Mad City Modelers 26th Annual Show and IPMS Region 5 Convention

Troy Deal
Montello, Wisconsin
Inspired by beaters he saw growing up in the 1970s, Troy used heavy-duty tinfoil to represent damaged metal on a JoHan 1/25 scale 1966 AMC Marlin. He painted the distressed body with white enamel and applied automotive masking tape painted antique gold for the roof and trunk lid. Tamiya Weathering Master pastels added wear to the body, and Troy used paper cut from a teabag to represent the sagging headliner. As if all that wasn’t enough, he added LEDs for the head and taillights.

Dave Mezera
Hobart, Indiana
Dave used a White Ensign resin hull to improve Trumpeter’s 1/700 scale HMS Renown. He painted the battlecruiser with Vallejo acrylics, applied pastel weathering, and then posed the ship underway on a sculpted styrene foam seascape.

John W. Tokarewich

Bartlett, Illinois

Revell’s 1/320 scale USS John Paul Jones hit shelves in 1958, but you wouldn’t know it to look at John’s much-improved model. He removed the molded-on railings, life rafts, deck fixtures, and most of the bulkheads. He corrected the masts and installed Gold Medal Models photo-etched metal, Monkey Models gun mounts, directors, and hedgehog launchers. Other additions included flag-bag covers, anchor chain, ship’s bell, scratchbuilt navigation lights, bridge-wing platforms and flying bridge featuring L’Arsenal bridge equipment. The antennas and halyards are fly-fishing line. He painted the Forrest Sherman-class destroyer with Testors Model Master and LifeColor acrylics. John says he built this superdetailed version to appease the modeling gods for the two models of the ship he blew up as a teenager.

Elliot “Ed” L. Doering

West Allis, Wisconsin

Ed built Tamiya’s 1/12 scale Yamaha M-1 MotoGP out of the box and painted it with Tamiya Pearl White and Testors Model Master Metalizers to represent Colin Edward’s bike featured in the film Fastest.

Richard Sliwka

Warrensburg, Missouri

Except for adding rigging, Richard built a Loose Cannon 1/700 scale USS Mitscher out of the box. He painted the destroyer leader with Polly Scale and Testors Model Master acrylics over automotive primer. Textured wallpaper covered with heavy acrylic gel medium put the ship to sea.

Paul Johnston

Adell, Wisconsin

Paul built a Provence Moulage 1/43 scale Jaguar S-type racecar straight from the box and airbrushed it with decanted Tamiya Metallic Green spray paint over Tamiya white primer.

Steve Bacon

New Whiteland, Indiana

Re-imagining a “paper panzer,” Steve extended the hull of a Trumpeter 1/35 scale E-10 Jagdpanzer to make room for the turret from a Puma armored car and scratchbuilt a launcher and X-7 guided missile. He painted the what-if German vehicle with Tamiya acrylics and weathered with artist oils and AK Interactive pigments.

Elliot “Ed” L. Doering

West Allis, Wisconsin

Combining Tamiya’s 1/24 scale Toyota TS-020 racecar with Fujimi pit crew figures, Ed showed Toyota’s Le Mans team getting ready for the 24-hour endurance race. He painted the car with Testors enamels and Model Master Metalizer lacquers.

Bob Steinbrunn

Phelps, Wisconsin

Working with Wingnut Wings’ 1/32 scale Pfalz D.XII, Bob replaced the kit’s propeller with a laminated basswood and cherry one he scratchbuilt. He used Aviattic lozenge decals on the wings and rigged the World War I biplane with EZ Line colored with a silver permanent marker. The model is painted with Tamiya acrylics.

Roger Sams

Bellevue, Nebraska

To focus his vignette of a German soldier in Italy in summer 1944, Roger detailed a Tamiya 1/35 scale Simca 5 by opening the side vent, dressing up the dashboard, and scratchbuilding apples and vegetables for the cargo. He painted the camouflage with Vallejo acrylics and weathered with Citadel ink washes and Mig Productions pigments. In addition to Woodland Scenics and Vallejo Game Color groundwork, the base includes a wall made from balsa foam.

