The Crappy

On May 20 IPMS North Central Texas held their annual model contest. This year in addition to the contest NCT played host to the IPMS USA Region 6 convention. [Pictures I took of the event can be viewed at the IPMS USA Web site.]

At ScalesFest a small group of demented modelers held their annual Crappy [also spelled Crappie] Model contest. This event was started 3 years ago at the suggestion of Smartasses of America member # 102 [all names have been eluded to in order to protect the weirdoes]. The idea of this exercise in madness is to produce a finished kit that violates all the practices of good model building. In other words, see who can build the crappiest model. In 2004 we did spacecraft. My entry was a Polarlight USS Enterprise complete with cigarette burn and thumbprint in the paint. I lost. In 2005 we did cars. I lost. [See a trend here?] This year the sacrilege continued with armor. There were only three entries this year - there have never been more than 5 entries. My entry was a Monogram Snap-Tite 1/48-scale Tiger I. I lost.

#102 brought in Tamiya 1/35-scale Sturmgeschutz and the winner (from Abilene, Texas) had a nice dip-paint job on his Monogram 1/32nd scale M-47 Patton. In fact this is the second year in a row for this particular modeler as his crayon painted Morris Minor won last year.

The interesting thing about this contest is that we cannot get anyone else to enter. I’ve heard comments of disbelief that we would do such a thing. I guess it takes a different kind of person to not take this hobby too seriously.


More inappropriate overuse of brackets in upcoming posts.