Track48'ers

AMPS Nationals show in April 2010 will once again be in Auburn Indiana. This is a fantastic venue for a great Armor show so try to make plans to be there.

AMPS is going to try something new for this show and that is to allow "club tables" for "Armor Modeling Clubs".

Track48'ers if there was ever an "Armor Club" that NEEDS a table at AMPS, we are it. I am in an IPMS club but I think Track48 is more my "Armor Club". What this post is about is that I would like to organize a club table at AMPS for the "Track48 Armor Club". Of course our club table would tend to represent a specific scale.

April 2010 is a ways off but I want to get this started now.

Interested? Too right you are! Read on then...

"The Plan" as of now:

Although TOTS kits are not that large we only get 4' (that is four US system scale feet or about 1.2 meters for you metric types!) Depending on interest we might need to limit the amount of stuff - or maybe get you to bring lots to fill out the table! And if we need more tables then I am cool with that! More on this later.

With Garfield's permission I can work up some nice big signage with the Track48 "T34" logo and website. Heck I will even do name tags and table handouts with site info with permission. (And if you don't get us those Track48 t-shirts by then Gar well... well we will just see what happens.)

You don't have to enter in AMPS contest if you don't want to and you can also have your AMPS contest entries pull "dual duty" on the club table of you wanted to. You do not have to build new for the table. If you have stuff you like just bring it. I don't think anyone will care what but for space considerations maybe leave any big dioramas at home this time. No "theme" planned for table except maybe "We are quarter scale and we are here to stay.". Just getting there to AMPS and having a TOTS table is "theme" enough.

Part of the club table plan is to take lots of celebrity photos (that is, Bruce, if he shows), kit photos, group photos, etc. and post big on this site. I am thinking of a formal Track48 "AMPS 2010 TOTS Gallery" where everything in scale at AMPS contest gets posted. I am also thinking of a TOTS swap meet and maybe even will commission a limited edition aftermarket special or 2010 AMPS collectable just for table contributors. More on this later depending on your interest.

Why do this?

1) Well why the heck not? We are part of an Armor Club. Let's have an Armor Club Table. Okay, a cyber armor club, but it is still a club mind you.
2) Promote TOTS (Safety in numbers? Make a statement? Fly the flag? Whatever your motivation!)
3) Promote Track48
4) Have a place to hang with your 'bros at AMPS or just meet up to "talk TOTS"
5) Show off your stuff. You guys have a lot to be proud of!
6) Promote AMPS! It is NOT "1/35th Scale Armor AMPS". AMPS is for everyone. Maybe if we know there will be at least some other TOTS crazys there we might feel it is more worthwhile going?
7) Have some fun goofing off! Talk armor. Talk kits. It's AMPS! Armor nuts are considered "normal" there.
8) I have seen club tables at shows in Europe and always wanted to be part of a "club table" at a big show. It just looks like a fun part of this hobby that I wanted to try too. I hope some of you feel the same way.

What to do next:

First start making plans for AMPS in April 2010! Ya gotta be there to be on the table! Attached website at the end of this post with more info. (If you have been there before you know you want to go back. If not, trust me, you want to be there.)

Second let me know if you are interested in being part of this. Email me or reply to this post. I will get a mailing list together and start a forum entry on Track48 for AMPS 2010 Club Table where we will organize the table. We will use the forum try to work out interest and how many people and kits we will get there and how to meet to set up. (I plan to be at IPMS Nats in August and am thinking of meeting up there to talk about table as well.)

As soon as I get some idea of interest I will start "The Plan" in motion and reserve our "Track48 Armor Club" table for AMPS 2010.


Thanks,

GJR


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Attached here is more info from AMPS on club tables.


Armor clubs: Special event at AMPS 2010

On behalf of the AMPS 2010 International Show in Auburn Indiana (April 22-24, 2010), I'd like to invite all interested Armor modelling clubs (AMPS and non-AMPS clubs alike) to participate in the first annual "AMPS Club Display"

This mimics the tremendous turnout at IPMS-UK's Scale Model World event (their national convention) whereby every club in the nation comes out and sets up a table display, showing off their individual members' projects, having flyers and information available for prospective members, and as a central "hang out" spot for the club show attendees. For the UK IPMS clubs, it's a great source of pride and an opportunity to "show their stuff".

