Flanders Modelling Festival 2014

It's always a pleasure going to this show ... except for the "getting up early" part   It's a short 50 kms drive north-east, direction Antwerp   At least early in the morning on Saturday there is not much traffic   Still... lo and behold, a traffic jam   Only in Belgium...   But luckily we could continue driving on again soon   And I arrived at 8 AM at the show ground - a local school I was not the first one   The contest area was of course still empty   And vendors were still unpacking   But gradually I could start to fight many temptations   Discounts didn't make things easier   I found a Skybirds'86 Hornet - for 8 euro   And this Hasegawa Flying Pancake - for 12.50 euro Finally I have one - for a good price This is why I get up early   More and more models showed up in the competition area   Though there were not so many models in the contest as in previous years This 1/144 scale Airfix VC-10 was one of a handful of small scale entries   Together with this 1/144 scale (Authentic Airliners) Canadair CRJ-900 in SAS markings   There were a few more 1/72 scale kits - a little more then 10 I think Note the helmet on the wing of this (Heller) Saab J32E Lansen - I think it's pretty cool !   "Australians in the Pacific" Find the Kangero in this 1/72 scale (AZ Model) Spitfire Mk.VIII diorama   What you can do with the old 1/72 scale VEB/Plastikart Junkers G-23   1/72 scale Supermodel Fiat CR.32 in Spanish Civil War markings   A Belgian Hurricane - made from the 1/72 scale Sword kit   Heller PZL-11c in 1/72 scale with attractive markings   A Portuguese (ModelArt decals) Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc - from Revell (1/72) These must've been the only Hurricanes with spirals on the propeller spinners   Classic Plane vacuform 1/72 scale Fokker F.III - with Dutch Decal decals   1/72 scale Farman HF.20 You don't see it that well - bit it is rigged   Moving up to the 1/48 scale kits with this big Mk.II Lancaster   Note the darn fine exhausts on this 1/48 scale (Hasegawa) F-15D Eagle (I should have taken a close up of them)   1/48 scale Grumman Goose Mk.Ia RNOTS, Piarco, Port of Spain, Trinidad, 1944   1/48 scale De Havilland Canada U-6A Beaver from HobbyCraft   Something very unusual - an 1/48 scale (resin) Lockheed T2V-1 Sea Star from Collect-Aire   As far as I remember this was the only 1/32 scale contestant A very nice Zimbabwe Air Force Hawk Mk.60 - Darth Vader - and flown by Fl.Lt. Mike Enslin during the 2nd Congo War 1999   Only very few military vehicles in the small scales - this 1/72 scale Sturm Tiger being one of them   And this 1/72 scale Hummel being the other one   However there were several neat diorama's in the small (1/72) scale "Ihr da ! Wie weit ist es, dem Rotlichtviertel Walletjes?" Or... "You there ! How far is the Red Light District ?"   "33" "6" 1944 - in 1/72 scale ... strange title for a diorama   "Trink Africola" (1/72 scale) Note the flying carpet.... and the dog with the funny eye spot   "Die Abkürzung" - an impressive diorama in 1/72 scale   .... or "The Shortcut"   You can have too many figures in your diorama... but here it is just perfect   "Narvik 1940" (1/72 scale)   There were more entries in the larger (1/35) scale GMC Bofors 40mm gun   1/35 scale Whippet   Winter Tiger (1/35 scale)   Deutsche KV-II Beutepanzer (1/35 scale)   1/35 scale Jagdpanzer Hetzer - late version   BAT-2 (heavy engineering vehicle) in 1/35 scale   "Doggy Ride" - note the little puppy in the back (1/35 scale)   Marder III (1/35 scale)   1/35 scale Valentine Mk.III   British Light Breakdown CDSW - from PlusModel (1/35 scale)   "Ich hatte einen Kameraden" (1/35 scale)   An original diorama - viewing the war from another perspective   It was nice to see The Kuban Cossacks in action again (More pictures in this 1/35 scale diorama in my KMK Scale World 2013 show report )   "Motorcrosser" - not often you see a diorama of a dirt bike in action   The "Naked lady" - a Porsche 911 GT2 during the 24 hours of Le Mans 1998 (Tamiya 1/24)   "Vergane glorie" - or Lost Glory   1/24 scale Scania Monster Truck (based on an Italeri kit)   "Haringbuis" (Texel 1580) - or a Herring Bus - in a lovely little (1/87 scale) diorama   Coaster MS Ancora - beached - unloading it's cargo   Guinea pig samurai   Borz   Female Spartan warrior   Roxelane (1500-1550) - Hürrem Sultana, Soliman's wife   The reason why this is one of my favorite shows is The Shopping possibilities It has 3 big spaces filled with (mostly) vendors This was one of them   With vendors from abroad   And visiting Model Clubs from abroad   Kijken mag, aankomen niet... or You can look, but you better not touch   I didn't ask for the price of the SAM-2   But I saw an old Scammel Scarab in an old Airfix bag - for 30 euro's   And an old Airfix Railbus - which I had never seen before   More old plastic could be bought...   And old books as well (and even old paint)   The 2nd room/space in this big school building   Also with many vendors   Fighting temptation became even more difficult here   I got this Upgraded Kit version for 10 euro - a team mate for my Airfix Banshee   Still a little pricey at 30 euro - but it's an interesting and rare subject   And I got this for 16 euro (20% discount) - and I blame Larry for this   More temptation ?   But I was thinking of getting myself also something to read And hey.... do I see Osprey there ?   Indeed   So the ever friendly Tony Holmes helped me   On some good World War I reads   Moving over to PJ Production, more precisely Philippe Jacques and his friendly wife   Where I saw their new Mirage III two-seater in 1/72 scale   Which is co-produced with High Planes - or "our" Christopher Brown A nice kit with resin and PE for 29.90 euro   For the first time I saw Reviresco metal kits I bought one - but sadly I can not find it anymore now - it's too small   The 3rd room/space is the school cafeteria   Where you can enjoy a sandwich and a drink - student style   Though my interest was somewhere else...   More books...   More kits...   Dominic from Retrokit had some new goodies on offer   The Belgian JPK90... one of "our" (Belgian) tanks when I grew up   So I'm glad to have this in 1/72 scale now   Danny Coremans from Daco also had some new things   An 1/48 scale F-104 improvement and completion set (intended for the Hasegawa kit)   With a lot of injected parts   Not much of the original kit (in black) remains But it makes your Starfighter perfect   I went for his 1/144 small scale Starfighter decals though   Early afternoon somewhere past 2PM   I headed back for home   To investigate the cause of the damage in my wallet As you can see it's indeed my favorite show for buying kits You can find old and new kits, and usually rare kits if you get up early Now I will have a few days of feeling guilty about all the money spent ... but I know this will pass - it always does Thank you for your interest and support All comments, remarks, corrections, suggestions are welcome

William De Coster / Belgium e-mail  Last update : 10 March 2014