Is 1:18 scale over?

[jdowd1]

I think that is clear that 1:18 as it pertains to military scale plastic models, is on the way out. From the increased higher cost of shipping down to the excess room taken up for collectors own collections, I think that I can read the writing on the wall. I will never get rid of my 1:18 collection though unless they are ripped from my cold dead hands! Long live 1:18 scale! I still can remember that day back about 5 or 6 years ago when I saw my first 1:18 21st XD Green Stuka and the Spinach Camo ME 180 in the gift shop of the D Day Museum!! Man I thought that those babies were the coolest things I had ever seen and I still do today. I will try to get into 1:32 but it will be hard ( too toy-like for me). JMHO, JD

[FieroDude]

Ahh, it's the annual death of 1/18th annoucement!!!

This comes up each year, and yet the scale continues, and is even getting new players like Forces of Valor and Pegasus. bbi or AT may opt to get out of it, and 21st may kill themselves off with their quality and consistency issues, but as long as there are buyers, there will be companies willing to join the fray, especially if others back out.

[C00per]

Well, I don´t think that 1/18 will be dead soon. I am on the way of running out of space too but that only means that I may pass on one or two new releases but I will for sure continue to collect XD items. And if I look at the success of FOV or Pegasus it is a clear sign that there is a market for 1/18. And why are those Panthers or Kubelwagens so expensive on ebay? Because there are more people who want to buy the items rather than sell them! Maybe we "old" collectors are getting into trouble storing the items but new collectors still have space. And the size of an 1/18 airplane or tank is much more impressive (just look at the F-16 for example) than 1/32 and that size and detail was one reason that attracted me a lot when I started collecting these models. I think growth rate of new items in 1/18 is certainly slower than in 1/32 but will 1/18 stop being produced? I don´t think and certainly don´t hope so.......

Greetings

C00per

[jdowd1]

Read this from Bad Cat Matt's blog. http://www.talesofthecat.com

[FieroDude]

The demand is still there, and will continue to be there. I agree with Matt that 1/32 is a growing industry, partially due to cost (both for manufacturers to develop and also for end customers to purchase), and partially due to space. But I don't think it will ever fully replace 1/18th. I think every one of us on this forum has a few pieces in scales other than 1/18th--My collection goes from a very few pieces in 1/6 to a number of 1/72 and 1/144 pieces, as well as a couple 1/32 armor pieces that simply aren't around in 1/18 yet. But if and when someone makes them in 1/18, I will get them.

And I think for first timers especially, 1/18 is a big draw, as well. From what I can tell, most 1/18 buyers seem to be adults for themselves, rather than kids. There are exceptions, especially figures and maybe some of the smaller vehicles, but for the most part, it's a different audience. 1/32 seems to be a bigger blend. Maybe it's because of price, maybe it's a size or detail factor.

The biggest problem with 1/18 today and in the past couple years is very limited awareness. Small hobby shops, on-line, and sporadically at TRU, then not so much at TRU, then at WM, then not so much at WM, but at TRU again and now Target. If FOV takes its 1/18 line beyond being a Target exclusive, I think you will see interest increase dramatically due to FOV's market coverage in 1/32.

And if any of the manufacturers had a clue about effective marketing, they could also do a lot better. Unfortunately, none of them wins any awards in that area.

[pcb122605]

1:18 as a scale is doing fine. Look at all the diverse offerings:

BBI, 21st, FOV, PTE for realistic military - modern and historical
GI Joe for sci-fi military
The Corps! and Chap Mei hanging in there
Star Wars still going very strong
Microman is still around
Indiana Jones coming soon
Jakks wrestlers are a new entry
Speed Racer figures on the way

If anything, larger scales (6", 8", 12") are going to suffer from the higher costs. Some larger vehicles in 1:18 will as well. But overall, I think 1:18 is alive and well.

[tosborne3]

1:18 will never die, and I will tell you my theory why. First is that most of the people who collect 1:18 grew up collecting it, ie Gi-joe, Starwars, etc. The play factor is what most of us collectors want anyways. I PLAY with my toys, and why not, they are toys aren't they? I think that the 1:18 lines always go through dry spells, however the lines of 1:18/3&4/4in will always be around. Just think, the 70s started it all, but the most popular lines are Military related. So I think we'll see plenty of 1:18 in the future. As FieroDude said "The annual death of 1/18 announcement" 1:18 forever!!!!

[iflabs]

Do these new generation of kids still care about these awesome military aircrafts and whatnot? There is no 1/18th without a market.

I chatted with a older lady over the last holiday season. We were down in the military aisle of TRU when she asked me about the scales. She had no idea what went with what, scale wise. I asked and turns out she was buying 1:18 WWII vehicles/figures as gifts for her 14 year old grandson in high school planning to enlist in the army. So this little convo was rather interesting, all is not lost for 1/18th as it seems. The bigger the better.

[olifant]

Read this from Bad Cat Matt's blog. http://www.talesofthecat.com

I think 1/32 will continue to grow, but last I saw BCA had quite a few 1/18 items for sale.

[STUKA]

The year we get the most 1:18 XD items ever - (with more just around the corner)..and still laments to the passing of XD?

