A Weekend Of Heroes 2009

AWH 2009 POST CONVENTION REPORT

By Jean Chevalier

Click here to view the WOH 2009 Slide Show.

This year’s AWH fell on the 65th anniversary of D-Day, and as usual, the show was packed with American heroes, action-figure dealers, airsoft dealers and miniature toy soldier dealers.

My colleagues from Paris, Raymond Guiliani and Eric were busy buying and making contacts with dealers; German vendors, Peter and Krim from Actionfigurine-Shop.com, were doing a bustling business selling their customized parts; industry veteran customizer, Auggie Romero from Battle Gear, was offering fantastic custom uniforms and parts; Merit International partnered up with Toy City and Hot Toys with a might impressive display of pre-release items such as the 1/18 F-14, the incredibly life-like Marlon Brando by Hot Toys, among many amazing products.

Corporate exhibitors this year were Merit International, Toy City, Hot Toys, with G&G Armament, KWA USA, Spartan Imports and TSI Armories supporting the Airsoft side of the event.

OSW and its crew were there to capture the fun for its members via the internet while other none profit groups present were Iraqstar.org (charity that helps disfigured soldiers), Sixth Fallschirmjager (re-enactors), Imperial Japanese Army (re-enactors), 442nd Combat Team (re-enactors), California Military Reserve, and the US Army.

Brunton’s Barracks was this year’s only toy soldier vendor and they brought along some impressive vintage toy soldiers pieces that dated back to the 1930s’; items that caught the envy of our German friends.

The show did away with the traditional Airsoft “shooting tunnel” and replaced it with RC tanks! What an awesome display of artistry by members of the South West Armor Group (SWAG). The money, time and effort spent in perfecting the 1/6 armor craft are reflected on their owners’ satisfying smile. What a great group of artists.

Show diorama featured the work by Geppetto Joe (AZ) who built an incredible Eastern Front scene with a T-34 and a squad of Russians attacking German trenches, equipped completely with sound!

A new exhibitor to AWH, Ben’s Custom Tack, offered some incredible 1/6 saddles for 1/6 horses fit for Johnn West, DML and DiD. All leather!

The Airsoft side of the event was bustling with Airsoft players garbed in multi-cam, acu, among many other contemporary camo uniform and gear. Operation Lion Claws Military Simulation Series showcased what they called “Lion Claws Angels,” three very attractive, yet athletic and friendly models…… surely most combatants would not mind getting shot by anyone of them. Team Roughnecks manned the Lion Claws exhibit with AV featuring DVD's from past Lion Claws events which drew lots of attention.

If one wonders how can so many things be happening under one roof, just observe the energetic John Lu, show promoter, who was constantly moving from one vendor to another, making announcements about the heroes’ seminars and etc., there were lots of positive energy all the way around.

Mr. Jack Kull from the Dept. of Defense who made a presentation on Vietnam era POW-MIA did an encore performance this year at 1:30 pm on Saturday. Mr. Ed Pepping, the only surviving medic from Easy Company, 506th of the 101st Airborne “Band of Brothers” gave an hour-account of his D-Day experience and more…… Medic Pepping’s talk was standing room only!

If you attend AWH, and if an evening event was offered, don’t ever miss it.

The show closed at 5:00pm, at 6:00pm registered guests and VIPs moved on to Glendale Hilton for the “Wounded Soldier Dinner”.

AWH received funding from Operation IRENE and War Toys for this dinner. Members from Iraqstar.org and Star and Stripe Foundation were invited and in the center of it all was a disfigured soldier Specialist Lyvell Gibson who nearly lost his leg to a car bomb in Iraq.

John Lu started the dinner by show a short “Down the Memory Lane” dvd featuring clips from past AWH (up to 2006). Ms. Maggie Lockridge, founder of Iraqstar, spoke about the organization and its mission to assist disfigured soldiers and introduced Specialist Gibson.

A short clip from the Lion Claws series was played, and Lu introduced AWH’s original VIP/Action Figure, retired Army Ranger Col. Danny McKnight (Black Hawk Down) who gave a very moving and patriotic speech paying tribute to Medic Ed Pepping and to Specialist Lyvell Gibson. It was an amazing way to end an amazing day! Other than visiting gravesites at Normandy, this was probably the best way to celebrate the 65th Anniversary of D-Day!

Sunday was all about dressing up. Folks arrived in various period military uniforms in preparation for the Military Costume Contest. There were three categories in this year’s costume contest:

  1. Airsoft Costume sponsored by National Airsoft Magazine (NAM), three winners, IDF girl, Imperial Japanese soldier, and the Revolutionary War soldier, will be written up in the NAM.
  2. Historical Costume Contest was sponsored by Echobase Toys, War Toys and Osprey Books; the winner, Revolutionary War soldier, received historical 1/6 action figures from Echobase and War Toys, and a $50 worth of military history books from Osprey.
  3. Lion Claws Angels’ Choice Award was judged by two Lion Claws Angels; the winner, “Ranger Nick” of the Roughnecks, won an AEG from Airsoft Extreme.

Sunday numbers were down but considering the state of the economy, the show had a very good turn out. The fun, friendly, patriotic and upbeat atmosphere is what sets AWH apart from so many hobby shows.

Until next time, this is Jean Chevalier reporting.

 

Jean Chevalier