Greetings Fellow Armor Fanatics,
Now that we’re in the holiday season, hopefully we all will take some time to relax, re-connect and enjoy some time with family and friends. If you work it right, maybe you can get some bench time in on some of your projects in anticipation of the AMPS 2024 Show in South Bend, Indiana (https://www.amps-armor.org) coming up in less than 140 days. And if you do find some bench time, keep a copy of the AMPS Judging Criteria on the bench as a reference while building away. Catch and fix some of those mistakes before it lands on the judging table at the show.
The show theme this year is “1944”, and the show team provides a link (https://www.amps-armor.org/SiteShows/ShowMain.aspx#Show-Theme) that clearly defines what qualifies for this theme award.
Hotel Accommodations:
If you haven’t already, now would be a great time to make hotel reservations for the show before all the rooms are gone. It’s quick and easy. Simply visit the AMPS home page (https://www.amps-armor.org) and select your choice of the Doubletree by Hilton or the Courtyard by Marriott and, while you’re doing that, check out the link that lists all the great food and beverage locations South Bend has to offer.
Call for Judges:
Soon, AMPS will send out a call for folks to sign up and volunteer to judge at the show. Many judges help the show keep moving on schedule and provide helpful feedback to all who placed entries into the show. If you haven’t judged before, the AMPS homepage (https://www.amps-armor.org) has a link to on-line judging modules which are done very well and quite helpful. You can take the judges training in the comfort and privacy of your own place or take it live at South Bend. Sitting through a judging shift or two will really be a great learning experience and make you a more observant modeler, especially when it comes to your own projects.
Vendors:
What can I say, the vendor room is filling up which means we all will be going home with way less money than we came with. Here is the most current list of vendors attending the show:
Black Widow Model Disposal
Boomers’ Books & Empire Models
Challenger N Scale Hobbies
Custom Dioramics
David Doyle Books
Frank Rincon
Glen Broman
Graeter Woodworking
Horner’s Hobbies
HQ72 Productions
Hudson & Allen Studio
John’s Models
Last Cavalry
Les Leibold
Microworld Games, LLC
Scale Colors
S & J
Spray Gunner
Squadron Hobbies
UMM-USA Unique Master Models
Vargas Scale Models
Wanamaker Hobbies
POTENTIAL VENDORS: At this point, all tables are sold, however, the AMPS Vendor Coordinator, Chris Graeter, is compiling a potential vendors list which will be used if currently committed vendors for the show are unable to attend. This list will be used FIFO (first in first out) if there is a cancelation by a current vendor. Contact Chris on the AMPS homepage (amps-armor.org) if you would like to be added to this list.
Until the next AMPS 2024 show announcement, stay safe, enjoy the holidays with family and friends, and model on!
chuck