JonEmery

Calling all cars, calling all cars... Good afternoon everyone. Jon Emery here, Director of the IPMS-USA Support the Troops initiative and Models for Troops. Since 2012, over 4,000 lbs of kits and supplies have been shipped to service men and women stationed overseas and more recently to veterans at VA Hospitals for recreational therapy. Many thanks for the generous donations of kits by our members. What we are always short on and in high demand are muscle cars, hot-rods, and classics. Can you help? If you have an un-built kit in your stash that you can part with, please send our way and we will find a vet to build it. Only requirements are that they be un-started/painted, still attached to the sprues, and the box be in good shape. If you prefer, I can supply you with the address of any or all of the 8 VA Hospitals we currently send to and you can ship directly to the VA of your choice. More info can be found at http://www.ipmsusa3.org/gallery/v/stt/ or e-mail me at models4troops@gmail.com for more info. Thank you in advance, Jon

Another fun build. Practically fell together. Gear is from the spares box. Figures are converted Dragon British Infantry with headsets from somewhere (?) as well as the Bren. Painted rattle can with ink pin wash and colored pencil highlights. Base is wood from Michaels painted with a textured spray and felt pads on bottom. It was suggested I add rope tie downs on back that I plan to add and after looking at the pics, the front chain needs a little work.

Here is a fun little build from Italeri. I normally build 1/35 armor but was inspired by a club member who only builds 1/72 and has amazing results. Mine, not so amazing but still fun. I used MM rattle cans with ink pin washes and highlighted with colored pencils. Built OOB except for the tarps from spares box and the antennae and mount from copper wire.

I just read a few more of the postings today regarding the demise of the Make and Take program and felt compelled to post this. We may not be gaining new, young model builders, but we are increasing our presence in other ways. Very positive and measurable ways. First a little background. I am an 8-year Army mortarman, E5, son of a 30-year AF O6, son-in-law of an Iwo Jima Marine, mortarman, the brother-in-law of a Desert Storm Army mortarman (enough with the mortarman already), and most of all, a proud father of an Iraq War MP. Back in 2012 I was inspired by a gentleman from Texas, Dick Montgomery, to start Models for Troops. Dick was helping wounded combat veterans at Brooke Army Medical Center by supplying models and supplies for recreational therapy. He was also the Director of the IPMS-USA Support the Troops initiative and shipping countless kits overseas. I live just north of Raleigh/Durham and held group builds at the Durham VA Hospital for 6 months before I sent my first shipment of kits to Afghanistan in August of that year. 74 whole pounds of kits...and not a drop of glue or paint. Doh! First lesson. Dick gave me some pointers and by January of 2013 asked me to replace him as the IPMS-USA Director. Since then, the program has collected and shipped well over 3,000 lbs. of kits, building supplies and magazines to Kuwait, Afghanistan, and currently 9 rec therapy programs at VA Hospitals in 5 states. In NC - Durham and Ashville, WV - Beckley, VA - Hampton, WA - Spokane, NY - Bath, Canandaigua, and Buffalo/Batavia. Complete contact/mailing info can be found here on the Support the Troops portion of this site. The fuel that powers this initiative are the IPMS members and clubs that donate kits and supplies from as far away as Hawaii. This would not exist without the overwhelming support of our members. I attend as many shows that time allows between Richmond VA and Columbia, SC. I set up a collection table and talk about the program with anyone who will listen. I have even met some recipients of our efforts at numerous contests. I will not attempt to mention some of our biggest supporters as I know I will forget someone while up on my soapbox and they have all done so much. I personally thank you all from the bottom of my heart. OK, so back to the Make and Take. Was the point to be a recruiting tool or an awareness tool? Many of the VA's specifically ask for snap-tite kits for their patients as it is a tool for gauging improvement in some individuals. I have 4 years of e-mails of how we as an organization have helped people. Some we only helped by killing boredom, but others we have given a passion and a new hobby. If you ask me, we hit a home run with awareness. I am here for questions and answers, please use me. If you can't get into your local VA Hospital, drop me a line and we can work through it together. Nothing is impossible. Jon Emery IPMS Eagle Squadron

Thanks Gil and Paul. The base is a piece of foam core with a hole cut out the size of where I guessed the waterline to be. I then painted dark blue acrylic craft paint and added light blue and finally white around the boat. I blotched some darker paint in the corners of the base to help draw the eye to the center and add depth. Caulk is a layer of varying thickness from 1/8 to a 1/4. If I knew more how it was going to look, I would have spent a little more time on painting the water. There is another pic here on the ES club site of the hole without the boat: http://ipmseaglesquadron.org/ES-forums/index.php?topic=1693.0

I am usually an armor builder but I was swayed by the allure of this being in 1/35. I am working on some converted crew figures to dress it up a bit. My first attempt at water...the main reason I don't do boats. I tried the clear silicone caulk method and am pleased overall. The bilge water and the little wakes along the water line are "scraps" pulled from the spoons after they dried. Car is an old 1/32 kit that I did as part of a club "out of your comfort zone" builds.

Welcome Dennis, I can view your pics just fine. Very nice work, you will do your Dad's plane justice, no doubt.

There was a guy named Jim who started Large Scale Armory but seems to have fallen off the face of the earth. Google it and see what you can find. Nice stuff...too bad.

I hope you find something. They are crazy inexpensive lately and make a nice presentation when needed. Our club uses them for our veteran builds...to keep the dust off as well... and curious hands.

Hey Jim, not sure which part of the country you are but check out Michael's Crafts. Right now they have buy one get one on their display cases and shadow boxes. From football helmets to china dolls to flags and baseballs. My local store has more than what they carry on-line. http://www.michaels.com/search?q=Display%20cases

Hey Jim, As for the donation program, we are still going strong. Over 2,000 lbs in just the past 2 years alone. I have not gotten my monthly response from the folks at Kandahar or Shindand and will be placing them in inactive status when I get home this evening. Most of our donations are going to the VA hospitals at the moment. Please feel free to reach out to me at models4troops@gmail.com with any questions or concerns. Kind regards, Jon

Awesome job Joe. Yellow was the right choice, really looks the part. (Sciencefictionaly of course)

Nice job. As an old mortarman myself, the subject matter is spot on. Inspires me to build the ones in my stash.

Here is a few pics of the finished build. Took a second in Hypothetical category at the Nats.

Here is the driver.

I am an armor builder 99% of the time and have taken a liking to the DUST 48 and 35 subjects and thought I would try my own. After a few sketches, PDF attached, and some gathering of kits, I have started. Tobruk 2040, lend-lease vehicle from the USA. Honey of a tank, stinger of a bee... plan on 3 tone color "desert rat" scheme. Attached are some pics of before it was primed. Honeybee sketches_v2.pdf