With immediate effect, Jim and I regret to say that we have decided to disband the CBK USA SIG.

As founders and organizers of the SIG, neither of us has had the proper time to devote to this and this is not likely to change in the foreseeable future, while neither of us feels that there has been sufficient interest from other members to allow it to be carried on by someone else. After much thought and consultation with John, we have therefore decided to call it quits. It is also regrettable that, aside from John, IPMS/USA is not a SIG-friendly environment.

We'd like to thank those of you who have supported the SIG over these past couple of years, but we would like to remind members that the CBK UK is a very active SIG, and would appreciate your support in whatever manner you can provide. Jim and I have, and will continue, to support CBK UK.

Thanks!

As will John ...

sorry to say I didn't know of a CBK USA SIG or even worse what it actually is and does.

...same here, apart from the build a classic US kit GB a few years back...

Really sorry to hear of this Paul but understand that a lack of critical mass means nothing happens if one or two key members have to attend to other things. I think that you should be proud about the effort put in and response you got for your displays at shows in the US where you had to fight for a table because you just wanted to show some models! Hopefully though other SIGs will start to get more space at shows and US modellers become more aware of the benefits of SIGs.

"Never say never again"



It does the same as the CBK UK SIG!

Classic British Kits Special Interest Group as hosted by the Unofficial Airfix Forum

viewforum.php?f=45

Manifesto here:

viewtopic.php?f=46&t=201

Well, we've always been told that conventional wisdom is that SIGS won't work in the US because of the distance - I guess we had to find out for ourselves... While we may never say never, I'd prefer to help out you guys. I must get on with my Islander when I get back from the US Nationals....

I'm not sure that distance has anything to do with it.
The CBK SIG only attends 2 shows a year and one of those is repeatedly the province of the same small number of members. The rest of the activity is internet-based.
One clue might be ascertained from Dirk's response.
Another might be the importance of competition in the US of A and its appropriate lack of importance within the SIG.

Given how much effort the UK Branch puts into its two shows, plus the repeated exposure within the world's best selling modelling mag, you'd expect the CBK SIG to have a bigger membership than it actually does...and this is after several years existence.

Rather than disband, why not just keep it going and keep nibbling away at the IPMS (US)? Year after year, they look at SMW with envy, learning that its success is down to the Branches and SIGs. Year after year, it seems they are inadequate in learning that lesson.

Regards,
Bruce

Yep, and that will continue forever. IPMS/USA is so stuck in its ways, that it seems to me nothing short of no bidders for a nationals will shake them up. They think that modelers owe them, rather then they need to put a competitive product in the marketplace for modelers. Its sad to watch membership numbers drop and drop and those in power not seem to give much notice to it. And in a couple of other issues which really aren't germane here, and I'm quite honestly I'm done with them. I'll be more then happy to maintain my IPMS/Canada membership and just try to start building models again.

As for the SIG, I do accept much of the blame. As Co-Leader I just never had the time to put into it. And with all the changes my life has seen the last couple of years, I didn't see anyway for me to recommit any time in the future. So I'm sorry to all our members.

Jim

Well, Jim, I take some exception to all this. An amendment on the current ballot will free us from much of the language that keeps us "stuck in our ways" as far as the national contest goes. Please vote for it. I'm sure you know that the C&BL requires us to achieve a certain threshold to make amendment voting valid and that failure has doomed other amendments designed to make necessary changes to the C&BL.

Membership numbers flucuate, with many of the ups/down tied specifically to what region the nationals is being held in. They are not dropping and dropping and we are very aware of them and what the effect of actions might be. For $25/year, the 6-times-a-year all-color journal could be considered worth it.

The bottom line is that modelers have found they can enjoy what IPMS provides at the local and regional level without being members and simply don't bother joining. Don't ask me why but if we went away, most of the local contest/show structure would simply disappear due to lack of insurance and then folks will wonder what hit them. In that regard, yes, the modleres do "owe us" but not in the manner I took your comment to mean.

SIGs are simply not of general interest to IPMS/USA members, who, as Bruce pointed out, have a competiveness streak. We do not treat SIGs the same as Chapters, such as IPMS/UK does Branches & SIGs, and frankly would probably see a 75% loss of those things we call SIGs if we did. The "display" vs "contest" debate takes place regularily and when we make efforts to provide display space at a nationals, it doesn't get filled, and rarely at regional or local shows. (Being a non-competitor myself, I don't understand it, but I'm in vast minority.)

As I said, we are not perfect, but frankly having seen it at all levels, more of the blame lies with a membership that is unwilling to take ownership of their organization and participate fully in it ...

John,

I had written something else here, but in retrospect it really isn't that important in the scheme of things and it isn't the time or place. I just wanted to say my observations are based on being a former two term e-board member. I'll take your word for it things have changed.



No question. I will miss the Journal. It is by far the best U.S. modeling magazine on the market. And it is all the more shocking in that it is produced by volunteers. Chris and co. deserve all the credit and much more then they get.

Jim

Just have it go "inactive". Heck, Devins has carried the Seaplane SIG in limbo for years.

Sorry to see it go. I did contribute but have failed to do so lately because of activity here. Your right Paul, IPMS/USA is getting weirder by the minute to me. But at least I re-upped again in June.

This is too bad Paul. I thought the display last year was great and there was some interest. Know the What If SIG had a lot of visibility even though the guy running the US SIG has been busy with school. I pretty much got the ball rolling both for OC and Phoenix. Was hoping to make Omaha this year but too much going on in the personal life. Going to try and make a family trip out of it next year to DisneyWorld. Will be interesting to see if there is any display this year.