated Pages

Minnesota Military Figure Society

TimStreeter — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 22:54:14 CST

OUR NEXT CLUB MEETING IS ON

FRIDAY, MARCH 9, AT 7:30 P.M.

In observance of the true spirit of procrastination, the February deadline
for the club Shelf Queen Contest has been moved to July!

The Minnesota Military Figure Society was founded in 1973 as a club and resource to promote the art and craft of historical scale modeling. Our interests include figures, armored fighting vehicles, aircraft, ships, dioramas, and science fiction subjects.

The club meets at 7:30 p.m. the second Friday of each month at Fleming Field Municipal Airport Terminal Building, 1725 Henry Street, South St. Paul. Modelers of all ages and skill levels are welcome.

Browse through the member pages at left to see examples of our work and learn more about the club, or click on the Members link at the top navigation bar to get member profiles. Creation of pages is only open to club members, but nonmembers can leave comments or ask questions in the Discussions forum (see top navigation bar). You also can find us on Facebook.

READ ABOUT US, WATCH VIDEO AT STAR TRIBUNE

READ ABOUT US IN THE SUN CURRENT NEWSPAPERS

The MMFS is a chapter of the Armor Modeling and Preservation Society (AMPS).

“We Don’t Make History—We Build It.”

Coming Events

mwjacques — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:08:03 CST

Upcoming Model Events - check back often, this page will be updated periodically as new information is received and posted. I will try to post regional shows and significant National Events (IPMS Nationals, the "Chicago Figure Show", AMPS Nationals, etc.).

4 February 2011 - 2012 “Hope It Don’t Snow Show” – IPMS 5-33 Zumbro Valley Scale Modelers @ Ramada Hotel and Conference Center, 1517 16th St. SW, Rochester, MN, contact George Romano at 507-281-4175 or romano@ventrecs.net or visit the club website at www.royalrsin.net/ZumbroValleyScaleModelers.html

24 March 2012 – 8th Annual Model Show and Contest – IPMS/South Central Modelers of Minnesota @ Five Lakes Centre, 308 South State Street, Fairmont, MN. 9:00am to 4:00pm, Registration ‘till Noon; Entry Fee: $1.00 per model. Website: http//public.fotki.com/73superduty/south_central_model/ contact Gregory Pausewang (507) 526-3531.

31 March 2012 - Cabin Fever Classic - "Summer of '69" - Red River Scale Modelers & Hobby Hut @ Fargo Air Museum, 1609 19th Avenue North, Fargo ND, www.redriverscalemodelers.com

26 to 28 April 2012 – AMPS International Show - "Flak 'n Ack-Ack" – The Armor Modeling and Preservation Society @ WW2 Victory Museum, Auburn, IN. www.amps-armor.org .

28 April 2012 - Fleacon VIII - IPMS/Lippisch Chapter IPMS @ PS Air Hangar at the Eastern Iowa Airport, 3411 Beech Way SW, Ceadr Rapids IA. www.ipms-usa-lippisch-chapter.org

5 May 2012 – Mad-City Modeler’s Model Show – IPMS/Mad-City Modelers @ Doubledays Banquet House, 4586 Baxter Rd, Cottage Grove WI. Contact Michael Luedke (262) 567-9147. 19 May 2012 – Fleacon VIII – IPMS/Lippisch Chapter IPMS @ PS Hangar at the Eastern Iowa Airport, 3411 Beech Way SW, Cedar Rapids, IA. www.ipms-usa-lippisch-chapter.org

19 May 2012 - IPMS Region 5 Convention - IPMS West Central Missouri Chapter @ Holiday Inn, 8787 Reeder Road, Overland Park KS, contact Marty Nevshemal at (816) 916-8613 or visit the club's website: www.novaipms.org

8 to 11 August 2012 – IPMS-USA National Convention “Explore Historic Florida” - Themes: The Race to Space 1962 - 1972; 1942: Guadalcanal; 1942: Stalingrad; The Cold War Heats Up: The Cuban Missile Crisis (50th Anniversary); 100 Years of Chevrolet: 1912 - 2012 – IPMS Pelican Model Club @Disney’s Contemporary Resort, 4600 N. World Drive, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830 www.ipmsusa2012.org

