Survey 2011

                                                                SURVEY 2011

Good afternoon to you all from a cloudy but humid United Kingdom.

Having run the blog for a while now,i want to ask you to engage with any ideas you may have to improove the blog or any input you may like to add to the blog.So far there are on average 20 hits a day and those range from the UK,USA and mainland Europe.I have however had a hit from West Africa.

I shall keep the post open for a couple of weeks.

Thankyou

James Maher

Coventry and Warks Model Show 2011

                                                   Coventry and Warks Model Show 2011

This annual event is held each year at the Midland Air Museum Baginton Coventry.The event is set amongst the many aircraft that are displayed at the museum and Jim Maher your Web Meister was there to cover the event for Coventry IPMS Blogspot.

This year the weather gods were very kind to us.And from early morning the sun shone during our set up phase.All went well with traders and clubs  arriving  around 8am.I myself as usual slipt myself between our club and my other commitment at 580 Modellers.Once set up it was time to start roving and see who was who and what was what.

In the Robin Hanger or renamed the "Pizza Oven" on this day were many clubs. Amongst them 580 Modellers,Birmingham IPMS,Britmodeller,Sutton Coldfield and others.As i went from table to table,you could see alot of effort had been made to display some very good models.Amongst them there were a few that jumped out from the rest.There was a lovely 1/32 Mirage in American markings.And a lovely Hunter in the Swiss Papyrus markings.Not sure if i have spelt Papyrus right though.Moving on to the main hanger,this is where the many traders were.The normal traders were in attendance.MDC,Chris Summers of Kit-Kits,Paul Davis,Model Alliance,Freight Dog and some members who had asked to sell model kits.I took time to have a chat with Gary Madgewick of Model Alliance who showed me one of their latest decal sheets.I have included images and information below for you.I also chatted with the nice people from Freight Dog who showed me the lovely resin 1/48th Tucano.Again i have images and information on this below.Also to tempt your taste buds some great bits of resin were on offer from Freight Dog.

At Coventry and Warks IPMS Show,we ask the traders to kindly donate a kit towards the raffle each year.This year they were more than generous.On behalf of the club i would very much like to thankyou for all your donations.These certainly attracted some attention from clubs and the public.On the subject of the raffle and in conjunction with the Tombola.I would also like to give praise to the sterling hard graft put in by my wife Chris.The lovely Mandy and our treasurer Richard Brooker.

As those who visit our show on a regular basis know,we run a very different competition.What we do is instead of having an area set out for classes of competition.We judge  various classes on what is displayed on the club stands.This year we saw some great models.At this point i may be slighty bias but the efforts of two of the members of 580 Modellers certainly shone out.At show end this was clearly evident in 580 Modellers taking Four awards.But not let us forget all the others who won.Thankyou for your efforts.

This brings to a close my report,only to thankyou for attending the show and hope you return next year.Ours is a unique show in a unique setting.

Images are below with narratives as appropriate.

1/48th Mig 21 UB from Dave Foxall

A lovely Zundapp on the 580 stand

More from 580 modellers

Award winning from Malcolm Ireson of 580 Modellers

Outstanding Sukhoi on another club stand

A lovely Hunter from Roland Turner of Birmingham IPMS

Roland Turner of Birmingham IPMS.A fine modeller.  

This Mirage was outstanding in 1/32

Tigermeet Mirage 2000C

The home team

Dave Carter going Hawian

This was unique and very funny

Mandy and Chris the Tombola Ladies

Petes Dodge  





Gary Madgewick on the right of Model Alliance

The latest decal sheet from Model Alliance RAF V Bombers available now in 1/72

Outstanding register and clarity.

The nice man from Freight Dog donated this for our raffle.

Oh wow what a nice kit.the resin 1/48th kit of the Tucano .from Alley Cat available through Freight Dog 

This canopy for the Tucano is resinNo seam line at all. 

The engine comes as a seperate part.The shape is spot on.

Some of the latest resin from Freight Dog

This was a bargain buy by Pete R of Coventry IPMS

Dave Carter having a nice day.Dave is from Coventry and Warks IPMS

Pete Rollins "bargain buyer of the day"

Mike Haines presents the awards

Dave and Pete just chilling out in the midday sun.

Tom Cruise aka Mark Watkins of Coventry and Warks IPMS

We never take life seriously at Coventry as is evident with Dave Carters hands.

My good friend Les Adams takes two awards.Well done Les.

Loves young dream Claire and Richard of Coventry and Warks IPMS. 



Break down take Five.Yes five attempts.



RAF Shawbury base visit 23 June 2011

                                                               RAF SHAWBURY BASE VISIT
                                                               -----------------------------------
Today your roving reporter was invited to attend a base visit at RAF Shawbury.

Home to the Defence Helicopter Flying School.Shawbury provides elementry as well as advanced courses for UK and foreign forces.

I had not been on base since 87,when i attended the practical phase of my Tactical Supply Wing course.The time had certainly passed as i was about to see.

The purpose of the visit was to see the storage hangers,mainly located on the northern taxiway of Shawbury.Contained within are many  fixed wing aircraft and helicopters withdrawn from use.These said aircraft are either sold on or used as spares.In some cases they are returned to service,but this seldom happens these days.As we see the advance of the Hawk into the T2 with its digital avionics.The T1 and T1A will be totally withdrawn.During my visit i saw over 25 Hawks including an ex display one and Red Arrows one.In other hangers were Tucanos all with no engines,as the were sent back to RAF Linton on Ouse.Lastly Tornadoes and Gazelles were seen in another hanger.As a last note to this paragraph i was saddened to see Two Pumas which had crashed in seperate accidents.Having worked with Pumas,seeing them was a very saddening moment.

I would go on this visit if you get the chance.At present the cost is £10 per person.This money goes to charity.What better way to give something to a worthy cause.

What i have done today,is mainly concentrate on the Hawk.I have provided you with images of flaps,wheels,and the back end which in the Revell 1/32nd kit can be greatly improved.The Revell kit lacks any rivet detail in this area which is very prominent on the aircraft.Also there is a small intake scoop on the nose,which is also missing.

Ok lets get on with the show folks.



Main wheel.A very light glossy grey. 



Closer inspectionof the main wheel

Hawk T1 Front

Cockpit Hawk T1

Mark 10a Bang seat.Sorry about the flash. 

Parachute lacking in the kit in detail.

Pull the string it comes down lol

Nose wheel

Hawk flap note the primer colour

Tornado F3 A SAD END

Retired Red 

Puma HC1 wreck.

Puma HC1 A terrible loss.

Tucano minus engine

Techie humour on the IX Sqn Tornado GR4

More flaps

Very nice

AS350

A109 Visitor

Both these A109 are used to train Algerian pilots at present