AIRSOFT NEWS For 19-20 December 2009 from Thumpy

WEEKEND AIRSOFT NEWS for 19-20 December 2009 FROM THUMPY

The PPSh LIVES!…Poor Oddball!

OK, here’s the first in a series of videos from new Airsoft INNOVATORS, Hexagon Production, bring the rumored PPSh Soviet Sub Machine Gun to Airsoft LIFE!:

More videos over at Thumpy’s YouTube site, or check out HP’s own:

If you have been following our reporting for the past week, the rumors of this gun’s emergence onto the Airsoft scene was reported just about the time one of Thumpy’s long-time gun-plumbing and tank-building heroes, “Oddball” over at “Oddball’s Armory” had just begun working on a home-brewed version of Uncle Joe’s Tommy Gun…and Oddball sent us the news today…so I’m wondering if he will take our advice and FINISH his PPSh…and then throw down for this very COOK LOOKING and HOT FIRING WW2 Airsoft INNOVATOR?

Previously at Thumpy’s:

People of Airsoft Feature: The Saga of “Oddball’s Armory!”

It only happens to the Good Guys….or, “Negative Waves again, Moriarity?”

What happens when your FAVORITE gun isn’t made by a main-stream Airsoft manufacturer? For some, its a long wait…ask the guys who begged and pleaded for a WW2 MP40’s for YEARS before the clone manufacturers stepped up and built one last year. All you can really do is wait, OR step-up and put your manly gun-plumbing skills to the test and BREW YOUR OWN GUN.

This is where one of Thumpy’s HEROES of Airsoft comes in: “Oddball” is well-known on the internet as the English chap who fashioned his own British Tetrarch Airborne Light Tank from a 8-wheeled Argocat ATV!

And, a quick scan of his YouTube Channel also shows that when he wants something that doesn’t exist, old Oddball just mans-up and BUILDS IT. That’s particularly handy way of getting what you want, whether its a Boys Antitank Rifle, a Thompson SMG, a Panzerschrek, a .30 M1911 LMG, or any of the other gun builds you’ll find in his videos. And the ONLY way most World War Two Airsofter can play their version of our beloved game!

For Soviet/Russian fans, the “Holy Grail” has long been a PPSh 42 SMG. And, while manufacturers have long talked about doing one, “Oddball” again decided to roll-up his sleeves and get busy. He has been plugging away for a couple of months now, making his own and shooting video along the way…here’s Part 7 of his videos on the PPSh build…but BEFORE you view it, make sure you watch it ALL THE WAY TO THE END…as his ‘trial-and-error’ method of making the slotted heat shield, laminating up a stock that doesn’t quite work, and then fitting in a Type 7 M14 mechbox seem to be FINALLY coming together, JUST WHEN he makes a TERRIBLE discovery:

That’s right, EBayBanned Airsoft announced this weekend that a PPSh looks to be coming off the revamped Chinese Clone production lines, as they fire back up from the ChiCom crackdown this autumn!

As “Oddball” rightfully notes in his video, the two views on the corporate webpage SEEM to just be computer mock-ups. And while there’s some rationalization that months of work-and-wanting might just be one-upped by the profiteers, I’ll bet that HIS Home-Brewed gun will be MORE IMPRESSIVE and probably be every bit as good as the one you and I can buy in a box. Oh, and there’s always the possibility that “Oddball’ won’t have to work as hard to fashion up a magazine for his gun…since there will soon be some out there on the market!

I know just how this feels, since it used to happen to me in my other hobbies, of scale model armor building, and before that, motorcycle riding; just as you make a hand-crafted-with-loving-care modification that is “one of a kind,” some profiteering pro-outfit steps up and puts out the same exact thing you’ve been waiting MONTHS to buy! Sometimes it just plain SUCKS to be the GOOD GUY. But, we’ll be pulling for “Oddball”, and hope to see HIS PPSh completed BEFORE the Bad Guys get theirs shipped worldwide!

And, it breaks my heart just a little more that the Clone PPSh News came during Oddball’s favorite flick…Kelly’s Heroes, for those of you who didn’t pick out the “Oddball” references.