29 September 2012 – Nordic-Con 2010 – "As Seen On TV" – Twin Cities Aero Historians @ Productivity Inc., 15150 25th Ave. N., Plymouth, MN 55447. www.aerohistorians.org

2011 Boots and Treads II Awards

TimStreeter — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:22:28 CST

2011 Boots and Treads Awards List

Advanced Level

Bronze Medal:

Category II, Closed Top Tracked & Semi Tracked Armor to 1945, Allied:
Somua S-35, Tunisia - Curtis Knight
Category III, Closed Top Tracked & Semi Tracked Armor Post 1945:
PT-76 Amphibious Tank - Tim Streeter

Silver Medal:

Category I, Closed Top Tracked & Semi Tracked Armor to 1945, Axis:
Tiger 1 Mid-Production - Edward St. Denis
Category II, Closed Top Tracked & Semi Tracked Armor to 1945, Allied:
T-50 - Michael Bedard
Category III, Closed Top Tracked & Semi Tracked Armor Post 1945:
T-54B - Jacques Duquette
S-Tank - Steve Jantscher
Category IV, Open Top Tracked & Semi Tracked with Interiors – All Eras:
Famo with Trailer and Load - Edward St. Denis
Yugoslavian Anti-Tank Vehicle - Curtis Wacker
Category V, Wheeled Vehicles, All Eras:
M-16 Workshop Truck - Edward St. Denis
Category VI, Ordnance in Battery or with Prime Movers in Travel Mode, All Eras:
75mm Pack Howitzer - Merrill Anderson

Gold Medal:

Category I, Closed Top Tracked & Semi Tracked Armor to 1945, Axis:
StuG III Ausf. A - Michael Bedard
Panzer Gruppe Fehrmann Hybrid Tiger - Scott Hoffland
Panther G - Curtis Knight
Category II, Closed Top Tracked & Semi Tracked Armor to 1945, Allied:
Sherman Firefly IC - Scott Hoffland
Renault FT-17 TSF - George Romano
Su-152 - Edward St. Denis
M3 Stuart - Tim Streeter
Category IV, Open Top Tracked & Semi Tracked with Interiors – All Eras:
Simovente M-40 75/18 - Michael Bedard
T-19 HMC Halftrack - Tim Streeter
Category V, Wheeled Vehicles, All Eras:
Ford GBT “Burma Jeep” - Michael Bedard
SdKfz. 234/1 - Scott Hoffland
Harley-Davidson WLA - Tim Streeter
Category VI, Ordnance in Battery or with Prime Movers in Travel Mode, All Eras:
British 17pdr. - Michael Bedard
Category VII, Major Conversions/Scratchbuilt:
Type 97 Shi-Ki - Michael Bedard
M7 Priest Late Variant - Edward St. Denis
M5A1 Stuart Light Tank - Bob Steinbrunn
Category Xb, Dioramas:
“Mail Call for the Sons of Thor” - Tim Streeter
Category XII, Hypothetical Armor (Paper Panzers, Sci-Fi, Gundam, etc.):
Wulf MK II - George Romano

Intermediate Level

Bronze Medal:

Category I, Closed Top Tracked & Semi Tracked Armor to 1945, Axis:
StuG III w/Skirts - Gary Majchrzak
Category II, Closed Top Tracked & Semi Tracked Armor to 1945, Allied:
Russian OT-34 Flamethrower Tank - Gary Majchrzak
Category III, Closed Top Tracked & Semi Tracked Armor Post 1945:
M60A1 Magach 6B - Larry T. Lahs

Silver Medal:

Category VI, Ordnance in Battery or with Prime Movers in Travel Mode, All Eras:
C.M.P. Chevy F.A.T. w/ 25pdr. - Larry T. Lahs
Category Xb, Dioramas:
“Falling Back” - Tom Kutz

Gold Medal:

Category I, Closed Top Tracked & Semi Tracked Armor to 1945, Axis:
Panther G Late, 9th Panzer Div. - Larry T. Lahs
Category IV, Open Top Tracked & Semi Tracked with Interiors – All Eras:
StuG III G - Mark Jacques
Category V, Wheeled Vehicles, All Eras:
German Krupp Protze Supply Truck - Gary Majchrzak

