PMM Twelve Minute Modelsphere: April 2025

The gentle shift from winter to spring brings more than just pollen-dusted cars and blooming trees to the modeling world—it signals the arrival of regional show season. In this April update, we recount our recent adventure to Heritage Con, which we expanded this year to include trips to Detroit and the Michigan Toy Soldier shop before the main event.

Heritage Con continues to hit the sweet spot for model enthusiasts. The perfect mix of vendors, the electric atmosphere, and the manageable size create an environment where deals seem to materialize more readily than at larger national events. But beyond the shopping, the true highlight was connecting with listeners and fellow modelers. The faces, conversations, and shared experiences represent what makes this hobby truly special—the community that forms around our shared passion.

Looking ahead, we preview two content-rich episodes coming this April. Episode 138 brings Jeff "Inch High" Groves to the Shop Talk segment to discuss avant-garde weathering products (the good and bad), the current state of model shows across America, and philosophical thoughts on model bases. Later in the month, Episode 139 welcomes back Jake McKee to explore project planning and research through the lens of his fascinating Red Cross Clubmobile build—a refreshing focus on the often-overlooked support vehicles that kept military operations running.

We're thrilled to report explosive growth in our modeling dojo community, with over 100 new members joining in less than three weeks. The increasing activity spans work-in-progress shares, technical questions, book reviews, and finished models—all supported by our extraordinary community members who consistently demonstrate willingness to help and encourage others. Have you joined us yet? Check our show notes for feedback links and ways to connect with this thriving community of model enthusiasts.

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Episode Transcript

Mike (00:16):
All right, dave spring has sprung?

Kentucky Dave (00:20):
Yes, it has, and so have the tornado watches and
warnings that come with it.

Mike (00:25):
For those of us, here in Kentucky, along with the
daffodils and all the trees thatare blooming and all the pollen
.
Yeah, my car is a differentcolor right now.

Kentucky Dave (00:35):
Yeah, mine too, mine too.

Mike (00:38):
Well, folks, welcome to the April installment of the
12-Minute Model.
Sphere and Dave, as we alwaysdo, let's get this rolling man.
Let's talk about where we'vebeen.

Kentucky Dave (00:47):
Well, where we've been is heaven on earth or near
as you can get, but it's notthe US Nationals.
We went to Heritage Con and wekind of did it in an expanded
way this year.
We went up to Detroit and metseveral friends and then hit
Michigan Toy Soldier.

(01:07):
Then we went over to the museumand went to the show and got
them.
I had a great time.
I mean it was just the besttime.

Mike (01:16):
Yeah, I tell you, for, uh, we do it at Nats too, but we
just seem to get more rest.

Kentucky Dave (01:22):
Yes, well, that's it, because Nats is more spread
out.

Mike (01:26):
Right.

Kentucky Dave (01:27):
You know we do get more rest, whereas when we
do Heritage Con we are trying topack a lot into a very short,
very small time period.

Mike (01:39):
So a lot of eating too late, right, too big, too late.

Kentucky Dave (01:43):
Right Getting up and finding a good breakfast.
Yeah, I always like that part,me too.
Too big, too late, rightGetting up and finding a good
breakfast.

Mike (01:47):
Yeah, I always liked that part.

Kentucky Dave (01:49):
Me too.
Me too, I'm a big breakfast guy.
The other thing is, I don'tknow what it is, but Heritage
Con I always find deals.
It's the right mix of vendors.
It's the right size of vendors.
It's the right mix of vendors,it's the right size of vendors.
I never have trouble spendingmoney at Heritage Con, which may

(02:13):
be a bad thing, I know.
You know we'll consult mybudgetary betters later, but
Heritage Con's got a great thinggoing.

Mike (02:22):
Well, I think it's probably a combination of being
early in the year, the museum isthe venue and then just the
size of the thing.
The room's just electric formost of the day and it's just
man.
We were busy, busy running ourmouths, busy shopping, busy
looking at models, busy talkingto people.

Kentucky Dave (02:41):
And it is amazing the number of listeners who
were there and who came by thetable when we were sitting down
or caught us when we werewalking around the vendor area
or the contest area.
That amps me up so much, thatjazzes me up so much, getting to

(03:01):
interact with listeners andhear what they're doing, what
they brought, how their modelingexperience is going.
We keep saying the socialaspects of shows are the best
part, and it's absolutely true.

Mike (03:17):
Well, I've got to take a little respite, but I think
you're actually going somewhere.

Kentucky Dave (03:21):
Yes, I am.
This coming weekend is the showat Indy which, as you remember,
I know is the first show thatyou and I ever got a table at
and recorded segments.
I'm going and Skippy's goingand we're going to meet Jeff

(03:42):
Inch High Groves there and we'regoing to meet Jeff Inch High
Groves there and, you know, notgoing to have a table but going
to go up, going to experiencethe show, going to show the flag
Hope, to meet a lot oflisteners and get some good
coverage for the dojo, for theshow.

Mike (04:00):
Well, I hope so.
The Roscoe Turner Show and Clubis a really good show in our
region.
I can't make it, but I'm justnot gonna be able to swing that.

Kentucky Dave (04:07):
Yeah, no, I I understand.
I didn't think I was going tobe able to either, until some
serendipity came in and helpedme out, so I'm going to be able
to make the show.