Matt Stowell

Huntley, Illinois

Matt isn’t sure who made this bust of a sleestack from the 1970s TV show Land of the Lost. He painted it with Vallejo acrylics over Badger Stynylrez primer; the initial layers were airbrushed and the details were dry-brushed.

Cal Wood

Hudson, Wisconsin

Cal’s 1/25 scale 1968 F5000 Eagle started as a white elephant build, but it’s hard to tell from the finished model. He replaced the MPC kit engine with a Monogram sprint car motor that is fully wired and plumbed, scratchbuilt the wing, oil cooler, and mirror mounts, and printed decals to model an Indy car converted to F5000 use after the chassis became outdated.

Brian N. Stanley

Glenwood, Iowa

To build a Soviet vehicle in Berlin in 1945, Brian detailed a Tamiya 1/35 scale ISU-152 with an RB metal barrel, Friulmodel tracks, Eureka tow cables, and crew figures from Stalingrad Miniatures. He painted the big self-propelled gun with Tamiya acrylics, post-shading the vehicle for visual interest, and weathering with washes and pigments.

Liam Daly

Oshkosh, Wisconsin

After adding weld seams and stowage to Meng’s 1/35 scale Jagdpanther, Liam painted it with AK Interactive acrylics. Enamel washes, chipping, and mud as well as straw camouflage make this combat veteran ready for an ambush.

Matt Stowell

Huntley, Illinois

Working with a 3D-printed model printed from a file on gambody.com, Matt posed your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man on the side of a building. He painted the superhero with Vallejo acrylics and oil washes.

Jeff Bobela

Gladstone, Missouri

Jeff’s improvements and additions to his Kinetic 1/48 scale F/A-18C are too numerous to list here. Highlights include Eduard photo-etched metal and Steel Beach details throughout, Eduard Brassin ordnance and targeting pods, an Aires cockpit and wheel wells, re-scribed and corrected panel lines, drilled out 20mm cannon muzzle, and so much more. He used Two Bobs and Marine Air Wing decals to finish it as a Hornet from U.S. Marine Corps attack squadron VMFA-232.

Stew Edwards

Grafton, Wisconsin

“I just love classic sports cars,” Stew says. He modified Monogram’s 1/24 scale 1939 MG TB Drop Head Coupe from a convertible to a cabriolet, added a frame around the windshield  and ribs to the fenders, made the front wheels movable, wired the engine, and changed the profile of the doors. He painted the British car with Tamiya lacquers.

Brian N. Stanley

Glenwood, Iowa

Alpine Miniatures’ 1/16 scale First in Bastogne figure represents a 4th Armored Division tanker during the Battle of the Bulge. Brian painted it with Vallejo acrylics over a primer layer of Tamiya black and airbrushed Tamiya Deck Tan on the uniform. He topped a wooden disc from Bases by Bill with scratchbuilt leaves, a tree stump, and woodland scenic snow.

Liam Daly

Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Other than adding a little stowage, Liam built a HobbyBoss 1/35 scale M1070 heavy equipment transporter out of the box. After painting the camouflage with Vallejo acrylics, he weathered it with AK Interactive products to make it look like a truck that has been through the mud.

Jeff Bobela

Gladstone, Missouri

To model a loaded U.S. Navy jet, Jeff built a HobbyBoss 1/72 scale A-7 Corsair out of the box with aftermarket decals and painted it with Ammo by Mig Jimenez acrylics. Washes popped the rivets and panels lines and pastels mixed with water added streaks.

Allan Heninger

West Allis, Wisconsin

This Chicago Police Department squad car has clearly seen better days. Allan built a Revell 1/25 scale ’48 Ford out of the box and created the distressed finish with acrylics and oils.

Jeff Bobela

Gladstone, Missouri

Jeff marked his Airfix 1/72 scale F4F Wildcat as a U.S. Marine Corps fighter on Guadalcanal, one of the aircraft from the so-called Cactus Air Force. He built the kit out of the box, painted with Ammo by Mig Jimenez acrylics, and weathered with post-shading, engine fluid, gun blasts, exhaust stains, and chipping.