Basic Level

Bronze Medal:

Category VI, Ordnance in Battery or with Prime Movers in Travel Mode, All Eras:
Morser Karl “Loki” - Ross Duvall
Category Xb, Dioramas:
“Lost in the Woods” - Ross Duvall

FIGURES

Certificate of Merit: BAR Gunner - Stuart Vandervort
Bronze Medal: German MG42 Loader - Ryan Ter Steeg
Silver Medal: Australian Lewis Gunner - Curtis Knight

Congratulations and thank you to everyone who entered.

Full photo album of the award winners can be found here.

M113A3 Medevac APC

TimStreeter — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 23:56:46 CDT

Herein lies a cautionary tale that represents the experiences of 99.9% of modelers everywhere.

I have enough kits to pack a cargo container from Hong Kong. I could put half of America's unemployed to work on my uncompleted projects and keep them busy until 2013. So, the last three kits I've built have been items I picked up at raffles. So, I can commend myself for just not stuffing them back on the shelf. But it's not hard to be pulled off in a completely new direction. After building the Zvezda 1943 T34-76 (naturally fixing most of the flaws and picking up some MiniArt Russian tank riders to accessorize it), I built Trumpeter's PT-76 amphibious tanks, my first modern vehicle. At our 2011 Boots and Treads show, I decided to stretch a little further, and selected Tamiya's M113A2. Of course, I had to do some research and found the kit was a mishmash of A2 and A3 features, so I decided to do the extra detailing required for the A3 and added interior details that might be visible through open hatches. And I also learned the Academy M113A3 was even better than Tamiya's version, and with an interior that was "more complete." So naturally I had to pick up that kit because I got an idea for a diorama set in the opening weeks of the Iraqi war. The Academy kit, with it's "more complete" interior, will be a medevac version with the large rear ramp open and an injured soldier inside. This has required additional research for the ambulance features--and more time spent cruising the online shops ogling a whole new world of modern figures and accessories. Any modeler knows what happens next....

So, here are some construction shots of the Academy kit, focusing on the interior. You'll be able to see what comes with the kit and what I've added.

The radio tray on the shelf is part of a Verlinden kit. The seats pads are made from Apoxi Sculpt. The posts are to hold litters, two on each side of the vehicle. Chains that run from the ceiling to the floor in the center of the compartment will be added to hold the the other sides of the litters. In some vehicles, the center post with the officer's seat below the cupola was eliminated to provide more room the medics. The sliding kevlar anti-spall panels will be added after painting. So will a lot of wiring and the cable mechanism that raises and lowers the back door.
Academy positions the accelerator pedal too low. The shift stick is for the A2 version and I replaced it with a scratchbuilt shifter.
The locator hole in the floor in front of the driver's seat for the twin steering levers was filled as that is a feature of the A2.
There is what appears to be a rest plate for the driver's left foot that I added near the front bulkhead. Photos show it to be lower than the accelerator pedal.
Here is a rudimentary steering wheel and column. There will be numerous black cables and wires added after walls are painted. A number of ejector pin holes needs attention, as does opens lot for the front headlight grouping.
Here's a view with the front glacis panel in place to give an idea of layout that will be visible in the final product. Or almost visible, once the roof is on.
The ceiling has many holes to fill.
As does the ramp. The tricky part will be carving out slots that the latches slide into to secure the ramp against the vehicle. The slots happen to be where two of the filled ejector holes are. Stay tuned....

Meeting Minutes 2011

kylewaaagh — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 17:56:45 CDT

January 14, 2011

Attendence:

Mike, Ross, Both Scotts, Don, Chris, Merril, Jim, Mark, Curtis, Tim, Sean, Bernie, Ed, Dave, Winston, Rick, and Kyle braved the weather and made it to the January MMFS meeting.

