Anyone seeing a trend where model car builders are gravitating towards model aircraft building?

[THarrison351]

I built a bunch of aircraft back in the eighties both modern and WWII. I learned some airbrushing skills and paper masking for camo. I also got pretty good at seam filling. All my WWII aircraft (7) were hung in the shop I worked in. When the Air Force shuttered it in 1985, I gave those away to the guys I had worked with. When I got married in 1987, I stopped building airplanes and when I moved from NC to California in 1994, I gave all the ones I had built (about 20) and the ones I hadn't built (15-20) to a neighbor who was a builder. Recently, my son has given me an airplane every few years as a birthday gift. I haven't built any of them yet. I did buy a several pre-painted models from Squadron Models last year and finished them. They're hanging in my hobby room now.

[Richard Bartrop]

And whatever the trends may be, there's absolutely nothing saying that you can't build what you want.

 

[Pete J.]

I'm an ex Air Force pilot so yes, I build aircraft.  I have also owned more than a few sportscars(240Z, 911, MR2) and some hot hatches so yes I build auto subjects.  It is always a matter of what look interesting in my stash at the moment.  A trend?  Well if you call doing this for 60+ years, yup, it's a trend.😉

[peteski]

On 10/19/2020 at 10:30 PM, GMP440 said:

I've noticed in our model car club that some of our members are getting into model aircraft building.  Anyone else noticing this in their club.  I'm also starting to see more aircraft and military kits being bought and sold on some of the model car selling sites on FB.  Anyone else noticing this trend where they are at?  Is this a temporary phase or are we seeing a gradual  move away from model car building?

Didn't you ask the same question (and got replies) in the General section of the forum?  Widening your audience?

I was never a single genera modeler.  I like to build cars, planes, spaceships, motorcycles, trucks, even some fantasy stuff. When I was younger built few armor kits too.  Whatever catches my eye. I'm also into N scale model trains (and that also consists of working on structure kits).

[slusher]

I started in aircraft as kit and not until this year I bought a couple helicopters so he has a point....

[Fat Brian]

The gearhead in me loves armor and aircraft but I find modeling them creatively stifling. The limited number of correct ways to build the thing gets to me after a bit.

[tim boyd]

12 hours ago, Snake45 said:

If anything, I'm noticing more aircraft modelers branching out into cars these days. 

What Richard says. 

Also, various industry sources tell me this has been a blockbuster year for model car and (especially) model truck kit sales....

TIM 

[Snake45]

42 minutes ago, Fat Brian said:

The gearhead in me loves armor and aircraft but I find modeling them creatively stifling. The limited number of correct ways to build the thing gets to me after a bit.

Yeah, "customizing" is virtually unknown in aircraft and armor modeling, though there are a very, very few who like to build "what-if" versions of things. 

[Mike999]

35 minutes ago, Snake45 said:

Yeah, "customizing" is virtually unknown in aircraft and armor modeling, though there are a very, very few who like to build "what-if" versions of things. 

Certainly true in WWII armor modeling.  Especially German armor, where Der Experten will clobber you for getting the number of screws wrong underneath the Panzer XVII Wunder-Blitzen (only 1 prototype built).

But "customizing" is getting more popular in armor modeling, especially with modern subjects from more recent wars.  Toyota pickup trucks with ZSU-23 guns in the bed, bigger trucks with Katyusha rocket launchers mounted on them, etc.  

And a personal fave I intend to build some day, this weirdo from the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990's:  a T-55 tank chassis with the turret from a WWII-vintage M18 Hellcat. I have a couple of books about improvised armor of the Yugo Wars with some amazing photos: an armor-plated VW Beetle, heavy rubber sheets from factory conveyor belts hanging off of tanks as supplemental armor, etc.

 

[Fat Brian]

3 hours ago, Snake45 said:

Yeah, "customizing" is virtually unknown in aircraft and armor modeling, though there are a very, very few who like to build "what-if" versions of things. 

There's one "what if" thing I've been mulling over but haven't tried to build yet. It's a Panzer IV with a modified Panther turret, basically a cheap tank that could mount the long 75mm that would have given Allies a fit. It was kind of a thought experiment in what would have been an actually effective weapon instead of the crazy things the Germans really did.

[SfanGoch]

It wouldn't have worked. The Pz IV Ausf. J chassis, already overloaded and at it's limit weight-wise, wouldn't have been able to carry the additional 7.5 ton load of the Schmalturm. This is why Krupp informed Wa Pruf 6 that this combination was impractical.

Edited October 21, 2020 by SfanGoch

[Fat Brian]

19 minutes ago, SfanGoch said:

It wouldn't have worked. The Pz IV Ausf. J chassis, already overloaded and at it's limit weight-wise, wouldn't have been able to carry the additional 7.5 ton load of the Schmalturm. This is why Krupp informed Wa Pruf 6 that this combination was impractical.

Interesting, I've wondered why they didn't build this but hadn't really started researching it yet. Thanks for posting this, this gives me something to think about. I knew the turret rings were different sizes but hadn't got much further. 