Harold Parsons

Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota

Harold describes the Copper State Models 1/48 scale Caudron G.4 as an excellent kit; his only additions were Uschi van der Rosten line for rigging and beading wire pushrods for the engines. He painted the models with acrylics and enamels with pre- and post-shading. Multiple layers and plenty of masking created the doped and stretched fabric effect on the wings.

Steve Hustad

Eden Prairie, Minnesota

The title of Steve’s 1/72 diorama aptly describes the reaction of U.S. soldiers when the discovered three Natter rocket fighters abandoned in a field in Austria at the end of World War II. The Natters come from Brengun and the figures are from Prieser; the rest of the scene was scratchbuilt. Humbrol enamels, Vallejo acrylics, artist-oil washes, and pigments finished the scene.

Marek Rogal

Madison, Wisconsin

Marek built an Arma Hobby 1/72 scale PZL P.11C out of the box. He painted it with Hataka Orange Line lacquers to represent a fighter from the Polish air force’s 121 squadron in 1939.

Bob Maderich

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Having some fun, Bob took Revell’s 1/48 scale Stearman for a spin to model a barnstorming aerobatic plane. He painted it with Humbrol enamels and his only addition to an otherwise out-of-the-box build was rigging.

Michael Gosda

Madison, Wisconsin

What is it?  Diesel punk hover buildings, according to Michael, who scratchbuilt the small eatery, the customer’s hover car, and the neighboring mechanical building. He hand-painted the structures with acrylics.

Thomas Forester

Eagle River, Wisconsin

A Mopar fanatic, Thomas modified an AMT 1/25 scale 1970 Dodge Coronet R/T, replacing the kit’s Hemi powerplant with a 440 and fitting new resin taillights, scoops, and hood. The custom look is topped by House of Kolor Candy Tangerine with Orange Pearl over Mopar Go Mango.

Brian N. Stanley

Glenwood, Iowa

The realism of Brian’s scene of a U.S. M1151 in Kuwait is heightened by the actual Kuwaiti sand used on the groundwork; the figure represents the friend that brought Brian the sample. He painted the Academy 1/35 scale with Tamiya acrylics and weathered with Vallejo washes and pigments.

Elliot “Ed” L. Doering

West Allis, Wisconsin

Ed decorated his NuNu 1/24 scale 2019 BMW M6/GT-3 with Racing Decals 43 markings to model the Liqui-Moly car that won its class at the 2019 Daytona 24 Hours race. He painted the model with Testors Gloss White and Model Master metalizers.

Joe Garczynski

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

After replacing the kit tow cables with steel wire and adding parts from a Tamiya Allied vehicle accessory set held in place with catfish fishing string for rope, Joe painted Tamiya’s 1/35 scale M4A3E8 Sherman with Ammo by Mig Jimenez acrylics.

Marek Rogal

Madison, Wisconsin

To build an Indian MiG-27M that served in Kashmir in 1997 and 1998, Marek added armor plates alongside the cockpit. He painted the ground attacker with Mr. Color lacquers over Badger Stynylrez black primer; washes and color modulation weathered the finish.

Michael Gosda

Madison, Wisconsin

Michael built his hovering diesel punk camper almost entirely from scratch around a snap-together Ford truck. He hand-painted his imaginative creations with acrylics and placed it on a foam base.

Joe Garczynski

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Before painting AFV Club’s 1/35 scale Sho’t Kal Gimel with AK Interactive Israeli colors, Joe added Masterclub metal tracks, replaced the kit tow cables with steel cables and the antennas with steel wire, and filled the bustle racks with items from Legend Productions IDF stowage set. He weathered the tank with Ammo by Mig Jimenez washes and pigments.

