Belgian Scale Modellers Convention 2013

Early December is the time for the last modelshow of the year   And it's only an half hour drive by car for me   What means I don't have to get up early Life can be perfect sometimes   I arrived around noon   The contest area was still open (though the picture below shows it at the time when it was closed due to judging)   Wessex HU-5, taking away Gold in the 1/48 scale Aircraft Masters Class category   1/32 scale Spitfire Mk.XVI   1/48 scale Curtiss P-40N Warhawk   1/32 scale Caudron C.714   1/32 scale Vought RF-8G Crusader - from Trumpeter, but with a scratch build forward recon fuselage   The pilot is a modified Verlinden figure This photo recon Crusader was awarded with Gold in the 1/32 scale Aircraft Master Class category   1/72 scale Heinkel He-177 A6 Greif, build from the Revell kit   1/48 scale Mil Mi-24V Hind in Czech Air Force markings - 231 Tiger Squadron - Prerov Air Base, 2002   1/72 scale Motorized Armored Railcar D3 - from UM   Gold award winning (Small scale Military Vehicles category) 1/72 scale M25 Dragon Wagon, from Academy   1/72 scale Flakpanzer IV Ostwind - from Maco, with upgrade parts from ExtraTech and Part   My favorite model in the contest - I simply loved it   Amazing Out of the Box work done on this old Airfix Josef Stalin III (1/76 scale)   1/48 scale Tiger I, during the Russian Campaign 1944   1/72 scale Latil Tar 1916 (from Al.by) + M1918 155mm field gun (from RPM)   1/72 scale Panzer IV - from Dragon   1/48 scale GAZ-AAA-M4 from UM, with added Hauler details Look at that engine - and the M4 quadrupled 7.62 "Maxim" machine guns   "Prise de guerre" - 1/35 scale A7V "Mephisto", France 1917   An Australian soldier investigating a German helmet   "Mephisto" is the only surviving German tank of WW-I, and currently housed in a museum in Brisbane, Australia The model depicts it very faithfully after Australian troops "graffiti-ed" it - before dragging it all the way to Australia   The lion painted on the other side of this Gold award winning model   "O sole mio!" (1/35 scale diorama)   "Hotter then hell" (1/35 scale diorama)   1/35 scale FT-17 with a 37mm canon   1/35 scale Merkava I from Tamiya - during Operation Peace for Galilee, First Lebanon War 1982   "Hell's Bells" - an 1/35 scale Opel Blitz   With an untypical load   Time for a break There were several live demonstrations of tips and techniques Harry Steen - from MXpression fame - just started explaining how to work with metals   There even was a camera on the ceiling - giving an eagle eye view on everything what's going on on the bench   And displaying on a flat screen the secrets of a master   The recording is available on YouTube (or below if my video embedding works)   Back to work... admiring more little pieces of art "Burned Out" - an 1/35 scale Panzer II from Dragon, somewhere in Poland 1939   1/35 scale Flakpanzer 38(t) Gepard - from Tristar   1/35 scale Sd.Kfz 7/1 from Dragon   1/35 scale Firefly from Dragon, with Blackdog upgrade parts   I liked the tank commander on this Sherman, he looks serious in a very natural way   T34/76 mod 1942 (Dragon), another Gold award winning model in the 1/35 scale Military Vehicles Master Class category   Gold in the 1/35 scale Military Vehicles Advanced category went to this Mercedes LI500A Maultier from Zvezda   "Street Panther" (1/35 scale diorama)   Note the camera man on the right   Soviet troops entertaining a young boy   "New Toy" (1/35 scale diorama) With a lot of folks... and animals   Even some goose setting out to investigate the new toy   Soldiers getting refreshments from civilians   The cows were especially very well done   1/35 scale Jagdpanther in the snow...   ... with an escort on motor bikes driving very carefully   1/35 scale diorama : The Belgian "Duvels" ( devils) - Belgian Staghound Brigade Piron   A nice touch is this Belgian beer called "Duvel" - it really exists - and it's good !   