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<h2>The Komet Chronicles</h2>

<h2>Newsletter of the Alexander Lippisch Chapter of the IPMS/USA</h2>

<h2 style=”text-align: center;”>New Series, Volume 2 No. 5</h2>

<h2 style=”text-align: center;”>&nbsp;

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<strong>Another Year Gone By</strong>

Here we are at the end of another year. Where did 2011 go? Did you achieve any goals during the year? I think the past year was a great one for the Club. We had a super model contest in April, several members attended the Quad Cities Airshow, and we had a large number of members attend the Nationals in Omaha. Besides these, we had many members attend other shows in the Region 5 area. We brought home lots of awards, met new friends, renewed friendships, and just had a good time. For more on our Club’s achievements, Charlie has provided quite a few in his last column as Club president.

<strong>Road Trip</strong> On a bright beautiful morning in late September (September 24), several “Fleas” made the trip up to the Twin Cities to participate in the annual “Nordicon” hosted by the Twin Cities Aero Historians. Included in the group were Larry Clausen, Frank Miller, and Scott Raisbeck. This entire group took home some hardware. The following is a list of winning models from our club:

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<p style=”text-align: left;”>Larry     Clausen won a bronze award with his diorama, “Ambush on the Train     Strausse.”</p>

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<li>Frank     Miller won a bronze award in the 1/72 scale Jets category for his     EB-57.</li>

<li>Frank     also won a silver award in the Theme category for his EB-57.</li>

<li>Scott     Raisbeck won a silver award for his “Wonder Woman.”</li>

<li>Scott     also won a bronze award in the theme category for his “Batman.”</li>

<li>Finally,     Scott won a bronze award for his 1/144 scale F-14.</li>

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<h3><span style=”font-size: medium;”><strong>Club Events</strong></h3>

<h3><strong>December 1</strong> – Club Meeting and Christmas Party, Elections, 7 p.m. at Pat Slupecki’s apartment complex.</h3>

<h3><strong>January 5</strong> – Club Meeting , 7 p.m. – Iowa Masonic Library.</h3>

<h3><strong>January 14</strong> – Club Build-a-thon, 10 a.m. – Steve Larson’s home.</h3>

<h3><strong>January 19</strong> – Club Business Meeting, 7 p.m. – Iowa Masonic Library.</h3>

<h3><strong>February 2</strong> – Club Meeting, 7 p.m. – Iowa Masonic Library.</h3>

<h3><strong>February 16</strong> – Club Business Meeting, 7 p.m. – Iowa Masonic Library.</h3>

<h3><strong>March 1</strong> – Club Meeting, 7 p.m. – Iowa Masonic Library.</h3>

<h3><strong>March 10</strong> – Club Build-a-thon, 10 a.m. Steve Larson’s Home.</h3>

<h3><strong>March 15</strong> – Club Business Meeting, 7 p.m. – Iowa Masonic Library.</h3>

<h3><span style=”font-size: medium;”><strong>Upcoming Events</strong></h3>

<h3><strong>February 4</strong> – “Hope it Don’t Snow Show,” Zumbro     Valley Scale Modelers – Rochester, MN.</h3>

<h3><strong>March 24</strong> –“ 8^th Annual Scale Model Show and     Contest,” IPMS/South Central Modelers of     Minnesota – Fairmont, MN</h3>

<h3><strong>March 31</strong> – “Cabin Fever Classic,” Red River Scale     Modelers – Fargo, ND.</h3>

<h3><a name=”_GoBack”></a><strong>April 14</strong> – “Surgicon 2012,”  IPMS Plastic Surgeons     – Des Moines, IA <strong>(Cancelled as of     12/2/2011 – may be re-scheduled at     later date).</strong></h3>

<h3><strong>April 28</strong> – “Fleacon VIII,” Alexander Lippisch     Chapter – Cedar Rapids, IA</h3>

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<td width=”45%”><span style=”font-size: medium;”><strong>President’s Column</strong>

By Charlie Kucera

These last four years have simply flown by, like the passing of a comet. I’m writing this to you all as a final Presidential Comment. No final comment would ever be complete without listing accomplishments and thanking those of you who made these accomplishments possible.

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The “thank you” list is long, for many of you have been of fantastic service to the club. To start my fellow club officers, Larry Martinson as Treasurer, Scott Raisbeck as current Vice President, Mark Flickinger as previous Vice President and as head Judge for the last three years, Terry Kuch for his work as Secretary, Bill Kreuger as Historian and Newsletter Editor, Peter Bednar as the Webmaster, and Jay Stevens as the long standing club Librarian. Thank you gentlemen for all the support you have offered to me and the club.

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This next list of thanks is for unsung heroes. These are the members that have contributed greatly to club, without the benefit of holding an office. Steve Smith, for his absolutely fantastic poster designs, his excellent images captured by his camera, his volunteering time to the model shows and his tireless effort to maintain the poster parties. Nate Pollock, for his continuing efforts to reach out to the community through continuing education classes at Kirkwood and to working with the Boy Scouts of America. Ted Staff, for his time and efforts at the Show’s “Make and Take” table for the last three years. Steve Larson, for the use of Klicks, his brilliant computer program that has allowed the last three shows to run so perfectly as well as the continued use of his home for Club build-a- thons. Don Harker, for his handling of the Vendors at the Show and for his steady advice and calming presence at nearly every business meeting for the last four years.

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There are many of you who have assisted me by your kind thoughts and thoughtful e-mails. They were invaluable to my service, they were invaluable to supporting my moral and in the end they served to the general well-being of the Club.

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The following is list of some of the high lights and accomplishments we have achieved in the last four years. We have done a great deal, and here we go:

We have had 73 different paid club members in the last four years

That breaks down this way:

58 New Members, 13 IPMS Members,

Our first female member.

Our youngest member, was 15.

Our oldest member is 82.

Our first website and Webmaster, Peter Bednar

Our first 6 hour group build,     “Rommels’ Rod”

Our first two Bi-annual surveys of Club Interest and Satisfaction

Our first public “make and take,” at     Klicks

Our first club sponsored activity, the Quad City Air Show

Our first complete re-write of the club’s by laws

Our first non BoxKar Hobbies meeting location

Our first and second change of locations for the Club’s Model Show

The acceptance of responsibility of the Horsky collection at the Eastern Iowa Airport.

Our first model show Poster Party,     there has been four, one each year.

Our first donation of kits and model     building supplies to troops stationed overseas in Iraq.

Our first family friendly picnic, held last year at Bever Park.

We have seen a 600% increase in club build-a-thons.

Our first meeting night change, from Wednesday to Thursday

The change from the acrylic awards     to the new “challenge coin” type.

In closing, I am confident that Bill Kreuger will lead the club with the type of leadership that this Club expects. He will be a kind, thoughtful, progressive as well as an excellent image of what our Club wishes to project, both to the community at large as well as the modeling community. I wish Bill all the best and pledge to support his efforts in all things good for the Club. As I step aside and leave the club in Bill’s capable hands I have only one thing left to say. May the Mighty Fleas continue to Soar, Go Fleas!</td>

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