MONTHLY MEETING

 

Our meetings are diverse, and cover a range of different activities, all of which you are invited to. Our main meeting is the monthly meeting, held at:

NEW MEETING LOCATION

Abiding Presence Lutheran Church
14700 San Pedro Ave.
San Antonio, Texas 78232

First Thursday of each month
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

PREVIOUSLY   |    CONTEST   |    MODEL SUMMIT   |    LEARNING PROGRAM   |    WORK IN PROGRESS   |    BUIILD DAYS   |    WHITE ELEPHANT GIFT EXCHANGE

PREVIOUSLY ON ALAMO SQUADRON...

Our December meeting commenced with minimal in house matters. Last Modelfiesta report prior to the show. If you're interested in being a volunteer, send us a message!

Before the chaos ensued, We dedicated some time to honor our friend, MSG Herb E. Scranton III, who signed out of his final earthly duty station and reported for duty at the right place, at the right time, and in the right uniform in heaven. He was Ford enthusiast, truly one of a kind, and we will all miss his enthusiasm for the hobby and his smiling face at shows. Rest in peace, old soldier.

And of Course, the main event: The WHITE ELEPHANT GIFT EXCHANGE. The only christmas gift exchange where you win a model... aaaaaand it's gone. Good luck walking out with what you just got. Chaos, awesomeness, and lots of funny looks. Guaranteed hilariousness. Grinch never dissapoints.

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Aerospace Military vehicles Automotive Ships and Nautical vehicles Figures GunPla Fictional vehicles Junior Miscelaneous

MONTHLY CONTEST REVISION

 

Members are encouraged to bring their finished builds to compete with one another in friendly competition. Each month's winning models are invited back at the end of the year to compete in Alamo Squadron's Model of the Year competition. The winner of our Model of the Year contest has his/her name engraved on a dedicated plaque that the club maintains.

Note: placing in a monthly meeting contest does not prohibit a member from entering in any other contest at any level.

Judging is conducted in accordance with IPMS guidelines, which adhere to the following basics:

  • Proper alignment of parts (wings, landing gear, wheels, etc).
  • No visible glue marks.
  • Paint finish is smooth and without blemishes.
  • Decals are properly aligned and without "silvering".
  • Seams between pieces are properly addressed and not visible in the finished build.

Why are we making these changes?
One of the purposes of our club is to help our members improve their modeling skills. Detailed feedback on your work is perhaps the best way to understand where you can focus your skill improvement efforts. Our new judging protocol gives holistic and useful feedback to the modeler. The judges will point out the best elements of the work while specifically noting the type and location of defects. Moreover, the process provides a comprehensive assessment (expressed as a score) of your model’s construction and finish quality, overall presentation, and degree of difficulty. In addition, this new procedure will enable the club to train judges for our next Modelfiesta contest in January.

What will stay the same?
Please continue to bring in the models you have finished for competition in our club’s contest. The top three winners (1-2-3 based on score) will still be eligible for the club’s Model of the Year award. We will continue to use the same table tag entry form.

What will be different?
One of the key differences with this format is that each monthly contest will now be “Open,” with no theme or constraints. This enhances the ability of club members to compete each month. Instead of placing your entry by the WIP area, you will now place your model upon a tray on a table by the room adjacent to our club meeting area, our new “Judging Room.” Club members will continue to be able to view the contest entries, but the location will now be near the Judging Room and not by the WIP area. Once the club meeting comes to its break time, the judges will begin to evaluate the contest entries. Each entry will be carried carefully on a tray into the Judging Room and remain there only long enough to be evaluated. The judges being trained on our new judging procedure will score each model and provide feedback on a form which will be folded and left by the model for the contestant. The model will be carried on the same tray back to the contest entry table. The model will not be lifted off of the tray or handled by the judges. The winners (1-2-3) of the monthly contest will now be determined by their scores rather than by club voting.

