I have entered at the dutch nationals about three or four times. Never won anything but had a good time.

I remember entering a 1/48 Avia B.35, a vacform, beautifully finished with a pastel post shading. Took me months to build. But it did not win.......why........because the wings where not square....Lesson learend: most of the times it is about the basics, not about the shade of your paint or the amount of weathering.

One thing that I do notice is that the silvering on your two spitfires is out of place. Ground crews would never walk down the middle of the wings. The only areas of the wings that crews would or even could walk on were alongside the cockpit and down the leading edge to access the gun covers. If you look are your decals, the black line that runs along the wing, it should say "no walk"...basically from that ling back to the flaps, there should be no walking....so there should be no paint chipping. But from what I can tell your silvering alongside the cockpit looks ok.

As for Your He.111, I think it might be slightly overdone on the leading edge, but it looks good. As for the F-4C, that Aim-9 is from another era and is not relevant to the time frame of the heat seekers that you have on there.

Ok, sorry, just now noticed the second pictures for your spit....so disregard concerning the chipping on the wing. Your Stuka looks really good to me and I wouldn't have noticed from the pic that the decals were home made. Good job on that! I do have to agree that the powder residue on the wings isn't correct and some of the chipping along the cowling and wing tips is a little over done. I did notice some on areas that are fabric so you might want to look at that. But over all, the builds look great.

This is the most popular and competitive category in most contests.

Your Spitfires look good yet realize the competition here has brought their AAA game. Some may have only built one aircraft over a year or more to enter this division.

Nothing short of perfection will earn a gold in this category.

The twin engine bombers are in the next most popular aircraft category. '1/72 scale two or more props' Without seeing what was entered there I would say you did good.

To place well one needs to put in the extra effort. Vacuum formed windshields, resin cockpits and well executed scratch built details are just some of the modifications that will bring a entry to the next level.

'Expect nothing and hope to be pleasantly surprised'

When entering in a contest, you never know when or where the top modelers are going to place their efforts. Be certain they do enter the categories with the toughest competition.

Stilk, thanks for the info in all my research I never came across any of that info. consider it taken under advisement. I'll be sure to ask next time.

SF. there were NO categories except AIRCRAFT you could put any scale or type in YOUR grouping as I explained before. This was not a standard IPMS contest, had it been I would have been in several cats, and I would expect most not to even place, I GET IT , in this show you are only judged on that one model alone not the ones around it , just that ONE, and I don't think weathering subjectiveness should have knocked any out of at least bronze, in a show where every model in the building could win a medal. I got a two for those spits when 1 point was given just for glueing it together.

8th Pilot, 

Given this last posting by Bomber Boy thn an apology should be given to all of the IPMS Judges for the subject line of the initial post.  Your post cast doubt on the integreity of a large population of quality judges, myself included, when in fact you're just griping about an odd ball contest that you entered and didn't like the results.  Now all I have to say is Live and Learn and don't go back to that event if you don't like how they scored you.

In any case there is simply NO way to evaluate the quality of your builds by looking at photographs shot from three feet away.  A quality judge is looking from a few inches away for those DEFECTS that make the entry unworthy of further consideration in the category.  No matter how large or small the category.  If you want to increase the likelihood of awards then I suggest to limit yourself to categories with little in the way of interest like pre-1935 civilian or the like.

Just my two pennies on this topic: for one I thought modelling was supposed to be fun. There will always be someone who is better than the next guy and or you. I for one do not make top notch perfect looking models at this time, but I do get better with every model I am building. I will say that EVERYONE who makes a model even if they are pros do not get everything 100% perfect. You can argue with me all day about how you got every detail blah blah blah but there will always be one thing atleast that is not perfect. But that will take away from the fun factor of making models. Turns building into a chore and then the sore feeling in the end will make the model building no longer fun. I could nitpick every model but what good will it do me? There are bigger things in life than to be upset about what place you got in a build and for judges who for whatever reason are biased to a certain nose art or color scheme. Not directing this to any certain people just a generalized statement. Judges are people who judge on a certain critiria and sometime a personal preference can come into play. But hey you cant please them all but at the end of the day its the builder who needs to be satisfied with their build and not a judging panel. 

