Even though Scale ModelWorld is already
the biggest modelling event of its kind in the World, the 2013 show was to be
the biggest one ever, to mark the 50th Anniversary of IPMS. Suffice to say, it
didn't disappoint !
But for us, there were also other significant
Anniversaries in 2013 too : We were celebrating our own 20th Anniversary of the
ADTSIG, while the USAF Thunderbirds and the Patrouille de France
were also celebrating their 60th Anniversaries.
So, mindful of the importance of Scale
ModelWorld 2013 and that it was expected to attract the largest ever numbers of
modellers, Traders and visitors from all over the World, we decided to try and
combine all of these important Birthdays into one spectacular ADTSIG display,
to represent IPMS and Scale ModelWorld, to the largest audience yet !
The models actually on the display
tables would represent something "significant" in the World of Aerobatic
Display Teams, during the 50 year history of IPMS - but in order to also
combine this with the 60th Anniversaries of the Thunderbirds and
Patrouille de France, we would have both of those teams "flying" above
our tables !
The whole display was presented on an area
of approximately 18 feet x 4.5 feet (5.8m x 1.5m) of table space. A grand total
of 102 models are on the entire display - 89 of them actually on the tables (in
1/72nd, 1/48th and 1/32nd scales), with a further eight 1/72nd scale
Thunderbirds and five 1/72nd scale Patrouille de France "flying"
over them. They were made by 17 of our members, from 5 different countries -
including a model from one of the ADTSIG's Founder Members, who sadly passed
away earlier in 2013.