2010 Model Show Show & Contest Rules & Categories

Rules and Definitions

Adapted From The IPMS USA Competition Handbook

I. ELIGIBILITY

The VSM Island Open Contest and Show is open to anyone who wants to enter their model for competition or just for display. Affiliation to an IPMS Chapter or any other club is not required to enter this contest. There is no limit to the number of models a person may enter.

Entry in the Contest is open to all within the particular age groups: Thirteen & younger are Junior, fourteen to eighteen are Intermediate, and nineteen and older are Adult. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE THE SOLE WORK OF THE INDIVIDUAL WHOSE NAME APPEARS ON THE ENTRY BLANK, except for Team, Family, or Club entries. Entry Fees are: first five are $5.00; each additional entry is $1.00. For paid up members of VSM/SPAM the maximum fee is $15.00 for any number of entries.

There is no charge to bring in models for display only.

Pre-decorated kits will only be permitted for Junior & Intermediate Categories.

Pre-finished models of any kind are not permitted in any category (e.g. Corgi, Franklin Mint, GI Joe, 21st Century Toys, Dragon, Tamiya, etc.).

Previous Island Open winning entries ARE NOT ELIGIBLE. Previous non-winning entries may be reentered.

The Contest Chair or Head Judge may exclude from public display any entries he/she considers offensive to generally acknowledged standards of taste and acceptability.

II. AWARDS

First, Second and Third place awards (medals) will be given in each category. Medal winners in each category will be chosen by the entrants in each Class through a system of voting. Ties shall be broken by a three-member judging panel appointed by the Contest Committee.

Special sponsored plaques and trophies shall be awarded in addition to the medal awards. Winners shall be chosen by a panel of judges appointed by the Contest Committee. Ties are allowed only when they are deemed deserving, and only when approved by the Head Judge. Sweeps (one modeller winning all awards and/or trophies in a category) are allowed.

III. CATEGORY DEFINITIONS AND JUDGING

1. JUDGING (Trophy Categories Only). Models will be judged for skill in construction, finish, realism, and accuracy. Additional criteria are considered for special categories such as dioramas, collections, and conversions. Models are judged as three-dimensional objects and are examined in all aspects. Entries may be handled by judges both for proper table placement and for judging, only with the entrant’s prior permission. Models in the Contest Room may be covered by cases while on general public display, but such cases must be removed from models for judging. Models in cases will not be judged. The following is an exception to this rule. In instances where removal of a case could cause damage, and where, in the judgment of the Head Judge, the case would not impede effective judging, the case may be left on for judging. This arrangement must be made prior to judging and noted by the Head Judge in writing on the entry form. The Head Judge will have the final and exclusive authority to grant or deny this exemption.

2. COMPOSITION. The use of plastic as the primary material of construction is encouraged; however, the use of other modeling materials is allowed as the builder sees fit. Judging standards of finish, attention to detail, and authenticity will be the same, regardless of the materials used.

3. COMPLETENESS. All models considered for judging must be complete in every respect, that is, all reasonable building, painting, decalling etc. shall be accomplished before the model is judged. In other words, unfinished models are not eligible for judging. The Head Judge shall determine whether a model in question is considered complete.

4. SCRATCH BUILT models may incorporate parts from other kits, but those should be generally unrelated to their original identity, except for minor parts such as wheels, guns, etc. Conversion models must contain significant structural changes to the basic kit involving extensive changes in contour or configuration. As a rule of thumb, use of commercially available conversion parts (for example, aircraft noses, resin cast turrets, or resin cast car bodies) does not call for the level of effort needed to qualify for entry in the conversion category.

5. FIGURES. Class entries may be made of metal, plastic, resin or vinyl or any combination thereof. The inclusion of accessories supplied in the figure kit will not cause the figure to be classed as a Diorama.