And I know that my models are not to everyones liking but I really dont care because its me who has to look at the real thing everyday. There is alot of great talent here and not everything is perfect, if everything had to look the same modeling would be quite boring and plain. Too cookie cutter like. Now how about some more model building already! I need more B-17 and BF109's to fix my hunger fix.

James,

There are good quality models and then there are contest quality models. I always thought I was a decent modeler till I started taking stuff to shows. I don't know how these people do it - these guys who regularly win contests their models are perfect. I don't understand how they do it- I mess something up every time. I've been paying more attention to beginner things like alignment and seam lines but I still don't even come close. I haven't been in many IPMS judging shows but I rarely ever place in regular shows- I'd be happy just to get a third place win every now and then.

Cliff

Just a couple of general thoughts on the subject. I have judged both 1-2-3 IPMS shows and Gold Silver Bronze (open style) shows. Nobody should ever EXPECT to win anything at a show, ever... To do so is setting yourself up for disappointment. Should the judges be following a fairly set standard? Yes... do they all? No... There are clubs that are known for not awarding any trophies to folks outside their "circle", most of them I have been around are fairly straight up. You can't know how experienced the judges are at a given show. Many times the ones judging a particular category are NOT familiar with that category because if they were they'd probably have models entered in it and thus be disqualified from judging it.Then you get into personal taste... Bottom line is, don't expect anything... Go, have fun and if you win something great, if not, ask the judges to review your model with you and show you what they found that they didn't like.

Two years in a row I went to a show in a nearby state and both years my armor models did not place. Both of those models were later taken to a Regional AMPS show and BOTH of them took Gold in the Advanced category. Was I upset? no... Because I'm not arrogant enough to expect a win. I went and enjoyed myself, hung out with friends, looked at models, bought way too much and had a good time.

I build for the enjoyment of it, not to impress a "judge" on some contest.

iraqiwildman

I build for the enjoyment of it, not to impress a "judge" on some contest.

I've come to that conclusion myself, thanks all for the help! Though I may enter form time to time, I think mostly I"ll just display. I do enjoy the hobby immensely and I do understand all said here. I am sorry if anyone may have been offended, I just wanted to raise the question, may have worded it wrong or unjustly.

James

Hmmm, just getting into this hobby and working on my second model since being a teenager 20 years ago. This thread makes me wonder why anyone would want to enter a competition. From a personal perspective the  last thing I need to do is strive for another human's subjective approval with my relaxation time.  Though I understand that some people like it, I just don't get why

Too much good stuff going on in life to get that persnickety...

Did I ever tell any of you about my experience at AMPS in 2009, regarding a seam on an aluminum barrel???

Yeah Manstien good story!

Or another example is you could have two exact models built by two different people both look amazing but the difference lies in the paint. A person gets dinged because the paint is not faded like in a picture but really its just the photo is faded and the guy whos colors appear brighter is in the wrong. Too much things to be nitpicked about. It all come down to the eye of the beholder. Sorry to say this if it offends some but a judges opinion does not mean much to me, its the fellow modeler that does. If ten pro modelers tell you you did a great job on your model for your skill verses one judge who didnt like your taste in a color scheme or if something is not faded quite enough. But there are good judges out there who consider themselves just the average modeler who are in it for the fun and not the social status power hungry person.

Too much things to be nitpicked about. It all come down to the eye of the beholder. Sorry to say this if it offends some but a judges opinion does not mean much to me, its the fellow modeler that does.

No, it's not all "eye of the beholder".. There's a pretty strict set of guidleines that one has to follow when one judges at IPMS or AMPS shows..  However, it's not carved in stone, there's a litte leeway for judges here & there, and sadly, some judges DO take advantage of that fact...  

But as for nit-picking... Well.. Sorry man, but "nit-picking" is what happens in competion.. In fact, it HAS to be, or the contests would just fall into the same ol' "Everyone's a Winner, there are no Losers, everyone gets a trophy" kinda crap that too many people have gotten used to in this day and age of kids "Graduating" *roll eyes* from 5th Grade, Little League games in which nobody keeps score and everyone plays, same with soccer games and everything else... Just more ways of "Celebrating Mediocrity"...   I hate it with a passion..  But I DO have a flashlight with a right-angle, fiber-optic lens so I can look inside a turret or cockpit...

