August 2025 Model Ship club recap

August 2025

Here's the LINK to our last meeting video recording.

We started out the meeting with a discussion about the changes in De Minimis rules for postal packages coming into the US.  The last day to enter mail parcels duty free is August 28, 2025.  After that the below rules come into effect.  After some recent postings on Steel Navy I will do a follow up on this at our next meeting.

We did our reveal on the Bathurst club project.  Here are some of the models we completed...

From John Widmar

David Angelo

Sam Bartlet

David Waples

New member David Wieler living in Alberta, Canada gave us a tour of some of his models and what he's up to.

Rob Weilacher treated us to his latest model of the 1/700 Skywave IJN Kamikaze Destroyer.

John Widmar shared some of his latest builds.  This first is the Trumpeter 1/700 Graf Spee

David Angelo shared this build of The USS Quincy 1949 from one of his own kits.

I shared a photo of the HMCS St Laurent in 1/350 scale.  This is a scratch built kit and a wonderful model.  If you don't remember, Fred is a Docent at the HMAS Sackville museum in Nova Scotia and an excellent kit designer.  Some of you may remember that Fred worked with Darren Scannel with Hawk Graphics/Resin Shipyard.  Thanks Fred for sharing your model! 

Next we had a discussion on how I build my model cases.  Here are all those slides.  If you have any questions let me know.  I'll bring the finished case to the next meeting.  

New releases....

Squadron has released some new paint sets in their Squadron Colors line.  We'll have more to report after the IPMS Nationals where more was expected to be released.

Vee Hobby has released a new 1/700 USS Independence.

Seed Hobby has jumped into the 1/350 market.  I found this one at Hobby Easy in Hong Kong at a good price.  It may not have gotten into the US directly, if you get my drift.  

Here's a new kit on the horizon from Black Cat Models.  Unfortunately it won't be available before De Minimis laws change.  😕

This is a new release of the USS Arizona in 1/350 scale.  It will be available at the IPMS Nationals with Squadron.  We'll report on this new kit next month.

Models coming out of China are like Musical Chairs.  The same models are coming out under different names.  Not sure what's going on.

This brand is released under several different names.  This kit of the USS Smith, DD-17 in 1/350 scale was previously with 3D Wild.  Now it's with Very Fire?  Previously DaLiGeJian released this kit in 1/100 and 1/200 scales.

Here's a new announcement from Takom.  This one is of the PLA Navy Type 47 Destroyer, Anshan.

The same ship with different weaponry as a Soviet ship.  

Back to 3D Wild.  Here's a new release of the HMS Argonaut, available in 1/350 and 1/200 scales.

Here's some looks at this interesting ship

Note that railings here are photo etched.  

Fujimi continues to modify existing kits in new releases.  This time with figures.

Here are a few new releases from AJM Models out of Poland.

And finally some models of note that we have seen around the internet...

That's it for August!  See you in September!!