One topic that took up a lot of the chat at the IPMS Convention among the group there was how to actively promote our scale among other modelers. Here is what I came away thinking about:
1/ the best way to promote our scale is to visually show people what can be done with the various kits available to the modeling community. This means building and DISPLAYING your models at every opportunity: at your local club meetings, at local and national shows you attend. This gives us presense at the event concerned and allows people to SEE, in the flesh, what can be done with the kits, and of course allows you to discuss your model with anyone interested.
2/ carry around in your wallet some TRACK48 business cards. Garfield went away promising to work on this idea, thanks to a great suggestion by George R. With such cards in your wallet, whenever you see a TOTS subject at a show, place one of the cards next to it. It hopefully will say something along the lines of:
"Loved your model! Join other 1/48th military modelers at: www.track48.com"
This way we make like-minded modelers aware that their models are appreciated, and gives them an opportunity to join us here on T48. It was clear talking to various modellers at the convention that many TOTS people hadn't heard of T48.
3/ purchase the new products that interest you the moment they are released. Rob Ervin of FORMATIONS told me that he had received many requests to produce 1/48th resin Sherman conversion sets prior to his release of the M4A2 set. Then upon its release: virtually no sales. So if you suggest you want something, you had better put your money where your words were. Formations and Iron Division have both dropped out due to lack of interest in their (very high quality) products. And sales at remaining producers such as Fighting48 and Bison have not been encouraging, so I have heard via the grapevine.
One thing I did hear from various producers in ALL scales, was that often times you just can't seem to please people. People demand say "Sherman conversions", but when the producer then produces an important conversion (Formation's M4A2 was extremely important if you like Shermans, or USMC vehicles in the Pacific, or British, NZ etc vehicles in Italy etc). Yet once released, the response often is, "well yes, great conversion, but what I REALLY wanted was...........". Support your producers with what they HAVE produced, and THEN suggest future subjects as you are paying for your purchase of the current stuff. Producers listen more to those who "show them the money".
Pretty good ideas Andrew. While were on the subject; I've been having some thoughts about the hobby in general and how it' in danger of dying out with little or no new blood to carry things along. Yes, I feel your pain and frustration man! The world economic situation isn't helping either. Combine a feeble buying market (for all modelling in general) with an astronomical increase in kit numbers and prices and I believe we have a roman candle on the way to a serious burnout. Too many things to buy, not enough money or interest and as you have pointed out; Model producers falling by the wayside as a direct result. With few people taking up the hobby these days, it looks like that roman candle is on fire from both ends!
I agree with you 100%; we have to act diligently and now if we are ever going to hope to at least slow down this trend. It will take one heck of a miracle to ever reverse it; but I believe we should at least try. I for one plan to go out guns blazing!
I would also like to encourage our members to take someone either experienced (or not) under their 1/48th tutelage(did I spell that right?). I have some ideas in mind about taking some built-up kits; both painted and unpainted and even unbuilt to the local elementary school and attack the lazy computer/video game demons head on(our direct competition I'm told). Perhaps this thread will help bring people together and help us brainstorm ideas about Andrew's, and I'm sure many other folks here's concern about keeping this hobby and it's TOTS following alive and growing.
Hello Andrew,
I have been taking my finished items to my local shop for display, they have been very interested in showing more items in this scale!
They are also pretty good at getting NEW RELEASES as they are available, and the response here has been pretty positive over all!
They tell me that they get many customers asking "what scale is that?".
There seems to be quite a lot of "the curious" out there, and I know once they find out how relaxing 1/48th is to build. they will want more!
As you say, the EVER increasing prices and complex builds are SURE to have MANY modelers looking for a BETTER alternative to the current direction of 1/35th!!
I just wish Mr T was more supportive with more numorous, timely and more variety in his releases!
It was GREAT to see you and Bruce at the recent IPMS NATS...too bad I didn't get to meet up with the other TRACK 48'rs, but our trip was a LONG day trip only!
Pete
George Romano's 1/48 business card idea was outstanding, and so easy to do. Perhaps Garfield can whip up a nice design and put the file out there for us to print, so we are all using the same design. Apparently I can keep my "baker24@earthlink.net" email addy, so I can print up my own cards. Now, of course, the (^$%$(&^ printer is acting up - may be time to get a color laser printer.....
I agree that building and displaying models is the best way to expose 1/48 to the world. Those of the group who have written for magazines could push for additional articles. We all have seen 1/48 models in magazines that looked as good and well detailed as most 1/35 scale kits, and that is what we have to show.
Another idea perhaps? Putting up an award/trophy for a exclusive 1/48 AFV category at some of the bigger model shows / competitions.
Though of this when I was having a little clean up of the modelling shed. I came across a smallish trophy that I had brought many years ago but had not donated to any club comp. Many get it engraved and see if I can get a 1/48 AFV class added to one of the UK model comps. Too late for the IPMS Scale model world this year I think.
We've been trying to get this done at the IPMS shows especally the Nats and Regional shows for 3 years now. IPMS Nationals keeps telling us that "We don't see enough 1/48 scale kits to warrent seperating the scale" I'm keeping my hopes up that we will finally see 1/48 as a seperate cat for the Naionals in Omaha in 2011. I also think that we as a community need to find an encourage young builders. I think if we are to see the scale grow we need the younger community. Most 1/35 scale kits are either to complex or expensive or both for many young or new builders and with pricees on 1/72 scale almost as high as 1/48 scale I find that 1/48 scale kits are the choice for the few young modelers that I see at local clubs or shows. If we can find a way to encourage these new modelers and get them involved you will see more 1/48 scale stuff plus the new blood will help keep the lines open and expnading at Tamiya AFV etc.
