BIGGER new models?

I love it. I love the presence the big kits have. While I can certainly appreciate the artistry people can put into a 1/72 this or 1/700 that, they don't grab me the way a big 1/32 Jug does, or a 1/144 destroyer. 

I think there is a point where the sizes start becoming ludicrous, and if you're building something large in a large scale, it's going to have to be almost the flagship of your collection. But what that point is depends on the modeler, the display space they have, and how much they're willing to spend. For me, it's 1/48 four-engine bombers and I guess the new crop of 1/32 twin-engines coming down the line. I've got Revell's Ju 88A-1, have HK's B-25J on pre-order, and REALLY WANT WingXL's B-26, if it becomes a reality. They eat room fast, though, that's for sure, and I don't think I'd be willing to throw down for, say, the planned HK B-17 and Lancaster. Maybe if either one of those was my absolute favorite, it'd be a different story...and I'm also fortunate enough to have largely cleared up my display space issues (though I still need to actually get things sorted, I at least have a plan). 

Big kits are one of the main reasons I returned to the hobby after a 20 year hiatus.  I only had 1/72 kits as a kid and always wanted to work in larger scales.  Now, I have enough income to indulge in my desire to build bigger models, but space is becoming an issue.  I have several things on hold until I can sort out the long term storage and display problem.

When it comes to aircraft i am a 72nd scale builder anyway. I don't consider it to be small, just the norm. I do have a small selection of 32nd kits, but its very select. But i am not a big fan of these larger scales. But, if others like it thats fine, just as long as 72nd doesn't lose out.

I have a few 1/350 ships,but that is the biggest I will go,no large a/c above 1/48 or armor above 1/35,just no place to display it

This is clearly the kit manufacturers responding to the declining eyesight of their aging customer base. The move to larger scale, more detailed kits shows that manufacturers are fully aware of who buys their product and are going all out to cater to that demographic. 

We're older, we have diminished eyesight, we crave "more" from our kits and we have the money to buy what we have asked for and we are the largest percentage of customers.

And some of the nice, new armor kits are 1/24 and 1/16 scale. Manufacturers are recognizing the fact that their target audience is getting older and one of the common signs of aging is weakened eyesight.

Plus they can cramp a lot more detail into a larger scale model and we have deeper pockets now that we're older.

Once upon a time, about the biggest sub kit you could get would be 1/350 or 1/400. Today there are several 1/72 scale submarines. Eventually, you'll see smaller but similar sized surface craft in 1/72 scale.

Wingnut Wings have, along with Roden, proven that 1/32 is actually the ideal scale for WWI aircraft. Many of their offerings are actually not much bigger than the 1/48 single engine WWII birds from other manufacturers.

Well, I'm one of those older modelers with the declining eyesight and glad the manufacturers are coming out with larger kits. I've been finishing up any kits up to and including 1/72 and moving on to larger sizes. I have been drooling ever since the big Gato came out. I'm hoping that they come out with a Destroyer of the same size. Got a few ideas for a dio using both of them. I have a set of plans buried somewhere for a destroyer but don't feel like scratch building it. Have already got a few 1/32 aircraft and checked them out. They are a sight for these old eyes. The prices on the ships will come down by the time I'm ready to build.

Jim

PaintsWithBrush

This is clearly the kit manufacturers responding to the declining eyesight of their aging customer base. The move to larger scale, more detailed kits shows that manufacturers are fully aware of who buys their product and are going all out to cater to that demographic. 

We're older, we have diminished eyesight, we crave "more" from our kits and we have the money to buy what we have asked for and we are the largest percentage of customers.

Now what to do with all these 1/48 kits in the stash?

Reasoned

Now what to do with all these 1/48 kits in the stash?

Go on a building frenzy before I get too blind to deal with them. That or try and claim them as "investment" items.

Its not new . Remeber the 1/32nd armor from Monogram and Renwall 30 yrs ago ? 1/32nd aircraft were a big thing from Revell in the 70's. That 1/32nd Renwall "Atomic Cannon" was a lot of plastic back then and is agian in re-release . To bad aircraft and armor didnt all stay in 1/32nd . Looks like the interest in big hunks of plastic models is comming around again .