[SfanGoch]

There are a number of sites to check out, Brian. Tank Encyclopedia is a good start.

[GMP440]

15 hours ago, peteski said:

Didn't you ask the same question (and got replies) in the General section of the forum?  Widening your audience?

I was never a single genera modeler.  I like to build cars, planes, spaceships, motorcycles, trucks, even some fantasy stuff. When I was younger built few armor kits too.  Whatever catches my eye. I'm also into N scale model trains (and that also consists of working on structure kits).

 Yes, it is a good way to widen the audience. However, I initially started the topic in the General section.  Went back a day later , but could not find the thread. That's why I started the post again in this forum.

[PatW]

I've built various things over the years, only 60 of them! But having only one local (20+ miles away) model club and finding out beforehand that over 95% of the members only build military vehicles or military planes and showed no interest at all in my car builds, put me off as they weren't interested in my builds or skills. So no heading towards and killing machines either in tanks or planes thanks.

Edited October 21, 2020 by PatW

[Dave Ambrose]

Airplanes are a fun change from cars. 

I seem to bounce between cars, imaginary flying machines, and submarines named Nautilus. I have a few airplanes in my stash that I want to build sooner rather than later. One is an F-4U Corsair armed with the shaped charge warheads. My dad worked on those as a recent college grad, as did my uncle. 

[Nazz]

In my club, there are a lot of  armour builders. Maybe because all you have to do is glue it together and paint it green. LOL Seriously though, I have always built all kinds of models from figures to cars and pretty much everything in between. I guess it depends on where you live  and what the guys are into?  I really enjoy all different types of models and believe a person can learn from different builds. I find that just because you aren't into type doesn't mean  you can't appreciate the craftsmanship.  Sorry , I hope that didn't come out preachy. To answer the question, no I have not noticed a move the aircraft, although I would like to build the 1/32 scale He 100 I have in my collection.

 

Jerry

[vamach1]

2 hours ago, Nazz said:

In my club, there are a lot of  armour builders. Maybe because all you have to do is glue it together and paint it green. LOL Seriously though, I have always built all kinds of models from figures to cars and pretty much everything in between. I guess it depends on where you live  and what the guys are into?  I really enjoy all different types of models and believe a person can learn from different builds. I find that just because you aren't into type doesn't mean  you can't appreciate the craftsmanship.  Sorry , I hope that didn't come out preachy. To answer the question, no I have not noticed a move the aircraft, although I would like to build the 1/32 scale He 100 I have in my collection.

 

Jerry

The local IPMS chapter is mostly military modelers which is typical of many IPMS clubs.  Despite it being a ten minute drive away for monthly meetings (before Covid) I would drive a half hour to the Maryland Automotive Modelers Association meetings since I build only cars as do most of the other members.  IPMS contests are okay as they have some civilian vehicle categories but the meetings are a snooze fest to me and there are only a handful of car builders and almost no kits I am interested in buying there from vendors.  I built a few planes and tanks when I was a child but they were casualties of my childhood and were either blown up with firecrackers and/or burned up. 😉

[doorsovdoon]

Aircraft building has always been more popular in the UK, trains too. That trend will never change here I don't think. I built one or two Airfix kits when I was really young, Christmas presents from family. I'd hang them on string from the bedroom ceiling, haha. Memories.

Edited October 22, 2020 by doorsovdoon

[Hard_2_Handle_454]

I started on planes and moved to cars.  My dad was a pilot, so I was surrounded by model aircraft growing up.

[Marcin M.]

I started with trucks and passenger cars in 1:24 scale, then some military stuff and one (1  )ship. I do not make airplanes because I do not have enough skills, they are better than me. I am currently painting busts and figurines. I think I'll stay

There is nothing wrong with developing your passion in different directions. Whoever does not go forward, goes backward.
In Poland, we have a proverb: with only one mouse hole, a cat dies.

Greetings.

[Jim B]

Interesting proverb.

I generally don't consider myself a "car guy", but I would say that my primary focus is automotive (cars & heavy trucks).  I generally build whatever strikes my fancy.  In addition to automotive subjects, I have built aircraft in 1/144 & 1/48, helicopters, 1/700 ships, and Star Trek kits.  I used to do some military, but some of the military modelers really take all the fun out of it.

[Marcin M.]

33 minutes ago, Jim B said:

I have built aircraft in 1/144 & 1/48, helicopters, 1/700 ships, and Star Trek kits. 

That's a wide range!

[Mike 1017]

IMO the military end of the hobby subsidizes the model car hobby. 

[Tom Geiger]

I’m curious as to the “why” people build what they do. What makes you passionate about cars, trucks, Fantasy / sci fi,  aircraft or military models?

Is it something that’s always been deep inside you? Or caused by life events, such as a stint in the service?

With me it’s always been cars, from the first I could remember.  Maybe my first ride home from the hospital in a 54 Studebaker?  Or my father’s interest in cars rubbed off on me from the very beginning.

I have never been a pilot or in the military. I did mention earlier I was an army brat and grew up in bases around the world. Still, military equipment never clicked with me. I can identify much of it but feel no passion or need to model it.

What makes you click?