Forums , content and why we need or don't need more breakdowns .

Don Stauffer

........I feel FSM's hierarchy is just about right. ...... 

I strongly agree with this opinion.

I have to agree with Karl and others on this. I don't touch none German armour, but just like karl, if I see a thread I will have a look. But if they were in their own forums, I would probably not go in, just as I don't go into the Airliner forum.

Automotive modeling is largely civilian.

If you don't believe me about the new denizens of rms, just crank up your news reader, go there, and see who lives there now :-(

I'm an old timer who remembers the Usenet newsgroup, rec.models.scale.  All genres were represented by a single forum.  There were frequently posts advocating a splitting of the group into subgroups by genres.  I was always opposed to this

Now, I find I like a group with multiple forums.  I feel FSM's hierarchy is just about right.  To many forums and we have a Balkanization where it would become too much bother to go to too many different forums.

One reason I didn't want the split on rms was discussion about tools and techniques, which were frequently common to many genres.  FSM has a hierarchical split with several forums on topics in this area.  I think it is underused, and more people should look into those, but still it solves the problem that many of us were afraid of in the rms days.  BTW, how many others used to use rms?  It has now been taken over by vandals and prostitutes.

That's exactly why I don't think we need the breakdowns .Just post , let the world see it and if someone likes it they will click on it

The more you sub-divide the forums, the more you split the readership of any given genre, and the less posts and comments you will get in any sub-forum. I stopped frequenting Armorama because of precisely this reason. Too much fragmentation of the pool of modelers.

For instance, I don't really care for British Armor or trucks and supply vehicles, but I'll click on the odd post that features on or the other and comment if it warrants it.

1/400 works ok. I have Illustrious, and there's the light carriers Colossus.

USN: Hasegawa has a Casablanca CVE

L'Arsenal used to have a CVE Bogue.

Dream in life, a 1/350, 1/400 or oh my 1/200 Ark Royal.

By the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands; the USN lost four fleet carriers. The Japanese lost four fleet carriers. The British at that time had lost six fleet carriers.

But we built and commissioned fourteen Essex Class before the end of the war,

Between Trumpeter and Merit, the USN Fleet Carriers are finally covered, except Wasp & Ranger. But the RN carriers are still non existent in 1/350.

Trump put out a series of carriers. Enough to cover most everything though the end of WW2.

Oh I know. I think the only real proliferation in ship kits in 1/350 is destroyers and subs. And those two types are only slowly expanding. Both modern and WWII. Then battleships, then carriers and cruisers. I personally would live to see a lot more brown water stuff and amphibious warfare craft, but that's just me. At the rate that I build ships and the stash of them that I already possess, I most likely have enough to last me the rest of my life. Although I still would like to add a few more kits such as a few more cruisers and destroyers, as well as a few current USN types I see docked locally...those Arleigh Burkes have grown on me.

Aw , STIK !

You actually have some floaty thingies ? LOL.LOL.Would like to see them someday .  sadly though , what you say is true . I suppose it's because of the sheer difficulty of getting any one type in constant scale . Where are the liners in 1/350 or tankers or freighters ? Yachts are just about non - existent in any genre except faux models of fast motor cruisers in R.T.R- R.C. 

       Sure there's some in wood , but most are sail craft that most don't feel gifted enough to build .There used to be a large Sterling model of a freighter .But who wants ONE ship that takes up a seven foot mantel or shelf in the house even if it isn't R.C.?

     The 1/700 Colombo - Express by Revell is a good example . Why couldn't they have done it in 1/400 at least . There isn't much there except warships of every vein in every scale and some in the same class in four or more scales .

     Ship models never did get into the same as planes  .I mean c'mon now , fifteen different Spitfire fighters ? twenty - four B.F.109s ?  you see what I mean ?    T.B.

Not that I disagree with some sub forums in the Ships forum. But, there are so few ship builds going on here at any given time. Ship builders are certainly a minority here. And probably in the hobby as a whole. Go to any Hobby Store and you will see that ships have fewer aisles or shelves compared to aircraft, autos, and armor. I bet Sci Fi gets more sales and builds than ships. Probably the only genre that ships outsell and outbuild is Real Space. Mind you, I enjoy building all of the above, even Autos on a rare occasion. I personally would love to see more watercraft builds of any type here.

Speaking of which I have a couple of my own that I need to complete, so I guess I could put my money where my mouth is...

The Astoria/ New Orleans Class are beautifully represented in 1/350 by the Trumpeter USS San Francisco.

Anyways you can sleep safe. FSM never bit, and more than one opinion about "your shipbuilder buddies" or "Nautical Nook belongs in the trash can" make it clear that this is primarily a tank and plane forum.

That's fine with me.