PaintsWithBrush

 

We're older, we have diminished eyesight, we crave "more" from our kits and we have the money to buy what we have asked for and we are the largest percentage of customers.

Well i don't intend to let age stop me building 72nd kits. Theres always an optivisor for the eyes. So until i go blind or my hands start shaking so much i can't hold a paint brush, i will be sticking with the true scale.

1/1 scale?

I'm not excited about it.  Two problems. First, where do I stick these things when I am done.  I have two cabinets full of models now, with lots of others around the house in various places. I have decided to concentrate on smaller scales.

Second, the prices! I think they are using the size as an excuse to ask for really big price increases.  Seems to me the increases in kit prices lately are well above general inflation, and making really big stuff seems like a way to make it harder to compare with past prices.

Thats something I never understood..  1/32nd aircraft and 1/35th armor?  1/24 AND 1/25 cars?  Why couldnt they all just stick to a few common sizes?  Cant put a front line airstrip with a plane and a piece of artillery, because its hard to sync up the sizes.

[quote user="Bish".......]i will be sticking with the true scale.

[/quote]

I'm guessing that you mean "Whatever scale a builder prefers" rather than "What I do is the one and only true way". 

[quote user="PaintsWithBrush"]

[quote user="Bish".......]i will be sticking with the true scale.

[/quote]

I'm guessing that you mean "Whatever scale a builder prefers" rather than "What I do is the one and only true way". 

[/quote]

Yes, of course

Reasoned

 

 

 

 Now what to do with all these 1/48 kits in the stash?

You only ask that question because Hans hasn't volunteered to take them off your hands.................

he'd give 'em a good home.....

As for larger scales, I agree with Rob Gronovius.

weakened eyesight and deeper pockets.

I think that loosing eye sight has nothing to do with the increase of subjects in 1/32 or 1/24 scale. I think it has more to do with disposable income from older builders. I'm mostly an OOB builder, but I've seen a great trend on super detailing models helping a lot of AM companies stay in business and even newer AM offerings being born. Many of those after market sets are more expensive than the base kit itself and manufacturers are taking note. We can have 20/20, but I don't think that any manufacturer will commit to larger molds and all the expenses related to a new larger X or Y subject if we don't commit our pockets to them.

Scale and subject is very subjective. I'm about to start a 1/48 He-111-22 that has a larger wingspan than my 1/32 Tamiya F-16 CJ and Tamiya F-4 Phantom II. I have next to a 1/48 Tamiya ZERO 52 a Fairey Gannet 1/72 which for the untrained eye of home visitors, will look like the same scale.

My humble opinion.

George

i think it is really cool to see things in scales where ALL the datail can be seen....especially of a real good scratchbuilder gets their hands on a 1/32 or 1/24 aorcraft and just goes nuts with detail. i seen a 1/24 P-47 in Fine Scale a long time ago that was completely plumbed, wired, cabled, and had a speaker and electric motor that "started" the engine whe a hidden button was pushed. One of my favorite aircraft is the B-52, and although im sure i will regret this if one ever comes out, but i would LOVE to build one in 1/48 thats injection molded, there are vaccu-formed ones out there, but i hear an entire kit in vaccu-formed plastic can be a real bear to do even for a fairly experienced modeler.

B 52 in 1/48th , now that would probably need some kind of supportive frame inside . The wingspan would be 46 inches and the length 39 inches !!!!!

I build 1/48 scale and sometimes I wish I had standardized on 1/72.

The bigger, the more expensive. And then where do you find the room for it.

Sure the big scales are impressive, but you don't get nothin' for nothin'. There are trade offs.

Shellback

Its not new . Remeber the 1/32nd armor from Monogram and Renwall 30 yrs ago ? 1/32nd aircraft were a big thing from Revell in the 70's. That 1/32nd Renwall "Atomic Cannon" was a lot of plastic back then and is agian in re-release . To bad aircraft and armor didnt all stay in 1/32nd . Looks like the interest in big hunks of plastic models is comming around again .