Still, even with the Negative Waves, “Oddball” is still a hero in Thumpy’s book, and we look forward to seeing more of his craftsmanship in the future! TWO THUMPS UP!

UPDATE: Oddball ‘pinged Thumpy over on the YouTube channel:

“Thanks man I love it!
Top job on the article I will have to send the link off to all my mates.

I will have to finish this PPSH41 now won’t I

Oddball”

You BET…don’t let the Clone-meisters get the better of you! Forge On, oh great Airsoft-smithy!

Thumpy!

AND, for everything you DON’T know but should about the real-steel versions of Uncle Joe’s Sewing Machines, check out the PPSh-41 Website! :  http://www.ppsh41.com/

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RedwolfTV has a TON of last minute goodies for your Christmas Shopping LIST!

And the video production keeps getting better and better from THE LADS!  Nice work, fellas!

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NAA Expo News: More than just talk…its ACTION TIME, Baby!

Kyle “Halo” Thaggard over at the North Atlantic Airsoft Expo has some BIG news…a chance for Expo visitors to actually get some trigger time at one of the East Coast’s best Airsoft venues, while they are in North Carolina for the NAAExpo!

“First, we are pleased to announce that you may now purchase Full Weekend Access Passes on the NAA Expo Website. For $20.00 you will have access to the Expo for all three show days. In addition, when you purchase online, you will have exclusive access to something only available for people who buy the Full Weekend Access pass online. To find out what it is, keep reading!
Second, we are excited to bring you an Exclusive Airsoft Game hosted by Wolf Creek Paintball!

When we originally began planning this show, we knew that Airsofters love one thing, and that is playing Airsoft. So anyway we could get the players some hands on activities, we knew it would be a successful show. However, until recently, the logistics in allowing Airsofters the ability to play airsoft at the show wasn’t feasible.

Recently, Wolf Creek Paintball has informed us that they would be willing to host an event at their field, exclusive to the show attendees. This was excellent news, but we needed to find a way to get the attendees there. So after some searching and negotiations, we have reserved a motor coach to transport a limited number of attendees to Wolf Creek to partake in this exclusive event!

Space is limited and is reserved on a first come first serve basis. This is why we are contacting you now. If you purchase the access to the Exclusive Expo Airsoft Game, it will only cost $25.00*, but if you purchase a Full Weekend Access Pass, not only will you get a discount on the entrance cost, but you will have access to a special offer. This special offer, good for only individuals who purchase the Full Weekend Access Pass online, can reserve a spot at this game for only $19.00!

For more information on the event pricing, visit this link. http://naaexpo.com/index.php option=com_content&view=article&id=2&Itemid=2

For more information on the airsoft game, visit this link.  http://naaexpo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=2&Itemid=5

To buy a Full Weekend Access Pass and/or to reserve a spot at the Exclusive NAA Expo Airsoft Game, visit this link. http://naaexpo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=archive&Itemid=28

For those not from the Great State of North Carolina, perhaps you’ll need a little introduction to Wolf Creeek…so check back in later this week…as THUMPY’S 3D takes you behind the scenes at some of the PAST EVENTS at Wolf Creek, and shows you why you’ll be walking in some big footprints–the US Army’s Special Forces “Green Berets” train there, too!

http://naaexpo.com/

And, remember, next year is right around the corner! Be there!
NAA Expo 2010 At SHOWPLACE
211 East Commerce Avenue
High Point, NC 27260
http://www.showplace-highpoint.com/

Friday March 5th, 2010 – 11am to 8pm
Saturday March 6th, 2010 – 10am to 7pm
Sunday March 7th, 2010 – 10am to 4pm

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Redwolf TV Shows off the “Motion Tracker:”

Say you’ve always wanted a “heartbeat sensor” or Motion Tracker like your favorite FPS hero? Science Fiction is now AIRSOFT Fact, as the lads over at Redwolf TV demonstrate the new Motion Tracker modules:

While this looks like an impressive piece of kit, Old Thumpy has his doubts about how viable TACTICALLY a set of these will be in the field, during a game. First and foremost is the PRICE, which will keep them out of the hands of all-but the most well-monied players and teams. Secondly, the small screen, and beeping/clicking buttons do not yield themselves to a “stealthy” approach to a potential target: although your DO get to see a rough approximation of your other teammates locations, you will be just as likely to see them as to figure out where they are from one of the trackers, as it only gives you an approximation of range as represented in the distance rings.

