Nick Filippone

I’m with you, Ron. To me, the single action Paasche H1 is the AK -47 of airbrushes: neglect it, abuse it, fail to clean it adequately- it works perfectly every time. And I have done some pretty fine work with the small tip and obtained great results. After several flirtations with fancier, balky and temperamental double action airbrush’s, I now use the Paasche H1 exclusively! Nick

I get my Paasche Airbrush parts from Amazon- quick and easy. I have also dealt directly with Paasche.

Found it! Pretty cool. And your scratch-built depiction is spot on. And just in time, too. It looks like Aosima is going to release versions in 1/72 AND 1/48. Way to stay ahead of the curve!

But what is it?

Is this a call for Judges for the National Convention (as suggested by the topic title) or a call for Judges for 2026 Model Con 419 ( as suggested by the actual post)?

Ron, I share your anxiety about airfoil cross-section strut stock. I too am hoarding some but I have not found a new supplier for years. I have long hoped that Evergreen would offer it but nothing so far.

I don’t understand what this post is supposed to be or do!🧐

Chris, Nice, lucid explanation. Thank you. And I am aware of Vlad’s Ca impregnated paper for small parts. It works well and has been described as ‘poor man’s photo-etching.’ I have used it to make propellers in 1/144 scale. Nick

Chris, Nice work! Can you give a little more detail on how you used the toilet tissue to make the canvas cover so convincing? Nick

Nice work, Ron. I did that conversion myself about 50 years ago using the old Frog Tempest. I used a plug of balsa to reshape the cowl and sheet plastic extensions at the leading edges of the wings for the radiators. I have always thought that this configuration was the most aesthetically appealing of all the Typhoon/ Tempest family. Nick

I appreciate the prompt reply of members of the E Board. For my own part, I guess we will simply have to agree to disagree. Respectfully, Nick Filippone, IPMS # 969, Senior National Judge.

Having attended 38 National Banquets, I too will claim a certain authority with which to comment on these matters. I pretty much agree with all these comments. I also lament the dearth of public speaking skills in this organization in particular (and in the products of the American education system in general). Bill and Aris had gratefully been the consistently notable and happy exception to this. They were able to read All the awards (and they all could and should be read), pronounce names correctly, add the occasional and effective asides and quips to break up the litany of awards and STILL get us out at a reasonable hour. It can be done. All the other suggestions made by Joe and Gil are entirely appropriate but, for implementation, would require the E Board to tightly script the whole ceremony with strict guidelines and a demand for adherence to schedule. The National Orgnization has taken over other aspects of the National Convention and Contest with admirable success. This would simply be the logical next step. As part of this, it should be possible to identify, in an organization of 5000+ members, two people with sufficient public speaking skills to read the awards with clarity and alacrity. If the host chapter cannot demonstrate that they have members in their ranks with such ability, then skilled presenters from the membership at large should be summoned from the bull pen. The Awards Banquet and Ceremony is the culmination of the National Convention. Hearing one’s name read as a contest winner is an honour and a thrill. It should not be treated as an anti-climactic, time- wasting after- thought! Nick Filippone, IPMS #969, Senior National Judge.

The rule is explicit: “ However, nothing other than that basic surface may be used.” That’s pretty clear. Why not just put the wheels back on and enter it OOB or modify and display it as you wish in the regular category? It’s better and more fun to build what you want, the way you want and put it in the category it ends up in rather than picking a category and trying to squeeze a model into it. Nick

In fact, of course, the issue here is not whether this entry, as described, is OOB or not. According to the 2025 National Contest General Rules, Section 4, paragraph D, this entry would be a vignette or diorama. The rule is very clear that anything other than the simplest of bases- runway only for aircraft, pavement only for vehicles, water only for ships, etc, mandates the entry be assigned to a vignette or diorama category. The jackstands are just the sort of embellishment that makes the base more than “simple.” Nick Filippone, IPMS #969, Senior National Judge

Contrail marketed airfoil struts but, as you say, they are long out of business. There is or was a product called “Strutz” - airfoil section lengths out of metal. They are sturdy and therefore useful when weight- bearing becomes important but otherwise are not as easy to glue or use. Nick