New Biz:

-The TCAH decided that Nordic-con will be happening again this year in September. Bernie Kugel and Bob Maderich will be in charge of this year's show. As usual, expect to play a part in helping to make the show work, either by judging, setting up or tearing down. Talk to Bernie if you would like to volunteer for something, or else Bernie will volunteer you himself. (You've been warned!)

-The Hub Hobby in Richfield now has a display case dedicated to completed armor and figure models. Paul, the Richfield model guru and fellow MMFS member, has asked that we stop by and put some models on display. The case is locked and covered in glass, and nobody but you will be touching your artwork. Displaying a few finished models would be a great way to spread awareness of our club, and might inspire some people to get into the hobby.

-The annual militaria expo is being held again on April 16th and 17th at the Minnesota State Fair grounds. Jim has requested that we buy a few tables and show our models again to promote the event and our hobby. He will provide more info, including costs, at an upcoming meeting.

-Boots & Treads II will be held again this year on May 21st. More on this in the upcoming months.

Old Biz:

-Try to bring a model for our club display in the Fleming Field lounge. We have a few new models in the case, but we can do better.

Next Meeting:

The meeting will be held at the same time, same place: 7:00 PM at the Fleming Field airport office/lounge. Please remember to bring $10 for membership, because Chip will be collecting yearly dues this month.

See you there!

-Kyle Nelson

February 18, 2011

Attendence:
Mike, Merrill, both Dons, all three Scotts, Chris, Chip, Curtis, Tim, new member Matt, Kyle, (and Jacques too) all made it to the February meeting.

New Biz:
-Boots n Treads II
Our second annual model show is coming up quick. Be prepared to discuss a few details in the upcoming meetings.

Old Biz:
-NordicCon
Bernie Kugel and Bob Maderich will be in charge of this year's show. As usual, expect to play a part in helping to make the show work, either by judging, setting up or tearing down.

-Military Collectors Show
On April 16th and 17th the annual militaria show will be at the State Fair fairgrounds. Jim asked that we buy a (few) table(s) for our club.

Next Meeting:
Friday March 11th at 7PM at Fleming Field airport.

See you there!
Kyle Nelson

June 10, 2011

Attendence:
Eric, Mark, Merril, 3 Scotts, Bob, Bernie, Curtis, Chip, Larry, Gary, Ed, Matt, Sean, Chuck, Ed, 2 Dons, Jacques, Mike, Chris, Jim, Mark, Dan, Dave, and Kyle were all present at the June MMFS meeting.

New Biz:
-On Friday, July 27th, Bernie will be holding a judge's meeting and paint-in at Fleming field.
-If we have an AMPS show next year, we will need new medals.

Boots and Treads Wrap-Up:
-We had 122 entries, which is more than last year.
-We had 23 entrants, which is down from last year.
-We had 52 general public walk-ins, which is down from last year.
-We brought in $1,217. This brings our current total to over $1,800.

Next Meeting:
Friday, August 12 at 7PM at Fleming Field airport.

Chip is making progress

Chipster62 — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:43:55 CDT

Here are some photos of a Stug III F I have been working on for what seems like forever.


Here the Jaguar interior is going in nicely.	After the fighting compartment was done, I was able to proceed with the rest of the hull. Here just a few things left to add and it's ready for the display case. "A little more weathering I think."
A few more details,weathering plus a crew member or two and it will be ready for the display case.

The Chipster is modeling: works in progress

Chipster62 — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 11:20:28 CDT

I can't seem to work on just one kit at a time. So I seem to 'bounce around' a lot. However, this keeps me interested in the hobby and allows me to complete multiple projects at about the same time. Here are a few I am working on. As you can see, I can't seem do build anything "straight out of the box".

This SdKfz 252 is a conversion using the Tamiya SdKfz 250 as the base and adding the Plus Models resin upper hull. I have added some photo etch from the scrap box and Model Kasten Tracks. More photos and text to follow.	Tamiya's 1/35th Wespe in 12th SS markings as seen in Normandy 1944. A couple of crew members will be showing up soon.

2011 Boots and Treads II Model Photos

TimStreeter — Tue, 31 May 2011 11:02:44 CDT

For photos of the 2011 show, click the link below to the album:

Photos 1.

