Division 100 - Aircraft 101 In the Beginning - From the Wright Brothers to 1937 - All Scales/All Eras 102 Civil - All Scales/All Eras 103 Tilt/Rotary - 1/51 to 1/99 104 Tilt/Rotary - 1/50 & larger 105 Fixed Wing 1/32 Scale and Larger - All Eras 106 Fixed Wing 1/48 Scale Single Engine Prop - All Eras 107 Fixed Wing 1/48 Scale Multi Engine Prop - All Eras 108 Fixed Wing 1/48 Scale Single Engine Jet - All Eras 109 Fixed Wing 1/48 Scale Multi Engine Jet - All Eras 110 Fixed Wing 1/72 Scale Single Engine Prop - All Era 111 Fixed Wing 1/72 Scale Multi Engine Prop - All Eras 112 Fixed Wing 1/72 Scale Single Engine Jet - All Eras 113 Fixed Wing 1/72 Scale Multi Engine Jet - All Eras 114 Small Scale Military (Less than 1/100) 115 Box Stock - All Scales/All Eras 116 Scratchbuilt, Vacuforms and Conversions - All Scales/All Eras
Division 200 - Armor 201 1/25 Scale & Larger Open & Closed Top Armor and Softskin - All Eras 202 Small Scale (1/72 scale and smaller) Closed Top Armor 203 Small Scale (1/72 scale and smaller) Armored Car, Halftrack, and Softskin 204 1/48 to 1/30 Scale Half Track and Armored Car - All Eras 205 1/48 to 1/30 Scale Softskin - All Eras 206 1/48 to 1/30 Scale Tracked Vehicle - Closed Top - Single Color - All Eras 207 1/48 to 1/30 Scale Tracked Vehicle - Closed Top - Multiple Color - All Eras 208 Towed Artillery and Field Rocketry - All Scales/All Eras 209 Tracked Vehicles - Open Top All Scales/All Eras 210 Scratchbuilt and Conversions - All Scales/All Eras
Division 300 - Automotive 301 Street Rod All Scales (1948 and older, Street Legal) 302 Street Machine All Scales (1949 to present, Street Legal) 303 Open Wheel Competition 304 Closed Wheel Competition 305 Trucks, Commercial, and Emergency Vehicles (includes all light and heavy duty) 306 Factory Stock (includes conversions to make any non-commercial factory car or truck) 307 Motorcycles All Scales/All Years 308 Slammers 309 Curside 310 Custom Conversion - Any Year Low Riders included 311 1/32 Scale and Smaller 312 1/21 Scale and Larger 313 Custom (includes TV, movie, and show cars)
Division 400 - Ships 401 Sailing or Early Steam Power All Scales/All Eras 402 Submarines All Scales/All Eras 403 Powered Ships - 1/199 Scale and Larger 404 Powered Ships - 1/200 to 1/499 Scale 405 Powered Ships - 1/500 Scale and Smaller 406 Scratchbuilt and Conversions - All Scales/All Eras
Division 500 - Figures 501 Military 54mm and Smaller All Eras 502 Military 55mm to 119mm All Eras 503 Military 120mm and Larger All Eras 504 Fantasy - Figures & Creature - 54mm & Smaller 505 Fantasy - Figures & Creature - 55mm & Larger 506 Movies & Media - All Scales - Science Fiction & Horror 507 Movies & Media - All Scales - Action, Adventure & Anime
Division 600 - Missiles. Rockets, Spacecraft & Hypothetical 601 Actual Vehicles, Missiles & Rockets (Real Space) All Scales 602 Missiles and Rockets (non-space) All Scales 603 Hypothetical Real World Designs (to include Luft'46) All Scales
Division 700 - Miscellaneous 701 Mechanical - All Scales 702 Biological - All Scales 703 Collections - All Scales 704 Club or Group Builds - All Scales 705 Humor in Modeling - All Scales 706 Paper Models
Division 800 – Sci-Fi / Fantasy 801 Star Wars Vehicles All Scales 802 Star Trek Vehicles, All Scales 803 Other Space & Aircraft All Scales 804 Fictional Ground Vehicles All Scales
Division 900 – Diorama 901 Aircraft Dioramas - All Scales/All Eras 902 Armor Dioramas - All Scales/All Eras 903 Automobile Dioramas - All Scales/All Years 904 Ship Dioramas All Scales/All Eras 905 Figure Vignettes - 4 or less figures All Scales 906 Figure Dioramas - 5 or more figures All Scales
Division 1000 - Young Modelers 1001 Pre-Teen (12 & under) - All Entries 1002 Young Modelers (13-17) Aircraft 1003 Young Modelers (13-17) Armor 1004 Young Modelers (13-17) Automotive 1005 Young Modelers (13-17) Miscellaneous 1006 Young Modelers (13-17) Diorama & Vignette
Special Awards Best Aircraft Best Military Vehicle Best Ship Best Automotive Best Figure Best Space & Science Fiction Best Diorama Best Junior Show Theme Award – The Great War 1914-1918 Herman Hankin’s Memorial People’s Choice Lawnie Wilson Best Pacific Theater Subject Lester Hetzel Memorial Award (presented by OHMS for best pre-WW II aircraft) Judges’ Best of Show
Individually Sponsored Awards Dave Branson Sr. Memorial Award Masters of Imagination (Sci-Fi/Fantasy Craft must have 60% minimum Scratchbuilt)
Show Rules
