MID-CAROLINA IPMS SWAMPFOX NEWSFLASH  October 2001

Our September meeting went very well. This coming meeting we will cover the annual re-chartering of our club and other new business.

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. As we approach its 4-month anniversary we are close to 5000 hits.

There was a good discussion of the new IPMS policy on nude figures. For the most part this is good policy there are a few over reactions and a lot is left open to local determination which is good but means that there will still be room to gripe.

People have been asking for the following demos: 

  • Weathering of vehicles and aircraft
  • plastic polishing, 
  • airbrush tips, 
  • natural metal finishes, 
  • airbrushing. 

Volunteers are needed.

The display planned for the Forest acres City festival is off due to the festivals own security concerns stemming from the Sept. 11th events

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

  • Collect-aire 1/48 XP-67

  • Re-2000/1/2/5 in Action

  • 1/48 Raccoon Ki-119

  • 1/48 Concise Models and Graphics PB4Y-2 conversion for the Monogram B-24

Completed kits and in progress items were:

  • 1/48 T-Rex Skeleton

  • In progress female bust

  • “The Collector” from the “Simpsons”

  • Velociraptor and cavewoman battle scene.

  • P-51B plack of Col. Tex Hill's aircraft

Here’s a list of the upcoming contests:

  • November 3 - Salisbury, North Carolina *

  • February 1 - 2, 2002 Region 3 regional in Atlanta, Georgia*

  • March 9, 2002 - Belmont, North Carolina*

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

There are still a few magazines left from Dr. Morin’s estate. If anyone wants to look through them give me a call.

This issue we take a look at the Collect-aire 1/48 XP-67 Moonbat. This kit is typical of Collect-aire offerings. Tan resin parts, white metal landing gear and Vacu-formed canopies. The fuselage and wings comprise 8 resin parts. With many smaller parts in resin.

 The fit on the two fuselage halves is a good as on any Tamiya kit. The wings are also a good fit. The first real need for putty is when you mate the engine nacelles to the blended wing/fuselage.

Here a generous amount of filler is needed but the end results are nice.

Cockpit detail on the XP-67 is the weakest point of this kit and usually is with most Collect-aire kits, but a trip to the spares box and reheat instruments can spruce this up. In fairness to Collect-aire most of their subject matter is pretty obscure so reference material is hard to come by. Still this is the one area where they can improve. The cockpit parts do fit together nicely and no adjustments were needed to fit the fuselage together. Even after filling the front half with every bit of weight I could the model is still a confirmed tail sitter.

The decals are nicely done and very simple. Consisting of national insignia, serial number and two white test markings.

In conclusion this is a nice kit. One of Collect-aire’s best. It is expensive! Coming in at $149.00 but it does provide you with a unique subject that will never be seen in a 1/48 injection-molded kit. If the subject interests you then I can recommend this kit to those with resin kit experience.

Next meeting:
OCTOBER 25th -  7:00PM at Hobbytown. 
This will mark the last of 4th Thursday meetings for the year. Next month we switch to the 3rd Thursday for the remainder. We will have a demo on the various putty and filler mediums.  So come on down and voice your opinion and participate. After all it is YOUR club

Till next time

Hub