2011 Boots and Treads II Show Photos

TimStreeter — Tue, 31 May 2011 11:02:21 CDT

Rainy weather may have dampened attendance at our May 21 show, but it certainly didn't dampen the enthusiasm of modelers and the public who joined us at Fleming Field. Registered modelers and entered models remained consistent with the 2010 show, but the Then and Now theme and the new club table, which featured the work of members in a variety of genres, helped raise the numbers of models on the tables to 122!


Registrations went smoothly.	Chip and Margaret did an excellent job at the registration table.

The raffle was very popular this year. Thanks to Archer Fine Transfers, Thachweave, Track-Link, Yanks Miniatures, Kurt Laughlin, Bob Steinbrunn, and the many club members who donated kits to the raffle!	Francesca, Emily, and Kim watched over the concessions area.

Members and attendees took great interest in the vendor tables.	Before models go to the display tables, they undergo rigorous judging according to AMPS criteria.

The modeler's work is evaluated against the criteria, not against other models.	Chip delivers registration information to Mark, who matches it with the judging sheets to tally the results.

The display tables were the main attraction, of course!	Kids of all ages enjoyed the armor and dioramas.

The theme was "Then and Now" and modelers brought in examples of their early and more recent work to show how their skill have progressed.	We had many more models on the table than the 2010 event!

Dioramas and figures seemed a bit light in numbers, but the quality was very high.	Bob Steinbrunn, left, chatted with Chip and Kyle. Bob's 1/6 scale Stuart was a highlight of the show (see below).

See more photos from our show.

Bob Steinbrunn's amazing 1/6 scale M5A1 Stuart tank!



One of the highlights of Boots and Treads II was a 1/6 scale model of an M5A1 Stuart light tank as used by the US during World War II. Bob Steinbrunn of Stillwater spent 2,573 hours over four and a half years creating and assembling 10,960 parts. He has written a book on the project which is due to be published by Schiffer Publications in late summer 2011. Bob is also the author of Vietnam Scrapbook, An Army Pilot’s Combat Tour, about his experience flying the short-cabin Bell UH-1C gunship with the 7th Squadron, 17th Air Cavalry in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Bob graciously donated a copy of his Vietnam book to our raffle. From the presentation he gave on his Stuart at the May club meeting, his new book on the project will be a must-have resource for anyone detailing an M5A1 Stuart.

The 2011 Show: Boots and Treads II

TimStreeter — Wed, 18 May 2011 23:51:59 CDT

MMFS is pleased to present our second Boots and Treads show!

Building off the success of last year's show, we're making some changes:

Registration is from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Doors open for the public at 11:00, so more models will be on the tables for viewing.
Children aged 15 and under are free (was 10 and under last year).
We're working on a raffle and other attractions. Stay tuned!

Date and Location
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Fleming Field Municipal Airport Terminal Building
1725 Henry Street, South Saint Paul, MN
See map or consult these directions.

Show Schedule
9:00 a.m. Registration opens
11:00 a.m. Show opens to public
12:00 p.m. Registration ends
4:00 p.m. Awards ceremony

Public Admission
Adults $5.00, children under 15 free

Theme
“Then and Now” will be the theme this year, promoting the art of modeling and our development as modelers. To participate in the theme entry, modelers will submit a pair of models: their earliest existing model and one of their most recent works, to demonstrate the evolution of their skills over time. If mom tossed out your childhood masterpieces when you went off to college, bring in your earliest work when you returned to the hobby. The goal is to show newer modelers and the public how new techniques and practice help improve skills.

Check out the Raffle Page!

REGISTRATION INFORMATION:

Registration Schedule
Registrations will be accepted from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. the date of the show.

Registration Fee
$3.00 per model; maximum of five total entries (including models, figures, and dioramas) may be entered for judging. There is no fee for entering models in the theme category and they do not count against the total entered for judging.

Forms (Now Available!)
Scroll down to the Attachments section at the very bottom of this page for show entry and registration forms in pdf format to complete in advance. Print out one copy of the Master Administration Form and complete it with your contact information and list of models entered. Complete one Show Entry Form for each entry (limit of five). "Then and Now" display cards will be available onsite.

