Shepway Military Modelling and West Norfolk IPMS shows, 13/14 June 2026 (Part 1)

 

On Saturday we made the short trip to Hawkinge for the annual Shepway show. More on that soon. The next morning we drove up to Littleport near Cambridge for the West Norfolk IPMS show, or, as they call it, the 'West Anglia Scale Model Show'. The West Norfolk/Anglia show is a comparatively large one, filling Littleport leisure centre  - around 50 clubs and SIGs exhibiting and 20-30 traders and stands. We were located next to IMPS Rivenhall, Thurrock Model Club and the Sherman SIG opposite Marilyn's East Anglia Books and the incredible 'Models for Sale' stand. Theme of the show as the 90th anniversary of the Spitfire. A few views of the table and some models from the shows.

John's Trumpeter 1:48 SM.79 was awarded 'Best Aircraft' (on the right) at the West Norfolk show. My Dr.1s and Udet's red Me 109 lurking in the background below and my Jaguar in the middle of the table in the first view above.

HMS Belfast 1:350

 Simon's competition winner from the Trumpeter kit at the IPMS East Kent June club meet.

May model club night - Challengers in 1/35

Here's a few images from the two club nights I've attended this month at IPMS East Kent ( RAF Manston History museum) and Shepway Military Modelling..(Kent Battle of Britain Museum) 

First up, some Challenger tanks, including  Robert's build of the Trumpeter kit followed by two of Steve's from the complex Rye Field kit to the more simplified (and 'desertised') Tamiya kit...

Who Are DBMK? 1:32 Sea Fury launch

 

Who Are DBMK?

 
DBMK is a model company founded by East Kent Scale modeller Will and his Ukrainian colleague Ilya. Their aim is to;

- Produce highly accurate kits that also build properly

- Bring overlooked or underrepresented subjects to life

Will has been modelling since the 1970s, later studying aeronautical engineering and serving as a tank commander in the British Army. He now works in London as a management consultant — but modelling has always remained at the core of his passion.

Ilya began modelling in Ukraine in 1975 and has worked with respected brands including SIGA, Olimp Models, Armory and Copper State Models. He also served in Afghanistan during the 1980s, giving him a deep, first-hand connection to military subjects.

The DBMK 1:32 Sea Fury has already featured heavily on this blog - my colleagues at East Kent have built a number of the test shots. The kit was recently 'officially' launched at the RNAS Yeovilton 'Navy Wings' hangar in the presence of various modelling alumni and here are a few images..

Ilya (left) and Will (second right) with East Kent Scale Modellers and test shot builders, Rod (third left), Dick (4th right) and Bill (third right).

Also on this blog;

1:32 Sea Fury test shot builds in close up at the East Kent Scale modellers monthly meet

And, below, a quick video presentation from James LPJ Models of the RNAS launch day

And you still don't know what the letters DBMK stand for .......

DBMK 1:32 Hornet Mk. 3 - built up and on the table at IPMS East Kent club night last week

 

I just came across Brett Green's video 'unboxing' of the DBMK 1:32 Hornet - see below. A single click to watch without leaving this page. Here in deepest Kent we've already had the chance to build this kit and present the finished model to the club last week at our model club night. Built by Mr Bill Clark this will no doubt also be appearing in a forthcoming issue of Scale Aircraft Modelling. The parts are smooth and feature some finely recessed panel lines - the Hornet was a wooden machine like the Mosquito. The kit includes a separate box of 3D printed parts supplied by Scalex in the Ukraine - these include pilot's seat, gun sight and hollowed-out exhausts. The kit also features ordnance such as 1000 lb bombs along with rockets.Please note that this model is genuinely limited run, with the likely maximum available being 1,250 units - if you want one, get in quick!

Phantom February @ IPMS East Kent

 

The theme for February's model club meet was Phantoms! Here's a few views of the table with Tamiya, ZM, Hasegawa/Revell, Esci and Academy F-4s in 48th and Airfix and Fujimi F-4s in 72nd. 

East Kent Scale Modellers February club night (1) - Keith's Invicta Airways airliners

There were a host of superlative scale models on display at our second club night of 2026 - none more so than Keith's Invicta Airways airliners. The Valom Vickers Viking was accompanied on the table by a fantastic build of the Revell C-54/DC-4 Skymaster. Invicta Airways (later Invicta International Airlines) was based at Manston in the 1960s. Founded by Hugh Kennard, the company was a noted user of the Vickers VC.1 Viking (including registrations G-AOVF, G-ANCF, G-AHOY, G-AHPL, and G-AHOW) alongside Douglas DC-4s..

The Manston-based Invicta Airways fleet flew passenger and cargo charters between 1965 and 1968 both within the UK and to Europe and was the last British operator of the Vickers Viking, a type derived from the Wellington bomber. This particular aircraft, G-AHOY - registered to Invicta Airways during 1966 as G-AIVF - operated her final service on January 30 1968 when she flew from Liverpool to Manston. During 1968 Invicta Airways became an all-Skymaster operator.

Models built by Keith Jones

East Kent Scale modellers at SMW 2025 Telford - IPMS East Kent

 

Difficult to know what to show from the show - so in the end I have decided to just show you the IPMS East Kent stand. This is my local club, now a fully-fledged IPMS affiliate. East Kent Scale modellers meet on the second Tuesday of every month at the RAF Manston History museum...