While their TACTICAL value might be doubtful, they COULD have a higher-level use at the “gross tactics” or “Operational” levels, for a Friendly Unit Commander to “see” his forces in real-time, and develop what the German Army calls “fingertip feel” (“Fingerspitzengefuhl”) : to know where his larger units (squads/platoons and up) are in relation to each other, and their relation to potential “targets” for tactical coordination. It could cut down on the need for repetitive radio traffic “sitreps” and allow adjacent sub-leaders to also share a better tactical awareness on the field. They could also be used as some pretty awesome props for scenario writers and game organizers to work into an event…but again, this could be too high a cost to put many in the field. Lets hope Generation 2 of these Motion Trackers is a bit more rugged, and a little less costly, but we’ll reserve all those judgements until we get a hands-on look at them in the future: One of our key players here in NC has ordered a set for a test-run.

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THE CAROLINA’S ARE OPEN FOR AIRSOFT!

Our buddies from the LESSER Carolina are out with a new Promo Video: Welcome to the South Carolina Airsoft Association!

The SCAA is a brother group to the North Carolina Airsoft Organization, and no two closer groups are coordinating to make Airsoft in America as Safe, INNOVATIVE and FUN! Great job fellas, and old Thumpy will be keeping an eye out for future videos and games in the Palmetto State!

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Airsofters with BIG HEARTS. Take 2….Command Decisions gets MORE Toys for kids

Another UPDATE as the toys and donations pile up in the Carolinas from wargamers with BIG HEARTS!

From Command Decisions Wargames Center, via their FACEBOOK Page:
December 12, 2009 Charity Game – airsofters and paintballers donated over 300 toys and $150 in cash. AND CDWC was able to match the cash donations and purchased another $200.00 in toys for the drive. A great year, very cool people – THANK YOU!

See the fun “naughty” and “nice” toys that some of our players got as prizes! Ferg and Lee Ann have some photos up, if you check them out in FACEBOOK, too!

EARLIER FROM CDWC:
This one in to Thumpy from the FACEBOOK News Page, from Ferg and Lee Ann at Command Decisions Wargames Center in North Carolina…4 AIRSOFT and Paintball Toys games, with Adventure Beach’s post below…and a TON OF TOYS for Girls and Boys!

“Over 150 Airsofters showed up last weekend for their Santa v. Grinch game and with it – over $150 in donations and nearly 200 toys donated to Catawba County’s Christmas Store Charity. AWESOME!!!! Doing a “no crappy weather dance” for this weekend’s paintball event!!!”
Add that to Kevin’s game…and that’s a lot of Christmas Wishes-come-true! Great Job AIRSOFTERS!

EARLIER:

Adventure Beach’s third annual Toys For Tots Shoot Out weekend gathers $3,200 in toys despite weather.

Kevin Shimwell, owner of Adventure Beach Paintball, admitted this year’s numbers didn’t quite stack up to the previous attendance figures because of the cold, wet weather, the generosity and dedication of those who came more than made up with for it.
“There was an outstanding outpouring of generosity despite the downpour,” Shimwell said. “The rain really hurt our turn out. However, we were able to still gather $3,200 in toys.”
For the third annual paintball shoot-out, 59 players—approximately half of last year’s turn out¬–took sides and battled it out despite Saturday’s weather.
However, the event was helped out by the addition of the inaugural airsoft shoot.
“I was really impressed with the number of airsoft players we had come out and support us for this first event,”Shimwell said. “We had 25 players come out on Sunday. It really helped make the weekend a success.”
While the “cost of admission” for the events were a single $20 toy, that didn’t stop players and volunteers from bringing in 160 toys for the Toys for Tots program. The toys collected were dropped off at various collection points throughout the area, including Krispy Kreme and Anderson Brothers Bank.
In addition to the toys, the weekend event also raised $400 for the Seahaven Shelter Home for Youth. To lean more about Seahaven go to: seahaveninc.com