Thomas Foerster

Eagle River, Wisconsin

In addition to replacing the kit markings with aftermarket foil decals, Thomas improved Revell’s Big John Mazmanian ’41 Willys Gasser with scratchbuilt steering, blower belt decal, and rear bumper. For the sharp finish, he airbrushed House of Kolor Pagan Gold as a base for Kandy Apple Red and topped it all with Kosmic Clear.

Anzo Lee

Madison, Wisconsin

To turn a Fujimi 1/72 scale Tomcat into Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center aggressor, Anzo corrected the vintage kit’s shortcomings with True Details ejection seats and Aires resin jet nozzles. He painted the unique camouflage with Tamiya and Mr. Hobby acrylics over poster putty masks.

Michael Gosda

Madison, Wisconsin

Imagining an Imperial droid that has realized the futility of war and given up on killing, Michael repainted a Bandai 1/12 scale K-2SO and placed him on a battle-scarred base.

Anzo Lee

Madison, Wisconsin

Capturing a quiet moment in World War I, Anzo placed finished a Flyhawk 1/72 scale FT-17 with Tamiya and Mr. Hobby acrylics and placed it on a base with a Scibor figure and Pegasus goats.

Larry Clausen

Muscatine, Iowa

In the aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, a crew of “deactivators” cleans equipment in a Pripyat playground. Larry combined ICM 1/35 scale figures, including the city background, with MDMB Modelbouw’s abandoned playground and scratchbuilt hoses to capture this moment. He hand-painted everything with Vallejo acrylics.

Thomas Foerster

Eagle River, Wisconsin

Inspired by vehicles he coveted in the 1980s, Thomas built Revell’s 1/25 scale Jeep J10 Honcho out of the box and painted it with Mr. Color Red lacquer and topped with House of Kolor Kosmic Clear.

Anzo Lee

Madison, Wisconsin

Anzo armed a Monogram F-20 with Hasegawa weapons and painted it with Tamiya and Mr. Hobby acrylics. Poster putty masked the camouflage pattern to match one seen in the video game Ace Combat 5. He weathered with artist-oil washes.

Tom Reese

Algonquin, Illinois

Tom’s son flew F-16s with the 80th Fighter Squadron, prompting an interest in aircraft flown by the unit. So, he marked his Tamiya 1/48 scale P-38 with aftermarket decals for the 80th over camouflage painted with Hataka Orange Line lacquers. To weather the fighter, he pre-shaded the surface, used liquid frisket to produce chips in the paint, and applied dot filters and pigments.

Bret Dillenbeck

Janesville, Wisconsin

Bret’s Tamiya 1/35 scale Jagdpanther sports T-Rex 3D-printed tracks, and a gun barrel and mantlet from Panzerart. He painted the late war tankhunter with AK Real Color, Scalecolor and Tamiya colors and used hairspray to apply the distressed winter camouflage.

Bill Cook

Janesville, Wisconsin

To build this sharp Coleman’s Ginger Ale delivery truck, Bill turned model railroad signage into decals and applied them to the doors and tailgate of a Lindberg 1/25 scale Dodge A-100 pickup converted from the Little Red Wagon kit. He added tires from an AMT kit and sourced the load of soda cases from dollhouse items.

Omer Houston

Brookfield, Illinois

Omer modified the suspension on Revell’s 1/24 scale Ferrari California to alter the ride height on aftermarket wheels and tires and drilled out the lightening holes on the brake rotors. The paint is Scale Finishes lacquers.

Tom Schry

Oshkosh, Wisconsin

After finishing an Academy 1/200 scale New Bedford whaler as the Charles W. Morgan (now a museum ship at Mystic Seaport, Connecticut) with craft acrylics, he launched it on a sea of aluminum foil and gauze.

Mike Oberholtzer

River Forest, Illinois

Mike detailed an Airfix 1/48 scale Folland Gant T.1 with Eduard photo-etched metal. He applied the sharp Royal Air Force trainer scheme with MRP and Tamiya paints and lots of masking.

Bill Nichols

Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

Using just the upper half of the hull from a Mikro-Mir 1/350 scale Sturgeon-class submarine, Bill modeled the USS Trepang’s trip to the North Pole in 1985. The sub lies in a foam base covered with resin ice.

