Scale Model Challenge 2014

I don't visit often shows in the Netherlands   But I will always try to visit this one ! It's one of the best shows I know   It's a one hour drive north for me   Somehow I got up early, so I arrived already around 10AM   Entrance fee was 5 euro   I started taking pictures in the contest area right away - before it would close at noon due to judging   Since this show mainly focusses on military vehicles & figures, there are not that many aircraft   1/48 scale Me-109K-4 (Hobbycraft)   1/48 scale Yak-3   "Remnants of days past" - 1/32 scale Spitfire in Belgian colors   1/32 scale LVG C.VI - from Wingnut Wings   Technically not a Dauntless - but a Banshee - in 1/72 scale   Hermann Göring's white Fokker D.VII (1/72 scale)   1/48 scale Heinkel He-162A-2 Spatz, being the name given to the plane by Heinkel   1/72 scale Sikorsky HO4S-3   Dor 21 - a "Nordsee Krabbenkutter" was one of a few entries in the ship categories (1/72 scale)   As was this magnificent 1/350 scale US Liberty   I liked the cargo on the front deck   ... and on the rear deck   There were about as many cars in the contest as aircraft models 1/43 scale Ferrari 212 Ghia   1/43 scale Ferrari 212 Panamericana   1/43 scale Ferrari P4/5 - a unique design made by Pininfarina for film director James Glickenhaus   As mentioned earlier - most models compete in the military vehicles categories   Something quite unusual - an Indian Pattern Light Tank Mk.IV - scratchbuild in 1/72 scale   1/72 scale Sturmgeschütz III.Ausf.B - with an exposed engine compartment   Armored train platform - including a GAZ-AAA truck and an 57mm cannon Note the open engine panels on the GAZ truck... again amazing work in 1/72 scale   Armored railcar Zeppelin - 1/72 scale   1/72 scale T-34 minenroller   There were several tanks in the small 1/100 scale - something you very rarely see T-28 Super Heavy Tank - a finished pre-production kit from Heer46   Another 1/100 scale tank from Heer46 - the German E-100 Krokodil design   1/100 scale Tiger I with impressive weathering for this small scale   "Schluss machen !" ... or what you can do with an old classic Matchbox kit - the Jagdpanter (1/72 scale)   Of course - as always - there were many more entries in the bigger scales... "Erhardt M1917" Berlin 1919 (1/35 scale)   Dodge WC-54 Ambulance - in 1/35 scale   1/35 scale Cobras - M109A2 SPH - 155mm - Zirndorf, Germany 1986   BTR-60 - Iraq (1/35 scale)   IJN Type 2 (Ka-Mi), in 1/35 scale   BTR-40 in a pityful state - nice work in 1/35 scale   A late war German paper design, the PzKfw VII Löwe - in 1/35 scale   Another German late war paper design, the E-50 tank (1/35 scale)   Oshkosh M-ATV - Afghanistan 2011 (1/35 scale)   A well weathered 1/35 scale T-55M   RSO Prototyp (1/35 scale)   1/35 scale Puma 6x6   1/35 scale derelict carrier   Fiat Topolino - in civilian colors (1/35 scale)   "Lack of maintenance"... 1/35 scale Diamond T969A wrecker   Komatsu - D575 A-2 - Super dozer - in 1/35 scale   One of the contest categories is the "Naked" - or unpainted models category... This Ursus A truck being a fine example   And so was this BgPz 2A1 - in the bigger 1/35 scale   One of the main attractions for me in this contest are the diorama categories   Starting off with the smaller 1/72 scale... Just look at the snow in this Ardennes diorama "Kampfgruppe Peiper"   "Tsahal" - a small 1/72 scale IDF diorama with some interesting vehicles Most of all the Magach Tagash Akrav (scorpion) observation platform produced on a M60 AVLB chassis   An Austin K2/Y heavy ambulance - the old classic Airfix kit - in 1/76 scale   "Papa ! A quoi ça sert?"... 1/35 scale Churchill Ark and a curious kid   "Finders, keepers" - an amusing little diorama in 1/35 scale   "Hot summer" - with an 1/35 scale Trumpeter Voroshilovets, wearing German colors   Having fun with the "Tunnel of love" (1/35 scale)   "Heaven & Hell" - a cool water break in the desert (1/35 scale)   "Another one bites the dust" (1/35 scale)   French troops pose proudly with one of 17 Geman fighters shot down during the drive to Paris   I liked the backside of this diorama - showing a surprised cow...   "Hiver 1943" (winter 1943) - in 1/35 scale   "Ivan's Downfall"... a Soviet KV-1 in troubles (1/35 scale)   "Bandit at five...!!!" Neat work with a crashed 1/48 scale Fw-190   And it's pilot facing troubles...   "The winners are coming..!! - The fall of the eagles - Czechoslovakia 1945"   Pilots and crew waiting for the "winners" to show up   Truely a magnificent diorama in 1/48 scale   "France 1940 - guau, guau! ssshh, Shut up Milu" (1/35 scale) Note the French soldier with the little dog in his arms...   ... while German soldiers pass by Anjou (which was actually written off in September 1939)   "For you the war is over..." - still a fabulous diorama in 1/35 scale   "Vodka to go" - Courland battle (1/35 scale)   "Bataille d'Abbeville 28 mai 1940" - another inspiring 1/35 scale diorama   ... with a Char B, somewhere around the small village of Huppy, sometime around 18h...   "Stalker" - shadow of Chernobyl (1/35 scale)   Have a look at the barrel   "Ice 'n sunshine" - a nice idea on a Winter/Summer Esci Hs-129 (1/48 scale)   "La der des ders - France 1918" An 1/35 scale diorama with a canon and a machine gun equiped Char FT-17   ... and some German soldiers in surprise   One of the more popular tanks around - a German King Tiger (1/35 scale)   Pretty neat work on the soldiers and the tank itself   "Le môme" - France 1916 (1/35 scale)   "La naturaleza sobrevivira al humano"... note the pheasant (1/35 scale)   "The day after the battle, Western military campaign - May 1940" - 1/35 scale   "Pacific 1944"... 1/35 scale diorama   "War trophies"... with a destroyed 1/35 scale Jagdpanzer   Tank Man Someday, someone just had to make a diorama of this historical moment (1/35 scale)   1/35 scale "FT-17 TSF"... a command tank with a radio - TSF stands for "télégraphie sans fil" (wireless)   "Das Ende" - Eastern front 1945 (1/35 scale)   "Cher ami..." - an 1/35 scale French Renault FT-17 light tank, somewhere in France 1918   "Liberation!" with an M5A1 (1/35 scale)   Mercedes Benz L1500S - Deutsches Afrika Korps - Libya 1942 (1/35 scale)   "Last round" - 1/35 scale   The biggest treat for me however was admiring all the entries in the Figure categories And there were many entries...   From unpainted ones... ("No mushroom picking")   To painted ones - with a gold guarding dragon... "I smell you" - by Alex Varela   Celtic chieftain, second half of 6th century BC - from Pegaso Models   Mongolian horseman - a 75mm figure from Pegaso Models   Nobile Abissino - Etiopia 1925 - a 54mm figure from La Meridiana Miniatures   Freebooter pirate - 1697 - from Alexandros Models (75mm) - by Oliver Späth   "Broken unit"... with a touch of humor   Unidentified lady in uniform with a cute puppy   Bavarian NVO 1917 - 120 mm - from Jon Smith Modellbau   "Picnic time!" - by Iguazzu   "Baroness Scarlet" - by Nicole Eppinger-Siepmann   "Persian Assassin" - by Oliver Späth   "The whisper in the wind" - by Patrick Kaiser   "Bataille de Montmirail" - during the Six Days Campaign of the Napoleonic Wars, in 1814   "Running Willy B-109" - by Oliver Späth   "Seraphine Le Roux" (from Studio McVey) - by again... Oliver Späth   "Rendez-vous With The Devil" - by Michael Volquarts   "The mermaid's kiss" - by Nicole Eppinger-Siepmann   Bruce Willis - by Michael Volquarts   A leprechaun - Irish folklore figure - from Shamrock Miniatures   "Ice queen" (from Andrea Miniatures model kit - 54mm) - by Patrick Kaiser   Tau warrior bust (1/16 scale)   Ramses II   Unidentified post apocalypse vignette   "(Bad) Alice in Wonderland"   "King Kong" - by Debbie Volquarts   "Random encounter!" - by Debbie Volquarts   "The race" - by Debbie Volquarts... again   Pirates - what else is there to say...   I think I have to eat more sardines   "Battle chick" - by Tatjana "Dawn" Jäger   There were several sexy miniatures - with amazing (paint) work on these very tiny models   Poison Ivy and Plant Slaves - by Knight Models   It took me some time to see there is a bird in the tree...   "Pinup Savior" - by Tatjana "Dawn" Jäger   The Lord of the Rings - War Mumak of Harak   A small vignette with Nocturna - from Nocturna Models (30mm)   Knight Models' Zombie girl in action   "GO-L.U.M. - The unexpected competitor" - with a robot kit form H&V My show favorite - due to the darn fine humor in the title - though the model is excellent too   "To be or not to be" - by Thomas Froese   "Project PC-MMIX" - by Gerrie "Corvus" Schenck   "Pink Lady"   Unidentified small miniature... which we also can call Pink Lady I guess   The Juniors category   Showing a lot of promises...   In multiple areas !   Somewhere around noon - the contest area closed for judging   And I could spend some time hanging around...   Checking out many club stands   Considering having lunch...   Gazing in awe at the big Clervaux diorama   A big masterpiece in 1/35 scale   Depicting a part of Clervaux castle - during the Battle of the Bulge   It had a lot of detail   With several 1/35 scale vehicles and figures   Wargaming - first time I see wargaming on a sea...   A big race track   But... the many vendors were calling me   Offering a lot of goodies... even in the smaller 1/72 scale   French producer MM   Retrokit   ... where I got myself the new Automobile de Guerre CGV   The Ace range is getting bigger and bigger every year   Do I see new S-Model kits... ?   Yes... let's go big !   It was not all tanks... there were some aircraft kits for sale too   And some tempting discounts   Sigh... do I need another Ferrari (how often can you say that in your life ?)   2nd hand boxes   MPM distributor   Advertising the new Battle of Britain Buchon - in 1/72 scale   The Spanish version and the new Arado 96 were already available   I was most pleased with getting the new 1/144 scale C-119   Every day is like Sunday...as sung by Morrissey Well I wish   All comments, remarks, suggestions and especially corrections are welcome Thank you

William De Coster / Belgium e-mail  Created : 06 November 2014 Updates : 07 November 2014 : some corrections thanks to Jens O Mehner