Categories
For armor entries, we will use the AMPS categories (which are inclusive of all scales):
I. Closed Top Tracked and Semi-tracked Vehicles to 1945, Axis (based on markings)
II. Closed Top Tracked and Semi-tracked Vehicles to 1945, Allied (based on markings)
III. Closed Top Tracked and Semi-tracked Vehicles Post 1945 (based on markings)
IV. Open Top/ Open Hatch Vehicles (all eras)
V. Wheeled Vehicles (all eras)
VI. Ordnance (Towed only, emplaced or with Prime Movers) (all eras)
VII. Major Conversions (see explanation below)
VIII. Scratchbuilt (see explanation below)
IX. Figures – 1899 to the present
X. Dioramas (figures, or figures, vehicles and landscape combined) [CATEGORY CHANGE, SEE BELOW]
XI. Vignettes (figures, or figures, vehicles and landscape combined) [NEW CATEGORY, SEE BELOW]
XII. Sci-Fi/Fantasy Machines
XIII. JUNIORS
XIV. MASTERS
XV. Display Only -- All levels

Category VII, Major Conversions: A "Major Conversion" is defined as a considerable change in the basic mark or version of the vehicle from that provided in the basic kit. All conversion work must be performed from scratch by the modeler. A commercially available conversion kit may not be the sole means to achieve the change. Neither cosmetic changes in external details, nor changes in markings or paint schemes constitute a 'Major Conversion'; any such models shall be entered in the appropriate regular category. It is the responsibility of the modeler to provide the judges with details of the conversion work he has done on the entry.

Category VIII, Scratchbuilt: A "Scratchbuilt" model is defined as a model where no more than 25% of the finished model consists of commercial model kit components. Aftermarket accessories are considered to constitute part of the 25% of kit components. It is the responsibility of the modeler to provide the judges with details of the scratchbuilding work he has done on the entry.

Category X, Dioramas: A diorama is a story-based display of figures or figures and vehicles on a landscaped base. Where a model with figures is NOT entered in this category, then only the vehicle will be judged and the groundwork and any work on figures shall not be evaluated

Category XI, Vignettes: Vignettes are similar to dioramas and are scored in a similar manner. However, the key difference is that vignettes do NOT have to tell a story and dioramas do. This category is designed and intended for modelers who have expanded out from pure armor modeling to include figures, groundwork and/or scenery or for figure modelers who wish to set their figure(s) into a landscaped scene.

Judging and Awards
Armor and dioramas will be judged using the system developed by the Armor Modeling and Preservation Society, or AMPS, which supports the use of organized modeling competitions. Competitions provide a collegiate forum for modelers to discuss techniques, improve their skills, and share information about the real vehicles that are our common interest. AMPS created a unique system which both judges the model and honors the modeler for his artistic achievement and historical accuracy.

The AMPS system rates the model in relation to the ability of the modeler, rather than against the work of other modelers. It looks at what the modeler started with, what he finished with and what he did to get there. The AMPS system also acknowledges that judges are human and many judging calls are subjective, not objective. Thus, each model is judged by a team of judges, with the lowest score eliminated. This is "peer evaluation."

The AMPS system groups modelers with other modelers of similar levels of abilities and talents, rather than against acknowledged masters of the hobby or everyone else who enters in the same category.

Modelers are awarded on the basis of their highest-scoring entry per category entered. Thus, if a modeler enters two models in a category and one scores higher than the other, the modeler receives one award for the higher scoring work. A modeler can enter multiple categories and conceivably receive one medal in each category.

For more information on the AMPS judging philosophy and awards system, visit http://www.amps-armor.org/ampssite/contestRules.aspx.

Figures will be judged on the "Chicago open style" system that is very similar to AMPS.

Show Set Up
Friday, May 20, 5:00 p.m.