I. ELIGIBILITY 1. The Regional Convention (CASM) Model Contest is open to all modelers. Modelers may enter any number of models in the Contest. A modeler may also serve as a “proxy” to enter models for a fellow member who is not able to attend the Contest. Commercially built and/or finished models, i.e., Die cast and collectibles, that do not require significant additional work by the modeler will be ineligible. 2. YOUNG MODELERS. This category is limited to those modelers under the age of 18 and is split into Young Modelers, age 13 to 17, and Pre-Teen, up to and including the age of 12. 3. Models that have won First, Second, or Third place, or Out-Of-The-Box awards in any category of any previous IPMS/USA National Model Contest or Regional may not be entered. 4. “Test Shot” or pre-production examples of kits not yet commercially available may not be entered in any national competition for awards. 5. The Chief Judge will exclude/remove from competition any entry considered by Contest officials to be inappropriate or offensive to generally acknowledged standards of taste and acceptability. 6. Modelers entering pieces that exceed three feet in either width or length, or that require special power support or special placement, must notify the Contest Chairman at least one month in advance of the Convention. The limited space for the Contest requires pre- planning for such entries. Failure to provide advanced notification for such models could result in their being unable to compete or inadequate special support. 7. Exhibitors are encouraged to leave their models in the display room until all awards have been presented and the attendees have had the maximum opportunity to view them.
II. CONTEST DEFINITIONS AND JUDGING 1. JUDGING. Models will be judged for skill in construction, finish, realism, and accuracy. Additional criteria are considered for special categories such as dioramas, collections, conversions, and scratchbuilds. Models are judged as three-dimensional objects and are examined in all aspects. Entries will not be handled by judges or any other person except where and when absolutely necessary. Models in the Contest Room may be covered by cases while on general public display, but such cases must be removed from models for judging. Judges will not remove cases from models unless the modeler has given explicit, written, approval in advance. Models in cases will not be judged. The following is an exception to this rule. In instances where removal of a case could cause damage, and in the judgment of the respective Head Judge the case would not impede effective judging, the case may be left on for judging. This arrangement must be made prior to judging and noted in writing on the entry form by the Head Judge. The Head Judge will have the final and exclusive authority to allow or deny this exemption. 2. PLASTIC DEFINITION. For the Region 6 Contest “Plastic” is “any thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer, resin, or other materials which can be formed by heat, pressure, or vacuum forming”. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, polystyrene, ABS plastic, celluloid, polyethylene, vinyl, epoxy and polyester resins, fiberglass, acetates, acrylics, nylon, other synthetic and monofilament fibers, and other plastic modeling compounds. Neoprene rubber is also defined as a plastic for this contest. Glazes and body putties (e.g., “Green Stuff”) are not plastics; however, when used for filling seams, improving contours, creating unusual surfaces (e.g. “zimmerit” on armor), etc., they will be considered plastic. 3. COMPOSITION. The use of plastic as set forth, above, is encouraged; however, the use of other modeling materials is allowed as the builder sees fit. Judging standards of finish, attention to detail, and authenticity will be the same, regardless of the materials used. 4. SCRATCHBUILT models may incorporate parts from other kits, but these should be generally unrelated to their original identity, except for minor parts such as wheels, guns, etc. Models determined to be scratch built must be entered in the proper scratch built category. 5. CONVERSION category entries must represent a version different from that provide by the basic kit. The conversion must contain significant structural modifications to the basic kit involving extensive changes in contour or configuration. These changes must be the work of the entrant. In addition to the normal judging criteria common to the entire contest, judges of the Conversion Category will give special consideration to the complexity of the conversion. A conversion accomplished with primarily commercial aftermarket parts will be at a disadvantage, therefore, against a conversion accomplished primarily by the builder’s craftsmanship - assuming both are finished to similar standards. Simple conversions may be entered in regular categories. More extensive conversions, however, must be entered in the appropriate conversion category. The builder must detail the conversion changes made to the base kit on the entry sheet or accompanying documentation. Judges have the ultimate authority to determine a model’s category placement, and such decisions by judges will be final. 6. FIGURES Class entries will not be classified as dioramas by the inclusion of accessories supplied in the figure kit. 7. MARKINGS. In aircraft and vehicle Classes, markings will determine the category in which a model is entered. For example a C-47 in military markings would normally be placed in the Large Prop category, but if in airliner markings it would be placed in an Airliner category. A Shuttle, either by itself or attached with fuel tank and booster, goes in Real Spacecraft, while a Shuttle on the back of a NASA Boeing 747 goes in civil Aircraft 8. MISSILES. When the missile's transport vehicle or launcher is the predominant portion of the system (e.g., SCUD, Patriot), the model will be entered in the appropriate Armor category. Military launch vehicles (e.g., V-2, ICBM, IRBM), civilian launch vehicles (e.g., Scout, Saturn), and military launch vehicles modified for civil missions (e.g., Atlas/Agena, Jupiter C) will be entered in the Real Spacecraft category. 