Being in Sales, you often have to ask pointed questions to find out what the customer's needs are. The two guys I met at the Nats were both looking at 1/48th models. My question to both was, "Do you model in 1/48th? Or, are you just interested in that subject?" They both answered the first part, "yes". At which point I asked if they had any models entered...one "yes", one "no" and then we were off. Where do you live?? First Nats?...Told them where I was from....just small talk, really...but friendly without being intrusive. I ended by giving them a card with my info on it and writting Track48.com on the back. And inviting them to check it out.
Except for the card part...I do the same thing to promote the hobby in general, and also our club anytime I am in a hobbyshop, HobbyLobby,flea market....anywhere I see interest in our hobby...and especially in our segment....and especially if I see a parent and a child looking at the models!!
Just my view.....Dave
Tried to offer to judge and sponsor a 1/48 scale award at Kansas City, Virgina Beach, and this years Nats and was told that IPMS pickes the categories and they don't see enough 1/48 scale to warrent the spliting> So IPMS has spit in my face enven when offering $$ to pay for the awards. At Kansas city I asked some IPMS big wigs how many 1/48 scale kits warrented enough interest and never got an answer. At said show we had over 68 1/48 scale kits entered and apparently that is not enough to split out but if you have over 6 109s and P47 they get thier own split. IPMS is a dying club with no want to change, They have the same crowd of old crustys who keep getting elected and see no need to change to get younger people interested. I'm guessing that in the next few years you will see a change in clubs simular to what the Cleveland club decided to to. They now have an independant club and show tat is not attached to IPMS and they are being very proactive in getting younger folks to attend. Other than a Nats show (IPMS or Amps) and the Nebraska club show I've never been to a show that has more 1/48 scale kits. Last year they split 1/48 scale off into 5 1/48 scale splits ( Axis armor, Axis open top, alled armor, alled open top and rusian)
That's very intresting Winston. I will see what I can do to encourage our 1/48th guys out here to enter something or things in the upcoming IPMS Regional we are having in Oct of this year in New Jersey. I may also get my act together and take it on the road, so to speak. What I mean is Bruce has another useful idea with respect to the other good idea (i.e. building more and displaying more 48th scale) and that means getting an article or two into print! My big concern here is photography and I think with my friend Paul Keefe I may have solved that dilema. Hope to get some ideas up and get something in this vein started soon! Chris Schwach
I agree getting some projects into print would definatly be a big help. I'm still keeping my figers crossed about the Omaha Nationals in 2011 having 1/48 scale as well. They have been a great group as far as having it in Regional shows etc and the Cleveland club has made stirdes in 1/48 scale so if we can get other clubs to follow suit that will help. Also I see the same problems being had with the 1/144 scale aircraft community.
Enter a bunch of 1/48 stuff that is good enough to beat them in "their" category fair and square, and they will be clamoring for a split. It has happened a few times, most recently at the last IPMS Nats just past. Ashley's SdKfz 251 C from the AFV Club kit took its category. That's how you do it. And the secret to winning in IPMS contests is very simple: rigorously careful building, with everything properly aligned and no seams (or photos and explanation if there are seams - brand new Sherman roadwheels DO have seams in the middle of the tires). I have judged at a number of IPMS Nationals and Regionals, and it is depressingly easy to knock out most of the entries for BASIC build faults: seams on parts or crooked parts, wheels tracks, etc., depressingly easy. Get past the basic building tasks and you will be a winner.
We have all seen here and on the M-L DG plenty of examples of built up 1/48 armor models that I guarantee would have kicked butt in any contest I've been to. All we have to do to get our splits is build and show up.
BRUCE...YOU'RE RIGHT!
Back in 2008 I was able to come away from a local IPMS event with a GOLD....SILVER....AND BRONZE with my 1/48 armor entries against 1/35th items!!
In the 2009 event sponsored by the same group, 1/48 scale was a SEPARATE CATEGORY, and the table was FULL!
Build on, men!
Pete
By entring and betting the 35 boys you will force them to shift you.But the best way is to get more articals in magazines ,spencer pollard has been agreat allie here and also brett green is coming to the party,We need mor epeople putting articals in these mags pat johnson and luke pitt and lu rodrigez are leading the charge but more in magazines is where i think we will build our profile.THE BEST WAY WOULD BE for bruce culver to do a sherman book and use models from this site to illisrate it that would grab everyones attension as there are some good modlers on this site ,have fun wayne
When I model 1/24th and 1/25th scale racecars I usually scratchbuild chassis and or bodies, just don't usually build a kit right out of tha box. Which brings me to my question, why build armor models that follow the 1/35th crowd. Why not scratchbuild modified armors? The Germans during WW II whenever they came upon a workable chassis, whether it was French, British, Russian .... whatever they modified it to fit a German gun and then used them in combat. What about Field Modifications?
If yall really wanna make those IPMS boyos sit up and take notice...do something different, build something different. I'm converting a Bandai Elefant into a Dr. Porsche Tiger II Prototype and I'm putting tha pieces together to convert a Bandai Nashorn into a Hummel. Even looking into making the recuperators functional (I've made shock absorbers functional - no real oil fluid but they do go up and down).
I can't just build a model stock as it comes out of the box, just isn't in my nature.
I have long wondered which publisher might be the first to offer an AFV modelling book
dedicated solely to 1/48 scale armour. We have all the talent we need, as is constantly displayed in our Assembly Line section and on M-L.
Even big names like Steve Zaloga and Bruce Culver come to our assistance in pushing 1/48 scale.
Now all we need is an Osprey or some other prominent publisher to champion our cause.
Maybe there is already something out in Japanese?
Sounds like a good idea. I'd love to see some world class stuff in a book, totally dedicated to our scale. Why not collate the best of what's on this site and get a title under something from you George? Chris Schwach