Mike (04:21):
I'll see as many of you out there who are listening as
show up Well, take a lot ofcandids and photos of listeners
man.

Kentucky Dave (04:30):
I will do so.

Mike (04:51):
Dave, we've got two episodes in the month of April
and I think we've done some goodplanning.

Kentucky Dave (04:56):
Yeah.

Mike (04:57):
And we've got a couple of good ones.
First up, Dave's going to beepisode 138, and that's going to
be our Shop Talk featureepisode for the month and we're
going to have Mr Jeff Groves,the Inch High Guy, in the third
chair for that.

Kentucky Dave (05:09):
Yep, and I think we've got some really good
topics lined up.

Mike (05:14):
Well, we can preview those .
We're going to discuss some ofthe kind of contemporary
avant-garde weathering andterrain products.
We've had some experiences,both good and bad, with those
over the last year or so, yeah.
And then we're going to kind ofdiscuss the current state of
model shows, particularly wellin America for the most part

(05:38):
United States particularly theones as we experienced them you,
jeff and I, more or less in ourregion and we can talk a little
bit of some of the other stuffwe go to, but how that's kind of
going.
And then the third topic isgoing to be coming from Steve
Anderson's Guided Journal forModelers Making the Most of your
Hobby, and we're going to talkabout our thoughts on bases in
general and that's a good one,that one.

Kentucky Dave (05:57):
I think there will be a lot of productive
discussion on.

Mike (06:01):
Then in 139, at the end of the month, past guest Jake
McKee is coming back and we'regoing to be talking about
project planning, designplanning and researching for a
project.
It's going to be kind of usinghis current project as the kind
of the reference point and he'sdoing something really
interesting.
He's building a Red CrossClubmobile, which is a truck

(06:24):
conversion used to providecoffee and donuts and stuff to
the troops in Bivouac, and justa really interesting project.

Kentucky Dave (06:32):
Yes, and I really , as you and I were talking, I
really like those subjects, thestuff that's not the sharp end
of the spear, armor or halftrack or even artillery piece,
you know, the stuff in the rearechelon which really, let's face
it, there was a lot more of.

(06:54):
I mean, there are 10 soldierssupporting every one at the
front.
So there was a lot of thatstuff and it doesn't get the
recognition that it should.

Mike (07:07):
Well, we'll provide a link to that in the show notes to
this 12-minute model sphere sofolks can brush up ahead of time
if they want to look throughthat.
But really looking forward tothat one, that's going to be
good Dave.

Kentucky Dave (07:16):
Yep, me too.

Mike (07:21):
Well, the dojo keeps growing and keeps getting more
interesting, and I don't knowwhat's going on in the water.
It's the springtime or what,but things have been kind of
running a little white hot onthere as far as folks joining.

Kentucky Dave (07:34):
Yep, we've added over a hundred new members in
less than three weeks.
The corresponding activity onthe dojo has gone up
significantly.
We're getting more postingsevery day.
We're getting more postingsevery day and again, the mix of

(08:16):
what we're getting is, to me,just fantastic, because you're
getting some in-progress stuff,you're getting book reviews,
you're getting links tointeresting YouTube videos,
you're getting finished modelsYou're getting inquiries about
can somebody answer thisquestion for me?
And it's a great mix.
And boy the people.
Again we got the best listenersin the world.
There's no question in my mind,and the encouragement and the
willingness to help other peopleout is just what makes the

(08:37):
community a really fun place tobe.
I mean, I'm basically visitingseveral times a day now, and
even then it's hard to keep upsometimes.
So keep it up guys.
Please keep up what you'redoing, keep posting.
You go to shows.
Please post show photos andgive us a show report,

(09:01):
particularly for the shows thatwe can't attend, because it's
the next best thing to beingthere.

Mike (09:08):
Absolutely, and I really liked the in-progress stuff and
questions.
I think it's all been reallygood lately and I can't believe
the number of folks have joinedin such a short time and we'll
see how long it continues.

Kentucky Dave (09:19):
Man, Yep Guys if you're out there and you know
modeling friends, please, pleaseinvite your modeling friends to
join the dojo using theFacebook invite feature.

Mike (09:37):
Well, Dave, in closing of the 12-Minute Model Sphere, I
want to remind folks in the shownotes of this episode and I
think I figured out how to putit in all, even the past
episodes, We've got a couple ofnew links where you can give us
some feedback from the show.
There's a feedback link andthere's also one where you can
rate the podcast and we'dappreciate folks checking those
out.

(09:57):
And if you've got something youwant to say, you can tell us
there.
It'll send an email typemessage and you also do a voice
recording.
And then, of course, there'sthe star rating with the other
link.
We appreciate the five stars.
All that helps us out andunderstand what folks want and
what folks like.
So please look for those.
It'll help you provide thatkind of feedback without having
to be tied to some feature orlack of feature that's not in

(10:19):
your regular podcast player.

Kentucky Dave (10:21):
Yep, and please visit the website and also send
us suggestions for what you'dlike us to talk about.
Please send suggestions orinput telling us what you like
in the show, what you don't likein the show.
We're about making thissomething you all want to listen
to, so, please, your input isvital for that.

Mike (10:44):
All right, Dave, we probably ought to wrap it up,
and I will see you in episode138.

Kentucky Dave (10:48):
Yes, yes, I'm looking forward.