As most of you know, I am now serving in Baghdad for the next year or so. I have linked up with the Baghdad Model Club and am glad to report that it is going strong. They have an office (about 10’ x 10’) that is stacked to about waist high with boxes upon boxes of donated models. They have plenty of supplies too, better than some hobby shops I have been in. The troops really appreciate the support and enjoy the diversion in their limited free time.
The only problem is, the armor representation is woefully lacking. There are boxes and boxes of aircraft, but only about 12 armor models, w/5 of them being the same one. Please send more armor so we can give the aircraft guys a run for their money. Any armor, softskins, artillery, etc. would be great. Any era too, but most want to build models of what they are currently using. So modern stuff would be great. They don’t have many figure sets either, I only found only 2 or 3.
Instead of selling some of those unwanted kits, please consider donating them to the troops. They would be greatly appreciated.
If anyone wants to donate, you can send them to me and I will get them to the clubhouse. Send them to the following address:
MAJ Gino P. Quintiliani
HHC 10th MTN DIV
APO AE 09342
I have an M5a1 I’ll try to send out today. Keep up the great work and Keep posting! As for newer armor my apologies sir, I have absolutely zero in my stash.
Gino, having recently returned from Afghanistan I can say I certainly appreciated the kits and supplies that were sent to our camp. Let me know some specific items and I’ll put together a care package and “pay it forward”. To the fellow modelers that have or are in the process of sending models to the troops, another very sincere thank you from someone that was on the receiving end, it really helps.
Be aware that there are package size and weight restrictions when shipping to an APO that need to be carefully followed, particularly if you’re going to box up multiple kits and send them. Mailing to an APO is just like mailing to a US postal address in terms of shipping costs but there are dimension requirements that have to be held to to avoid it being rejected and “returned to sender”. Check with your local USPS office or UPS store or similar and they can provide you with the limits. That way you can be sure your kits arrive and can be used.
I sent several kits about 6 months or so back and have been meaning to send on a few more, this gives me the perfect opportunity to pitch in again, can’t let those AC guys dominate in the field after all, right? [:D]
I pulled about a dozen or so kits from my stash (figures, aircraft, WWII and modern armor) for my group’s swap meet. I was going to try and sell the remaining kits on eBay and donate what was left. Maybe - I’ll just donate everything!
I read recently that M1s are the most popular kit? Think I have one of those too!
Thanks for all the support guys. Any armor will do for now. Modern stuff is highly sought after though.
For the P.O. specifics, I believe it is 70 total inches (L + W + H) for the box. That equates to a pretty good sized box. It usually takes about 7-10 days to get here from the states. My wife sent me a 20" cubic box and it was pretty heavy (full of modeling supplies) and I got it in 7 days.
Thanks again and I’m looking forward to knocking the aircraft guys off their pedestal.
The only modern vehicle kits I have are in 1/72.Is that cool?I know I have a Bradley and a Leopard 2 for sure.I might have an Abrams as well.I have quite a bit of WWII stuff that I probably won’t get around to in the forseeable century.The 1/35 bug bit and won’t let go.
It would be cool if we each could make a box for each lhs that we go to and have a kits for the troops in Iraq and afganistan. It is nice to help them out and give them something to do.
Rounded up a box-load for you Gino, should be on its way today. All WW2 German items but will definitely add some variety all the same to give those fly-boys a run for their money. [(-D]
Thanks to all who have replied and those who have or will donate. The response has been outstanding and goes to show the greatness of the hobby and those involved in it.
Thanks again to everyone. The donations will be greately appreciated.
I put some stuff in the mail yesterday, hopefully it’ll be there in a couple of weeks. I have to imagine that a weeks mail for APO addresses of units serving in Iraq fill up a C-5 or at least a C-17. Anyway, I wanted to BUMP this topic, so nobody misses it. It’s July 4th and I’m sure the spirit of Washington’s Continental Army lives on.