Small Scale Military Headquarters

In my never ending quest to solve the variety and space problems associated with 1/18 scale i have come upon my latest, zaney, idea.

The best thing about 1/18 is the large size...really impressive to look at. The worst thing about 1/18 is the large size, which equates to poor variety and they take up a lot of space and large items (like bombers) are pretty much out of the question. What would be ideal is the variety and small, storable size of 1/72 combined with the large viewing and wow appeal of 1/18.

I've often thought what would be perfect is to be able to buy little models that you can 'click' on somehow and have them get really large, for viewing. When you're done you just click on them again and they go back to be little, easily storable models. Sort of like three dimensional thumbnails.

I've realized that this is actually possible...sort of. What if you viewed a 1/72 model through a pair of small binoculars or opera glasses? Coincidentally, most opera glasses are 4x magnification. So viewing a 1/72 object through them (at any distance) is the same as seeing that object in 1/18 scale at the same distance.

With the often astonishing detail that 1/72 built ups and model kits have these days, they would hold up well to this kind of magnification and still look quite good.....just look at the braille scale picture gallery over at www.missing-lynx.com or enlarged pictures of dragon 1/72 armour and you'll see what i mean. The detail is amazing.

So, in a relatively small space you could get models of pretty much anything you want (in 1/72 almost everything is available either as a built up or model kit) and yet still be able to view them as big and as detailed as 1/18.

Now clearly they won't have the same playability, if that's what you're into 1/18 for, but if you're just into display i think this is an interesting and feasible idea.

Comments?....am i losing it?

i think to much SiFi channel here
or maybe the SiFi thing where woman drives up in monster truck and she pushes remote and it folds up so she can put in purse.

Comments?....am i losing it?

Yeah, pretty much.

But the odd thing I noticed about this hobby, is that 1/18th aircraft are the ones giving us the headache in space, yet we buy more of them, hence the companies making more of them. 1/18 armor are big, but I think most of us have no trouble displaying them....since there's so little variety (compared to planes, that is.)

But it's opposite in the smaller scales (1/72, 1/32). There, the armor reigns supreme, while the planes are slowly trying to catch up.

You'd think that in this hobby, 1/18 armor and vehicles would be more popular than aircraft, and small scale planes would be more readily available than armor.

YEAH ! ....In a way. This might be possible long after the Earth has been destroyed and re-built again. ........but only for those who are into 1/72, to begin with.

I just go for those 1/144 scale tanks at WM. They're so tiny I can put a whole division on my shelf!

Field glasses are not necessary for Aferg's idea. There are lighted magnifiers that sit on a talbe or desk for doing fine work. I used one in my work looking for phoney documents.

Some are very nice looking and gives you a viewing are of up to a foot.

The only problem is sticking to tiny scales that retain the quality when magnified. Would you then be restricted to outfits like Dragon??

I've been thinking about planes in the 1:32 scale for the space problem and lack of wall and cieling space in my bunker. My first love is vehicles in almost any size but there are some really nice looking planes around.

You never know.

TTT

BUNKER?

The solution to the size equation is really quite simple.
If, for example, your 12 by 15 room looks to small for your 1/18 scale models and you're seriously considering going 1/72 which in the medical field is known as 51/50! then simply increase the size of your room by 4!

As you know, most women are extremely reasonable when it comes to spending money on this hobby so it shouldn't be a problem.

sincerely, soon to be single guy with cramped 1 bed apt.

well, i've encountered the first snag in my brilliant idea. I was over at the mall today and tried a couple of small binoculars out. They magnify great but you can't get them to focus clearly unless you are over ten feet or so away. So viewing close up would not be possible.

I've seen little tiny binoculars that clip to your head for close up work.....anyone know what they are called?

This is a better idea than you think guys. I'm a variety junky and getting pretty frustrated with what's available in 1/18. I've been doing this for 5 1/2 years now and there isn't even something as basic as a Stug, King Tiger, T-34 or FW-190A available yet.

I think it is possible to get a 1/72 scale model of every plane ever made and almost every piece of armor too. And the figures available are beyond belief....everything from every war that's ever been. 1/72 is amazing but what's always turned me off is that they are so piddly to look at.

Doesn't everybody have a bunker? These days, one just never knows, does one?


Concrete room, 40 foot below my house, tunnel to my garage with space in the tunnel for two quads and two motorbikes. Good stock of weapons and ammo, food and water for six months, more if I'm alone. Two rooms, one devoted to my toys What am I gonna do for six months????read??

TTT

I have a pair of these magnifiers that have an adjustable head-band that watch-makers and hobbyists use for real close-up work. They're not lighted though,..like a coal-miners head-lamp. They're just called,.."wearable mini-mags".

What would happen if you used the opera glasses to look at 1:18 scale!!
Is that the first step toward the dark side?

does the Emperor suddenly whisper in your ear...

"I can feel your anger .... your hate...."

sorry - got carried away there.

Threetoughtrucks wrote:Doesn't everybody have a bunker? These days, one just never knows, does one?


Concrete room, 40 foot below my house, tunnel to my garage with space in the tunnel for two quads and two motorbikes. Good stock of weapons and ammo, food and water for six months, more if I'm alone. Two rooms, one devoted to my toys What am I gonna do for six months????read??

TTT

My wife calls my space "the cave". Dark, forbidding and a good place to hide from the inlaws...

TJ

I'm out of wife excuses - no more than two planes are allowed to hang in my son's room.


now I have to go buy opera glasses.

opera glasses would make 1/18 look 1/1 i think

my wife lets me hang 1/18 airplanes in family room from ceiling
plus tables and shelves are full of 1/6 GI's & 350+ 1/18 cars & military vehicles.( wife collects 1/18 helos that also hang in another corner of fam/room)
but my kids are grown & gone so i don't have to watch out for little fingers

with a bunker like that TTT, you don't have to waste money on food.
you can pilage & plunder food stuffs from anti gun fools.
when Y2K came about, thats what i had planned, all the women stocking up food and no weapons but i was single back then!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ferg.......................you losing it buddy

Afer:

Here you go. 3x with light ring around what you want. This is floor mount but they have table top models also.

http://www.firststreetonline.com/produc ... tion=86072

TTT

No Charlie,....what "aferg" needs,..is kaleidoscope eyes !

this is what i get for a little out of the box type thinking....bah.

the devil made us do it

It is a little out side the box but I can see your point Aferguson. With the link TTT gave you your idea might work. For me ,to solve the space problem in my "museum" I just rotate the stock so to speak. I'll put a few tanks and/or planes in the closet for a few weeks and then change the displays around. Well thats what I did when my collection was in the office. Now every thing is in a much larger room, my sons old room So I'll stick to 1/18th.
TTT, a concrete room 40ft below your house? Does everyone on Staten Island have one? or do you know something we don't. Dang, if I dig 2ft down I hit water... Thats what I get for living at sea level.

do they make 1/18 boats?
2 feet? what about global warming?
i bet swimming pools are fun to keep clean.
i live in the mountains of Virginia so the only water we see is running down hill.
hey Aferguson, if you look threw binoc's backwards the room would look bigger so you would have more room

hey Kagnew....keep it up and you're going to be needing binoculars to find this site...


BANNED!

sorry i was just kidding with you

Just wear a monicle like Col. Klink!