9. JETS. Jet Aircraft categories include manned, rocket-powered aircraft such as the Me-163, X-1, X-15, X-24, etc. 10. BASES/DIORAMAS. Bases will be allowed in all categories and will not be considered in the judging except in the Diorama classes. A base may simulate the natural surface on which the prototype would be found; however, nothing other than that surface may be used. Aircraft and vehicles may rest on simulated ground or paving, and aircraft that need beaching gear or dollies may be so equipped. Ships may be displayed in water (no drydocks). The base must not be the predominant feature of the entry and must be of a size proportionate to the model. The Contest Chairman and Judges reserve the right to exclude oversize bases. The model may include primary crew figures. The addition of any other figures or equipment outside, or not attached to, the model (e.g., support equipment, foliage, shell splashes, or buildings) will make the model a Diorama, which must then be entered in the proper Diorama category. Dioramas are judged not only on the technical merit of their construction but also on the strength of the theme or story they present, so that if two dioramas were technically equal the one having the stronger theme or story would win. 11. JUDGES. A Chief Judge must be chosen and he must brief all judges before the contest judging. The Contest Contest Committee chairman will choose Judges from the list of Qualified ‘Region 6 Judges. Only Judges fully registered at the Contest are eligible to join judging teams. Junior members may not serve as voting judges, but may be assigned to judging teams as participating observers. Judges may not judge a category in which they are entered. Judging teams will be composed of an odd number of judges, preferably representing different regions. Strict impartiality will be observed, and violators will be removed from judges' lists for future ‘Region 6 Conventions. Judges will be provided with a special ribbon or other device to allow their easy identification during the Contest. Specially designated judging teams will monitor the contest room prior to judging to ensure models are in the proper categories for judging. They will also move models to accomplish the “splits” required in the larger categories. 12. ALL JUDGES' DECISIONS ARE FINAL. Contest registrars will help determine proper entry categories for models during registration, but final category placement is at the discretion of contest judges. Judges may also combine or split categories during final judging. 13. AWARDS. CASM will provide a sufficient number of award packages to account for all categories and preplanned splits. It may also add provide up to, but no more than, 15 award packages for additional, unplanned splits at the Contest. At its discretion, the CASM may also add up to five additional splits to insert “experimental” or local interest categories into the contest for that year only. These splits must be announced at the preceding Convention. 14. No liability for loss or damage to contest entries is assumed by IPMS, the CASM, the convention hotel, or the contest judges. 15. The Chief Judge may waive any rule if circumstances warrant.
III. SPECIAL CATEGORIES 1. “OUT-OF-THE-BOX” entries will be governed by the following rules:
A. KITS. Any commercially available kit may be used. CASM and the Region 6 Contest Committee will determine the number of categories incorporating Out-Of-The-Box awards. B. FINISH. All finishing techniques are allowed. Decals other than those included with the kit may be used. Insignia, markings, and instrument panels may be hand-painted instead of decaled. Weathering is permitted. C. CONSTRUCTION. The modeler may fill seams and gaps; sand off rivets; drill out gun ports, exhaust pipes, or other appropriate openings; thin to scale such parts as trailing edges, flaps, and doors; add rigging and antennas; and add simple tape or decal seat belts in the cockpit of an aircraft or the interior of a vehicle (NO commercial or modeler manufactured hardware - e.g., buckles, etc.). D. IT IS NOT PERMITTED TO: vacuform, manufacture, or replace any part, or substitute parts from another kit; cut or separate canopies, surfaces, hatches, doors, etc. (no major surgery); combine a standard kit with a conversion kit; add anything other than specified on the instruction sheet except as shown in Section C above. E. INSTRUCTION SHEETS. Modelers must attach the kit instruction sheet to the entry form. Models entered without an attached kit instruction sheet will not be considered for an Out-of-the-Box award.