OK, points well taken. I noticed the other day that our local Hobby Lobby had Tamiya 1:35 figures for something like 40% off (so does that mean they are missing most of the bottom half ). Sorry that was really bad. Our local hobby shop also carries a pretty good selection of 1:35 figures so I will head down that path (eventually). I still have a 1:144 scale F4 that I am trying to finish and place in a very small vignette for a co-worker who was a wild weasle pilot in the gulf war. I am realizing that a few of the things that appeal to me about figures are...
Not a lot of investment for a lot of practice and more challenge than I could meet in a lifetime (especially if I heed the good 1:35) advice.
Not much space required to display them or store them.
And I love to stare at a well done historical figure of any kind. It really gets my mind to thinking about what transpired in the real world at that time for the individual that is being depicted.
Of course I can already see that as the skills progress the urge for larger displays and complex diaromas become the "bug light" for the poor unsuspecting modeler.