is ship modeling dieing?

Hey Shipbuilder;
well your question for this hobby it's not just one subject it's all, I've noticed that all plactic modeling is kind of dying because most kids these days want to play computer games instead of building things and hobby shops are dying out because of this, I'd rather build a model then watch the Ole Boob Tube, but kids are the opposite from us ole school thinkers, my favorate LHS's have long since went the way of the DoDo, and I've made a cross over to Tall Ships from Aircraft (thanks to my wife) and there are not to many Styrene Tall Ship kits out there any more, I'm intrested in the first US tall ships instead of the modern warships of 20th century and now 21st century

Sam, unfortunately I can't make out any of the hull numbers, however the 688 that is being launched in the photo appears to have "24" on its sail so that would be Louisville.
If thats correct then the Trident on the 263 Pier next to the graving dock is probably Alaska and the nose and sonar dome sticking out of the 260 building would belong to Nevada. If you look between the big crane in the center and the sail of the Trident you will see a smokestack and upper deck structure of the SS Bluenose which was a Canadian coastal ferry that EB bought to house offices and locker facilities for the workers. Also note the Trident in the Graving dock in the upper right hand corner of the picture. Impossible to tell which one. Sorry I can't be more specific.

i'm a newbie to ship modeling, and am very interested in it. ive been building cars and planes for a while now, been looking at modeling magazines and seeing ads for ships. i just started my first boat a PT-109, and i would like to do a bigger ship, trying to get my bros. in on the build. I have been looking atd sight that sell ships, noticed htat they have a wide variety of products such as pe and such..I live in a small town where we have no LHS, so the inernet is great
Shawn

Well, contrary to what everyone thinks...I don't see ship modeling as tapering off one bit...in fact, it's growing.

Let's look at the new plastic ship kits that were released since 2001...now this is not scientific, it's just off the top of my head...y'all can fill in the ones I've missed.

Revell AG S-100 Schnellboote
Revell AG 1/72 Type VII U-boat
Trumpeter 1/350 Hornet
Trumpeter 1/350 Essex
Trumpeter 1/350 Yorktown
Trumpeter 1/350 Franklin
Trumpeter 1/200 Sovermenny
Tamiya 1/700 Prinz Eugen
Tamiya 1/700 Cushing
Tamiya 1/700 Missouri
Tamiya 1/700 Kirov
ICM Konig/Grosser Kurfurst
Banner Arizona

What we see is a small, tightly knit community of ship modelers...and on the web, most reside in 1 of 2 places, Modelwarships.com or Steelnavy. If you think ship modeling is dying, spend some time on those message boards.

Since 2001, our site has had over 2 million hits...with 1 million of those coming in 2003 alone.

That being said, with the exception of Trumpeter, most model companies are more inclined to cater to the larger markets, 1/48 aircraft and 1/35 armor. We have to remember that these companies are in BUSINESS to server OUR hobby...it's not a hobby to them, it's all about profit.

So...let's say we have $100,000 to spend on new kit development...do we invest it into a ship kit that will sell 10,000 units in a year, or do we spend it on another P-51 or Tiger tank that will sell 50,000 units...

Nah, we're doing just fine...we not might be taking over the modeling world, yet...but we will eventually.

Jeff Herne
Modelwarships.com

You guys have raised some good points about the state of the hobby in general and ship modeling in particular.

If you look at the size of the aircraft/armor posts on this forum compared to ships, you can draw a (completely unscientific) conclusion at only 1 in 100 modelers builds ships on a frequent basis.

One thing I find curious and that is, IMHO, a lot of the better suppliers seem to be from the UK, and their products not as readily available in North America. Does anyone else see this as well?

Regards,
Bruce

Dave I think you have something there, the huge upsurge in 1/18th and 1/12th diecast cars over the last few years is a case in point. The handbuilt market is also increasing as the cost of handbuilts reduces. I also think Scott is right about the diversification, when I started ship modelling nearly 39 years ago balsa was the only readily available material here and there very few specialist model shops then with very few kits, now look at the range of materials and kits available to us. I think the whole way of consumer purchasing is changing, you can buy your weekly groceries over the net now, a person barely needs to go out of the house anymore!

QUOTE: Originally posted by breezely1 In the city that I work, which just happens to be the home of the Electric Boat shipyard(see my signature) and a major naval submarine base,

Hey breezely1-
looks like a 688 in front (can't tell for sure from the photo), if so that must be an OHIO class on the ways in the background?? Which boats are in your sig photo?

This same topic has been discussed on other modeling forums I frequent. IMHO todays generation wants instant gratification. Mail has gone from Pony Express to E-mail Express. Phones have gone cellular so that people can talk to someone instantly. Corporations can get information instantly from their computer system. Model building has gone from scratch building to "snap" together kits, or worse - buy it already made!

QUOTE: Is it just me or does it seam that ship modeling is becoming less and less popular?

I don't think ship modeling is any less popular, I think the trend in modeling is following the ol' "supply and demand" route and the demand is becoming more "I'll buy it completed" for instant gradificaton.

Personally I think it has to some degree. However, it could be a matter of geographics. In the city that I work, which just happens to be the home of the Electric Boat shipyard(see my signature) and a major naval submarine base, the LHS, Lee's Toy and Hobby, has almost as much space dedicated to ships as it does airplanes and twice as much as the armor section. About a quarter of their ship inventory is (surprise) submarines. While I don't live in this area anymore, I grew up here, and Lees has always been a fantastic place for models. Whatever they don't have, they'll get it for you. So it could just be a matter of geographics.

most genres of modelling seem to be evolving this way. I still try to support my local shop as much as possible unless the price difference is too great. They will certainly order whatever you want. It's not instant gratification but neither is this hobby!

I agree with Scott. Every ship model I've bought in the last couple of years (about 15), I've bought on the WEB. My LHS carries very little in the way of ships, and the ones they do carry I can get cheaper on-line. Even after shipping cost.

Nope, just diversifiying. Hobbyshops can only carry whay they can move off the shelfs fast, so they cannot afford to carry the vast amount of detail items that ships require. The WEB has really made ship modeling expand. Look at all the new resin, PE, and plan companies that have sprung up in the last 5 years, not to mention what Trumpter has been doing. Also, there are a lot more mediums out there that make it hard for a hobby shop to carry: Plastic, Resin, Vacum Form, Wood, Metal, Paper, and Composite Board. I have noticed a large decline in wooden ship kits over tha last 20 years. Scientific, Dumas, Life-Like, and others are almost extict. But I think it is because there is so many other types a finer detail kits now available to the beginer to start with that has led to this decline and not to loss of interest.

Scott