Interesting Question, Right?
Well, here's the thing. There are some model venues not covered real well. Like Armor and Autos or Trucks.( What there is, are European) Armor is just not that well covered period.(That I know of!) Now for Ships there are full Hull and Waterline models in just about any category and era you could ask for. Modern, Middling and Historical. Planes, Well, there are lot more than Plastic for sure, You just have to decide what era you want, and really check the market.
There is a firm I buy through, It's called Fenten's(German) and there are also a lot of Downloadable kits from all over. Many are Free and Fun. I got a American Civil War Ironclad on one site and she even came with a display base! Remember, "Paper/ Card" models got their start in Europe and there many Castles and Historic structures. Then Model Rail Roaders from Both Continents started doing them.(Much Cheaper than their Wood or Plastic Counterparts when they hit the market)
So it has been around much longer. "Card" or the heavier types have run the gamut, some even being as heavy as regular Box material and used to construct Training Models for Maritime careers and others. One in particular sticks here. She can be built in sections (She's not cheap or small) and the construction follows regular shipyard methods as to the various parts and pieces of a Commercial freight vessel. From about the Fifties I believe.
I would love to have one, But she's too expensive for my Budget, And to Big for my Room. She is constructed of the same material as the old style Marbled looking File folder, heavy cardboard! Unbelieveable detail from the keel to the mast tops and everything in between. Then there's the sailing ships. Variable scales for all the models but the sail ships are offered with full hulls too! The cars have been kind of Childish looking for some time, But they are improving exponentially! Heavy Farm and Construction Machinery is now available too
The nicest part of Card(Paper) is they are usually printed in the colors they should be, From Naval to Civil in ships, Camoflage and Metallic in Commercial Aircraft etc. So painting, even in the free ones is not necessary. You can Paint with Craft Clear Gloss or Matt when finished. Then Paint whatever paint you got in the colors you want.The Craft Clear acts as a Primer/Sealer for these models! I got a surprise the first time I built an Airliner, It was a D.C.10, In the Airline's livery and a beautiful Silver Metallic where it was supposed to be! Plus being almost an eighteen inch wingspan!
Yes, Done carefully, they Can be hard to tell from other materials. The more skill the builder has in this medium the harder the ability to tell paper from plastic until you hold them! Many of the planes actually have a cockpit you build too! A big Plus! A stash will fit in a normal file cabinet, till you build them that is. 1/200 is a big thing in Plastic ships right now. Guess what? I've been getting ships(Warships) and liners in that scale for years now! Way longer than the Plastic ones!