Participating clubs are encouraged to use their own creativity for their display. They can be a theme build (e.g. Central Virginia AMPS' great Sturmgeschutzen display at the 2009 AMPS Show), a collection of recent builds and works in progress or whatever. Club participants who enter models for the competition can, once their model has been judged, bring the kit back to the own Club Display area.

Each club will receive 4' of table space plus chairs for members. Each group is asked to place a $20 deposit to hold the table. AMPS-affiliated chapters will receive the $20 back after the show.

http://www.amps-armor.org/ampssite/conventions/showInfo.aspx?Page=Annouce&ShowID=29

assuming my worthless hide is still intact, and the elderberry wine fog has lifted..... I think the idea of a Track48 "club table" is excellent, and I'd be up for supporting that. I had the pleasure of meeting a few of the T48 denizens at the last AMPS Auburn show. I'll be wearing my Track48 nametag and elderberry wine badge as well. I am hoping some of the Canadian Track48 crew make it, such as the webmaster..... Keep us abreast of what is happening with this.

I love the idea.Nice to see the Nats show there again.

Chad

There is a whole bunch of us from my local modeling club that are already making plans to attend . I went to the show last year and absolutely loved it. I'm going to display something in TOTS on my local club's table (provided there is something that I can build that fits the theme we decide upon), but I'd love to participate in Track48 display. Count me in .

SeanSki
http://www.pme.org.pl
--
"Car's grip is greatly reduced when wheels are not touching the ground" - Steve Matchett

I was talking to my pal who attended the AMPS show with me last year in Indiana. He said "we have to do it again", so I said "yeah, let's do it again". So barring some untoward economic news (my wife's firm has already laid off 70% of their employees, they are in the home building industry), I will be coming to AMPS 2010, and would love to participate in a T48 display table.
Cheers,
Andrew

Hi guys!
I think George's idea is a great one (even though I just skim read the thread). I will go over it in detail in the next day or two and discuss it with the staff. Just off the top of my head, I can't see it being retail booth but instead one simply to promote the genre and the site. It could also be a good place to hob nob. So let me go through your thread when I get a moment and I'll put some more detailed thoughts together.
Garfield

Like the idea. My son and I had a great time last year and looking forward to next time.

Well gang you can count me in also, will be coming down from Michigan. I will also bring models for the display table. It would also be nice to have some nice name badges so we can identify people. I have the name tag display cases in clear plastic with adjustable lanyards to hand out, just need someone to design and have the name tag available. Cheers, Alan Vandam

Any chance one of you guys could take some photo`s on the day to post in the gallery or as an article.

Give the rest of us the chance to put faces to the names.

A great idea for a T48 display. Now all we need are some T48 t-shirts!

I'll book a table or two and Track 48 will of course, put the money towards it. Final artwork for the t-shirts is done and they are in the works. I'll put some ideas about the display together for you guys to look at. It would be nice to have real models on display as well as a Powerpoint presentation. for some unknown reason, beautiful girls in a booth have a great draw. Any candidates out there...? I'll check with Meeta and see if there is any promo stuff we can provide.
GI

... you are booking the club tables? Great! I don't mind helping though. The great thing about AMPS doing this is that they will refund table fee if your club shows up! Let me know if I can help with this any way at all! Will have to work on getting the "booth babes" though Garfield...

Great news about the t-shirts. Would like to get one before IPMS Nats in Columbus in August if that is possible.

I think from responses we have the interest here to put something really special together! This is a long trip for some of you I know but this is a really great venue being at the "Victory Museum". And now you will even have your own club table at the show when you get there! How many shows can you say that about?

And as requested we will provide lots of documentation and possibly even a real-time daily report and photos from the show.

Hey Andrew maybe an "AMPS group build"?

So plan "Track48 Club Table" is about to commence - Phase 1: book the tables.

I can recommend the Victory Museum most highly. They have a very interestng and varied collection, with a lot of one-of-a-kind vehicles you won't see anywhere else. Photography is a bit dicey due to the varied lighting, but the stiff that's there is pretty nice. They have TWO Tatra cars, and a bunch of unusual and different vehicles, plus weapons displays, uniforms, and historical material and displays. LOTS of model reference material there.