I recently attended the 2025 International Plastic Modelers Society (IPMS) National Convention in Hampton, VA. As someone firmly rooted in the “wooden sticks and strings” side of the hobby, this was my first IPMS event — and I even took the plunge and booked a vendor booth for SeaWatch Books. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I came away impressed by the scale of the show and the enthusiasm of the community.
The convention filled the Hampton Convention Center for four full days. With more than 100 vendors, several hundred contest models, and well over 1,000 attendees, it was easily one of the largest modeling events I’ve attended — certainly bigger than our annual Northeast Joint Clubs Conference.
While the model categories spanned the full spectrum of the hobby, military subjects dominated — especially aircraft, tanks, and armored vehicles. Civilian automotive was also well represented. Nautical subjects made up a smaller share of the entries, and most of those fell into the “steel navy” category. Wooden sailing ships were rare, but a few fine examples did make an appearance, and it was great to see them standing proudly among the plastic fleet.
Our friends from the Nautical Research Guild were also there, working to strengthen ties between the wooden ship modeling community and IPMS. I did my best to join that effort, chatting with visitors, showing off our SeaWatch titles, and (hopefully) converting a few plastic modelers to try their hand at wood and rigging.
The IPMS Nationals is more than just a contest — it’s part trade show, part club gathering, and part inspiration factory. If you have any interest in plastic modeling, it’s worth putting this event on your calendar. Next year’s convention will be in Fort Wayne, IN, and I may just have to bring the SeaWatch booth west to see what the Midwest modeling scene has to offer.
Below are a few photos from Hampton, including the nautical entries that caught my eye.
