The 2009 Wings & Wheels Modelers ValleyCon 19 Scale Model Contest and Figure Exhibition included about 122 people displaying their models. In addition, the event drew about 270 "walk-ins," said Alfred J. LaFleche, president of the Wings & Wheels. The green and white '56 Chevy shines like it just had a coat of wax put on it. Next to it, an old Plymouth GTX looks like it's been parked in someone's backyard for the past 20 years. A few feet away sits a time machine from a 1950s B movie. And then there's the Russian tank surrounded by German soldiers.

All of the intricately detailed pieces - not much bigger than the size of an adult's hand - were among hundreds on display on Sunday at a scale model and figure exhibition at the Knights of Columbus. "We're up about 20 percent over last year," LaFleche said. "This is the largest local show in New England. We had people come down from Maine. One person is from Long Island, and one guy is here from Las Vegas." The event includes a large vendor room for new and vintage plastic scale models. Downstairs is the contest area that had about 500 models on display, including elaborate scenes known as dioramas and highly detailed reproduction of historic vehicles, from ships to space craft and customer cars, as well as painted figures. Judges in the afternoon worked their way through the room, examining the models and figurines. They ranged in scale from 1/700th to 1/18th.