2019 IPMS Nationals, Chattanooga, TN
Our local Club decides each year to build a show display for Region 2 (our IPMS region in the US). Usually around summertime we pick a topic to have ready for the first show of region — IPMS Richmond’s Old Dominion Open. In 2019 we chose to make aircraft marked in NASCAR markings and call it NASPLANES.
The 2019 IPMS Nationals host club — IPMS Chattanooga — was there at the Old Dominion Open and asked us to bring it to Chattanooga. No promises were made but we did agree to try. It’s a big display and the logistics of moving it 2 hours to Richmond is a lot different than 10 hours to Chattanooga.
The Display
Mike Morris not only made one of the aircraft models, but also put together the plywood and foam track. It’s at the correct bank angle for Talladega Turn 2 as well as the width. Our objective was to mimic the cars going about the track, jockeying for position.
We spent a weekend before the Richmond show as a group figuring out the best distribution of aircraft size, spacing, and color in order to make the display pleasing to the eye. Holes were drilled and acrylic rod cut and bent to get the correct bank angles. A sharp viewer will note some interesting tidbits.
- The Hooters aircraft is the only twin.
- Danica Patrick’s aircraft is in the back.
The Model
I chose to model #5, Terry Labonte’s Kelloggs car with all the cereal characters on it. And of course it had to be a Spitfire. I chose this subject because I had also done a similar scheme on a P-40 in 2017 when we all agreed to make a bunch of P-40s but with some sort of “tiger” theme noseart. So mine had Tony the Tiger cereal markings.
Summary
We had a lot of fun doing this as a group, and the reception at the various shows, and especially Nationals, that year was exceptional. Lots of folks walked up assuming it was just race planes until they noted the markings and the “Talladega” sign. Chattanooga has a race track so a lot of fans were there and were getting pictures of their favorite cars (er planes) in front of the display.
