Dare I say it, SMW 2009.......

[COLIN SHIPTON-KNIGHT]

Dear all,

Many thanks for making SMW 2008, a success...... and a pleasant weekend.

Sorry that we could not all be together this year, but lets face it, life does occasionally get in the way of the hobby.......

What can I say? All of us that were there...., missed all of you,….. that were not there.....! We missed you and look forward to getting together again.

We are now a bigger group of like minded people than we were before... We have a couple of new members.

Welcome Glenn and Ian.

We now have about 20 members of the SIG.....

We, I say we, but of course it was a joint display with 'Avon Branch' this year, and we put on what seemed to me, a rather good looking display.

But, what are we thinking of for next year?

One thing that has dawned upon me over the last 3 years, is that we all have a common interest, but as modellers, all have a slightly different 'slant' on the subject, and build models that compliment each other, and contribute to a 'bigger' picture of the subject of 'Recce' .

From my emails, I definitely get the impression that we are generating interest in the subject and in some ways, I think, and hope this is being reflected in the wider modelling world.

There are more Recce models being produced and made, you only have to look as far as, the Italeri Predator of recent and the Airfix Canberra PR 9, coming in the next couple of weeks, let alone the 1/72 PR 9. OK, I know it's a Canberra, which is much loved, but it's a PR Canberra.... can we build upon this?

I have noticed that there is a lot of interest in Luftwaffe Recce. Certainly there are some excellent books being produced, a subject that I know little about.... but would like to know more.

Enough...Hopefully you get the idea........

What are your thoughts about what we, as a SIG, and individuals should display next year???

Ian Shaw, and his interest in AEW, and 'sneaky beaky stuff', has inspired me, to make my only purchase this year at SMW, of a Korpen, (Gulfstream IV, electronic recce), Swedish Air Force. I hope to finish it for next year, let alone, the ‘To do’ pile of Canberras, Nimrod and Mirage F1 CR’s….

What are your thoughts about what you would like to make for SMW 2009?

Love to hear your thoughts.

Colin

[Julien]

Electronic recce would be a good theme I think, you could do the gulfstream I have an EP-3 I can do along with a U-2R.

Julien

[popeye]

Hey chaps.

Before you start drooling about SMW 2009 pleeeease let me poor sod have some pics of that super display with staggered shelving and high set banner - didn't you notice the tear in the PRSIG "eye"


Popeye who would have loved to be there....

[COLIN SHIPTON-KNIGHT]

Rolf,

Will send email with photos.

Colin

Any one else got any they can share?

[popeye]

Thaaaanks Colin - now I can sleep better - before just had a glimpse of that fine display and impressive stand on a pic at Britmodeller's !

Really - the display looks the part, congratulations to all concerned.

Starting to save for the trip next year - promised.

pm to follow.

Rolf

[popeye]

on possible subjects for 09:

Agree with Julien, electronic recce might be a good theme, even if I could only just offer 3 subjects.

Maybe covering maritime recce as a parallel theme might yield enough models for display ?

Rolf

[COLIN SHIPTON-KNIGHT]

Dear All,

How about we have several 'sub themes', as lets face it there is no way everybody is going to build to one theme only.....

And with the spread of talent, and models, we have within the SIG.

It would be a shame to limit ourselves............ It is, after all, about folks building what they want to make, let alone display.

I certainly do not want to dampen in any way, peoples enthusiasm for what interests them.

For a start I can see a few themes coming along,

AEW, with at least two members having made, and making models for this theme, I can see a nice line up coming along.

Electronic Recce, well by my reckoning we have at least 5 people having made models, or doing so, along these lines, this could be a nice line up. (I'm joining it.... Korpen and Nimrod R1, for a start)

Luftwaffe, well lets face it, between Rolf and Paul, alone, we have a lovely line up... and it covers a fair bit of ground (pardon the pun). Just wish I was brave enough to do a model of Luftwaffe subject....

Maritime Recce, could be an interesting one. Roger you said you were looking at Lancaster's? Rolf has nice Shackleton, Halifax and is hoping to do a Vulcan, let alone anything else.. That could be a nice line up.

Lesser known Air Forces and aircraft! I can think of at least 5-6 of us that have done models for this, personally I think it's good to see some thing other than RAF/USAF.

Dennis and his 2 Squadron biplanes? let alone 2 Sqn line up.

Oh there is plenty to go at... Let us all know your thoughts..!

Let alone, Armour.....?

Naval??

Space?

To start things, my 'dream list' of what I hope to make this year....

Mirage F 1CR times two (in production)
Nimrod R1, (soon, I cannot resist much longer..).
Korpen, (in production).
Swiss Venom, (in production)
RF 84, France.
Canberra PR 9, times three...(awaiting the models like so many others)
Canberra PR 7, (already started, just have to sum up the courage).
Fennek. (armoured car).
Soviet Spy trawler (assuming I can find one).
Submarine periscope diorama..... (I have a lot to learn on that one).

Right, so I ask Rob for 8 tables for next year.......

The attendant, has kindly reminded me that it is time for me to go indoors and take my medication, so I must go. For now....

Seriously folks let your minds run riot. let's see what we come up with.

Colin

[Julien]

On the electronic front I will definatly have a go at the EP-3 this year if only to "yellow water off" the kit collectors as that kit is as rare as rocking horse poo ;D

For Martime if we go with that it fis as US Navy, also I have a Swedish Saab 17 which I could build on floats.

For Lesser know airforces I could do the Saab, or a Russian Su-2R the russans did not do a lot of pure recce aircraft, also have 2 1/48 MiG-21R in the stash with Cuban decals for one of them in that garish Blue/Green camo they used to wear . Oh forgot I have a Mirage IIIR I wanted to do in Swiss markings.

Julien

So once we make a decision I might start building.

[Julien]

Just remembered I have a 1/72 Saudi RF-5, 1/72 Korean RF-86 and a 1/48 RF-5 comming which I hope to do in Spanish 3 tone camo. Should all be good for the lesser well known.

Julien

[COLIN SHIPTON-KNIGHT]

OK folks,

Definitely going to have a AEW/ELINT line up....... anything with radomes and bumps are included...

Definitely a 'foreign' or can I say 'lesser known' Air forces line up....

Any offers..?

let alone the rest.....

Colin

[ollieholmes]

Is there an interest in as collection of PR Spitfires in 1:48th? Depending on time i could also have a few PR Mossies in 1:48th scale to go with them? My eventual aim is to build all marks of both but that is a way off.

[Julien]

Colin I have got Saab 17 out of the stash so will put that one down for my next aircraft build, doing a 1/72 RF-101 at the moment from USAF so not really a lesser know force!

Will do that Spanish RF-5A and Hopefully the Saudi Ones as well, will try and get the EP-3 done as well.

Thats a lot of building!

Julien

[COLIN SHIPTON-KNIGHT]

Oliver, Julien,

Go for it, as always, as far as possible, we display what you, the members, want to display, the themes are only 'guidance' not mandatory...

The real 'haggling' about what hits the table comes nearer the time when we start to look more closely at what we have committed and how much table space we have....

We have not had to turn models away before.....

Colin

[johnsheehan]

Hi Colin

My plans so far are a SAAF B.(I)12 and if the kit lands in time a Zimbabwean (PR)B.2 I know they are yet more Canberra's but a bit different from the run of the mill RAF/USAF types. I'm also hoping to get my NOAA Orion finished.

John