Yes but those Revell 32nd scale kits cost nothing near what these new kits do, even with inflation. I don't get this big new 1/32 aircraft kick. The models are cool of course, but with these new big bomber releases, I have no idea what to think or who these manufactures are catering to. Way to expensive for me, even considering the detail and time invested vs. cost. I guess they figure enough people will buy them for the cool factor? Don't get me wrong I will admire anyone who can buy and build one of these kits and make it a masterpiece, but i think these large kits are getting a little crazy and are surely not geared toward the "average" modeler...(remember Accurate Miniature's motto?) But every Manufacturer is different, which is good for the industry.

Nathan T

Shellback:

Its not new . Remeber the 1/32nd armor from Monogram and Renwall 30 yrs ago ? 1/32nd aircraft were a big thing from Revell in the 70's. That 1/32nd Renwall "Atomic Cannon" was a lot of plastic back then and is agian in re-release . To bad aircraft and armor didnt all stay in 1/32nd . Looks like the interest in big hunks of plastic models is comming around again .

 

Yes but those Revell 32nd scale kits cost nothing near what these new kits do, even with inflation. I don't get this big new 1/32 aircraft kick. The models are cool of course, but with these new big bomber releases, I have no idea what to think or who these manufactures are catering to. Way to expensive for me, even considering the detail and time invested vs. cost. I guess they figure enough people will buy them for the cool factor? Don't get me wrong I will admire anyone who can buy and build one of these kits and make it a masterpiece, but i think these large kits are getting a little crazy and are surely not geared toward the "average" modeler...(remember Accurate Miniature's motto?) But every Manufacturer is different, which is good for the industry.

But some of these kits are not really that expensive. If you look at the recent Revell 1/32nd releases, the Ju 88 and He 111, there are 72nd kits that cost more than theres.

The question is more do you have somewhere to display it.

fox

Well, I'm one of those older modelers with the declining eyesight and glad the manufacturers are coming out with larger kits. I've been finishing up any kits up to and including 1/72 and moving on to larger sizes. I have been drooling ever since the big Gato came out. I'm hoping that they come out with a Destroyer of the same size. Got a few ideas for a dio using both of them. I have a set of plans buried somewhere for a destroyer but don't feel like scratch building it. Have already got a few 1/32 aircraft and checked them out. They are a sight for these old eyes. The prices on the ships will come down by the time I'm ready to build.

Jim

I'm another.  However, reading glasses are cheap at drug stores and big box discount stores, so eyesight shouldn't be a problem. My problem is finger joints and lack of mobility of same.  Still, the fact that my model collection is squeezing me out of house means I made a committment to work in smaller scale.  Folks tell me, "use it or lose it," and that seems to make sense.  So on to the smaller stuff :-)

I'm kinda like a dog chasing a car when it comes to these big kits - I sure like to look at them & think they're a great idea (even saving a little eye strain for some of us!), but wouldn't have anywhere to put it once I caught/built one.

VanceCrozier

..........big kits - I sure like to look at them & think they're a great idea (even saving a little eye strain for some of us!), but wouldn't have anywhere to put it once I caught/built one.

This may be a practical application for those scientific theories about an Alternate Dimension.

i think big kits are cool to look at as well, and there are a couple i would like to do, three aircraft and two ships come to mind, a 1/24 P-47, 1/48 B-52 (not on the market, as mentioned earlier), 1/48 ME264 Amerika Bomber, and 1/350 Yamato and Bismark battleships. if i ever got the chance to do these, i would find room for them. are they expensive? yes thay are, but i have been fishing just as long as modeling and spent WAY more money on fishing equipment than model kits, and honestly modeling is a better stress reliever. Big and expensive kits are like candy: best in moderation. big kits are just like any other genre of kits: some like them, others despise them. like them or not, they are here, and will continue to be for quite some time.

If anybody ever makes a 1:1 kit of the P-47, I'll put it in the backyard...wouldn't even have to weather it!