Dakimbrell

I wasn’t comparing anyone. I’ve truly thought it would be fun to wear awards at a show since some such as medals and medallions on ribbons are designed to be worn. As most modelers know, WWII Germans wore their medals into combat and the Russians definitely liked the bling. Americans tend to go for simple ribbons which I find more tasteful in general—-no pun intended—-situations. If we use awards which are designed to be worn, why not wear them. After all, many wear the contest pins to show they are “veterans”. I personally prefer small awards like medallions that are easy to pack and display with the model in display cases. Dak

We could wear our medals like German soldiers or Russian generals. 😁 Dak

On generic awards, a set design could be purchased by the host chapter and purchased from a specific source which gives the best price. No storage required. Just a thought. Dan

If you can’t fix the decals, perhaps that is not the model to build for OOTB. Would you choose a kit that the real thing had rigging, but was not mentioned in the instructions or seen in the box art? As for painting, I was referring to the markings. Painting and glue while not included, are referenced in the instructions. Of course, some old kits did come with glue. Overall, my point is that OOTB as practiced today is archaic and unnecessary. We would be better served creating classes for specific topics like a Bf-109 class and break it down into categories by scale. Judge oranges with oranges. There are a number of models with which we could do this way. Dak

Painting markings would not be out of the box. Dak

Why would a self respecting contestant insist on building an old, outdated kit for a major contest and insist it be judged OOTB. talk about demanding special treatment. If he was truly skilled he would be prepared to revitalize the kit supplied decals. Dak

Sorry, but it should be kit decals only. You want to compete with an antique kit, then use the old decals. Just my opinion. Dak

I think OOTB should be held to the strictest terms possible including the kit supplied decals. In the old days there was some justification for it. Not so now. I was one of those people hated to compete against because I detailed my models very heavily. Now days I don’t need to do that much extra work. Rarely do I do more than change a piece of string to a piece of wire Today, anyone can buy a WNW airplane or a Takom Panther and have an OOTB model with a full interior. Dak

OOTB is obsolescent. If you want to do a real OOTB, then make it OOTB only, including kit decals. Dak

Note: When people use the toilet, they zip and buckle up so whatever was on their hands is now on their clothes. 😉 Dak

But, I’m not asking in a hypothetical or general way, I’m asking what specifically upsets people. For example, I dislike SS troops being shown victorious or valiant. Seeing Patton peeing in the Rhine doesn’t offend me at all. Dak

That may be true and sound advice, but it doesn't answer the original question. It seems that every year there is something which upsets someone for some reason. For example, this year some one got upset about the way an American flag was used to display some models. There is some precedent in of sudden "bans" based on someone's complaint because they saw something which upset them. Dak

This is the 1/35th Meng kit with the Niko Models tail skid and a Nemrod figure of a French tanker. The tank is seen during 1936. In 1940, Normandie was re-named Loraine and later destroyed by its crew to prevent capture. The model is 15" long with the tail skid. Dak

Yes, I have the B-17, too. I just noticed I didn’t see the HKM Mosquito at the show in Vegas. There were a couple Tamiya kits, but no HKM. Well, get the kids off the street, I’ll probably be starting it in another week. Dak

Has anyone built the 1/32nd HKM kit? Any thoughts on it? Dak

I don’t see it as giving non members special treatment. I see it as good PR for the Society. It creates better understanding of what we do. In 2014, I brought my Dad to the show. While he has seen my work all my life, he was taken aback by what he saw. He said he never understood until then what level we were working at. PR and goodwill is worth a few dollars. When you charge a high walk around fee, it just makes us look cheap and greedy. When I attend, I compete. I enjoy the competition. For me it is sport. I also sponsor and a category awards both on my own and with others. I love the pins and t-shirts. And I regularly write articles for the Journal. The only people I am an advocate for are those who might end up joining us once they see how things are. There will always be cheapskates. If they are too cheap to pay a convention entry fee, what makes you think they will pay a high walk around fee? They will also be too cheap to spend much money with the vendors. You remind me of the guys trying to sell prunes by putting recipes on the box. What they didn’t get was first you have to get people to eat prunes. Dak

So, you add $5 to the contest admission and $10 to the vendor tables. The vendors will see the return in more sales. What makes you think hundreds are going to trace to the show and not enter the contest? I attended FOR the contest. The vendors are a nice, secondary, if unknown quantity. They change from year to year and I have rarely found the same ones there EVERY year. For a high walk around fee, I would want a guaranty of certain vendors being there. Dak

How is charging only $2 for walk ins dis-preferring or disrespectful to our members? If they are entering the contest, they have to be members, right? And they have to pay the entry fees, right? Letting a few people in to look at what we do seems desirable to me. That it might encourage people to join IPMS seems very desirable. Dak

Finding people interested in trains is like finding sand in the desert. Model building at our level is not. To the general public, we are geeks, and nerds. Few people have a genuine idea of the level of craftsmanship and art we achieve. The only way to change that is to let them see what we do. Many would see no reason pay high dollar to see stuff that the kids do. Little do they understand it is as different as a little league game and the Super Bowl. Dak

All I’m doing is restating my basic position which is if you want to encourage membership, charging them big dollars simply to look is not the way to go. I have been dealing with the hangers and non contributors for the past 45 years. I don’t care about them. I want new people who get turned on to something they had never thought about before. Charging them $20 to walk around for an hour is not productive. Dak

As I said, a nuisance few of a dollar or two is fine, but if the idea is to make a profit from walk ins, then you are doing the event for the wrong reason. Dak

The Meng kit pretty much out of the box. Figures are from Miniart. The tracks work out to 640 parts. The kit can be done as a TUSKII. Dak

That kits have gotten better and often more complex is why I believe OOB is obsolete in its current use. Dak

I only threw this out because---based on the number of questions I got this year at the show---there will surely be people wanting to enter it in OOB classes in the coming years. A VERY large number don't read the rules in any form. As noted in other discussions, I personally dislike OOB in most of its current forms and think it should be reduced or even done away with in future contests. No need to defend it, we've all heard it before. I'm just restating an opinion. Dak

But if all that is in the kit and the instructions are provided it is out of the box. Time for clarification of the rules A similar problem exists with some Tamiya kits which provide three figures. They are part of the kit and should be judged. Dak