Sure there is more 1:32 items out there - but thats great - future 1:18 scale collectors have to start somewhere - call 1:32 the "gateway toy"

1:18 is here to stay - these next few years will be fun -
BBI - appears to continue to do what they do..
21st - keeps suprising us (new DAK!!)
and FOV pulls 1:18 germans out of their um warehouse -
I bet we even get a PZ III XD in DAK in the next 24-months
new PZ IV repaint, Panther repaint, Fallshirmjagers with the new legs (NAM), vehicles to go with the NAM figures....

what we don't need is so much XD out on the Market at once - that the market is overwhelmed by XD... the average buyer will only get one or two planes..

Im happy with a few releases a year and one or two sets of figures a year - as long as older releases are placed with the new items - and yeas make some sets rare so that there is a magic of rareness and demand for these toys...
im done

[aferguson]

everything that Rob said in his blog about 1/32 vs. 1/18 can also be argued for 1/72 vs. 1/32. 1/72 is also booming in a huge way, and 1/144 is too.

Smaller scales will always offer better variety, cheaper shipping, lower costs, less storage space yadda yadda. But the one thing they will NEVER offer is the blow you out of the water size and impressiveness of 1/18. Some people will collect only a few pieces, some will jump in whole hog, many will just admire from a distance but there will always be a market for it, in some way.

Rob said that some of the 1/32 scale pieces by 21c will be highly collectible in several years. Well, what do you think an XD spitfire or P-51 will fetch in 20 years, ESPECIALLY if this scale does fade away.


And many people may leave 1/18 for 1/32 or some other smaller scale because of the size and cost issues; but this scale is very addictive and it is very tough to get used to the smaller scales after indulging in 1/18, and i suspect in time, a lot of them will return to it.

[Black_Dragon_One]

hay look at the GI Joethe 1/6 may not be so hot but the 3 1/2" is still kicking

for a time gi joe 3 1/2" did not do so well because most of the stuff started to look like pink orange tank....which many who collect them had a hard time relating to the real stuff...

21st century the grand daddy of the realistic 1:18 scale really jump started this market...

by the way i remember my first exposure to 21st century toy was when i saw the 1/6 litter bird attack helicopter... i was so in throw with it i almost bought it but found out that there were a 1:18 paton and hue...

thus the crack habbit started.

[olifant]

everything that Rob said in his blog about 1/32 vs. 1/18 can also be argued for 1/72 vs. 1/32. 1/72 is also booming in a huge way, and 1/144 is too.

Smaller scales will always offer better variety, cheaper shipping, lower costs, less storage space yadda yadda. But the one thing they will NEVER offer is the blow you out of the water size and impressiveness of 1/18. Some people will collect only a few pieces, some will jump in whole hog, many will just admire from a distance but there will always be a market for it, in some way.

Rob said that some of the 1/32 scale pieces by 21c will be highly collectible in several years. Well, what do you think an XD spitfire or P-51 will fetch in 20 years, ESPECIALLY if this scale does fade away.


And many people may leave 1/18 for 1/32 or some other smaller scale because of the size and cost issues; but this scale is very addictive and it is very tough to get used to the smaller scales after indulging in 1/18, and i suspect in time, a lot of them will return to it.

Aferg, you hit it right on the head. I have almost 300 1/32 pieces and only started with 1/18 last year. Now I find that I buy 1/32 pieces and they are neat, but don't make my heart pound like 1/18. The sheer wow factor of these pieces blows me and everyone who sees them away. When I got my BBI Phantom I felt let down; not because of any flaws but because all I could think of is what one in 1/18 would look like.

Perhaps I should just say it: I now prefer 1/18 to all other scales. There now, I am out of the closet!

[grunt1]

everything that Rob said in his blog about 1/32 vs. 1/18 can also be argued for 1/72 vs. 1/32. 1/72 is also booming in a huge way, and 1/144 is too.

Smaller scales will always offer better variety, cheaper shipping, lower costs, less storage space yadda yadda.

Yup, and it cracks me up to see these posts when quality 1:18 military toys are being offered by:

- 21st Century
- BBI
- Forces of Valor
- Admiral Toys
- Dragon
- Maisto
- PTE
- Pegasus
- Exoto
- Gate
- Minichamps
- Motormax
- Solido

They are on the shelf at:

- Target
- Toys R Us
- Walmart
- KB Toys
- Hobbytown, etc..
- 30+ online retailers

Clearly the scale is dying.. I mean 5 years ago we only had Toys R Us..

[grockwood]

Got to love the WOW factor. My Dad has his 1/18 FW 190-D sitting on his tempory train layout. One of my younger(40+) cousins came by to visit and when he saw the plane he really got excited. Wanted to know where to get,how much and what was available. Dad has alway had his smaller scale planes and tanks on display and they don't usualy get that reaction.

[digger]

Yup, and it cracks me up to see these posts when quality 1:18 military toys are being offered by:

- 21st Century
- BBI
- Forces of Valor
- Admiral Toys
- Dragon
- Maisto
- PTE
- Pegasus
- Exoto
- Gate
- Minichamps
- Motormax
- Solido

They are on the shelf at:

- Target
- Toys R Us
- Walmart
- KB Toys
- Hobbytown, etc..
- 30+ online retailers

Clearly the scale is dying.. I mean 5 years ago we only had Toys R Us..