Show Schedule
Saturday, May 21
7:30 a.m. Work teams arrive
8:00 a.m. Vendor set up
9:00 a.m. Registration opens
11:00 a.m. Show opens to public
12:00 p.m. Registration ends
4:00 p.m. Awards ceremony

Show Strike
4:30 following ceremony

Public Admission
Adults $5.00, children under 15 free

Vendor Information
Vendor contact: Winston Vermilyea at vendor@wingsntreads.com
Vendor tables: $25 per table

2011 Boots and Treads Show Committee
Registration: Chip Childs
Vendor Relations: Winston Vermilyea
Raffle Wrangler: Don Haney
Chair and Marketing: Tim Streeter
Judging: Jacques Duquette, Tim Streeter (Armor Team Captains); Mike Bedard (Figures Team Captain); Tim Streeter (Diorama Team Captain)
Consiglieri: Bernie Kugel

Questions?
Post your questions below and we'll post our responses ASAP.

New Ulm Civilian Battery Unit

ed1049o-k — Sun, 01 May 2011 23:57:24 CDT

1856 ALL original pieces "6 pounder" cannon.	The white oak has been painted every 5 to 15 years.

O-K models

ed1049o-k — Sun, 01 May 2011 22:27:21 CDT

50 Famous Tanks

ed1049o-k — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 01:03:54 CDT

Civil War flags at St. Paul, MN Capitol

ed1049o-k — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 22:27:57 CDT

O-K photos

ed1049o-k — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 03:24:53 CDT

Commander Sean taking the tank for a spin.




	Look what we found in the woods north of Hastings.

Harley Davidson WLA Motorcycle (Italeri)

TimStreeter — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 23:19:20 CDT


This is Italeri's Harley Davidson WLA motorcycle, an old kit from the early 1980s. It's considerably better than Tamiya's version of the same era, though the Tamiya rider is superior to the Italeri zombie.	The photo at left shows the brake cable running from the handlebar. Above you can see the gas line added with lead wire.

After spraying the bike olive drab and detailing the engine, tires, and rear lights, I added the saddle bags, which had been prepainted. There are no decals for the kit so I pulled some stars from the spares box. I alter added some nice dry transfers from Archer Fine Transers for the instrument guage, fuel tank placard, and air cleaner (the upright box below the seat).	I broke off the stock of the Thompson submachine gun from the scabbard, hollowed the scabbard out, and inserted a spare Tamiya machine gun. The scabbard had a sink mark that was filled and and a new securing strap was added from metal foil. This was a fun, easy kit to build and was good prep for the more complex MiniArt kit. More details about the construction can be found here.

Matt's Models

BigSmitty — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 15:39:57 CDT

Here are a few that ended up on my shelf as opposed to my trash can or the spares box. I have a blog set up for model builds and model humor at this site

Tamiya 1/48 StuG IIIB Weekend Group Build 2009	Tamiya 1/35 Challenger 2 Operation Desert Storm
Tamiya 1/35 StuG IIIB (See a pattern here?)	Tamiya 1/35 M20 Scout Vehicle
Tamiya 1/48 M10 Tank Destroyer (Armorama Campaign)	28mm Warhammer Orc - My figure "muse"

It's completed, by chip

Chipster62 — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 09:57:19 CDT

Well, almost. here are a few projects that are nearing completion.

Just a few more minor details and this SdKfz 7/2 well be ready to go. I am working on some figures to go with this vehicle.

Hopefully I will have some photos of the 'completed' project.

2010 Boots and Treads Model Photos

TimStreeter — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 21:16:16 CDT

Visit the Photos page (button in menu bar at top of the page) to see albums of photos from our show.

Photo album #1.

Photo album #2.

2010 Boots and Treads Awards

TimStreeter — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 13:24:54 CST

We had a successful show on May 29. Our first show in 15+ years got a boost by a couple good articles in the Star Tribune and another in the Burnsville Sun Current. We had 130 paid attendees and numerous children 10 and under who enjoyed 70 entries from 25 modelers. Fifty-one medals were awarded for quality work.

