66Foxtrot

I don’t know which is correct, but I’d lean towards yellow. The kit had red stickers, though. I like the way it looks.

Virginia Beach in 2008 was good. Columbus 2015 was fantastic. They’re both drivable for me.

Five Bf 109 E-7s were acquired by the Japanese in 1941, without armament, for evaluation. While in Japan they received the standard Japanese hinomarus and yellow wing leading edges, as well as white numerals on the rudder. A red band outlined in white was painted around the rear fuselage. They were used in comparison trials by the Japanese Army Air Force with the Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa, Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki and the Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien. As Japanese were interested in the DB 601 engine and license-built it for their Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien fighter, they had little interest in the Bf 109 itself. The Allies, expecting to encounter Japanese Bf 109s in combat, assigned a code name of “Mike” to the Messerschmitts. None were flown in combat by the Japanese. Funny story...About 2/3 of the way through this kit, I thought to myself "Damn, those Finemolds guys really knocked it out of the park with this one...it's literally falling together like a Tamiya kit." Up to that point, I'd been having an odd familiarity about the whole process, which I couldn't quite place. Maybe an hour or two after having those thoughts, I noticed something molded into the lower left hand corner of the sprue I was holding: TAMIYA 1996. Well, I had a good laugh at myself at that. I thought this was a new-tool kit when I saw the announcement late last year, and put it on my Christmas list. The Queen got it for me, and I dug in a few weeks ago. I last built it 18 years ago. I distinctly remember putting the finishing touches on it the night before I deployed on 30OCT2004. Anyways, there goes the odd familiarity. Having said all that, it's a relaxing, enjoyable build. Finemolds contributed a small sprue containing an airfield workshop (Pilot, Mechanic, Table, Stool, Machine Gun, Oil Drums), a parachute pack for the seat pan, and a set of their "Nano" seat belts. The decals are very Tamiya-like, in that they are thick and don't respond well to setting solutions (Micro-Sol & Mr. Mark Softer). I've no idea who sourced them. You should build one.

That's gorgeous.

Because this was yet another decision made by the few in charge without consulting the paid membership body. This should've been voted upon by the membership.

Great stuff! I especially like the Monogram Sopwith.

Thank you, Gentlemen.

I managed to complete 15 kits this year, which is a personal best since 2009. Having three months off of work for a partial knee replacement certainly helped, as did a new studio. Here they are, warts and all. 1/48 Tamiya P-38F Lightning "Texas Terror/Mad Dash". I added an Eduard seat harness and E-Z Line antenna. 1/72 Airfix Heinkel He-111H-6 "Motorhead Bomber". This was advertised as a recent release, but I swear it's the 1979 release, right down to the blobby aircrew. People online have disputed me, but there's no way this is a recent kit. One of the worst kits I've ever puttied together. Sweet 1/144 P-51B built OOB. This was an exercise in weathering techniques. Sweet 1/144 P-51B built OOB. This was an exercise in weathering techniques. Antenna is stretched sprue. Revell-Germany 1/144 BaE Harrier Gr.7 OOB Sweet 1/144 Type 96 Carrier Fighter (A5M4) Tamiya 1/48 P-51B Mustang OOB with Kitsworld decals that basically ruined the project. The kit decals shattered in water. Airfix 1/48 P-51D Mustang OOB Tamiya 1/48 Focke-Wulf FW-190F-8 with Eduard seat harness and E-Z Line antenna. Tamiya 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-ID Hein (Tony)with Eduard seat harness. One of the nicest, sublime kits I've ever built. Airfix 1/72 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.1a OOB with wine bottle lead foil Sutton harness. Eduard 1/48 Focke-Wulf FW-190A-5 OOB. E-Z Line antenna. Airfix 1/72 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat built OOB. Wine bottle lead harness. Airfix 1/48 P-51D Mustang OOB. Tamiya Craft Tools Electric Handy Drill. It's a power tool that you assemble after removing parts from sprues. It's nice and slow, drills perfectly, and is noisy as Hell. I love it.

Beautiful work, as always!

Amazing work, you should be proud! I won a RFM Tiger 1 Initial Production kit in the raffle at Cincinatti's show this year. I haven't done an Armor piece in about 10 years, so it's intimidating.

Thanks Dave.

If so, I didn't get an invite. But I don't know if that's even a thing anymore.

Someone I know on the Las Vegas message board is at Rio now, and posted a sign inside the hotel, showing which on-site restaurants are open and which are closed. The situation is not amazing. I went to the CET/Rio website, and this is the current information. Voodoo Steak at Rio: Thursday 5pm - 10pm/ Friday - Saturday 5pm - 11pm/ Sunday 5pm - 10pm Guy Fieri's El Burro Borracho: Temporarily Closed Kang’s Kitchen: Wednesday - Sunday 4pm - 12am Hash House A Go Go : Saturday - Sunday 7am - 12pm All-American Bar & Grille: Friday - Sundayn6am - 10pm Wine Cellar & Tasting Room: Temporarily Closed Pho Da Nang Vietnamese Kitchen: Friday - Sunday10am - 10pm KJ Dim Sum & Seafood: Daily10am - 10pm Royal India Bistro: Temporarily Closed Sports Deli at the Rio: Thursday2pm - 10pm/ Friday - Sunday24 hours Smashburger at the Rio: Monday - Thursday 4pm - 10pm/ Friday - Saturday9am - 2am/ Sunday9am - 10pm Room Service (All American Bar & Grille): Available Monday - Thursday from 8am - 9:30pm/ Friday-Saturday from 7am - 10:30pm/ Sunday from 7am - 9:30pm for delivery and pick up. This post is NOT a criticism of the efforts of IPMS Las Vegas. In fact, I am a huge cheerleader of their efforts on Social Media. This convention will be epic. I am posting this to give all of you information on what the in-house dining situation is, currently. Maybe it'll change in the next three weeks. However, I want to point out that Eldorado Group has bought out Caesar's Entertainment, and is currently choking off the blood flow to maximize profits. I believe that is why there are limited hours to most of the restaurants in-house, and the closure of others (there may be contractural disputes with Guy Fierier and whomever owns the Indian joint). Who knows? Hilton is taking over in 2-3 years, and I predict this will be how it is until then. My wife and I are planning on going to breakfast every morning off-site, and getting sandwiches to go for lunch. The in-room fridge will keep them fresh. One day we'll order a pie from Good Pie, and that'll be 2 days of lunch. We have dinner reservations every night except when we arrive on the 17th, but we'll manage (In-N-Out maybe?) My concerns are, with limited hours of operation, Las Vegas being "back" (it is), and the Rio hosting our convention, trying to get into these places when they're open is going to be a nightmare. Imagine waiting 2+ hours for HHAGG to get your Sage Fried Chicken. I was in the Vendor Room buying your Holy Grail kit while you were inline. I'm not exaggerating. I keep my finger on the pulse of LV 24/7/365. If reservations are accepted, make them. Again, these are just suggestions for you. I know some of you will hardly leave Rio, as you'll be enjoying every minute of the biggest, record-breaking convention IPMS has ever seen. But, you gotta eat.

Hi Ed, YES! I bought tickets to the August 19th show this morning, through Ticketmaster.

This, right here. Regardless of what they represent(ed), they are an important part of history. Important as a reminder of what evil really is, and of the memories of all who fought against that evil. Rewriting history and tearing down statues really pisses me off.