[Shamrock]

Space the Final Frontier! Boy was he right about that. With over 150+, 5 due in tomorrow, and the new Tiffies due from Corgi this week(fingers crossed) I'm going up the walls literally. I found in my local DIY superstore SPUR (no comments please Skunky) clip together, stand alone shelving which will hold between 10-12 1/72 models either on stands or wheels down.

I have a friend who runs a model stand at fairs and I recycle models that I bought on impulse through him otherwise the house would have collapsed due to the weight of metal! I'm fortunate enough to have most of the 'rare' Corgis which will never leave my sight. Dusting is another chore which takes on average three nights every 3 weeks or so. A lot of words sounding like duck, buck, muck, eminate from the den when a minute piece of Dragon goes missing on the floor! The joys of being a collector.

[flaps]

Buy Buy Buy, thats my motto. I get what I want and of course can afford, Space does not matter too me. I make room. Some are on display, some are boxed, then I change em out every few months for a whole new display, and cleaning them, reboxing and putting out new is actually really fun.

Flaps

[hworth18]

My collection exceeded my display space long ago.......
I often rotate planes out (as most of you know) to make room or atleast empty storage space for new planes and new directions.. I am fortunate that I have a wife who understands that I have a hobby, although the "don't ask, don't tell" rule comes into play quite often, because I don't think she even wants to know what I have spent on my "hobby"..

I know many won't agree, but I am for the "less is more" approach and going back to a time when we didn't have 8+ manufacturers vying for our dollars.. Airplane releases meant more back then and I was so much more appreciative of a new model showing up on my doorstep.. The resale value was also at a premium, which is what I think "collecting" is all about.. I don't want to think that 5 years from now, all this money I have spent on my "hobby" was actually flushed down the toilet on a bunch of planes that will end up as sandbox toys for a 6 year old..

A moratorium??? No..... A reduction?? Yes!!!!

[Merritec]

Guys I can feel your pain. Guess I am lucky because I sell as well as collect, and the wife can't tell the difference between the piles that are for sale and the piles waiting to find shelf room.

Planes are getting so close together now, that new shelving solutions are needed.

[Cardinal]

Originally Posted by hworth18

My collection exceeded my display space long ago.......
I often rotate planes out (as most of you know) to make room or atleast empty storage space for new planes and new directions.. I am fortunate that I have a wife who understands that I have a hobby, although the "don't ask, don't tell" rule comes into play quite often, because I don't think she even wants to know what I have spent on my "hobby"..

I know many won't agree, but I am for the "less is more" approach and going back to a time when we didn't have 8+ manufacturers vying for our dollars.. Airplane releases meant more back then and I was so much more appreciative of a new model showing up on my doorstep.. The resale value was also at a premium, which is what I think "collecting" is all about.. I don't want to think that 5 years from now, all this money I have spent on my "hobby" was actually flushed down the toilet on a bunch of planes that will end up as sandbox toys for a 6 year old..

A moratorium??? No..... A reduction?? Yes!!!!

I have to agree with you on this Harry - less is more in a sense .

This is one of the reasons why I've virtually stopped collecting 1/72 WWII aircraft in favour of 1/48 and some 1/32 (which are thankfully limited in their scope). Getting the occasional perfect model (e.g. Carousel FW190D11 Red 4 ) is for me far more satisfying than getting three 'good' 1/72 fighters, although I must admit that I'm still tempted by models such as the 'Black Cat' Catalina and the Halifax, but will resist where possible .

(My strategy may be flawed though as there are an increasing number of good 1/48 scale aircraft due in the near future and this scale seems to be becoming increasingly popular - bring on the 1/48 Spitfire and Buffalo from HM and the Texans and P47s from EI .)

As regards display space ...what's that?

[1250ships]

Like everyone else I have limited display space that must be shared between 1/1250 ships, 1/400 airliners, and 1/72 warbirds. I tend to purge the collection every couple of months. Late last year I unloaded about 25% of my airliners for example.

