BiggTim

*Guffaw* I just notice you're from the UK, so my description of SMW was a bit unnecessary. Oh well!.... 

Mind you, I've been to 1 IPMS USA National Convention (Virginia 2014) and 17 ScaleModelworlds, I don't know if the Virginia Edition is leading for the US Nats in general. I very much liked my visit, in any case and tied it in with the summer vacation with my family that year. A week in Norfolk/Hampton, a week in the Shenandoa Valley and almost a week to see some sights in DC.
 
 The difference between the events is HUGE. The US Nats are basically a huge contest, and I mean HUGE. Next to that is a smaller hall where all the traders and manufacturers that attend reside. There were also workshops/lectures from the likes of Dana Bell. The "Vondors Room" was interesting but since I live in Europe, all my purchases had to be stowed away in my luggage that had to conform to airline guidelines. I DID have a slight challenge with the overall weight of my luggage on the way home....  Maybe because a lot of attendees fly in, the Vendor Room isn't that big or has that many "special offers"? You don't see many chapters or SIG's present itself. Because of the contest-nature, I got the feeling that the ambiance is a bit more individual than in England.
 
Scale Modelworld requires me to take the ferry from Rotterdam to Harwich or Hull and then drive to Telford, or to drive down the Belgian and French coast to Calais to board the Channel Tunnel train with my car after which I drive northwest around London to Telford. Quite a few attendees from Greece, Malta, Israel, Scandinavia and the Americas for instance, fly in, just like at the US Nats but a whole lot do not and come by car. 
 
At SMW you see that (almost) all of the Branches and SIGs of IPMS UK show themselves with a clubstand. In the halls you can find a great deal of traders and manufacturers of kits and aftermarket goods too, as well as the importers of the major brands. One-third of a hall is reserved for the overseas IPMS Branches that made the crossing and organized a clubstand.
 
The contest is clearly less important for the whole event than in the US and had in the past sometimes make do with a less desirable place with sometimes plain bad light. Nowadays the contest has plenty of room and light but if you don't know there is a contest, you could attend the show for the whole weekend and still miss it. It is by no means situated in the middle of the hubbub!
 
Both events are great to attend -I'd like to visit the US Nats more often, but the summer-period and the distance make it quit a costly proposition- but have a different feel to them. In the US it feels that you're going to a competition event, while in the UK it is more of a family-outing, complete with knitting wives behind the clubstands and the ubiquitous eccentric Brit here and there!
 
Cheers,
Erik.
 
 

It's probably from all the LSP guys that showed up.

So the US Nats is over four days, Telford is two days. For the guys who have been to both what are the differences?

Yep, the Pima tour was awesome and I'm glad we went, as Tim and I had the most lovely conversion with Radu, and many others during the trip. Very intesting, and the museum had things I never EVER expected to see, link a Ki-115 Tsurugi suicide plane, a Shacklton bomber, a Guppy and even a fully restored Privateer. As Tim mentioned, he or I or other will try to post some pics tonight after the convention.

I'll make Brian post them tomorrow, or I'll take some myself. We were gone all day today on the tour.

I'll make Brian post them tomorrow, or I'll take some myself. We were gone all day today on the tour.

I'll make Brian post them tomorrow, or I'll take some myself. We were gone all day today on the tour.

I'll make Brian post them tomorrow, or I'll take some myself. We were gone all day today on the tour.

Unless you waited in that reg line for two and a half hours only be told you were already registered and didn't have to wait at ALL.
All the guys seemed to think that was amusing.  It actually is.....NOW. :

I'll be posting pictures from the PIMA tour probably this weekend (I get back Saturday evening) and will try and remember to take some pictures tomorrow and the meet and greet.
 
I'll (or someone else) and start a Nats Photo thread we can all post to.
 
And, yes, have to agree having been to Omaha Nats and Telford  (and many regional events).  The management of this Nats has not been up to par, starting with the registration debacle.  It could have started at Noon, instead of making people wait in line for 2 hours ( I got my registration at noon, the computers were up and running and the packets and goodie bags were there).  But after I got registered, someone with a Nats shirt came running over and told the two guys working ( who were told to show up at noon! ) to stop.  That doesn't make sense.  Even if you don't let people in to the vendor room until 2, at least let them get their badges! Oh well. 

It actually hit right after we got back from the Pima museum. I was hoping for a Haboob, and got some light dust and then a spit of rain after

All of the Satellite TV is out. :-(  But the streets don't look bad from my hotel 2 blocks from the convention center.  
 
Chris

It is actually in the brochure - go figure!  10-11am, Room 101B-C.

See you all there!
Jennings - yes it was HOT today at PIMA. OMG.  Hope to see you tomorrow.

Chris

Just saw that Omaha is bidding on the 2021 convention and San Marcos Tx and Las Vegas are  bidding for 2020!!! Not sure how accurate this is but i hope Omaha and San Marcos get the nod.
Mike

So where is the LSP get together going to be Friday morning or did I miss the info somewhere?

I'm amazed at the number and quality of the large scale turnout.  Can't recall ever seeing so many 1/32 kits at National (or any show for that matter).  Kudos to all.  Hope to get some pics up soon.
 
Bob
 
 

Just read where theirs a massive dust storm rolling through Phoenix. You guys better batten down the hatches! Severe thunderstorms are behind it.
 
Tim

The convention needs to come back somewhere near the Great Lakes 

Omaha would be great, and there's a far better chance that I could plan and save for that trip.

I've got a couple of quite decent DSLR's and accompanying glass but don't take them to model shows anymore. Although you can get superior results from them, you'll need to be able to control your lighting (and that is NOT a flash on the hot shoe!) and a tripod to get them. And since you can't control the background which will be cluttered with other models, it really doesn't make that much sense to tote a DSLR around. The very small sensor of the camera in the smartphone makes it actually easier to get enough depth-of-field to get (most of) te model in focus!
 
Have a great show and all the best for the competition!
Cheers,
Erik.

Yeah we are here at the same place for breakfast too, lol

Having some breakfast at Steve's before the PIMA tour!
I think it might be hot today.

Hahaahaaaaaa, I chuckled at the " pee-pour" planing bit, I thought.......... "oh, man standing in line for an hour then having to leave the line to PEE????!! " OH NO !""" YES, THAT would be poor planning ..LOL!!!!

Even a picture of the line up would be cool !!!