Coast to Coast, Inside Spring's Biggest Model Shows:PMM Model Show Spotlight

03/20/25 • 39 min

The unmistakable energy of model show season pulses through the latest Plastic Model Mojo episode as we journey from coast to coast exploring two major spring modeling events. Our cross-country virtual tour begins in sunny Florida with Don Buerger of the Pelican Model Club, who shares details about their upcoming April 26th show near Tampa.
Don walks us through the evolution of Pelican 2025, highlighting their shift to the increasingly popular gold-silver-bronze judging format where models are evaluated on individual merit rather than through direct competition. With 65 vendor tables already sold out, a movie and television theme ("Lights, Camera, Action!"), and special awards honoring club founders, this Florida event promises to be a highlight of the southeastern modeling calendar.
The conversation then pivots dramatically northwestward as Martin Paietta introduces us to the Seattle Spring Show happening the same weekend. This impressively large one-day event boasted 900+ entries from 220 modelers last year, making it one of North America's largest single-day model exhibitions. The Seattle show maintains traditional IPMS 1-2-3 judging but keeps the model room open during judging, allowing continuous viewing of entries throughout the day.
What emerges through both conversations is a fascinating look at how model shows are evolving while maintaining their core purpose: bringing together diverse modeling communities from across regions and disciplines. Whether you're fascinated by aircraft, armor, science fiction, or scratch-built dioramas crafted from yogurt containers, these gatherings showcase extraordinary creativity and craftsmanship.
Whether you're planning to attend HeritageCon in Hamilton, Pelican 2025 in Tampa, or the Seattle Spring Show, this episode offers valuable insights into what makes model shows such vital gathering points for hobbyists. Connect with fellow modelers, find inspiration, expand your collection, and experience the joy of seeing hundreds of meticulously crafted miniature masterpieces in person!
Get to a show folks... it's loads of fun!
PeliCONSeattle Spring Show
Give us your Feedback!Rate the Show!

Model Paint Solutions
Your source for Harder & Steenbeck Airbrushes and David Union Power Tools
SQUADRON
Adding to the stash since 1968
Model Podcasts
Please check out the other pods in the modelsphere!
PMM Merchandise Store
Support the show with PMM Merchandise!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Give us your Feedback!Rate the Show!Support the Show!
PatreonBuy Me a BeerPaypal
Bump Riffs Graciously Provided by Ed Baroth
Ad Reads Generously Provided by Bob "The Voice of Bob" Bair

Mike and Kentucky Dave thank each and everyone of you for participating on this journey with us.

Previous Episode

Talking Shop with Mike and Kentucky Dave: Episode 136

What makes the modeling community so special? In this engaging episode, Mike and Kentucky Dave explore the bonds that form when scale modelers connect beyond their workbenches. After sharing updates about plumbing troubles and work challenges that impact their hobby time (and budget!), the conversation shifts to exciting news about HeritageCon, where modeling friends from across the US and Canada will converge. Mike's unexpected schedule change means he'll make the event after all, leading to plans for a Michigan Toy Soldier Company visit with their Minnesota and Canadian modeling buddies.
The heart of this episode features three thought-provoking Shop Talk segments. First, the hosts share their plans for skill improvement in 2025, with Dave committing to finally finishing those 90%-complete builds and Mike vowing to dedicate more consistent bench time. Their different approaches to modeling shine through in the discussion about "crappy kits" – Dave preferring well-engineered modern kits that bring joy during assembly, while Mike views kits as merely "boxes of parts" that might be useful for creating his vision, sometimes finding that older, supposedly inferior kits offer better pathways to his desired result.
Book lovers will especially appreciate the hosts' recommendations for essential modeling references, from the comprehensive Detail and Scale series to specialized works like KV Technical History from Tanko Grad Publishing and Son of Sherman 2. These conversations reveal how reference materials dramatically improve model accuracy while deepening appreciation for the subjects we build.
Whether you're drawn to the technical discussions, the camaraderie between longtime friends, or the global modeling community represented through listener mail from four continents, this episode reminds us that scale modeling connects us in ways that transcend the workbench. What reference books have transformed your modeling? We'd love to hear about them!
Support the Show!
PatreonBuy Me a BeerPaypal

SQUADRON
Adding to the stash since 1968
Model Paint Solutions
Your source for Harder & Steenbeck Airbrushes and David Union Power Tools
Model Podcasts
Please check out the other pods in the modelsphere!
PMM Merchandise Store
Support the show with PMM Merchandise!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Next Episode

The Wheel of Accidental Wisdom with Ed Baroth: PMM Episode 137

The modeling community comes alive in this episode as Mike and Kentucky Dave return from Heritage Con at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, where connections proved even more valuable than the contests and vendors. Their journey to the Great White North yielded far more than just additions to their stash – it rekindled that irreplaceable modeling spirit that comes from face-to-face interactions with fellow enthusiasts.

Listeners will discover the power of in-person events as our hosts share how meeting podcast fans, spending time with friends, and seeing exceptional models on display has energized their passion for the hobby. From their strategic approach to travel (stopping at Michigan Toy Soldier en route) to reuniting with familiar faces and meeting new ones, the episode captures what makes the modeling community special.

The mailbag segment addresses fascinating questions about tweezers (with recommendations beyond the hobby world), the ongoing "scale wars" debate, and creative organization methods from listeners worldwide. These practical discussions showcase how modelers continue to refine their craft through shared wisdom

A special treat arrives with the return of the "Wheel of Accidental Wisdom" featuring guest Ed Baroth. This lively segment tackles everything from household items repurposed for modeling to productivity hacks and how the hobby has transformed over decades. Ed's perspective as an experienced modeler adds depth to conversations about batch building, nostalgia kits, lost parts, and the technological advances that have revolutionized scale modeling.

Between bench updates, modeling fluid reviews of Canadian craft beers and whiskey, and heartfelt shoutouts to the people who make the hobby special, this episode reminds us why we build: for the joy of creation, certainly, but equally for the community that surrounds us. Whether you're a longtime builder or just starting your modeling journey, you'll find yourself nodding along as Mike and Dave celebrate what truly matters – the connections we forge through our shared passion.
Cole-Palmer (Lab Supplier)
Timber Woods Scale Models (Listener YouTube

Plastic Model Mojo - Coast to Coast, Inside Spring's Biggest Model Shows:PMM Model Show Spotlight

Transcript

Mike00:00:13.672

all right , mojovia show season is in full swing now . Oh man , is it ever .

Kentucky Dave00:00:19.937

Uh , not only are you going to get to be at your first contest for the year . The spring and the fall are just the model show seasons , and we are really hitting the stride in spring .

Mike00:00:33.920

Well , we'll talk about us