Level	Medal	Entry Name	Modeler
I - Closed top tracked armor to 1945 - Axis (based on markings)
Intermediate	Bronze	Tiger I (Late)	Bob Maderich
Intermediate	Bronze	PzKpfw 38(t) Ausf. G	Wayne Weber
Intermediate	Gold	Panzer lll J	Joel Butkowski
Advanced	Silver	Jagdpanther	Jacques Duquette
Advanced	Silver	Panzer 38(t)	Gary Majchrzak
Advanced	Silver	Fiat 3000	Erik Zabel
Advanced	Gold	Marder lll M	Scott Primeau

ll - Closed top tracked armor to 1945 - Allied (based on markings)
Intermediate	Bronze	Polish Firefly Vc "What, me worry?"	Mark Jacques
Intermediate	Bronze	Sherman Firefly	Bob Maderich
Advanced	Bronze	Polish Su-85	Sean Brzozowski
Advanced	Silver	Firefly Vc	Michael Bedard
Advanced	Gold	Char B1 bis (French)	Miko Meier
Advanced	Gold	T-34 1940	Scott Primeau
Advanced	Gold	M3 Stuart	Tim Streeter

lll - Closed top tracked armor post 1945
Intermediate	Gold	Challenqer ll	Steve Macey
Advanced	Bronze	Hammers Slammers Aircushion Tank @ 2250 AD	Merrill Anderson
Advanced	Gold	Merkava ll	Michael Bedard
Advanced	Gold	IDF M-50 Sherman (Type A)	Sean Brzozowski
Advanced	Gold	T-64U	Jacques Duquette
Advanced	Bronze	YPR-765 SFOR Command vehicle	Erik Zabel

lV - Open top/open hatches AFVs with interior and halftracks - all eras
Intermediate	Bronze	Sig Hetzer	Winston Vermilyea
Intermediate	Gold	Sd Kfz. 223 Panzerspahwagon	Richard Childs
Advanced	Bronze	Marder llI	Sean Brzozowski
Advanced	Silver	lsraeli M113A1	Edward St. Denis
Advanced	Gold	Renault UE	Michael Bedard

lX - Figures - all eras
Intermediate	Silver	The Corsair	Scott Nicely
Advanced	Bronze	Le Liberateur	Tim Streeter
Advanced	Bronze	General US Grant	Erik Zabel
Advanced	Silver	German Tank Hunter	Mirko Meier
Advanced	Silver	Soviet WWll Sailor bust	Kyle Nelson
Master	Gold	Artillery Forward Observer	Jim Thiewes

V - Wheeled vehicles and armored cars - all eras
Beginner	Bronze	US M-6 Jeep	Ed Obermeyer-Kolb
Intermediate	Bronze	Dodge WC-54 Ambulance	Bob Maderich
Intermediate	Bronze	Scammel Pioneer	Winston Vermilyea
Intermediate	Gold	SdKfz. 234/1	Joel Butkowski
Intermediate	Gold	10hp Truck	Steve Macey
Advanced	Bronze	Opel Blitz - tank supply truck	Gary Majchrzak
Advanced	Silver	SdKfz 223 Afrika Corps	Mirko Meier
Advanced	Gold	M-923	Jacques Duquette
Advanced	Gold	WC-52 Dodge Weapons Carrier	Edward St. Denis
Advanced	Gold	M8 Greyhound Winter Camo	Erik Zabel

Vll - Major conversions
Advanced	Gold	Willys Jeep (long wheelbase)	Curtis Wacker

Xb - Dioramas (more than five figures and two vehicles)
Beginner	Bronze	War Elephant	Pat Gallagher
Intermediate	Bronze	Infantry Feldfebel	Richard Childs
Advanced	Bronze	Here We Go Again	F.A. Less'Ard
Advanced	Bronze	Livid Livestock	Gary Majchrzak
Advanced	Bronze	Flak 38 88mm	Mirko Meier
Advanced	Silver	"Lafayette, Baboon has arrived!"	Tim Streeter
Advanced	Gold	Right of Way	Merrill Anderson

Xl - Sci-Fi/Fantasy machines
Intermediate	Silver	Lord of the Dragon	Wayne Weber

People's Choice Award
"War Elephant" by Pat Gallagher


Club president Chris Barrett presents the People's Choice Award to Pat Gallagher for his piece "War Elephant."	Chris Barrett and Winston Vermilyea

Chris Barrett and Wayne Weber	Chris Barrett and Mirko Meier

Scott Nicely	Chris Barrett and Jim Thiewes