Changing Times

[pickelhaube]

Hey Guys,
It seems that the shift is leaving forums like this and going to Facebook type forums.
I haven't been posting like I have been in previous years.
Posting pictures go through a few more steps here , than other online forums , so I have been guilty of not posting here .
Plus, when posting here posts go unanswered and it seems there is no interest. Maybe so.
I consider this place as my home and I will come back home with my builds and what not like I have doing for years.
Normandy my brother I guess you stopped trying to get back on.
Can I get a show of hands of you guys who still stop in and say how many times you check in , in a week ?
I personally stop in every morning.

[aferguson]

i stop by about 5 times per week, just to see if there are any new posts. By the number of views that some of my new posts get, it seems that there are still a reasonable number of visitors still coming here.......but maybe all those views are just bots.

i am not now nor have i ever been on facebook. I'm not at all into the social media thing.

[YT]

I still come by frequently but don’t post much. Never been on Facebook.

[pickelhaube]

Hmmmmm
Out of 210 views only 2 guys have checked in.
One of those guys is the moderator !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tmanthegreat]

I’ll still check in here on occasion, but nowhere close to what I did 10, 20, and more years ago when I was one of the more active members on the forum. Facebook groups have largely taken over for me and it’s surprising how many old SSHQ members are now on that platform and in the various toy soldier collector groups.

My collecting interests have also somewhat changed. I’ve really gotten into the premium 1/30 scale toy soldiers (e.g. W. Britain, King and Country, First Legion, etc.) and the products are amazing! It’s an active, but expensive, hobby. I’m also enjoying the 1/12 (6”) scale, particularly the GI Joe Classified line. That line is immensely popular it seems.

However, it is great to see that 1/18 scale never really died. The hobby survived and evolved into more of a premium collector and figure-oriented endeavor. It is fun to be an older collector now and see people who were infants during they heyday of 21st Century Toys discover those products. I like killing their joy when they go on and on about a 21st XD plane or tank and I’m like I’ve had that in my collection since 2002

However, I have made some longtime friends due to this forum and, like Picklehaube said, it will always be my home and I will continue to stop in on occasion

[chunks]

A coupla times a week.

[Buckyroo]

Hello again. I have been away from this forum for nearly 8 years. I had reduced my awesome collection of WWII birds and took an interest in other parts of my life. My wife and I became empty nesters and did some things for ourselves. Over the past year or so I have been picking up a few 1/18 airplanes but know that there will be some that will be very difficult to re-acquire. I guess that will make the hunt a bit more special. Maybe in time I will get some that I can customize. One of the great things that happened to me while I was away was that my family gifted me a ride in a B-25. I did that last summer and what a memorable thing to do. It was very cool. I recognize the names here in this post and hope you all are well.

[supersonicfifi]

still here ! praying for a new line of 1/18 jets ! but thinking more and more about doing it myself !!!! i still have your P36 !!!

[Axis Nightmare]

I still check-in regularly. The only positives about Facebook are the marketplace, the groups and the ease of posting photos and video. When I moved back in 2021 to a very small house near the TSWM at Clermont County, Ohio Airport, I had no choice but to sell off 3/4 or more of my stuff. This was about the time that new items in 1/18, mostly plastic model kits of any substance dried up. Also, when prices went bat-crap crazy, it was no longer practical to buy anything. Bargains no longer exist as the eBay price fever took over and there were no more bargains anywhere as people were doing research and going for the gold on selling prices. For space purposes, I did pick up some 1/32 instead of 1/18 armor but even those became cost prohibitive. My 1 to 1 military stuff, uniform jackets, (I have around 50) full sized dressed mannequins, (I have seven here and more at the Museum) infantry radio equipment, helmets, aircraft instruments and radio equipment and 1/6 scale higher end figures and vehicles took up all available space. I too would post pictures but jumping through all the hoops to load photos on Imgur before posting is a pain. I was part of the 21st Century and Forces of Valor themed Facebook groups but have since left them as I wasn't really looking to add anything now and even if I was, by 2025, sellers were mostly shooting for the moon. I could get a couple nice original WWII uniform jackets for the price of one FOV 1/32 armor piece. I do want to thank Britt for his efforts here. I see his photos on Facebook every day.