I too have wondered the same thing - about the relative disparity
between WW I aircraft models obviously sold - to those actually built.
They do seem to sell well, "fly off the shelves", in the words of one
of my local hobby shop owners (Brian @ Waldo Hobbies of KC, MO). But
like Shane's experiance, and despite the related Colorado show report,
WW I models do not show up at contests, or at IPMS chapter meetings in
anywhere near the numbers that they seem to be purchased in.
I personally know of a number of modelers here who have bought all the
new Eduard & DML 1/48 scale kits simply because they are such neat
kits (extensive photo etch, large decal sheets, great box art, fresh
subjects. etc.), but these kits stay on their shelves while they work
on yet another 1/48 Hasegawa P-51, or Tamiya Spitfire. They love to
pull them down every now and then to fondle the parts and dream about
how nice the finished model would be, etc. only to slip it back on the
shelf and instead start building that Hobbycraft P-35 or something.
I have several theries on this phenomenon (warped or off base as
they/I may be!);
1) The rigging aspect. As someone else pointed out, I too think this
is daunting to many, even though the model is attractive enough to
buy.
2) Reference material is not that available. Lets face it, Information
on WW I stuff - relative to almost ANY other era - is practically
non-existant! (I'm still appalled at the number of people on this net
who are unaware of Windsock magazine and Windsock Datafiles. Or worse,
are aware, but do not subscribe! Windsock being about the ONLY reliable
source of accurate information). So I think the dearth of reference
material is A BIG deterent to those starting a WW I kit - especially to
those who may be just trying to start out in this era.
3) The variety of available kits is 'not there'. Until recently, if
you wanted to build WW I aircraft you were stuck with vacforms,
scratchbuilds, or re-vamping those ancient Aurora, Airfix & Revell
kits. I think this puts off many 'would be' WW I modelers. We're only
now seeing the purchases of these new kits by the (primarily) WW II
modeler. They've got to take the next step.
4) Two, or three wings! How to get all those struts angled right, and
the correct length, and then to get the whole mess to align right while
the glue dries....(this STILL gives me fits sometimes so I should be the
last one to complain about it!).
Anyway, does anyone else have other ideas why we don't see more WW I
stuff at our IPMS chapter meetings, or on contest tables, despite the
quantity sold?
Steve H.