Many of you folks in CASM have seen that we lost one of our own last weekend with the passing of Noel Lawson. Most of you knew him as the, "...grumpy guy in the wheelchair." A few of you knew him as an excellent modeler, but few of you had the chance to really know him for all he was.
 
I first met Noel in 1977 when I first attended a model club meeting and contest at Jack's Hobby Shop, now Rail and Sprue Hobbies, in Jacksonville. Noel was one of the members of the Central Arkansas Modelers Society, along with Dave Branson Sr., Rick Taylor, Joe Rader, Jim Brown, Frank McCurdy, and about 20 others. 
 
As with CASM today, this original IPMS group had a pretty impressive collection of modelers. Rarely did the group fail to bring home more than its fair share of awards from a competition, regardless of the level. 
 
Over the years, I became a regular at the club and I got to know Noel better. As he told me once, "After I saw Mary (Branson) had accepted you, I figured you must be alright." When I first became part of the club, Noel's interest was primarily in aircraft.
 
During this time, I learned some about Noel, the man. At the time he was a physician and instructor at the University of Arkansas Medical School in Little Rock. He was a graduate of Hendrix College in Conway, where he had been born and raised. During the Vietnam War, he served in the Navy as a Flight Surgeon on board the USS FD Roosevelt and the USS JFK as part of Carrier Group One, including off the coast of Vietnam. 
 
Following his return home, he completed his residency in anesthesiology at the University of Missouri Medical School at Columbia. Noel's medical work, research, innovation, experience, and exploits were far ranging, and much greater than I can understand, earning him a place in the University of Arkansas College of Medicine Hall of Fame in 2012.
 
His work as an artist was also wide ranging. Noel's abilities and expertise in watercolor paintings was well known and appreciated by many.
 
Back now to what most of us knew him for -- his modeling. Noel was a member of several modeling groups through the years, including IPMS, in which his membership number held only four digits, and he belonged to the Verlinden-Letterman-Stok (VLS) Eagle Squadron, where he had earned the title of Master Modeler. His works and articles had appeared in many modeling magazines, including both his aircraft and his figures. 
 
I am proud to say that much of Noel's interest in figures came about when I began showing my own figures at CASM meetings. But his abilities and love of this hobby went far beyond anything I ever could have done. We still often talked about our enjoyment of this hobby and the various techniques and methods, not just the newest and hottest. 
 
I will miss him; he was a friend, a colleague, a confidant, and much more. I wish all of you could have known him as I did.

