Anyone seeing a trend where model car builders are gravitating towards model aircraft building?

[GMP440]

I've noticed in our model car club that some of our members are getting into model aircraft building.  Anyone else noticing this in their club.  I'm also starting to see more aircraft and military kits being bought and sold on some of the model car selling sites on FB.  Anyone else noticing this trend where they are at?  Is this a temporary phase or are we seeing a gradual  move away from model car building?

[Bills72sj]

I cannot speak to the club aspect of your post but no airplanes on this bench. I have more than enough cars to build than I have time.

[Kit Basher]

I have always built both. I am an airplane nut as well as a car nut. I don't build aircraft to the  level of detail and accuracy that real aircraft modellers do, just shelf models. Then again, I don't build cars to the level that real car modellers do either.

I like having an aircraft and a car going at the same time. It gives me something to do while paint/glue is drying, and I don't get confused about what parts go with what.

Edited October 20, 2020 by Kit Basher

[Dave Van]

As a 5 year old I started building plastic models. I built everything......and if I could talk Mom into buying it......I built it. 

Early kits I recall are Aurora 1/32 cars and sub kits.  Cars and trucks are my main focus but I built a T-Rex skeleton the other day so I still like them all.

Monogram B-24 I built in 1970;s..........my cat 'shot' it down and is no more

[Kit Basher]

5 minutes ago, Dave Van said:

Monogram B-24 I built in 1970;s..........my cat 'shot' it down and is no more

Bummer! That was a nice build of a fun kit, and a cool memory as well.

[Mike999]

Maybe not a trend so much as modelers branching out to other subjects, which some of us have always done.  Many years ago I decided I didn't want to build 1/35 scale military stuff anymore.  Then along came Francois Verlinden with his detail sets, resin figures, books etc.  And I got sucked right back into that side of the hobby, along with cars and the occasional aircraft.

And other stuff!  A car build "stalled" recently and until it un-stalls, I decided to build something completely different.  Since it's Halloween Month, I went for the 1/8 scale Moebius Grim Reaper.  It's in the same style as the Aurora monster kits of the Sixties that I always loved building while watching "Shock Theatre."

It was a blast to build/paint and just fell together, even though I added a few personal mods.  It's 95% done and I hope to post it soon.  Before October 31!   

[crazyjim]

I've never built anything other than cars, trucks, and motorcycles.  There's no plan to change.

[PappyD340]

No plans here to start building planes I've got more cars and trucks than I will get built in my lifetime!

[GMP440]

In our model car club I've noticed a few members getting into model aircraft building.  Also, I'm starting to see on model building sites more aircraft kits being bought and sold.   Is anyone else noticing this trend?   Right now it's the best of times for model car builders with all the oldies from the 60's and 70's being re-released.  Also, it's interesting seeing more aircraft on contest tables as well. Is this shift a temporary phase or will we see more of it?

[Tom Geiger]

I’ve always been a four wheel person, ever since I was a little kid. Same with models. I don’t see any trend because I belong to model car clubs and attend (in good times) model car events.  

Ive never had the slightest interest in aircraft or military subjects. Interesting since I was an army brat and grew up on military bases!

[SfanGoch]

Shifting trend?!? You need to get out more. This isn't some recent phenomenon, George. Model aircraft building has been extremely popular for decades, moreso than model cars. Just look at all of the dedicated model aircraft fora on the net and mags at the newsstands. The sheer number of available kits and aftermarket should make it obvious that interest in this area didn't just pop up from nowhere.

[Joe Handley]

It!s great if you’re only interested in that era, kind of a let down for those of us who may want to build modern subjects or older, not already made 10 times over subjects.

[thatz4u]

I made the shift from aircraft to cars 60 yrs. ago, & never looked back...my  $.02

[GMP440]

1 hour ago, SfanGoch said:

Shifting trend?!? You need to get out more. This isn't some recent phenomenon, George. Model aircraft building has been extremely popular for decades, moreso than model cars. Just look at all of the dedicated model aircraft fora on the net and mags at the newsstands. The sheer number of available kits and aftermarket should make it obvious that interest in this area didn't just pop up from nowhere.

  Well,  I am out alot.  I am very well aware the model aircraft hobby has been popular for many years.  That's how I started.  We have a lot of locals down here in Florida that have been building cars for years and within  the last couple their tastes have been more into building planes.   Just an observation and seeing if others on this board are noticing this as well.

[Richard Bartrop]

I've noticed the people in my local model group seem to be shifting from planes to scifi.  Sometimes you feel like a change, and that's fine.

[skymnky721]

I enjoy building jets,,planes  and auto/trucks   kindof breaks the pace a bit,,and many of the jets/planes are easier to build,,IMO

 

[cobraman]

I use to love building WW2 aircraft but room was too big of an issue for me.

[skymnky721]

11 hours ago, Dave Van said:

As a 5 year old I started building plastic models. I built everything......and if I could talk Mom into buying it......I built it. 

Early kits I recall are Aurora 1/32 cars and sub kits.  Cars and trucks are my main focus but I built a T-Rex skeleton the other day so I still like them all.

Monogram B-24 I built in 1970;s..........my cat 'shot' it down and is no more

Neat ww2 hardware

 

[RSchnell]

I started out as a kid building cars, went into aircraft & real space. Only in the past year have I returned to cars. 

It's always seemed to me that cars have been the lesser built of the two genres at least from my perspective.

[Snake45]

If anything, I'm noticing more aircraft modelers branching out into cars these days. 

[RichCostello]

I've never had any interest in anything but 1/25 scale cars, and I have no intention of changing.

[Richard Bartrop]

I like to branch out into scifi and between the wars fighters and racers.  Even at 1/32 the planes are still relatively small, and their relative obscurity keeps a limit on how many I can accumulate.

[BlackSheep214]

I don’t think it’s a shifting from model cars to aircrafts. I started out doing autos and gained interests in aircrafts as well - WW2 to modern jets. I tend to take breaks from certain genres of model kits be it aircraft, ships, armour, or autos/trucks. It keeps my creative juices going without getting bored sticking with one particular genre constantly. Most of my stash are aircrafts and a couple of armour kits. I a man slowly building up an auto stash and been wanting to get a few Navy ships as well. One particular ship model I’d love to get my hands on again from my youth years is Jacque Cousteau’s  Calypso Research boat.  It included a helicopter, shark cage and shark.

[BlackSheep214]

6 minutes ago, Richard Bartrop said:

I like to branch out into scifi and between the wars fighters and racers.  Even at 1/32 the planes are still relatively small, and their relative obscurity keeps a limit on how many I can accumulate.

Yeah, their WW1 aircrafts don’t take up much room on display shelves. That’s why I love to tackle a WW1 aircraft kit and challenge myself to doing riggings. Other than the 1/32 Sopwith Camel, I’ve got the 1/48 scale Stearman to try riggings.

 

[GoodbuildNY]

I gotta say that my main passion is automotive models and my stash is officially out of control but with that being said , I do on occasion drift away from cars to change it up and build an aircraft model or even a big rig. With the aircrafts it started with WWII and eventually found myself building jets as well. My only limiting factor is space for the aircraft as others have said although all of mine are hanging.