Border He 111 35th Scale

[Mark_C]

I wonder if there were similar reactions when Tamiya first introduced 1/35 armor all those decades ago?

[cbk57]

8 hours ago, Mark_C said:

I wonder if there were similar reactions when Tamiya first introduced 1/35 armor all those decades ago?

Not a chance, no internet, no social media, modeling was really in its infancy compared to now and Tamiya was a little company mainly focusing on its local market.  Back when Tamiya released its earliest 1/35 kits, the vast majority of builders were building what was offered in their local market, Americans built Revell and Monagram, AMT and JoHan.  The Brits built Airfix.  When I first started building Tamiya kits in the mid 1970s they were fairly rare and mainly found at big hobby shops.  My first one came from Als Hobby Shop in Elmhurst Illinois which was a legendary shop at one time.  K-Mart, Toy stores, other places that had models typically had a large selection of model cars, Revell-Monogram planes and a handful of armor kits.  

 

If you wanted to complain you had to write a letter to the editor of your favorite magazine.  For myself, I got armor kits when I could, I was not into cars but they were just not as common in the 1970s and even in the 1980s Tamiya was mostly only available in Hobby Shops and a thin selection of kits unless you went to one of the big ones.  

 

Even though the hobby is dying(tongue firmly in cheek) the hobby today is much broader than it was then, while simultaneously more kids built models than young kids may build now.  Someone coming into modeling now is more likely to find their way into modeling latter in life instead of earlier.  I really am not even sure we should worry about kids in modeling.  Our greatest recruiter now to modleing is diversity and things like Facebook where all audiences can see things they might want to make themselves being made by people like themselves.

Edited January 31 by cbk57

[thierry laurent]

Do not forget that some years before Tamiya released the first 1/35 kit models were still "accurately scaled" to enter into a standard size box ! So model scales were for many years everything but standard...

[cbk57]

12 hours ago, Phartycr0c said:

Its all a little confusing to me and I ask would anyone buy a 1/37 scale Sherman if one were released? 

 

I cant believe that the choice of 1/35 is driven purely by Diorama integration with armour but then what would I know. 

 

On the other hand, I get the discussion around new improved kits, even on subjects that have already been covered, and therefore view it as an expansion to the hobby in improving choice, HOWEVER, while I may fancy having a crack at the 111 as it does look good, 1/35 doesn't really blow my skirt up as there are no subjects released yet that i'm really interested in. 

 

I do hope these releases are successful as more choice shows the hobby is far from dying, and in time, there may be something for me but in general i'll l be holding on to my hard earned at least until i see some of the 111's reviewed and, who knows, built. 

 

 

 

I suspect there is no more a market for 1/37 Shermans than 1/37 B-17s, your point is something of a red herring argument.  1/35 is well established it just does not happen to have a long tradition of Aircraft in that scale, but 1/35 is a magnitude larger than 1/32.  What is it driven by 1/35 aircraft, one company that has decided to tool such kits without an interview with the parties behind it who knows.

[The Phantom]

Well seems a bit toxic some arguments.

1/35 is perfect to do dioramas.

Happy to build in this scale if the models are as good as the company. 

 

[Super B]

I am building (wrestling) a Revell 1/32 JU88 for a buddy of mine.  There is no way in HECK I am going to tell him about the Border 1/35 He111.  

Edited January 31 by Super B
fumble fingers

[somebody]

any news on the HE 111....feel like it has been awhile without any news

[wunwinglow]

Still waiting to see a diorama of an IJN Carrier deck and an M4 Sherman. 

 

Anyone?