Our December meeting had 9 members in attendance. Everything is on track for our May contest. We had our Christmas party and all those who participated had a lot of fun with some very nice gifts being exchanged.

A lot has happened since our last meeting. First and foremost is that our meeting place, Hobbytown closed it’s doors on 12/27/03. After telling the staff for months that the shop was relocating to another strip mall, the owners came in on the 27^th and told them that was the last day of business and that everything had to be out by the end of the 28^th. Jamie called Phil and he and Pete got all our models from the display case. I got our chairs also. Jamie did tell me that the would be another hobbyshop opening in the next 3-4 months but it would not be a Hobbytown. 

I have already sent you  a map to our new meeting place. Randy has been able to get us a meeting place at DPS where he works and for now that is where we will meet. Chuck Pelle has also offered us a place where he works in Five points so we will see what every one wants to do.

Coming from Irmo/Harbison you will pass the SC Forestry Commission on your left . Turn into the SCDPS main entrance where the SC Criminal Justice Hall of fame is and go down to the sixth left turn which is into a gravel parking lot by a cluster of modular units. Randy will have a blue Ford Crown Vic in that lot and he will be outside to point you to the right building from there. Due to security reasons it is Very Important to not drive anywhere else on the property except to this lot! Thank you!

I hope that everyone had a good Christmas and New Year. 

On a sad note, we must say goodbye to Bob Fancher and his son. Bob took a job with NASA at the Space and Rocket center in Huntsville, AL and invites anyone from the club who wants to see the center to let him know. We want to wish Bob and his family good luck in Huntsville!

Our website continues to grow and improve. The site address is  www.oocities.org/swamp001. Everyone will need to be featured to keep this site fresh. 

The contest flyer and entry forms are available for download directly from our website. So please pass that info on.

People have been asking for the following demos: Weathering of vehicles and aircraft, plastic polishing, Airbrush tips, natural metal finishes, airbrushing. So volunteers are needed.

We want to make sure that our flyers and Sumter’s are up in the local hobby shops. If you notice either club’s missing when you next visit a shop please let me know so they can be replaced. It is very important to let potential members know both clubs are out there.

New items on display for us to drool over were:

• Finescale Modeler new issue

• Flypast Magazine new issue

• New issue of SAMI

• Aeroplane Monthly new issue

• New issue of Air Classics

• 1/35 M3 Stuart “Honey” from Academy

• 1/35 BMD-1P by Skif

• 1/24 Johnny Lightning Batmobile

• Scale armor II book

• 1/48 Hasegawa C6N1 “Myrt”

• 1/48 Gloster Gladiator by Roden

• 1/48 PZL 11 by Mirage

• 1/1400 Ferengi Maruader

• Balrog from Lord of The Rings by Cellarcast

• WWII Gunners info file Manual

• WWII Aircraft recognition book

Completed kits and in progress items were:

• 1/48 Tamiya Mosquito Fighter/Bomber by Hub Plott

• 1/48 Raccoon Resin Ki-119 By Hub Plott

• 1/48 Raccoon Resin Ki-98 by Hub Plott

• 1/48 Turbo-Mustang converted from Tamiya P-51D by Hub Plott

• In progress P-51D with detailed engine and gun bays by Alex Smith

Here’s a list of the upcoming contests:

• Jan. 31^st –Feb. 1 Atlanta Model expo*

• Feb 8, Richmond, VA contest

• Mar 15, SCMA, Greenville, SC*

• Mar 29 – 30, Fairfax, VA contest

• Mar 29 – 30, Regional Contest, Orlando, FL

• Apr 2 – 8, EAA Sun-n-Fun, Lakeland, FL www.sun-n-fun,org

• Apr 5, Leed, AL* 

• Apr 7 – 27, Aviation World Fair, Williamsburg, VA www.awf2003.com (looks like that it’s been cancelled)

• Apr 12, Weirton, WV contest

• May 3, SCMA, Columbia, SC*

• May 10 – 11, USAF Museum Celebration of First Flight, Wright-Patterson AFB, (Dayton) OH www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/ 

• May 16 – 26, Festival of Flight, Fayetteville, NC www.festivalofflight.org

• May 17^th Our joint show, Lexington, SC*

• Feb. 8, Richmond, VA

• Mar.15, SCMA Greenville, SC* 

• Apr. 12, Knoxville,TN*

• May 24 – 25, Pope AFB, NC airshow*

• Jun 6 – 7, Region 3 Contest, Spartanburg, SC*

• Jun 25 – Jul 4, 25^th World Acrobatic Championships, Lakeland, FL www.wac2003.org

• Jul 2 – 5, IPMS/USA Nationals, Oklahoma City, OK* www.ipmsmetrookc.org/Nats_2003/index.html

• Jul 17 – 20, Dayton OH airshow www.inventingflight.com

• Jul 29 – Aug 4, EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh, WI www.airventure.org

• Aug 2, Charlotte, NC contest*

• Sep 6 – 7, Virginia State EAA Fly-In, Petersburg-Dinwiddie, VA www.vaeaa.org

• Sep 6 – 7, Winston-Salem, NC airshow

• Sep 12 – 14, USAF Museum WW I Fly-In, Wright-Patterson AFB (Dayton), OH www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/

• Oct 3 – 4, Region 2 Contest, Reston, VA

• Nov 7 – 9 (?), Owen’s Field Airshow, Columbia, SC* www.celebratefreedomfoundation.org

• Dec 13 – 17, First Flight Centennial Celebration, Kill Devil Hills, NC  www.inventingflight.com

Those with an * are the ones members of our club and Sumter are planning to attend. If interested in joining us talk to Hub.

Next meeting:
January 30th will be our next meeting at 7:00PM at SCDPS 5400 Broad River Rd. After that we should be back on our .normal 4^th Thursday of the month Schedule until the November meeting. We will have lots to talk about and to show off our new purchases and built-ups too. So come on down and voice your opinion and participate. After all it is YOUR club.

Till next time

Hub