Mid-Carolina IPMS Swamp Foxes Modeler’s Club - Copyright © 2011, All Rights Reserved The Mid-Carolina Swamp Foxes Modeler’s Club, which takes its name from the 169th Fighter Wing, (157th FS), ANG Swamp  Fox, stationed at McEntire AB, started up back in 1973.  Founding members met at Military Hobbies located on Two Notch Rd.  in Columbia, SC.  Military Hobbies later closed its doors and the club had to find a new meeting point.  Some of these members  were Jim Sloan, Mike Betty, the late Dr. Carig Moran, Darby Erd, Faron, Steve Issacson and the late Monty Tuck.  There were  others too but the names are not known to the author.  For a period of time the club meetings were held in various members’  homes.  Finally, the club meetings were moved to the Richland Public Library, located in downtown Columbia.  While a good  centralized meeting spot, problems with scheduled meetings arose and the club meetings once again shifted back to members’  homes.  Steve Issascon arranged for meetings to be moved to the Dutch Door Hobby Shop, located on Broad River Rd.  It was  around that time that Jim Sherrer, Phil Campbell and Hub Plott came into the club.  These arrangements lasted for a while, but  when they eventually ended, another founding member, Keith Frape, arranged for the club to move its meetings to the Hobby  Scientist, a hobby shop that he owned.  From this location the club started considering putting on model contests.  Keith Frape  financed the first shows with Hobby Scientist being the sponsor.  The first club show was held on Two Notch Rd. at a local  hotel.  The success of the show was moderate in regard to attendance.  Future shows were moved to the National Guard  Armory on Bluff Rd.  Monty Tuck played a critical role in these arrangements.  Two armories were used.  The Bluff Rd. armory  was affectionately known as the “Hot Box” due to its less than wonderful air conditioning system.    It was a large area with ample space for a good show and room to move around.  The other armory, located on Platt Springs  Rd., was also a good location but did not allow any room for growth.  Attendance to this show was good but due to the size of  the venue, square footage was very limited.  From this show the club realized sound financial earnings and a new  consideration to the club’s finances started.  During the 1990’s a new club began in Sumter, SC.  Being less than 50 miles from  Columbia, many of the Sumter’s original members started out attending our meetings as many were active duty Air Force  stationed at Shaw AB and we were the closest IPMS Chapter.  As their numbers grew they wanted to form thier own chapter  closer to home and did so very sucessfully.