[Cruver Collecter]

Looks and accuracy come first, but do like the feel of a diecast model.

[dboulais]

Has anyone else had their cat decide that the bottm shelf of their aircraft display case was a good place to take a nap? This was on top of the aircraft, rudders, propellers and antennas and all!!!!!! She picked the only case I had not installed the front glass in yet. But since they were all metal, only a few propellers got bent. So I like metal. My shelves are 1/4" thick tempered glass 48" wide x 15" deep supported in the center back and on the ends. I've not had any fear of them coming crashing down on each other. And if you load them up with four B-24's or Lancasters or B-17's per shelf like I did, I was waiting for something bad to happen, but so far it has not. I love the heft of metal. It's the way to go As long as the level of detail (or lack of it) of the metal models does not make me feel ashamed, when I show the collection to other military history / modeler friends. I like MODELS, not toys. I'm a model collector, NOT a toy collector. So, I do have detailed plastic models sprinkled throughout my 1600 model aircraft / tank collection. Heck, I'm still waiting for some company to make really nice metal 1/700 scale ships to take the place of my 300 model plastic collection. The 1/700 scale metal ships on the market now to me are TOYS not models.

[Nimrod48]

Realism is paramount in a serious model so the material is of secondary importance to me, I live in hope that Corgi will produce a 1:72 Vulcan & I guess that would have to be a plastic/metal content of around 60/40% for weight & production costs

[Gort]

I'll tell ya, though ... 21st Century's first-issue light truck (specifically their panzer-gray transport) is nearly all metal (as opposed to their newest all-plastic Marders), and it makes a BIG difference. In this case, the transport lacks nothing in detail and exactness and realism; coupled with cold metal, it's extremely desirable (not to mention impossible to find).

Like I said, I go for looks first, but dang it---I love that heavy feeling, too. Something about metal screams, "I'M REAL. I'M METAL. I'M JUST DOWNRIGHT COOL!"

So enjoy heft while it lasts! "Diecast" (metal) models may eventually go the way of the dinosaur. Hello, plastic!

[theodore]

I have 265 models total; about half are armor and half are aircraft. Out of my collection, I have 85% diecast, 10% plastic, and 5% resin or resin/crushed stone. I have no problems procuring plastic, resin, or resin/crushed stone if I feel that it will be many years in the future when a diecast manufacturer produces what I have that is not diecast!! I do have more plastic armor than plastic aircraft and all of my resin or resin/crushed stone is armor.

Speaking of plastic, on another thread, we talked about 21st Century recently releasing some outstanding plastic armor in 1/32nd scale. The Czech 38t, Hetzer, and 2 Marders (I still believe that the rear-mounted engine variant is a Marder II, but I could be wrong!! ) were purchased by many of us, regardless of the fact that they are 100% plastic. This proves my point that most of us lean towards detail, quality, and accuracy, of which all of these PLASTIC armored vehicles possess. Had these been made mostly of metal, then the prices would be closer to $100 each for this quality!! By the way, 21st Century has been making some outstanding 1/32nd scale aircraft lately!! Their FW-190 'A' and 'F' variants are very good and they fit right in with my 1/32nd scale Corgi and 1/32nd scale Hobby Master!!

[91ken]

Right now the poll stands at 32-3 in favor of looks over heft, with 6 who "don't care". I'm one of the three that voted for heft. But the poll is a little misleading because everything has to be within reason. So if a hefty metal model is only slightly less detailed than it's plastic counterpart, I go for the metal.
A good comparison might be between one of those older Soviet-made models and a Dragon model. Hmm, never mind, because the more I think about it the more unsure I am that I'd get the Dragon. Never mind.


Hefty Soviet-made


Lightweight Dragon-made

(Get both!)

[gbeck]

Speaking of heft, it has been brought up several times about aluminum models, especially in the aircraft models.The primary reason is not heft, but the price of zinc. Have any of you guys heard, or know of any companies other than Gemini, using Al for models, are may be planning for the future use of Al?

GBeck