WINGS & WHEELS MODELERS announce our annual spring model contest, [i]VALLEYCON XIII [/] to be held on 30 March 2003 at the Knights of Columbus Hall 460 Granby Road in Chicopee MA. http://www.hopgoodgroup.com/ww/Maps.html#springcontest " TARGET="_blank"> http://www.hopgoodgroup.com/ww/Maps.html#springcontest This is New England’s largest local contest. We feature over 30 classes for all types of models, with special awards for such subjects as best North American Military figure, best floatplane, and best submarine. We have an Ironman award for a modeler who presents three models in three different subject areas and a unique Biathalon award for the builder of two different subjects with the same name, such as a bust of JEB Stuart and an M-3 Stuart tank. We already have over 40 vendor tables reserved including Precision Enterprises, of Springfield VT, Sentinel Miniatures http://www.sentinelminiatures.com " TARGET="_blank"> http://www.sentinelminiatures.com and MegaHobby http://www.megahobby.com " TARGET="_blank"> http://www.megahobby.com of Queens New York. Also present this year will be a contingent from the 10th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, a local Civil war reenactment group who will be in uniform and available to discuss the history of the 10th and Civil War topics in general. For more information, please visit our Website http://www.wwmodelclub.org " TARGET="_blank"> http://www.wwmodelclub.org or e-mail me ([email protected]) for a flyer and downloadable registration and model identification forms.

For those coming from a distance who might want to make a weekend, local attractions include the Basketball Hall of Fame and The Springfield Armory Museum about 10 mintes away in Springfield and the New England Air Museum 20 minutes away in Windsor Locks CT. One of New England's bigger malls, Holyoke at Ingleside, is just across the Connecticut River.

If you enjoy a meal on your contest trips the Hu Ke Lau, a major Polynesian restaurant, is nearby and a Hooters recently opened at Congress and Dwight Streets in downtown Springfield, about 5 minutes away.

Hope to get to meet some of my Armorama buddies next month.

I'll be making the trip down there from just outside Manchester, NH. If you're wearing a name tag or some other form of ID, I'll introduce myself.

If it's anything like last year's (which I imagine it will be) it's going to be GREAT!!!

It's looking good, Jeff. With the club table, we are at 50 vendor spaces. Revell/Monogram just donated teh Arado Ar 234 Promodeler kit for the raffle. I'll be the guy running around with the microphone and wearing a big moustache. I'll also have a name tag. Be good to meet a fellow Armormaniac. #:-)

I'll tell you, what a birthday present (3-30 is my b'day). I know last year's was my first modelling show that I've attended and I was amazed at the things that I saw and the talent that these folks had.

I also know that I came in with a pretty good amount of money and walked out of there owing my brother quite a bit.

This was the first show I ever entered, I got a plaque and had a good time. Great meeting you there Al.

Congrats Rob!!!