I hate the idea of having the model just sitting in a closet. If they won't be on display I'll sell something so I can display them.

[jim]

Originally Posted by Cardinal

I have to agree with you on this Harry - less is more in a sense .

This is one of the reasons why I've virtually stopped collecting 1/72 WWII aircraft in favour of 1/48 and some 1/32 (which are thankfully limited in their scope). Getting the occasional perfect model (e.g. Carousel FW190D11 Red 4 ) is for me far more satisfying than getting three 'good' 1/72 fighters, although I must admit that I'm still tempted by models such as the 'Black Cat' Catalina and the Halifax, but will resist where possible .

(My strategy may be flawed though as there are an increasing number of good 1/48 scale aircraft due in the near future and this scale seems to be becoming increasingly popular - bring on the 1/48 Spitfire and Buffalo from HM and the Texans and P47s from EI .)

As regards display space ...what's that?

It helps fellow diecasters to hear that others have the same problems. I am in hot water with her indoors at the moment because I have too many models about the place (impossible). However I have had a really good day today.
Because I am in trouble I thought it best to indulge her when she said "we" had to go out and get her father a birthday present. I took her to a big shopping Mall for the day (purgatory for me). Joy of Joys I found a small diecast shop and I got to see a few of the newer models on sale. All the models were on sale at full retail price. When Lorraine (er indoors) saw those prices she said " well you did some good deals to get yours at the prices you paid"!!! Not being slow to use an advantage ,I quickly replied "well darling you know I try to be carefull and not spend too much , you would never see me pay so much for a model". ( eg, Al Deere Spit 1/32 £99.99). She then pondered a while and spake thus "you must have made a good investment then ,well done"!!!
I was so overwhelmed by this unexpected praise I got completely carried away and bought her dinner !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Her father did not do too badly either, he got a complete set of Band of Brothers DVDs an F1 book and some other bits and bobs.

Must mention that I saw the Cats in the flesh so to speak for the first time. Now I know why everyone is so full of praise for them, they are indeed superb models.
The P38 looks brilliant too. I liked all of them . But I shall only buy one of them ,but which one ? Oh yes and of course one of the Cats and One of the Lysanders and oh yes there is the Buffalo to add to my 1/48 scale P40 and Dora and then there is the !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH HECK.

[ZS-VAN]

For me it's about escalating costs of both the models and postage. There's also so much being released so quickly I just can't keep up! I'm having to be much more selective these days! I'm not too concerned about the scape because I can't display all my models anyway.

[Cardinal]

Originally Posted by ZS-VAN

For me it's about escalating costs of both the models and postage. There's also so much being released so quickly I just can't keep up! I'm having to be much more selective these days! I'm not too concerned about the scape because I can't display all my models anyway.

Agreed ... burnout remains a distinct danger in this hobby with all the great new releases - on the other hand we may also complain if there were too few releases ...

[TopHat]

When I began collecting diecast (I also collect 1/18 scale autos in addition to 1/48 aircraft), Armour was actually CDC, the Armour planes came in a red and tan box, and there were about half a dozen different 1/48 models to choose from (3 Phantoms, a P-51 and an Me109 I think). Pretty limited selection.

As more Armour models were released, I quickly fell into the "trap" of buying every different livery of the Navy Phantom, Hornet, Tomcat, etc. AF birds I'd mostly get in onsies and twosies. I scrambled to acquire them and before I knew it, I had more models than shelf space to display them.

Now, years later, I have gone through my collection with the eBay scythe at least twice, and another sweep is imminent. My collection is at the point now where I have narrowed my collection down to the really scarce birds (such as my Navy Aggressor F-16, Aggressor F-18 and Screaming Eagles F-4) and the ones I really, really like. I just can't get each variation of paint job, though I'd still like to.

Now, I have a representative F-15, F-16, etc. My only multiples are Navy birds, and now instead of every Tomcat, I have three. Same with the Phantoms, Hornets, etc.

BTW, my wife calls them my "toys".