Enjoying my 1:18 collection: A thought.....

[Teamski]

A thought or two, if you will excuse me. With the recession in effect, I think it is safe to say that that heyday of the 1:18 aircraft is just about passed. I'm not saying that in a negative way, but actually sorta in a positive way. I am looking around at my aircraft that surround this computer (13 to be exact) and am just now starting to soak it all in. After getting my first planes back in 2001 and logging into GPXD for the first time, a flurry of new planes, tanks and figures followed in the following 6 years. So much so, that I never slowed down to enjoy what I had. Before you could let the latest purchase sink in, another pair of planes had to be scouted out at Walmart. Well, that is now over with and I am starting to look over the lines of the Spitfire hanging overhead, flying on the wing of the Zero and on the tail of the ME-109G. I suppose I was a victim of gluttony, buying two of every plane, most still occupying my attic and basement. You can have too much of a good thing, and that results in taking everything for granted. But you know what, I do know what I have and am greatful for being so lucky to get such cool aircraft that were only available for such a small sliver of time , the amount of years you could count by the fingers of both hands. That isn't long. I also got to meet some awesome people on this board. It's funny how long I have known some of you now, and it seemed like only yesterday that I excitedly reported that I got the S1 Stuka that just showed up at TRU!

Of course, I'm not going anywhere, but I am definately seeing things from a different perspective, an appreciative one at that!

-Ski

[immeww2]

Nicely put.

[holensock]

Very nicely put. And hopefully the recession will be short lived and 21C will be back with more figures, armor, planes, etc. But in the meantime, I too will FINALLY debox most of this stuff and sit back and ENJOY it!

[memaddog]

Yes,
I've also opened stuff that I never dreamed of openining up. I've got 14 German and American 1:18 Planes flying over-head and 16 American and German Armour Vehicles ready to engage each other, with to many Soldiers to count to back them up. My friends tell me my den is a MAN'S Play Room! I have guest, relatives, and friends that come over and just freak out at the detail of these toys! I have them ask, where can I get these? Sad to say, I only see some on e-Bay, or left overs at the usual web-sites. I'm guilty of selling my doubles on e-Bay, but I figured someone else would Love to have the displays that I have, so I share them with them. I hate that some of these are bringing upwards of $200 to $300 on e-Bay, but that's what some people are willing to pay for them. What does the future hold? No one knows for sure. I just know, that after this round of selling, that I'm pretty much hanging on to what I have left. I'm always looking to upgrade my stuff with items that I let slip by at Toys'R'Us or Wally-World, again I end up paying a premeim for those items also as anyone else.
So with that said, I believe that everytime I come downstairs to my den and go on-line, I'll daydream back to the days these guys were doing actual battle in these awsome machines and enjoy the displays I have set-up or rearrange them for a diffrent Battle!!!
Good Hunting To All!!!!
&
I Wish Everyone A Happy & Safe Holidays!
memaddog

[Buckyroo]

I have mostly AC and each time I get to sit back and think about what the individuals did in each of these planes........ I am just amazed. I am amazed by many aspects of the whole WWII air arena: the technology advancement as the war progressed, the personal stories that go along with the men that were involved with these planes - pilots and ground crew (the same goes for the ground forces too, but I am more into planes), and the list goes on. Because I started buying these little planes my interest in WWII increased. I have read more about WWI than I did before starting my collection. I look for the history of these planes, pilots, and the battles they were involved in. Just think that these pilots got to fly the best equipment available and about fortitude these men had to keep in the battle (such as Adolf Galland being shot down twice in the same day - June 21, 1941 - and still got back in another plane).

Last year I went with my son to the WWII Weekend in Reading, PA (the first weekend in June every year); again I was amazed. If you have not been there and can make it - GO THERE!! You can spend a full day and not see everthing or talk to all of the veterans and/or reenactors you want to. We got to meet and talk to "Bud" Anderson last year - now how cool is that, we listened to stories told by a USS Indianapolis survivor, and also met the guys from the Military Toy Shop. It is on for three days and an enthusiast could go two days and not be board.

My collection/collecting has really driven home the fact that as I grew up, I missed out on my closest WWII resource - both of my grandfathers. One passed away when I was 5 and the other when I was 26. Both passed on before the day of the 1/18 AC and my interest in WWII. But since my interest has become known to my family, my mother sent me her fathers information, books, and photos from his service in the 850th Engineers Aviation Batalian building air facilities across Europe after D-Day and I have heard some stories of my father's father in the South Pacific island hoping - including Iwo Jima and others.

Yes, I too am fortunate to have started this hobby during early days and am very happy to have all of the AC that I do have. I am also fortunate for the all of the other benefits that I have received as my collection and interest grew.

Kris

[popeye357]

I know exactly what you mean about the exploits of the men who flew and drove these machines. I recently saw an episode of dogfights and they had Bud Anderon and Old Crow. Its easy to see the beauty of these models but its even more special when you know a lil bit of their history.