I’ve joined our local IPMS Chapter, Lafayette Scale Modelers. Meeting last night was interesting.
A WWII veteran came in and told us about his job working on TBFs in the Pacific. Had lots of pictures, and even had a data plate from a Japanese plane that had been shot down.
My favorite part of the evening was when I won a Hasegawa 1/48 P-400/P-39D (Air-A-Cutie markings) in our raffle. Cool!
After the meeting, we all adjourned to a pizza place for some food.
Great fun! 
That sounds like the way to run a meeting!
The club here tends to reduce to geeky discussions regarding ad-nausium detailed trivia, the “woulda-coulda-been” stuff being the worst.
Nothing that resembles a social event.
Tom[C):-)]
I’ve been a member of more than 6, less than 10 different IPMS and AMPS groups (20 years in the Army, I move every ~3 years). I’ve always had a good time, not one club would I say was full of nitpickers. Of course, I don’t get into the politics of any of the clubs because I generally walk in the door knowing nobody. Spend a year getting to know the folks, then spend the final year knowing I’m leaving in the Dec-Jan or Jun-Aug time frame.
A modeling club is one of the first things I look for when I know I’m moving to a new post. The net makes finding a local club a piece of cake compared to the old days of lists in the back of model magazines.
I’ve really enjoyed the club so far. We spend a little time discussing a technique or some piece of history, then people show off their most recent builds. Finish off with a raffle, then off to the pizza place. [:)]
It’s kinda cool, because the meetings are held in a room above the LHS, so if you want to build during the meeting, supplies are right there. And I see the guys during the week at the LHS. It’s a small but active group, with some very good modelers in it. Plus, club members get a discount at the LHS!
Wow Jon that sounds gr…mmmmmmmpizza[BG][8-]
Zip