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International Plastic Modellers' Society - Italian Branch   IPMS Italy - P.O. Box 36 - 41010 Fòssoli MO - Italy

What is IPMS

I.P.M.S. is the acronym of "International Plastic Modellers' Society", the association that gathers scale plastic modelling enthusiasts worldwide. 

IPMS is a spontaneous, non-profit organization. To give a formal definition of IPMS, its main purpose is to promote the diffusion, the disclosure and the practice of scale plastic modelling as a form of creative activity, dedicated to all of them whose imagination is stimulated by some real subjects, in such a way to feel the need to reproduce them to scale in a realistic way. 

Encouraging the exchange of ideas and news among modellers, IPMS intends to enhance their ability, widening their technical and historic knowledge. The themes peculiar to our Association are the the same that belong to this wonderful hobby: aircrafts, military veichles, boats, cars, motorbikes, figures, science fiction and many others. 

Our philosophy can be summarized with the motto "from modellers for modellers". 
IPMS was founded in the United Kingdom in 1964 and has grown through initiatives dedicated to the modelling enthusiasts, like publications and newsletter, in an age where no professional magazines on this subject existed yet, and has been promoting the hobby among the other people with shows and competitions to local, national and international level.

Currently, one can say that in each nation where scale plastic modelling is practiced, a branch of the IPMS is operating. Among the most active branches are those present in the U.S.A., the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Belgium, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, Holland and Switzerland, but many other countries have their own. 

To realize the dimensions of this phenomenon, and to find references for IPMS in your country, an updated list of IPMS branches in the world is available.

The IPMS in Italy

IPMS maintains its features of cultural, apolitical, voluntary and non-profit association in Italy as well. 

Our branch operates since 1968. National coordination is held in Modena, regarding the many local chapters active in the towns that collect the greater amounts of members, plus the many other people who don't attend to local chapters due to their geographical location, for a total of about 600 effective affiliates. 
In addition to this, a magazine and a bimonthly newsletter are issued to all members.

All aspects of the social activities, like keeping liaison among members or local chapters, editorial activities or the organization of model shows and contests, are led thanks to the spontaneous commitment of many members, who offer their efforts and their free time to such purpose, rewarded from the satisfaction of being active elements of this successful Association.

Actually, the primary bond of our association is the common commitment for a better diffusion and knowledge of scale modelling as a cultural, formative activity and as expression of the creativeness and of the manual ability of each modeller. 

All operating costs are financed by the subscription fees yearly paid by all members.

The Centers of IPMS - Italy

In order to allow members living in a same area an opportunity to meet each other, also in Italy the structure of the Association has been characterized since its origins by local groups, called Centers, or Chapters.

All centers benefit from a complete organizational autonomy. Ample freedom is assured to local clubs, first established on their own and later joining IPMS in order to widen the opportunities offered to their own members.

All the IPMS Centers are based on the principles of volountary work and operational autonomy. Some have their own premises, while others make use of places made available from citizen administrations or from private.

As general a rule, each center should manage meetings at least on a monthly base, creating the necessary premises to allow the exchange of information among members and to establish new contacts.
In the same way, it could organize activities dedicated to local members and to other enthusiasts like visits to museums or military bases, or model displays, competitions and kitswaps, from local to regional and national level.

Special Interest Groups

Aside from the IPMS Centers, whose task is to promote aggregation of the members at a local level, is grown the role of the Special Interest Groups. 

Based upon an idea of the UK Branch, like their name says, they are groups of enthusiasts that share a distinctive interest in studying in depth specific themes, like the Italian Military Aviation, tanks in 1/35 scale, helicopters and so on.

They refer to a network of friends, often belonging to various Centers, and lead thematic researches collecting technical and historical documentation, the results of which are offered to other members, mainly by mean of articles in the newsletters.

IPMS Italy as a publisher

"Il Notiziario IPMS" Editor: Francesco Gasparoni, Venice's IPMS Chapter.  In Italy, the "Il Notiziario IPMS" was founded in 1968 and is a quarterly magazine, with articles written by any member, in order to share the results obtained in researching on a specific matter (above all about italian subjects) or, more commonly, to tell personal experiences about modelling subjects. This contribution is not mandatory, but allows any member to disclose informations of possible usefulness for modellers.

Topics of  next issue (No. 1/1998): German Aircraft in the Regia Aeronautica Agusta Bell AB 205BG Diorama: "Landing in Normandy" U-Boot Type XXI American Museums (part 2) IPMS Italian Modelling Championship 1997 Stammkenzeichen (part 2)

Contents of the following 1998 issues : Italian's Tornado ADV  Northrop F-20 Tigershark  KV-II  Caproni CA-133  Savoia Marchetti SM-85  Lockeed S-3 Viking  Stukas in the Regia Aeronautica  Carabinieri's helicopters (part 2) Italian Police's helicopters Fiat G.46 (part 4) Luchs Unpublished S.79s  F-104 Tiger Meet Buenos Aires Air Museum

"Flash IPMS" Editor: Marco D'Intino, Rome's IPMS Chapter.  Complementary to 'Il Notiziario IPMS', we publish the 'Flash IPMS', a bimonthly bulletin used to inform members more quickly about latest market news, shows, competitions, kitswaps and events of various interests, besides to opinions' coloumns, technical tips, kit reviews, advertisements, and all the official communications of the Association to its members.

Obviously these publications make possible to maintain punctual and widespread contacts with all members of the 'Society', even those who for whatever reason have no opportunity to attend local centers.

Both "Il Notiziario IPMS" and "Flash IPMS" are distributed exclusively to regularly subscribing members.

 

The IPMS - Italy "Nationals"

The most remarkable exhibition organized in Italy is the National Championship, held by the local IPMS Center of Milan every year at the end of september within Hobby Model Expo, the most important modelling fair in our nation and in 1997 it has celebrated its 20^th edition in 26 years.

Click here to see a chronology of previous editions.

The competition is open to any modeller even if not belonging to IPMS, with almost 30 categories from aircrafts to fantasy, and where a 'best in show' trophy is assigned to the best model built by an IPMS member belonging to any IPMS branch.

IPMS - Italy 1998 Membership Dues

Membership rates for IPMS Italy are different in order to advantage young modellers or due to the various shipping rates for foreigners.

This year subscriptions fees are as follows:

Payment by bank draft or International Money Order (I.M.O.) should be sent to:

Any modeller can subscribe in any time of the year, being entitled to receive all back issues of publications of the current year.