====================
Noel Walter Lawson
(1939 - 2016)
Noel Walter Lawson, M.D., 76, passed away on March 19, 2016 in Little Rock, Arkansas. A retired cardiac anesthesiologist, he was born July 7, 1939 to the late Marvin and Bessie Arnold Lawson of Conway. He was the grandson of the late Walter Washington and Nettie Ragsdale Lawson of Imboden, Arkansas and William Noel and Effie Peebles Arnold of Williford, Arkansas. Dr. Lawson married Carol Ann Buchanan of Plainview, Texas in 1974. Dr. Lawson attended Conway Public Schools, graduating from Conway High School in 1957. He was the fourth sibling of his family to attend Hendrix College, graduating from there in 1961 with the Biology Prize and a bachelor's degree in Biology. He graduated with honors from the University of Arkansas School of Medicine in 1965. Lawson served his internship at Duval Medical Center in Jacksonville, Florida in 1966. He then entered the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute at Pensacola, Florida in 1966 where he proudly served as a Navy Flight Surgeon, Carrier Air Group One, on the U.S.S. F. D. Roosevelt and U.S.S. J. F. Kennedy from 1967 to 1969. He completed his residency in anesthesiology at The University of Missouri –Columbia in 1970. He received a Cardiovascular Anesthesia Fellowship from the Baylor School of Medicine, Houston, Texas in 1971 where he was Assistant Clinical Instructor and served under heart surgeon, Dr. Michael DeBakey. He then became Director of Cardiac Anesthesiology and Director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at the Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans from 1972 to 1974. In 1974 Dr. Lawson became an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Director of the Intensive Care Unit at the University of Arkansas For Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas. He also created its Emergency Medical Technicians school. He became a Professor of Anesthesiology in 1980, a position he later held at the Texas Tech University Health Science Center in Lubbock, Texas from 1981 to 1983, and again at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas from 1983 until 1992. In 1992 Lawson became the Russell D. Shelden Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Missouri. A position he held until 1994 before becoming Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine. He held the Shelden Endowed Chair until 2004, and became Emeritus Professor of Anesthesiology upon his retirement. Dr. Lawson was active in many fields of research during his career including Age Changes, Pulmonary Physiology, and open heart surgery techniques. He was Vice-President of the Program Committee for the 3rd Japan-American Congress, Oita, Japan, and held chairmanships in the 4th and 5th Congresses in San Francisco and Matsuyama, Japan. His work helped establish ongoing cooperation in American – Japanese anesthesia collaboration. His professional writings were extensive and he was inducted into the University of Arkansas College of Medicine Hall of Fame in 2012. Lawson was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Carol Ann Lawson; and a brother, Wilbur Glenn Lawson M.D. He is survived by his son, James Buchanan Lawson (Lauren), and grandchildren, Walter Raymond Lawson and Charles Raymond Lawson of Tulsa, Oklahoma; a daughter, Nöel Lawson; brothers, Marvin Arnold Lawson of Arkadelphia, Arkansas and James Larry Lawson M.D. (Nikki) of Little Rock; and a sister, Vivian Lawson Hogue (Gerald) of Conway. He is also survived by nephews Arnie Lawson, Alan Lawson, Jay Lawson and Robert Lawson Adams; and nieces Rhonda Crouch, Kathryn Griffin, Carole Lang, and Amy Adams. A great-nephew, Ryan Lawson, also survives whom he was quite fond of. Dr. Lawson will be remembered not only for his professional accomplishments, but for his exceptional artistic and musical talents. He was a member of the American Watercolor Society and an accomplished and award-winning painter of miniature figures and fine scale models of a historical and military nature. Lawson was an amazing mind, warrior for Christ, and gracious man who will be sincerely missed by those who knew him well. A memorial service for Dr. Lawson will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday afternoon, April 15th at St. James United Methodist Church, 321 Pleasant Valley Drive in Little Rock, Arkansas. The service will be open to the public. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Marvin and Bessie Lawson Scholarship, University House 300, U of A, Fayetteville, AR 72701-1201.

Here are some photos from the March 14, 2016 meeting of the model classes held at Pulaski Tech. Dave Branson and John Williams gave a demo on stripping paint and chrome plating off of plastic parts.

The class meets on the 2nd and 4th Monday nights of the month at 6:00 p.m. at the PTC campus next to the Little Rock Airport.-Brent Bristow

Matt Bond, Kenneth Childres, Ron Leker, Rusty Nail, and Mike Warren attended the Atlanta Armor Modeling and Preservation Society/Atlanta Model Figure Show over the weekend of Friday February 19 to the 21st.  Brent Bristow was represented by proxy.  The AMPS/AMFS show is an annual show held at the Atlanta Marriott Century Center. 

Matt and Ron started off the trip early by getting a tour of the armor restoration area of Fort Benning, GA.  David Hobbs and others from Atlanta AMPS arranged a tour of the area and 19 people participated.  At 0900 on Friday, we met at the National Infantry Museum outside of Fort Benning and were taken on-base to the armor restoration area.  This is a complex of buildings that originally housed the Second Armored Division motor pool in the years leading up to World War II.   General George S. Patton himself walked these grounds.  Today, the area houses much of the armor that was previously displayed at Fort Knox, the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, and other military bases.  Eventually, the armor will be displayed at the National Armor and Cavalry Museum, which will coexist with the National Infantry Museum at Benning.  

The facility houses over 200 pieces of armor dating from World War I through the Iraq wars.  Among this staggering collection are one of the very few remaining Tiger I tanks, a 100-year-old British Mark IV, and the only remaining T28 US Super-Heavy Tank prototype.  Not only were we able to see these awesome vehicles, we were able to climb onto, and even into, some of these beasts.  It was definitely a top-10 life experience.  Following the Fort Benning tour, Ron and I linked up with Rusty, Kenneth, and Mike at the show venue in Atlanta. 

The show is a joint venture between the Atlanta chapter of AMPS and the Atlanta Military Figure Society.  Vendor setup and registration begin Friday evening and the show continues until noon Sunday.  Several vendors were represented at the show, including Freetime Hobbies, John’s Models, and HobbyTown USA.    All of us came away with a little less money, but more plastic.  Aside from shopping, we took in the amazing quality of work that was represented in the model display room. 