As a contestant, what should I do differently?
This new format does not require any changes from you as a member contestant other than placing the model in a different place than where you have for the past few months. Hopefully the feedback you receive will help you accelerate your skill development.

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MODEL SUMMIT

 

Alamo Squadron recognizes members who actively support the Squadron to improve their own and other club member's modeling skills and display the club's work to the public. Participating members must complete activities worth of minimum of 5 points during the course of the year (April - March). They must complete and display, either at contests or club meetings, a minimum of three models during the year. Points are earned by club members for:

  • Build and display a completed model (1.5 points)
  • Demonstrate a modeling technique or method to club members (1 point)
  • Submit an article to the club newsletter about a model build, kit review, modeling technique, or about scale modeling in general (1 point)
  • Serve as ModelFiesta Director, Newsletter Editor, Multimedia Coordinator, Education Coordinator, Model Summit Chairman, or any appointed position (1.5 points)
  • Work as a Judge or Volunteer at Modelfiesta, a Region 6 contest or at a Nationals (.5 point)
  • Serve a term as Club President, VicePresident or Treasurer (1.5 points)

Members can accumulate points toward Model Summit Award. Following the March meeting, the Model Summit chairman will review member activities for the year and identify members who have met the Model Summit Award criteria. All present elegible modelers will select their award during the April meeting starting with the modeler with the most completed models. All other present eligible modelers will select their award in random order. No shows will be contacted to arrange pickup.

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LEARNING PROGRAM

 

Every meeting an Alamo Squadron member or special guest prepares a 20-30 minute presentation where diverse modelling matters are presented to the membership. The subjects vary from Real life in-depth detail of vehicles to model, modeling techniques, tendencies, or other diverse subjects which are benefitial for any modeler, regardless of modeling interest.

Starting in 2023, the Alamo Squadron marketing team decided to take this to a new level and start our own YouTube Channel. Please consider liking, sharing and subscribing to it!

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WIP - WORK IN PROGRESS

 

At each monthly meeting Alamo Squadron invites members to bring the current kit (or kits) they are working and give a couple-minute run-down about the kit(s) and the progress they have made so far. We encourage members to tell the rest of the club the positives and negatives of the build as well as how they overcame the negatives. This is an extremely effective way to spur discussion on differing kits, tools, and supplies on the market today as well as the techniques utilized to apply them.

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BUILD DAYS

 

Alamo Squadron meets informally every sunday and builds models. These occasions are much less formal and consist of members getting together, working on their latest build, and discussing or sharing techniques they utilize in their build process. The club usually has an airbrush and compressor set-up during these meetings to help teach those less familiar with this essential tool. Bring you latest project and join the fellowship.

HobbyTown

1309 N. Loop 1604 W, Ste 101
Sundays, 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

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THE WHITE ELEPHANT GIFT EXCHANGE

 

A reminder from the Grinch – White Elephant Gift Exchange Procedures at the December Meeting - Better known as the "I'm gonna steal the model that you just received" Exchange. Here is how it works.

To participate:

  • Bring one hobby-related gift in mint condition, wrapped so the contents are hidden (a taped paper bag is fine).
  • Place your gift on the Steal-Ables Table when you arrive.
  • Draw a number chip from the Grinch or his assistant Max. This determines the order of play.

How it works:

  • A coin toss decides whether numbers go low-to-high or high-to-low.
  • When your number is called, choose and unwrap a gift or steal someone else’s.
  • Each item can only be stolen three times. After that, it’s locked and safe from being stolen again.
  • The first player cannot steal initially, but gets a chance to steal or swap at the end.

After the exchange ends, participants may swap the item they "got stuck with" for an unchosen item or with another participant by mutual agreement. The extra goodies either go to the club Raffle Table at ModelFiesta, the club's Model Summit program, or they can be donated to "Help/Vets", an IPMS program.

Questions? Contact the Grinch at dmontgomery8327@sbcglobal.net

With no sincere attempt at Sincerity,

The Grinch

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