6. COLLECTIONS. A collection is any group of five or more closely related items. For example: five WW II fighters would not be a collection, but five WW II Messerschmitt fighters would. Similarly, five WW II tanks would not form a collection, but five WW II Panzer IVs would. The closeness of the relationship within the collection is a significant factor in judging. The entire collection must be the work of one person.

7. MARKINGS. In aircraft and vehicle Classes, markings will determine the category in which a model is entered. For example, a C-47 in military markings would normally be placed in the Twin Prop category, but if it were in airliner markings, it would be placed in the Civilian category. All racing aircraft (other than conversion/scratchbuilts) will be placed in the Civilian category.

8. MISSILES. All ground based, vehicle carried missiles will be placed in the Armour division. All missiles in flight attitude or on landing gear will be entered in the proper aircraft category. Missiles used in space research, which originated as military vehicles (eg. Atlas/Centaur or Mercury/Redstone) will be placed in the Spacecraft category.

9. BASES/DIORAMAS. Bases will be allowed in all categories and will not be considered in the judging except in the Diorama categories. The base must not be the predominant feature of the entry and must be of a size proportionate to the model. The Contest Chair and Judges reserve the right to exclude oversize bases. Dioramas are judged not only on the technical merit of their construction but also on the strength of the theme or story they present, so that if two dioramas were technically equal, the one having the stronger theme or story would win.

10. JUDGES. A Head Judge must be chosen and he/she must brief all judges before the contest judging. Judges should be chosen by the Head Judge for their skill and experience. Judges may not judge a category in which they are entered and must declare a conflict. In such cases an appointed alternate will judge the category. Strict impartiality will be observed. Contest Registrars will help determine proper entry categories for models during registration, but final category placement is at the discretion of the contest judges. Categories will be expanded or consolidated as required. Models will be relocated by the Chief Judge or a category Head Judge if they are found to be in the wrong category. If they must be moved, all reasonable effort will be made to notify the owner of the model prior to it being relocated. ALL JUDGES’ DECISIONS ARE FINAL.

11. IPMS/Canada, Victoria Scale Modellers (VSM), SPAM, the Esquimalt Recreation Centre, or the VSM Contest Committee assume no responsibility or liability for the transportation, handling, entry, registration, loss, storage or damage of any model entered or displayed.

IV. SPECIAL CATEGORIES

1. HUMOUR. Models entered in the Humour category will be judged on both their humour and the degree of modeling skill that they represent. Entries must not only be funny, but also well done.

2. OUT-OF-THE-BOX entries will only be considered at the Adult level. They will be judged on basic modelling techniques only. These include: finish, decalling, seam filling, alignment and general workmanship. Antennas and seat belts can be added, gun barrels and exhaust pipes can be drilled out, but no other detail may be added. Instructions must be included with all entries. Out-of-the-Box entries will be governed by the following rules:

a) KITS. Any commercially available kit may be used, but based on styrene content only. The number of categories incorporating Out-of-the Box awards will be determined by the Contest Chair or Head Judge.

b) FINISH. The natural plastic finish may be retained, or it may be foil wrapped or painted with brush, spray cans, or airbrush. Decals other than those included with the kit may be used. Insignia, markings, and instrument panels may be hand painted instead of decaling. Weathering is permitted.

c) CONSTRUCTION. The modeller may fill seams and gaps; sand off rivets; drill out gun ports; thin to scale such parts as trailing edges, flaps, doors; add rigging and antennas if they are on the instruction sheet or box art; add simple belts or decal seat belts in the cockpit of an aircraft or the interior of a vehicle.
Note: NO manufactured hardware, eg. photo-etched or resin parts, unless they come with the original kit, is allowed.

d) IT IS NOT PERMITTED TO: vacuform, manufacture, or replace any part, or substitute parts from another kit; to cut or separate canopies, surfaces, hatches, doors, etc. (no major surgery); combine a standard kit with a conversion kit; add anything other than specified in the instruction sheet as noted in the Construction section above.

3. FAMILY entries are for the combined work of an adult and a junior modeller. It is meant as an introduction to the hobby of scale model construction.