Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye! There is going to be a Modelfy category in our Spring Show in April 2019. What is Modelfy? Glad you asked. A Modelfy is a model that is created using one or more parts from a base kit to create something different from the base kit. For example, using a 1/25th scale Camaro car body with additional parts from other kits to create a 1/48th scale submarine (my favorite Modelfy of all time, created by Ted Holowchuk).

The base kit for next year's Modelfy is Moebius Models Convair NEV ñ Nuclear Exploratory Vehicle, part/kit number 974. This was one of many early space race proposals to NASA for interplanetary spaceships. This design had a major influence on the design of the Discovery space craft for Stanley Kubrickís 2001: A Space Odyssey.

This kit consists of several subassemblies constructed from 23 gray styrene parts, one clear dome for the model and two clear parts for the display stand. The first subassembly is the propulsion module. This consists of a core unit comprised of left and right halves, a hemispherical front cap and a NERVA (Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application) at the back.

Attached to the core are five fuel tanks which consist of a top and bottom half. Connecting the fuel tanks at the back end is a fuel distribution ring.

The second subassembly is the crew module. This consists of left and right halves, hemispherical front and rear caps, a communication dish and its mast, and a clear dome for the top of the compartment.

The final subassembly is the spine connecting the crew module to the propulsion module. The spine consists of front and back halves.

Hopefully this introduction to the base kit has been helpful and has your creative juices flowing with all the available parts. You have eight months to create something and get it on the table. I look forward to seeing all of your creations at our April show.

Remember also to bring in your works-in-progress to the monthly meetings. You never know who you might inspire with your work!