The AMPS side of the show obviously included mostly armored fighting vehicles with a few dioramas and vignettes thrown in.  The figure side included several categories of figures from historical to sci-fi and horror.  Also included were dioramas, toy soldiers, and general models. 

A great aspect of the AMPS/AMFS show is that it is an excellent opportunity to interact with other modelers.    The show lasts much of the weekend and many of the attendees were staying at the Marriott.  Random elevator conversations about modeling, as well as more in-depth discussions in the hospitality suite were common. 

The show came to a close Sunday morning with the AMPS awards ceremony at 1100, and the AMFS ceremony at 1200.  All CASM member did well.  Matt received 3 Silvers and a Bronze from AMPS and Pewter award for models entered into the AMFS side.  Kenneth received 2 silver awards from AMPS and a silver from AMFS.  Ron received 2 AMPS bronze awards and a AMFS bronze and silver.  Mike entered only a single entry and scored big with a gold in AMPS and will now join Matt, Kenneth, and Ron and Advanced modelers in AMPS.  Brent received a AMFS silver and a bronze.  Rusty received a AMFS gold and was honored with the title of Show Master for winning gold medals in three consecutive AMFS shows. 

All-in-all it was an excellent show and we are all looking forward to attending next year. 

Rusty Nail recently painted up Abner Marin's Caracolilla bust, produced by Blackheart Enterprises. This bust earned Rusty a gold medal at the Atlanta Model Figure Show in February, and with this awared, he was named Show Master.

George Stephenson at Blackheart Enterprises asked Rusty to write an article on his paint up of the bust, and his article now appears on the Blackheart website. You find the find the article by clicking the banner link below.

Yesterday, March 5, Heather and I drove to Joplin, Missouri, for the model show held by the Four State Modelers Club. The drive from central Arkansas took about 4 hours, but it was an easy drive on interstate highways for most of the trip. Upon arriving, we ran into fellow CASM members Bob Hiatt and Robert Garton. Also in attendance from Arkansas were Michelle Garton and David Carter. Mona Hiatt, Ron Leker, Taryn Garton, and Aaron Howell entered the show by proxy.

The show had about 90 models entered, and I counted around 20 modelers. The show room at the Grace Baptist Church had plenty of room, and the lighting was very good. It reminded me of the room at the Arkansas Health Center we used for the Sproo-Doo a few years ago. There were a few tables in the entry way that had model kits for sale, mostly car and few military kits, but it appeared that a few older and hard to find kits were there for sale. The raffle had around 50 or so kits, and raffle tickets were only 50 cents. Bob bought several raffle tickets, and won quite a few kits.

I talked with several local modelers, and really enjoyed meeting a few new people in the hobby. They closed the show room for judging, and while there wasn’t another place at the venue to hang out, we had fun exploring Joplin, which is a really nice town. There are quite a few restaurants and stores in the area that are worth checking out.

The judging seemed to go very smoothly, and from my perspective, it appeared to be fair and consistent. I am very happy to say that all of the participants from Arkansas did very well, and Mona Hiatt received the People Choice and the Best of Show awards.

Overall, we  had a great time, and really enjoyed meeting the members of this club. Hopefully, we’ll be able to attend again next year, and maybe more CASM members will join us!

Here is a list of awards won by Arkansas modelers:
Mona Hiatt-1st place in Watercraft
1st and 2nd place in Large Scale
1st place in Miscellaneous
2nd place in Military
People Choice
Best of Show
Bob Hiatt-2nd and 3rd place in Watercraft
Brent Bristow-1st place in Sci-Fi
1st and 2nd place in Figures
Ron Leker-2nd and 3rd place in Sci-Fi
1st and 2nd in War Gaming
3rd in Large Scale
Robert Garton-1st place in Motorcycles
3rd place in Custom
Michelle Garton-2nd place in Motorcycles
2nd and 3rd place in Street Machines
3rd place in Factory
Taryn Garton-1st and 2nd place in Juniors
David Carter-2nd place in Vignettes
1st place in Military
2nd place in Aircraft
Aaron Howell-1st place in Vignettes
1st place in Dioramas
3rd place in Military