I think only half of those companies are currently producing 1:18 military. And it wasn't just TRU five years ago. Most of the companies on your list were never at TRU. I bought my elite force guys at Electronics Boutique (now Game Stop), my Dragon guys from a local comic shop, and my Solido & Maisto from diecast dealers online.

I am not saying there is not a lot of outlets for 1:18, but mark my words the scale - particularly AC - is not what it once was. There were years we saw 5 all new planes, and this year some people expect 1 or none - and we have more players! I don't mean to be argumentative but just realistic. Without WM buying a million planes at a time, we're just not going to have those big years. We cannot deny we are on the downhill when it comes to 1:18 AC..

[STUKA]

playing Taps for XD........

[aferguson]

even if 1/18 died tomorrow and there was never another piece made i'd continue on with this scale. Between paper model tanks (don't laugh, they look pretty darn good), r/c planes, customs from existing stuff, scrounging, scratch building and inginuity i could easilly keep myself busy and happy for the rest of my days..

[jdowd1]

I think that 21st Century toys should switch to more space efficient packaging like the first Admiral toys ME 262. I was blown away when I recieved my first Admiral toys aircraft. That small box cradeled that ME 262 like a glove!! I just picture all those 21st XD 1:18 planes on WMT shelves with all the clear plastic all torn to shreds basically un-sellable except to XD addicts like me. More efficient packaging would help loads in keeping the shipping costs down and would make for more efficient use of shelf space in stores going forward. JD

[grunt1]

playing Taps for XD........

lol

[General Blasto]

Well I can't say for sure, I've only been doing this for about a year or so. But I still think 1 18 is the way to go. I've had more fun creating new figures by using heads not only from other 1 18 military figures, but from using heads off of : Star Wars figures( about to chop off Baron Fels head and make him into a German officer), Larger G scale RR figures(ie, Bachman), and other toy figures with the appropriate sized head. Let's face it, 1 18 may be harder to store, but how many 1 32 soldiers have posable arms and legs ??? What else can you use to change out heads with 1 32 figures ??? Is it any easier to kitbash 1 32 vehicles ??? Are the parts on 1 32 figures or vehicles easy to disassemble to kitbash ??? Ok, sure there is more models, vehicles and figures perhaps in 1 32, but can you, or is it any easier to convert/change them into others ??? These comments are from a kitbasher and custom builder

I argee with others, 1 18 will never fade away, as long as us 1 18 collectors keep buying the 1 18 models If it's WWII, I'll buy. I'll buy 1 18 Modern figures, only because I can use their heads for WWII customs Da General

[Threetoughtrucks]

You guys are crying about 1/18 taking alot of room? I LOL

My 1/18 collection is mostly vehicles and I have plenty of room. I can see the big jets taking up alot of room, but that becomes a personal problem with your personal wants.

Because you don't have room for 1/18, why would you think 1/18 is dead or on it's way out.

In my AO, I haven't seen anything in 1/18 , anywhere. My suppliers are online and eBay and I find what I want as soon as I want.

If 1/18 dies, I'll be sad, but I'll continue to collect what I can in 1/18 and what I can find in 1/6, and who knows.

A serious 1/6 collector and 1/6 mostly went away......I know that wasn't the end.....just a detour.

I'm a happy collector. If one scale goes away, I'll find something else to collect........now today, coming out of Wallyworld (finding only two 1/32 planes and one playset in 1/32), I find some motherless Jersey driver in the Wally parking lot, has scrapped the rear quarter of my brand new Gran Marq......end of the world.....NAH......just annoyed....

BTW: If you Joisey drivers see a puke light blue car driving around with red paint on a front corner, let me know..... I'd like to talk to him..

TTT

[skypirate]

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

At least eight years ago, I bought a 21c Panther and ME109. I thought the chances of ever seeing a Tiger I or II were slim to none. I fantasized about them producing and ME262, but figured nobody would produce anything that large and no retailer would stock it.

Eight years later, things are looking better than I would have imagined. Owning a Tiger II and a JagdPanther would pretty much fulfill my WWII wishlist. Anything else, would certainly be considered.

I'd still like to see some 1/18 scale WWI aircraft. We're missing that link in aircraft evolution and the century anniversary of WWI is sneaking up on us. They'd also be smaller/space efficient.

While I'll 'settle' for select 1/32 scale stuff, it's just not the same for me. They sit in the cupboards of my laundry room. The local TRUs are well stocked right now with 1/32, but none of it is pushing the 'buy button.'

[VMF115]

I would love to see 21st make the f-4 and the mig-21 this year and at least start on the B-25 this year. Besides it looks like the Mig-21 and the F-4 are part of the VN master plane

I feel the 1/18th line will be with us for a long time.

How ever I am going on a B/K Whooper strike for my F-4, mig- 21 and B-25.

[KAMIKAZE]

1/18th will always be there. They said the same thing about rock and roll.

Mark