“We got to have some of the boys out here to play some paintball,” Shimwell said. “I think it is just great that we could give them a special experience for the holidays.”
Volunteers and donations from local business also helped to make the weekend a success, according to Shimwell.
“We had about 20 volunteers out here helping in various capacities,” Shimwell said. “We also had the support of our local teams Shadow Group, Port City Militia and Sons of the South.”
Kevin said local businesses also donated raffle prizes and services for the event.
“Krispy Kreme is a new sponsor this year,” Shimwell said. “They provided doughnuts for everyone. The North Myrtle Beach Starbucks’ provided coffee.”
Kevin added that Richard Albey catered the event, donating a portion of his proceeds to the event.
Other sponsors included: Kroger’s, McAlister’s Deli, Apocalypse’s Comics, Rocky’s Pizza, Long Bay Martial Arts, Chris’ Pizza, Outback Steakhouse, Wolf Creek Gallery, Carollwoods RV Campgrounds, Bell and Bell Chevrolet, Mason Tire, Rent-A-Tool, Ocean Sand Resort, Elliott Reality, Nick’s Cigars, and Coastal Scuba & Fishing. The Sign Station donated banners for the event.
“A little rain isn’t going to stop us from having fun and helping out our community,” Shimwell said. “We are already making plans for next year’s event.”
For more information, go to www.abpaintball.com or call 843-222-9081.

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Our Buddy Arnie over the Pond at Arnie’s Airsoft has been doing some “Updates and tweaking”

“Published by Arnie on 20:45 December 8, 2009 in ArniesAirsoft Updates.

I’ve been tweaking and updating the website. It’s not nearly as much work as I intend to complete, however it’s a good start. So far:

We’re now running a wider site with more information on the front page. Almost all computers run at 1024×768 and above in screen pixels so it only made sense.
The top header images have been updated. If you have a photo of your own you’d like to submit please feel free to send it in. I’ll include a nickname/reference to show it is your in the image.

..header shots are a bit more festive. If you want to send over your own Christmas photo for inclusion please make it 950×201px in size and JPG format (see below).
The magazine links have been updated and new covers are there now.
There’s now a dedicated radio show/podcast link section on the front page. Have you got a radio station you want on there we’ve not covered? As ever email us and it’ll be considered.
We have new active facebook and twitter accounts for those of you that partake in such things.
If you want to send over an image as described above seed it to:

Please do remember if you have news you would like included or want to submit a press release, send it over to..

Easiest way is to send us text with attached images and URLs/weblinks. We’ll then format it and add it for you.

Very Festive, Big Guy…and easy to read for us older eyes, too. You are TOPS in Airsoft News! – Thumpy

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In need of a RUGGED piston? Try one of THESE!

The cats at WGC Shop have found one of the toughest pistons I’ve ever seen! We need to lay our hands on one of these Azimuth pistons, for a THUMPY style piston-crackin’-good time!

They list these as being made of “Polycarbonate & NAK80″ and another version comes with full-metal teeth. Best of all, they list for under $15 bucks each! Gotta try this in an upgrade, soon!

And, with one supposedly INSIDE a mechbox, it looks to take a LiPo lickin- and keeps on tickin’:

Thanks to “mikkel987″ over on the Y’allTube! That’s a hummer you’ve got there, man!