John Werwie

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

John has no idea where this bust of Frankenstein’s monster originated, but the gave it a monstrously good finish with artist oils over Vallejo base coats.

John Werwie

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

After airbrushing base coats of Vallejo acrylics, John painted Pegaso’s 90mm Roman Centurion with Winsor & Newton and Abteilung 502 oil colors blending the shades with a dry, round brush.

Bill Nichols

Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

As if Bill’s out-of-the-box build of a Clear Prop! 1/72 scale A5M4 Claude finished with AK Interactive Xtreme Metal enamels and Tamiya acrylics wasn’t stunning enough, check out his scratchbuilt carrier deck made from matchsticks.

Rick Rasmussen

Decorah, Iowa

Looking to pose a HobbyBoss 1/35 scale V-100 Commando as a U.S. Military Police checkpoint in Vietnam, Rick fitted machine guns on the roof, replaced the kit parts with DEF.Model wheels, piled on Tamiya and Legend stowage, and scratchbuilt the siren at the front. He painted the armored car with Testors Model Master enamels, first airbrushing white over the upper section and black on the lower reaches to pre-shade the camouflage.

Curtis Knight

Rochester, Minnesota

Curtis finished Arma Hobby’s 1/72 scale Yak-1b with a bunch of different paints and the camouflage looks great. “I loved the look of the kit’s interior, so I separated the canopy sections and thermoformed a new sliding section to depict it open,” he says.

Bill Nichols

Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

To build a Wisconsin Central Airlines Lockheed L-10 in 1948, Bill detailed the cockpit and scratchbuilt the passenger cabin of a Special Hobby 1/72 scale Electra. Other improvements included new resin engines with photo-etched metal details and rebuilt cowls and landing gear. He marked the airliner with custom decals from Arctic Decals and placed it a tarmac base. The final touch was an Army staff car modified to be a 1948 Plymouth Supreme.

Bill Nichols

Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

Bill civilianized Lindberg’s 1/48 scale JN-4D Jenny to depict an aircraft flown by Wisconsin barnstormer and aviation pioneer Howard Morey in the late 1920s with homemade decals. He improved the basic kit with a scratchbuilt cockpit, detailed engine, and Eduard wire-spoke wheels.

Michael Kutz

Jackson, Wisconsin

“I was in the mood for a Southeast Asia scheme and wanted to depict an Air Force Corsair II,” Michael says. “So, I did!” He built a HobbyBoss 1/72 scale A-7 out of the box and painted it with Mr. Color lacquers. To keep the weathering subtle, he flowed in Vallejo black wash and added a little artist-oil streaking.

Bill Nichols

Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

After dressing up Pegasus’ 1/144 scale Nautilus with LED lighting and a detailed interior, he placed it and the kraken it came with in a base populated with aquarium supplies. To paint the scene, he used acrylics; the corroded finish on the sub was achieved with Modern Masters Metal Effects oxidizing iron paint and pigments.

Hayden Hoffman

Racine, Wisconsin

Hayden won honors in the intermediate category with his out-of-the-box build of a Tamiya 1/35 scale GPA. He painted the amphibious jeep with Tamiya Olive Drab over a black base coat. A black wash and dry-brushing finished the vehicle.

Drew Bendler

Pewaukee, Wisconsin

Drew’s colorful model represents the prewar USS Saratoga underway, its deck crowded with yellow-winged biplanes. He added rigging to Trumpeter’s 1/700 scale model and painted it with Scale Colors acrylics.

Harold Parsons

Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota

Harold’s bright Japanese search and rescue helicopter came from a Hasegawa 1/48 scale S-61A Sea King. He airbrushed the scheme with Testors Model Master acrylics and lots of tape but kept weathering to a minimum. “Figured as a search and rescue aircraft, it would be kept clean,” he says.

Toby Halliday

Waconia, Minnesota

Bret Dillenbeck

Janesville, Wisconsin