Diehard 1/72 collector branching out

[WalkinTarget]

So after many years of slowly adding to my 1/72 collection (2 tanks a year - one for my B-day and another at X-mas) I've been buying at quite a prodigious rate lately, and I am now up to 14 tanks, all at 1/72 scale. All of the forces are well represented, save for the Japanese, but I am soon going to acquire both a Type 95 and 97 (next on my list to buy).

I was sticking to the 1/72 scale exclusively, as I don't have a lot of room to store them at work or home, but I really wanted to add a German rail gun to my collection. I did find both a German 'Thor' and a 'Karl' mortar, but at 1/35 scale they run over $90, and the Schwere Gustav runs around $250 .. OUCH !

Thinking it better to scale it back, I found a seller on Amazon selling a 1/144 scale 'Leopold' rail gun, known by the Allies as 'Anzio Annie' in winter camo for only $40 shipped. Ya, this thing:



I actually saw this in person, and having it in a 1/144 scale is both a good fit on my desk and a good buy at that price.

Ohh, but I wasn't done yet. After seeing the impressive 1/32 collections around here, I decided I would buy one and only one 1/32 scale tank, and it HAD to be a King Tiger. Some guy was selling off dozen of them on Ebay that he bought at an estate sale, so I won this one in the last minute of the auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... SA:US:1123

Who knows where this leads, as I don't have the $$ to buy a number of 1/32 tanks, but I've cleared off a spot on both my desk at work for the rail gun and the shelf by my PC for the KT. This is terribly addicting once you start buying them.

[tparkhere]

Target, welcome to the Dark Side.

Seven years ago, just like you, I started with two 1/72 diecast tanks, FOV T-72 and Tiger.

From there, I got hooked on FOV 1/32 armors. Then, 1/72 diecast planes. Unlike you, I did not get into 1/144 scale. Instead, I went up to 1/48 scale planes. However, 1/48 scale planes were just too huge. I decided to get rid of most of my 1/48 planes. Now, I am constantly buying 1/72, 1/50, 1/35. 1/32 scale diecast armors and planes. I can no longer able to park my SUV in the garage.

This hobby is fun and addictive. Welcome and enjoy!

[WalkinTarget]

Thanks for the welcome ! Whatever hobby I pick up, I search for a forum soon after to educate myself on what is out there, and at this early stage I'm not too concerned with the rarity of a certain model, I just like the different camo techniques that were applied.

I had ignored the Japanese tanks up until recently, but as I tried to balance out my armor collection I noted that there were some now available. The Japanese didn't have any noteworthy tanks in WWII, but almost all of the tanks I acquire have something to make them a conversation piece.

This forum has a lot of guys dedicated to the fine art of making a bone stock diecast much more accurate in detail, and that is truly an art that they can take credit for after its all said and done.

[hworth18]

Welcome WalkinTarget! I have been an avid 1/72 collector for years now but I have actually sold off much of my 1/72 collection and I am now concentrating on the larger 1/48 and 1/32 scales.

[snake]

Welcome to the forum, WalkinTarget.

All of us here started with just one model.

Can be a very addictive hobby, and before you know it you are getting different scales etc.

That rail gun is done by Dragon? I was considering getting one of those, but talked myself out of it. Not an armour guy, and a large artillery piece just didn't fit in. Although it does look great.

Pretty sure you will really enjoy your 1/32 King Tiger, and I can easily see you getting some more 1/32 tanks.

[WalkinTarget]

Got the rail gun today. My 5 y.o. son (who loves trains) wanted to hook it up to his Thomas 'HO' scale train and tow it around the track. I hadda tell him 'Ohh Nooo, son, this is not a toy !" Only down side to it is the thing won't stay on the track if you breathe within 2 feet of it.



Ya, I tried to tell myself that one 1/32 was enough, but who knows *shrug*
That 1/16 scale KT looked great until I saw the price ... LoL

[WalkinTarget]

Still buying 1/72 armor here, but I do very much enjoy the rail gun and the 1/32 KT that I picked up.

I finally got the War Master JS2 tank (limited ed - #250 of 2000) which was a pre-order for August of 2011. I ordered in July, and it just arrived yesterday. Needless to say, I was less than pleased with the seller, and 2 emails netted me nothing but a copy n paste reply. Is it typical to wait 2.5 months for a pre-order to ship ??

[Heer]

I now only collect 1/72 and 1/32 as well, although I have one of dragon can.do 1/144 leopold gun and their railway vehicles. I am getting close to the point that I have bought all of the 1/72 tanks from dragon, HM, and FOV. However, over the last year I purchased about 6 FOV tanks, halftrack kubelwagen zundapp 88 flak,etc. I do not have the king tiger that you purchased but I do have a germany king tiger 333. You might also be interested in FOV's 2012 releases as well.

Happy hunting.

[Panzer_M]

for xmas I am thinking of a 1/72 railgun..not a Dora..but a K class should be doable

[WalkinTarget]

Ohh, this is getting to be an addiction now - 3 tanks and the massive German 'Karl' mortar ordered so far this week

http://www.ebay.com/itm/290638435973?ss ... 1439.l2649

Saw this and couldn't resist for that price. It should make a nice accompaniment to my 1/144 Leopold rail gun.

Another auction ends tomorrow .... wife is going to start hiding my credit card