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Alleyway Airsoft…Reviews and more

Thumpy’s introducing a new bunch of guys who bear much watching…the team over at Alleyway Airsoft have much the same background as the Thump-Meister…and many of the same interests…Good guns, Good games and Good VIDEO PRODUCTION:

Nice work, with plenty of background, and an INNOVATIVE way of presenting reviews that we’ll be linking into as they fire up the Colortini in the future! Here’s some more about Alleyway Airsoft, from their website at AlleywayAirsoft.com:

“We are a team of players in the Midwest who enjoy playing airsoft and trying to provide the highest quality of reviews for fellow players and companies alike. After scouring the net for airsoft reviews we believed we could contribute to the market in a professional manner, as many in our team have film and art backgrounds and our currently working in the industry. We hope you find the reviews enjoyable and also that they help you make an informed decision on your airsoft purchases. -JP”

Good luck to JP and the Alleyway lads, and if you’d like to see more, check them out at their website, or YouTube channel:

Alleyway Airsoft Website: http://alleywayairsoft.com/Alleyway_09/Welcome.html

Alleway Airsoft YoutTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/alleywayairsoft

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Get out and play this weekend, THEN tell THUMPY about it!

Drop us an “After Action Report” on your weekend games, at Thumpy3D@gmail.com…and be a part of our new feature…”Battle Stories” We want to feature YOUR style of play, with your words, your Photos and VIDEOS, here atThumpy’s 3-D House of Shooters! Send information on your photos, your YouTube or Vimeo videos, and we’ll LINK YOUR GAME to T3DHA! Get shooting (BB’s), and shooting (Pictures and Videos), and then e-mail old Thumpy for your shot at GLORY!

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NEW STUFF AT T3DHA:

Thumpy’s Newest Pages and Posts: In case you missed them, click on the LINKS below!

Thumpy’s Video Test: Paintball Barrel Sock as an Airsoft Safety Device? You Decide!

Fulda Gap VIDEOS: Our first and SECOND (LONG-Production) EXCLUSIVES with more ON THE WAY!

NEW FEATURE: INNOVATIVE PARTS: Azimuth Airsoft Piston…is it the toughest piston on the planet? New Videos..see for yourself!

People of Airsoft: Faces of Fulda ‘09

People of Airsoft: Happy Birthday Marine Airsofters

People of Airsoft: The Saga of “Oddball’s Armory”

Airsoft Field Reviews: The 3-B’s of Virginia are A+++ in Thumpy’s Book!

SPECIAL REPORT: The end of Airsoft in the USA? You decide!

How did this get started? The real life story behind Thumpy’s 3-D House of Airsoft’s humble beginnings as a thread on Arnie’s Airsoft!

IN REVIEWS: AEG’s

KWA-USA KG36C Commando AEG Review…what innovative guns should be!

THUMPY’S “BEST OF THE WEB!” Where you can find the latest news from airsoft and MilSim, plus some real-world links of interest

Thumpy’s YouTube Channel: Where you can find the originals of our EXCLUSIVE CONTENT as all of Thumpy’s Favorite Videos, featured in TODAY’S NEWS and the ARCHIVES, all in ONE PLACE! No need to spen your time “Scanning the Globe”…we already do that for you, every day!

Arnie’s Airsoft: THE Original and Best source of Airsoft news from the UK and around the Globe!

North Carolina Airsoft Organization (NCAO): Thumpy is the Secretary of the Old North State’s first-and-finest Airsoft group

North Atlantic Airsoft Expo website, to stay up-to-the-minute with who’s coming, what’s happening, and where YOU SHOULD BE, COMING to High Point, NC March, 2010!

AirsoftPlayerTV.com: Join crazyNCman–yea, THAT guy who does the wild and spot-on Airsoft Gun Reviews on YouTube, and the guy behind TheAirsoftSoldier.com forums–for the WORLD’S BIGGEST AND BEST LIVE STREAMING WEBSHOW, every Saturday Night, starting at 8PM Eastern, USA time….and YOU can be a Star, by calling in OR making a Skype VIDEO CALL, to show off your guns, gear, girls…whatever! REGISTER FOR FREE GIVEAWAYS AND SPECIAL PRICES ON AIRSOFT GEAR THAT POP UP DURING THE WEBCAST…just like the Home Shopping Channel, ‘cept with Frank as a host, and Airsoft instead of cheap jewelry your Mama will just toss out anyway!

Popular Airsoft: The BADDEST Online Magazine that Thumpy HASN’T written or shot photos for YET…Perhaps we can work on that, Felllas! Get ‘ye over ‘an subscribe, forth-with!