You're Wargames Figures May Win Medals!!

Well I attended the Shepway Military Modelling Societies show at Hawkinge yesterday, as advertised on my last post to see the works of art produced by others, sample the trade stands and get some ideas for modelling projects with particular interest  in anything depicting WW2 Western Desert vehicles/troops/planes.The competition table stretched the length of one side of the hall with some superb creations on it.

The crew of Illustrious were a tad scared with the superb 'Hipper' moored alongside on the competition table!

 The show stopper for me in Aircraft terms this superb Gold medal winning Spitfire, fantastic and not overdone with too much 'pre shading'. however class 13 for Wargames Figures had no entries the whole morning ....so I thought I had better fly the flag for wargamers everywhere and enter so the class remains in future years competitions. I raced back home picked up some figures & the Matchbox Humber all of which have featured on this blog and entered them with minutes of the closing time for entries into 3 classes. I was the only entrant in the wargames section so I made 3 entries (at least it didn't look bare anymore!), my Humber in the small scale armour section and one figure in the below 54mm class.

Now I hoped to get a certificate for bothering to enter in the Wargames section and watched the judging from afar and saw that my little 15mm Minifigs had progressed to the winners table...ah so I was only up against my self and they were the best of my three entries. Prize giving came and to my amazement the above little chaps got a Gold, The WW1 Belgians and my recent Zvezda Napoleonic Artillery got Silver each, my Parliamentarian musketeer a silver and the Humber a Highly Commended Certificate (only a 'built from the box matchbox effort').

The class winners table at the end of the show, the 'flats' were very impressive fantastic painting. Now this shocked me and embarrassed me in a typically British way having to  go in front of some fantastic modellers to collect my awards especially as it was an off the cuff submission......BUT to support local Wargames and modelling clubs we need to participate and get involved. The whole experience boosted my confidence to paint and model and that has flagged in recent years so if you see a local model show support it and remember its not all about 'Salute' and 'Euro Militaire' once a year!

On the North Surrey Club stand were 3 very nice armored vehicles, the Lanchester

'Dingo'

'2nd Panzer'

And a  superbly displayed 'Space Marine' fellow 

Its all Greek to me!

A fantasy 'beast' on the competition table

Nicely executed pipe smoking dwarf

 Stunning Lynx

Equally 'yummy' Lightning

A great diorama on Shepway's own stand

A mine clearing vehicle of some kind

A Valentine with a Lewis gun on top of the turret

Smart little Vickers VB

1/76 scale A13 very nice

Cold War Diorama

Anyway enough of my 'Holiday Snaps' but I do find these local shows truly inspirational.

Ramsgate Models & 4 other stall's represented trade including an interesting 2nd hand models and books stall from which I purchased an Airfix Centurion and Gazelle. Sadly not many of the public turned up it being populated by club members including in addition to Shepway ; East Kent, Gravesham, Welling, North Surrey and The British Flat Figure Society.

Brian of 2D figurines was really helpful and explained how you paint 'flats' he let me have one at a much reduced cost to give it a go & that I could contact him if I needed advice on its painting, a stall run by modellers is always the best. See the British Flat Figure Societies forum for more info. Finally most people on the 'blogasphere' are better painters and modellers than me so if you have never entered a local show give it a go! Sadly in a moment of exuberance at having won something for a craft (the first time since 1st prize for baking shortbread at primary school!) I said I would 'dance' with Hazels Morris side today! Blast...I need some Beer!