The Dark Side….of modeling
Actor Peter Cushing, who played Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars, was an avid scale modeler. Here’s a picture of him at his hobby bench in February 1959.
Casey Rupley (webmaster)
About Casey Rupley (webmaster)
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ASM Star Trek Display at Cherry Hills Library
ASM members Michael O’Brian and John Tate recently setup a Star Trek model display at the Cherry Hills Library Branch. The display will run through March, in conjunction with Star Trek events being held at the library.
Here is a link to the Cherry Hills Library mentioning ASM and showing off our models: https://abqlibrary.org/exhibits/CherryHills
February 2025 – Meeting Recap
Club Business
It was swap meet night! Model and Modeler of the Year plaques were handed out.
If you owe ASM Member Due’s, please pay at your earliest convenience. Finances are tight with increased room rate.
Jim Coatney and Dave Tingley gave a briefing on their experience at ModelZona (both won awards for their models). There were approximately 800 models on the tables and the competition was tough. Less categories/splits made for a lot of competition. They definitely recommend AirBnB as a much cheaper and closer option for lodging, and a Friday – Sunday trip was very easy to Phoenix.
Chuck Hermann provided spoke about upcoming events with the Albuquerque Model Car Club (AMCC). They will host another contest at the UNM CE building later this year. Details will be posted here once they are finalized.
The Cavalcade of Wings displays are complete, models have been moved, and the area is now accessible to the public. Be sure to check it out the next time you’re at the airport!
Complete Meeting Gallery
Kirtland AFB Air Fiesta
KAFB, May 30 – June 1, 2025
https://www.kirtland.af.mil/Kirtland-Air-Fiesta/
Scheduled to attend:
- U.S. Army Golden Knights
- F-16 Viper Demonstration Team from Shaw Air Force Base
- 58th Special Operations Wing
- MC-130, AC-130, HC-130, HH-60, Huey, and CV-22.
Visit to the Fort Bliss and Old Ironsides Museums
By Mike Blohm
This trip report is on a visit to the Fort Bliss and Old Ironsides Museums located at Fort Bliss, just north of El Paso, Texas. “Old Ironsides” is the nickname of the 1st Armored Division, a combined arms division of the United States Army. The division is part of III Armored Corps and operates out of Fort Bliss. The museum covers the histories of both Fort Bliss and the 1st Armored Division. During a recent business trip, I had the opportunity to see the outside vehicle display at the museum, which is called the Combined Arms Heritage Park. Unfortunately, the museum itself has been temporarily closed for redesign, but just seeing the outside display was worth the visit.
They have a Bell AH1-F Cobra helicopter as the display’s centerpiece and nine armored vehicles lined up around it. These include: M4 Sherman tank, M24 Chaffee tank, M26 Pershing tank, M41 Walker Bulldog tank, M47 Patton I tank, M48A2 Patton II tank, M109 Self Propelled Howitzer, M114 Command and Reconnaissance Carrier, and an M551 Sheridan Armored Reconnaissance/Air Assault Vehicle. All the items are very well cared for. Several pictures of the overall display and each vehicle and its signage are posted below in numerical order by type designation. The file names identify what they are. The signs provide good info on the history of the vehicles and their use by the units at Fort Bliss, so be sure to read those.
A great display to visit – highly recommended if you are passing through El Paso. Per their website, you can get a pass at the post visitor center to visit the museum. Their website shows some pretty cool vehicles inside the building and states that they will reopen on July 15, 2025. Check out the museum at these links:
https://home.army.mil/bliss/index.php/my-fort/all-services/fort-bliss-and-old-ironsides-museu
I have also included some pictures of armored vehicles on display elsewhere around the post. These include: M1A1 Abrams, M2A3 Bradley, M3 Stuart, M163 Vulcan Air Defense System (VADS) APC (M113 with M61 Vulcan cannon), and an early M551 Sheridan. There are several others, but I was not able to get pictures of those.
Museum and Display Pictures
Combined Arms Heritage Park Armored Vehicle Pictures
Other Armored Vehicles on Display at Fort Bliss
January 2025 – Meeting Recap
Club Business
ASM is looking into becoming a 501(c)3 organization (non-profit), which would save us $400/year on the room. Room rate didn’t end up changing this year, vote passed for renewing.
If you owe ASM Member Due’s, please pay at your earliest convenience.
Jim Coatney provided an update as Region 10 Coordinator. Submissions for regional awards are due by February 15 if any need to be submitted. No word on whether any of our regional chapters are interested in hosting a nationals in the near future.
Lieutentant Flickinger of the 58th SOW on KAFB provided some information on the awards ceremony for which many of our members are building models to be used on table centerpieces. The theme of this years ceremony is “heritage,” which is what inspired models of each of their aircraft throughout history. The ceremony, which is expected to be attended by ~120 people, is to be held March 13, but the location is still to be determined.
