Ft. Crook IPMS

IPMS Ft Crook June meeting!
Wednesday, June 17th, 2026
Natural Resources District (NRD) Headquarters Building, Chalco Hills Recreation Area/Wehrspann Lake (8901 S. 154th Street, Omaha, NE 68138-3621)
Start time 6:30 PM (because some of us are too lazy to do this at 6:30 AM)
We will have our standard programming of news in the modeling world, events with IPMS Ft Crook and IPMS Region 14, new member introductions and members completed and in-progress works.

This month's contest : "We See You!" - anything used for spying or reconnaissance.

Hope to see you there!

Does anyone want this?
One way to gage support for a new kit......

Does anyone want a new tool B-1B model kit?
Modelcollect wants to know. They want to know before they pull the trigger on actual production because saying that you want a particular kit is much different from actually paying for it, and nobody wants to foot the bill for an expensive flop. But, there are advantages to releasing a new tool B-1B kit.
The only other 1/72 B-1 kits are the Airfix and Monogram kits. Both kits were released more than 40 years ago, and are based on the pre-production B-1A version. The last re-boxing was of the Monogram kit that was released in a Revell boxing in 2007. In order to get a updated B-1B in 1/72 scale is to get the Monogram kit and buy a series of update kits that could cost more than the kit itself. The average price of a second-hand Monogram B-1B kit on Ebay averages above $100, Barracuda Cast has a series on B-1B update sets for the Monogram kit that adds up to $137 without shipping, so about $255-$260 depending on shipping costs. The average price for Modelcollect's B-52 and B-2 kits are running anywhere between $140-$150, depending on from whom you are buying from. A new B-1B kit would more than likely be priced slightly above that, but well below $200....and that's the downside, price. Us 1/72 modelers are notoriously cheap (one reason why we stick with 1/72 scale) and even I bite my hand when it comes to buying a kit above $100.
But Modelcollect wants to know if the support is there. According to them, the design is ready to go, but they want to know if modelers are willing to buy.
So, Modelcollect did a "GoFundMe", but with a twist.
They are asking those who wants to buy a new tool B-1B kit to pay one dollar as a pledge of support. If they meet $1000, they will go ahead with putting the kit into production. The money isn't a donation, it's a non-refundable pledge of support. You can support the project in the weblink down below if you choose.
One note* I noticed that on their website that they have a pre-order for the B-1B, but no release date, I guess that they are just waiting for the support campaign finish line.

B-1 Lancer 1/72 Scale Model – Purchase Intention Pledge Rules B-1 Lancer 1/72 Scale Model – Purchase Intention Pledge Rules   Project Overview We are considering the development of a highly detailed 1/72 scale B-1 Lancer plastic model kit. Before moving …

International planes of mystery.......
Eduard's new 1/48 MiG-21F-13 kit futures the artwork for the MiG-21F-13 that defected to Israel from Iraq in August, 1966. It was evaluated by the Israeli Air Force, then passed on to the US in 1968 for evaluation under the "Have Doughnut" program. It eventually was transferred to the 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Tonopah, Nevada where it operated as a part of "Constant Peg" before being returned to Israel sometime around 1990. It is currently on display at the IAF Museum at Hatzerim Airbase. The Israelis gave it the bort number 007 due to the James Bond-ish clandestine operation in which it was acquired. There is a picture of "Mr Bond, James Bond" Sean Connery posing in front of the MiG with the commander of the IAF in 1966.
But it isn't the only aircraft that got the bort number "007" because of the dubious way in which it was obtained.......
Bolivia acquired a P-47D "Razorback" Thunderbolt from a reported arms broker in Lima, Peru in 1949. However, there was major questions about the transaction and legality of the aircraft and the seller ceased contact with the government. As a result, the plane was never used in active service, but it was reported that the aircraft was kept in operational condition for a few years. In 1967, the plane was placed outside El Alta airfield with the bort number FAB007. It was reported that the maintenance personal came up with the bort number after seeing the movie "Dr No" and because of the mysterious circumstances in which the plane was acquired, joking referring to it as the "International Plane of Mystery".

Mig-21F-13 artwork by Antonis Karydis
P-47 profile by Clavework Graphics