I've run into it time and time again with, "Hey man.. There're other models here that are clearly "below-par" and have won something.. Why'd I get dinged on (insert gripe here)? My answer is usually something like, " Well, all I can say is that yours was proabably 'more below' par... And anyways, "Par" ain't what we're aiming it, now is it?"... 

No judges are infalable, and some shouldn't be judging the categories that they get assigned to, but that's the fault of the Head Judge, not the individual judge, unless he says, I know all about this stuff"...  But when you only have a small number of "volunteers", ya "Run what ya Brung"...

Anyway, don't get too wound up at all the judges...

They're your "Fellow Modelers" too..

But the Head Judge, well.. 

He's usually someone who actually TRIES to get nominated for IPMS  office... Go ahead and email him a copy of "The I-95 Song" and tell him that you heard it on the radio and it made you think of him...  Or, get his milk-money on the way out...

I was just pullin' yer leg about the flashlight... Oh, I use it... But just to screw with people's heads...

Hey I'm with you on this Bomber Boy. Modelling competitions are just politics. If you are friends with a judge you will get a good award. It's been like that at every show I've gone to. Some of the stuff that wins is really ******** compared to other models at the show and is all because the person who built the model is a person that the judge knew. I think judges should be people that go to the show that do not enter any models, but have some modelling experience. I support you on this!

IT'S JUST A  HOBBY!!!!

I don't have any friends at competions...  In fact, I don't even talk to many people, except those that I have to....

And for the record, I've NEVER entered a model at a contest that I'd be judging...  If I find out I've been tagged to do the dioramas again, my build goes back out the car (If I can't keep an eye on it, I don't leave it).. As a matter of fact, I havent won anything since the 1980s, because I don't get to compete...

IT'S JUST A  HOBBY!!!!

Building is a hobby.. Competition is not..

Hans I agree with you on what you posted, as far as nitpicking is certain colors based on photos for historic value. I sort drifted from the judge topic and went to a generalized comment. Where a guy made a Gee Bee R-1 model with the correct color pinstripe (which for those who dont know is actually blue and not black) and there is always some guy who will sit there and nitpick and not know what he is talking about and completely degrade the model because they lack the skill to build one for the sole purpose of trying to feel better than another person. So this guy goes on and on saying how the pinstripe is the wrong color and you can tell by the original pictures of the aircraft, mind you the only pictures take of the original plane are black and white photos. Well to make a long story short is that I overheard the conversation and told the rude guy that he should talk to Delmar Benjamin and ask him what mistake was made on the Gee Bee R-2 replica that made Delmar go "DOH" because his planes pinstriping was done in black. End result was the guy was dumb founded and moved on his way.

First place models should be the best in the group, second was the next best, third the follow best and the rest better luck next time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2utNL_YaLIw&feature=player_detailpage

I don't enter contests much anymore....   as I have seen it from both sides (being a judge and a participant),,,  I've won my fair share of awards but I have also seen the flaws with assessment as well....    I build for my own enjoyment these days.

I like to go to contests to see what other people built. I usually like to enter something to show others, but the main reason I go is to see what other people have done and maybe learn some new tricks, get some cheap models (if there are vendors!) and have fun!

Manstein's revenge

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2utNL_YaLIw&feature=player_detailpage

I've seen it a 140 time and it keeps getting funnier every time I see it!

At least I know one thing we all can agree on...

...We all like to build models!

Hans von Hammer

Too much things to be nitpicked about. It all come down to the eye of the beholder. Sorry to say this if it offends some but a judges opinion does not mean much to me, its the fellow modeler that does.

No, it's not all "eye of the beholder".. There's a pretty strict set of guidleines that one has to follow when one judges at IPMS or AMPS shows..  However, it's not carved in stone, there's a litte leeway for judges here & there, and sadly, some judges DO take advantage of that fact...  

Hans, you're a beautiful man, ya know that don'tcha?! 

Ryan,,,