1/200 scale warships.

the Arizona is. There's lots of talk and lots of builds going on but even selling a thousand of them wouldn't be profitable for Trumpeter. The number would have to be a magnitude or so higher before we see more 1/200 ships. Like the 1/32 aircraft, you also run into the "where the heck am I going to put this when I'm done?" thing. 

The larger scales are easier to put stunning detail into and easier for us old guys to see, but they also cost a lot more to produce so it's really a gamble for the manufacturer. The cost of the engineering and mold cutting alone is probably in the millions. Add all those pounds of plastic and shipping and handling and the price has to be pretty hefty for any profits at all. That means they have to sell a LOT of them so the subject has to be very popular to sell thousands of them at $250 or more each.

Sadly that means the same old ships in a larger scale.

I would guess that there are more in the pipeline but what, from whom, and when is the question. 

The two drawbacks to me are price and display space needed.  I have done a lot of large scale ships and am suffering for it now.  My wife does not mind my Great Lakes ships, but I am doing a lot of other things now and frankly do not know what I will do with two large ships I have under construction now.

Hey, Don.  How's the Reale shaping up?

Have to agree with all here; would be fantastic to have more at the "old eyes scale" - but just like Tamiya's 1/16th armor - they will be expensive and of limited types. Think; Bismarck, Hood (maybe), NJersey, Yamato, KGV.

Really doubt we'd see an Iron Duke, Ostfriesland, Texas, Indianapolis, Graf Spee, et al.

Same display issues with the old 1/96th sailing ships; Cutty Sark and Constitution were easier on the eyes at 1/96th - but they take up a lot of room. Even 1/196th has display challenges.

Yeah, size matters, which is why I stick with 1/700 for ships and 1/72 or 1/144 for aircraft ... although as my eyes age I am seriously thinking that my next kit purchases will be the next level up size-wise.

Just as soon as I figure out where to put the beasts, that is!

Bigb123

Hey, Don.  How's the Reale shaping up?

Yeah, the Reale is an example of what I mean. I am building it with the oars deployed. It is only 34 inches long, and I have ships longer than that.  But the base I am making to protect the oars is fifteen inches wide!  That will not fit on shelves or mantle, so not sure where I will end up displaying it.  My lakers, narrow in order to fit in locks, can fit on pretty narrow shelves.  Also have a big tugboat, still unstarted, which is a wide sucker too!

I am planning to do several lakers now in 1:350 or 1:500.  Photoetched railings available, too- no more individual stanchions to thread :-)

mfsob

Yeah, size matters, which is why I stick with 1/700 for ships and 1/72 or 1/144 for aircraft ... although as my eyes age I am seriously thinking that my next kit purchases will be the next level up size-wise.

Just as soon as I figure out where to put the beasts, that is!

Try this: display them on the water.  I am planning to rig my Arizona for R/C.  It will be the same scale as my Titanic which I am building from the Mantua kit.  That one is a 52 inch monster but she will look so beautiful on the water that I cannot wait to finish it but I fear it will be summer of 2012 before she sails because at this point, the hull is just planked and needs to be glassed and the running gear installed before I can start up from the deck.  I would love to see even the old standbys in that scale.  Bismarck, Missouri, Yamato, Hood, even Graf Spee seem likely if the manufacturers are interested in starting a new scale category and I would want all of them if they were available.  Buy up the Arizona and Trumpeter may be tempted to go for another subject in that scale.

I guess this does not answer the question of where to put them when you are not sailing them but I still wanted to do a pitch for R/C.

I see that the bugaboo of "where do you put them" has finally reared it,s ugly head .I have solved that problem easily . I use shelf brackets of the size I need and simply hang them on the wall! The lighter weight ships are in a large bookcase.The big boys are at different levels in my room at the home where I room and board .They look neat , at least that is what my landlady says . I have had the garage upgraded electrically at my expense for her and I (I do models of all types and sizes and she does stained glass ) That way she doesn,t get distressed when I add more holes to my walls . And remember I have some clients also, so I keep the shop/garage busy.        tankerbuilder

tankerbuilder

I use shelf brackets of the size I need and simply hang them on the wall! The lighter weight ships are in a large bookcase.The big boys are at different levels in my room at the home where I room and board ..        tankerbuilder

I love that idea!  I, too, room at a home.  Since my Multiple Sclerosis has gotten the better of me, I've been forced to move into an assisted living home run by the nicest Catholic Sisters you will ever meet and I was wondering the same thing about my Titanic and my Arizona and even my 1/350 Nimitz for that matter.  (I picked her up on ebay for $89.00 including shipping.)  Hanging wall shelves will solve my problem since table space is simply non existent.  Thanks for the tip.  Now for someone to release HMS Hood in 1/200 or Bismarck.  Sweeeet!

Something we wingnuts do is hang our models nose down on the wall. It's a pleasant surprise that often the plan form is the most interesting.

tankbuilder, one word - CAT.

And that's all I've got to say about that.

Hi everyone,

Along the same lines, you can extend shelves on a bookcase. First you have to make sure the shelf is firmly attached to the surrounding structure, not just sitting on some plastic shelf pegs. Next cut a piece of plywood, interior grade, the same width as the shelf. Make it longer than the original shelf, You can also extend it on either side of the original shelf for a longer subject. (it will be shape like a "T" ) Drill several holes into the new shelf and the existing one slip some bolts in and tighten down. Stain/finish the new shelf . The new shelf can also be finished as a diorama with water, docks etc. You will still need to keep the felines away as these perches can be somewhat tempting and out of major traffic areas so nothing runs into them. and you need bookcases to begin with.

I've used this several times for larger subjects

Good luck!

Jack