Nationals

[Ryan K]

The reason for the time limit is in theory these models are spotless. So even if you had 5 models, one stencil decal edge sliver or unfilled seam in the wheel bay could be the difference. As the number of judges is usually an issue and the best would be need for this group, is that fair to the other group of contestants? There is the issue of who would show up. You don't want to have wasted awards if the 'masters' don't want to compete anymore.

[Herk]

I see some benefits but other issues. Do you create all the award groups or only one for Masters. What if your a Master in say aircraft but want to build Armor, should you be allowed to compete as a beginner? Who and how long do you get to judge those models. Does accuracy come into play for this group?

If we are to go this route, there probably needs to be a definition of "What is a Master".  As Ron mentioned, multiple National awards is probably one criteria - especially if they are in multiple categories.
While only one group for Masters might be good (all Masters competing against each other) having a mix i.e.: A/C (ALL Kinds ALL eras), Armor (ALL kinds, All eras), Ships, etc.  For this category, the number of splits should be highly regulated to prevent having a "mini-contest". 
Judging for this category should be no longer than the other categories - if you cannot decide in 3-4 hours . . .
Other comments please.
Regards,
Steve

[Ryan K]

I see some benefits but other issues. Do you create all the award groups or only one for Masters. What if your a Master in say aircraft but want to build Armor, should you be allowed to compete as a beginner? Who and how long do you get to judge those models. Does accuracy come into play for this group? 

[Herk]

Like that idea of a "Masters" category.  AMPS uses a skill level ranking in their judging.  That would some of us Newbie's a chance and let these guys compete against each other.
Regards

[Ronv]

Yeah I attended and it was kinda of a last minute thing. I got there late Thursday evening and stayed at a campground about 30 minutes away ($25/night vs $$ for a hotel room). I thought the contest was run fairly well except for the seating at the banquet. I also did not have the $45 chicken and as Matt said we were stuffed against the back wall. I attended some of the seminars and really enjoyed one from the guys at the Vallejo booth on doing washes and rust. Overall it was a good show no real complaints. One consideration that should be suggested is a separate category(s) for wooden ship models. Plastic sailing ships just can't compete with wooden
ship models. Also have a "Master's Category" for those guys who win repeatedly at the Nationals...after so many wins you would be placed in a Master's category.
RonV 

[Herk]

Really good and objective review.  Will be interesting to see how Columbia does compares to Columbus and Virginia Beach.
Regards

[Ryan K]

Congrats on the second place award and thanks for the reply.

[Matt C]

I made the trip up, although I didn't stay at the host hotel. We had planned to vend for SMQ, but Joe's schedule was book and it was going to be costly for us to stay at the host hotel. Instead, I went alone and stayed at a points hotel 15 minutes out. I saw Ron, who came up as well.

I was certainly happy I went, as I won 2nd place in the 1920-1954 theme category with my US Army Stearman. It's at the bottom of this page: http://svsm.org/gallery/columbus2015-winners?page=28 (If you're browsing through the results, the photos are order as Title Card - 3rd - 2nd - 1st).

As far as impressions, it was a good show overall, although perhaps not as exciting as Virginia Beach. Personally, I was really put off by the parking costs. Saturday ended up being $20 to park because I left during the 4 hour gap between the vendor rooms closing and the awards presentation.

My only legitimate complaint was that the contest room was poorly lit, which apparently was an issue previously that was supposed to have been corrected by remodeling. I'm young enough that I usually can get by in lower light, but this year I wished I had brought my own flashlight for judging, as it was a necessity.

This year, during the judges meeting they advocated what I would say is a "radical" shift in judging mentality and methodology. Previously, the criteria was almost a checklist, and as soon as you messed something up as you progressed down the basic construction list (Slight misalignment, small seam, 1 silvered decal) you were out of the running. We were told to take a more holistic approach, as in past years models with, say a poor paint job, ended up winning because the guys with the great paintwork had slight issue at the beginning of the checklist.

In the new style they advocated, it's all weighed against the whole. That's not to say that a model with a sever misalignment, bad paint work, or exposed seems could win, just that a small issue needed to be weighed, so a tail plane that's a 1/16th of an inch off when measured with your trusty ruler isn't grounds to stop evaluating the model and move on to the next one. Perhaps most controversial is that they said that degree of difficulty should be weighed when looking at construction flaws. In the example I recall them giving, someone that did a great deal or aftermarket PE or resin and ended up with a small, shiny glue spot or two out of many attached pieces shouldn't be instantly booted considering how much they got right (not to say that a "perfect" box stock model wouldn't win, but there are no perfect models, as we say, and minor flaws need to be judged in context of the whole).

Despite the HS crankiness about the historical and mechanical accuracy of the Best in Show P-47D, it's a stunning model in person. It's even got tiny little inspection ports open, with tiny little covers. It's certainly was a great bit of modeling craftsmanship and art, regardless.

The banquet/awards ceremony was held in far too small of a room. It was essentially full with the dinner tables. Neither Ron or I at ate the banquet, so when it was time for the awards presentation to start, there were a handful of chairs lining the outer walls where we found seating, but lots of people had to go find their own chairs from the vendor rooms to have a seat. Pretty much "standing" room only for those who didn't eat. That was a bit annoying and certainly poor planning; it makes one feel like a second class attendee, although to be fair I didn't buy a $45 chicken, so I'm probably low class anyway ;-)

The vendors were the usual suspects with their usual wares (I chuckle, as one vendor has been hauling around an overpriced car model that I've seen at shows since at least the 2014 Richmond show, and I feel like I've seen it earlier than that even). There was a large estate sale, a couple private collection sellers, and a couple of local hobby shops vending at the show. I wasn't buying much this year, but I also didn't see too many fantastic deals. Of course, the vendors were spread across ~8 rooms, so you had to be careful not to miss anything.

Tamiya had the new Mosquito kit at their booth (which had just arrived at Squadron's warehouse during the show according to their signs) and Revell was showing of the Fine Molds sourced 1/72 Millennium Falcon (MSRP $299). Zoukei Mura had a prototype of their 1/48 F-4 Phantom, which looked nice enough to my untrained eye.

I also ran around the greater Columbus/Dayton area and visited quite a few hobby shops (at least 10, so you could say they have a lot of choice there!). I will say that none of them even came close to having the huge aftermarket selection that Hayes carries, but nearly every line of paint could be found in town (Vallejo Model Air/Color, Mr. Color, Humbrol, plus the common MM and Tamiya lines) by visiting the various shops, which I wish was the case around the RDU area.

I made the trip to the AF museum in Dayton, and it was as impressive as it's ever been. The only new thing I spotted was a Shuttle crew training mock up. For those that haven't heard, they'll be building a 4th hanger, beyond the missiles, to house the Air Force One collection and the Research/X-planes collection, so you'll no longer have to sign up for the bus tour onto the secured are of the base.

Overall, as I said, a good time. Would I go back to Columbus? Maybe, but it would be a Fri/Sat kinda trip, by myself, at a cheap hotel, just to enter the contest and say I went. Having sat through the bids, Omaha should be a very nice show. It's at the same Embassy Suites convention center they held it at previously, they have nearly the same staff, and they seemed prepared, even two years out.

[Ryan K]

If anyone went, what was your impressions this year.