Attendees at this month’s APMA meeting were treated to something truly special. Not only did we enjoy a stunning array of scale models across both our general and themed displays, but we were also greeted by a table absolutely chock-a-block with vacuform kits, a magnificent sight in its own right.
This impressive display was part of Graham Carter’s captivating and thoroughly engaging presentation on the subject of vacuform modelling.
Graham delivered a comprehensive and informative talk, tracing the origins of vacuform kits back to the 1950s. He began with early examples such as vacuformed sails and wing components, and guided us through the evolution to fully-fledged kits—often covering niche subjects not typically found in injection-moulded offerings.
He also unpacked the production techniques behind vacuforming, explaining the differences between positive and negative moulding with clarity and insight. To top it off, Graham provided a hands-on tutorial on building vacuform kits and even demonstrated how to create your own vacuform parts to enhance your models.
Don’t forget to check out the tables below to see what was on display this month—including our general and themed winners from the “Insects and Birds” categories.
Theme winners
First place
A-4F Skyhawk
I:72 Fujimi A-4F Skyhawk kit
By Jiri Kure
Equal second place
Fairey Firefly
1:72 Frog kit
By Jiri Kure
Equal second place
The Bugbeater
1:48 Scratch built kit of a Bell 47-B
By Ian Wrenford
General winners
First place
Sikorsky S38
I:48 Tom’s Modelworks Sikorsky S38 kit
By Ian Wrenford
Second place
Sherman 105mm
1:35 Tamiya kit. U.S. Medium Tank M4A3 Sherman 105mm Howitzer Assault Support.
By Andrew Buckley
Second place
Atkinson Steamer
1:72 Keil Kraft kit. 1924 Atkinson ‘Colonial type’ 6ton steam wagon .
By Graham Cater
Checkout the winners models and other great builds on the display tables this month.