1/35 scale Skoda RSO - Battle of Bulge   "Barbecue" (1/35 scale diorama) - taking away Gold in the 1/35 scale Diorama Master Class   Incredible nice work around a Schwimmwagen under maintenance   It was a pleasure admiring all the small details in this diorama Just look at the wall and the window in the back   The barbecue   "The dukes of Fallujah" (1/35 scale diorama)   The special theme of this years contest was "What If... 1946 and beyond" And this little orange Humvee fitted perfectly in this theme   Before moving over to the other categories, I had a look around There were several model clubs present, such as Model Club Willebroek from nearby   The "blue shirts" from KMK - another Belgian modellers club   They had brought with them a display with some older work   Of which I liked this one... "Aaaah les femmes !" Nice work could also be seen outside of the contest   Les fêlés... another Belgian modellers club   With one of their show cases   One could even already spent some money   PMC Leipzig - visiting from Germany - was promoting a new Mistel conversion set for the Revell 1/32 scale Ju-88   The guys from Scale Model Factory - visiting from The Netherlands   Moving back to the contest area - and to the figurines classes "Ploegsteert Wood" 1915 - with a Captain and a Sergeant of the Royal Welsh Fuseliers - from Tommy's War   "Black death" - two 1/35 scale Soviet Naval Infantry soldiers (Italeri/Zvezda) giving fierce resistance   "Tour de France - tak ktery je original (so which is the original one)" - a neat 1/72 scale diorama   "Hard times" - two Andrea Miniatures figures in a small display   "Der Kriegsgefangene" - getting Gold in the Figurines Advanced Class Perfect work ! Heck... more then perfect work !   "Lucky guys" - 1/16 scale scratch build Panther crew   This masterpiece was awarded with Gold in the Figurines Master Class category   Documentation... and I think you now know where the title "Lucky Guys" comes from   "War Mad Snail" - in my humble opinion, the most funny entry in the contest   And with visual interest on both sides I like how it is biting on its teeth... and seemingly with a flame thrower on it's back   "French Revolutionary 1789" - from Pegaso Models   "The Intruder" - also awarded with Gold in the Advanced Figures Class category   "Roman Scorpion" - this was the smallest diorama in the contest - entirely scratch build in 1/144 scale   Another impressive scratch build model was this small Japanese infantry soldier - again in 1/144 scale God bless the macro function on camera's   "Learning to fly"... the subject speaks for itself I think   "After the solar impact" - getting Gold in the Advanced SF Class category   "Game over" - an original car diorama with a 1/24 scale Tamiya Honda NSX Takata 2005   1/25 scale Hudson Hornet - a splendid build from the Moebius kit   It's always a treat (for me at least) to see the 1/24 scale Monogram 1969 Pontiac GTO on contest tables   As mentioned before - this years special contest theme was "What If... 1946 and onwards" This 1/35 scale Zugkraftwagen 25 ton was one of several interesting scratch build designs   Scratch build 1/35 scale T-62 Pioneer (What If)   1/35 scale scratch build APC B48 (What If)   1/35 scale scratch build 170mm Artillery (What If)   Time for shopping   And I had a mission : trying to find the Airfix Chipmunk for the Airfix One Kit Group Build (which was still on then)   Hey the new Airfix Quick Build kits I was curious how they were - but didn't buy any   There are some Airfix kits... but no Chipmunk   Maybe in a classic box... ?   ... or a classic bag - though I don't think the Chipmunk was ever bagged   Bingo ! 8 euro though Ah well... it comes without postage and any further hassles   I could drive home as a happy man   With the Chipmunk of course   And some other stash enhancements Which show I'm serious with my New Years resolution of doing more armor - or vehicles anyway...   I also scored some resin upgrades on promotion - all were half price   Next year : Website BSMC A big thank you for your interest and support All comments, remarks, corrections, suggestions are welcome

William De Coster / Belgium e-mail  Last update : 23 January 2014 Revised : 3 March 2018