Is scale 1;500 now defunct ?

[fleetlordatvar]

.....Amen

You'll find if you ever ask a "real" question (e.g., how do I do 'X', or, where can I find 'Y', etc.) that scarcely anyone will answer you. When I was new to the hobby I had lots of good questions and most of them were never answered to my satisfaction. So that's what I think about the 'experts'...

At least DIMA is still fairly cooperative and peaceable, unlike some of the other forums.

true for now, but w/ time & membership increase this one will be poisoned as well...that is what the ignore & friend lists will be used. I actually had to use one for a new guy already.

• I asked about a model, he then told me to look up the cost of shipment @ the Spain postal site.
• The site was working!!
• i replied it wasn't working & gave screenshot
• he replied he didn't care & to try later

WOW, really...for a seller to put all the responsibility on the buyer & gave me a 30-40 € estimate for a 747 I've purchased a 747 from Germany for > 30€ easy. I don't remember him posting much, but he did have a sell list & that is how i found him...anyway always use your lists to reduce the angst.

[JAL1628]

Very interesting Fleetlord.

This hobby is not known for customer service. I've had at least one retailer in the US tell me to buzz off because HE made a mistake.. No apologies whatsoever. The guy is pretty popular on another forum too.. I have no idea why.

I'm a pretty low maintenance customer.. As in: I will actually *fix* models that arrive in broken condition. I don't complain. I read and follow directions.

Maybe people are just tired of dealing with all the kids/non-serious buyers. However to treat everyone like a booger eating 12 year old is not cool.

[fleetlordatvar]

Very interesting Fleetlord.

This hobby is not known for customer service. I've had at least one retailer in the US tell me to buzz off because HE made a mistake.. No apologies whatsoever. The guy is pretty popular on another forum too.. I have no idea why.

I'm a pretty low maintenance customer.. As in: I will actually *fix* models that arrive in broken condition. I don't complain. I read and follow directions.

Maybe people are just tired of dealing with all the kids/non-serious buyers. However to treat everyone like a booger eating 12 year old is not cool.

Ditto, don't be shy about naming names The one that got all emo on me & banned me from his business for 'insulting' his "friend" on DA.C for being a hypocrite is the owner of jetwaymodels.

I can understand the guy being a jerk because he's private & doesn't rely on not being one for his business...hmm I just notice my collection numbers...they might be a little unhealthy?

[JAL1628]

I did a couple deals w/ Jetway but no more.

[fleetlordatvar]

really, why?

[Geoff]

I've made a good number of my purchases on e-bay and must admit that I've not had too many problems with any of the sellers I've dealt with. There has only been one seller who's caused me any problems over the purchase I made and left feedback accordingly. The final shot from him was to call me a "dickhead", and that, only because I think I'd caught him out in that he tried to sell the same item twice.If the buyer based in Spain wishes to make any other purchase may I with respect suggest he enquires about postal charges before he buys. I've noted, as have most people, that the cheaper the item, the more the postal charges will be. I've only bought one item so far from America but will be making more as I find the things I'm looking for.

[Brusselsairlines]

My dear friend. Many thanks for you long and uplifting message. I shall of course take my time to digest all that you've said. It's nice to know that someone cares enough, and can be bothered to drop me a line. It has encouraged me to stay here on this website. I do get very despondent when no-one to whom I send a cry for help bothers to respond, but I take on board your thoughts re being blamed for any damage to ones models. I do ,however get annoyed when goods I've bought in good faith do not turn out to be what I expected, my Boeing 747-200 of Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 test bed turns out to be just an ordinary plane and not have the larger number 2 engine as shown on the box, though I understand the second version has got the right combination on it, getting hold of it is another story however, and search as I might, no joy so far .Kind regards,Geoff

Herpa has a very good custumer service, if you have a broken model or need a replacement part (for 1:500 models) they will simply send you for free a new model (and you can keep the old one). I once contacted Herpa to find out how to avoid a particular model of standing a little bit to high and two days later, I found out the models in my post box.

[Brusselsairlines]

EDIT: The model you are talking about is not Herpa but netmodels which is defunct. You can always try to contact Herpa to see if you can PURCHASE a 747 engine and they will probably send you one for free (of available, of course)

[Geoff]

Thank you for your message. You are quite right in saying that Herpa do not make this model, but I understand that SKY500 did. Where they are based I have no idea but think it might be China. All the engines on the test bed were Rolls-Royce engines as fitted to many airliners, notably Quantas, British Airways and Cathay Pacific to name but three. It may sound stupid, but the only way I can get hold of the proper engine is to buy a model of the 787 assuming that is, that SKY500 make a model. As for Herpa, I've no reason to complain about their service as they sent me a replacement for my Boeing 747-8i which was faulty, so I now have two.

[Geoff]

P.S. Sorry that should be QANTAS

[Siegerflieger]

the only way I can get hold of the proper engine is to buy a model of the 787 assuming that is, that SKY500 make a model. ...

They haven't yet. But there's no reason not to try and fit a Herpa 787 engine ;-)

[Geoff]

Certainly worth a try. One can only see what, if anything, they might say. I'd just hope it fitted when, and if, I got one.

[Brusselsairlines]

Yeah, SKY-500 only releases A330/340, B777/747 and a few others (anyway, no 787!) Try to contact Herpa, it is certainly worth a try I will post the email adress here for you

[Brusselsairlines]

Here you go:
eva-maria.schroeder@herpa.de.

[Geoff]

Many thanks for the contact details. Will certainly get in touch with her and see she has to say.

[Brusselsairlines]

You're welcome

[AvGeek]

The 1:500 scale is only "dead'' on forums. I'm not going to sugar coat it. People take photos and zoom this scale out of whack, only to find something negative to post about.

[diecastflo]

Hi, I started collecting Herpa 1:500 as a little boy, let's say maybe 1995? Can’t tell it exactly. The collection paused at about 50 planes. All of them 50…-numbers. I don’t know why, but the days after Christmas 2018 I checked the web if Herpa Wings still exists. And bingo! By now I have almost 1700 planes in 1:500 – so much about little boys and their hobby

Unfortunately I do have the same problem as many others, I don’t have space to show them. They ALL are well packed in plastic boxes on the attic. What a shame! But who knows what future brings.

In November 2022 I decided to stop collecting 1:500s. The reason for this decision first of all was the low number of active producers of 1:500. This is more or less just Herpa. So we talk about 13 new announced(!) planes every two months. And as Herpa seems to work for Lufthansa you can bet that there is always one LH. I know, I know home market and so on… but that becomes boring! And I have enough of their so called “special liveries”. Sorry, different topic

So if you compare this situation to 1:400 – which I started collecting in Nov. 2022 – you have several producers and a much wider variety. And I don’t even speak about little details on the planes that make them more realistic.

The only negative point is the price. They are almost twice as expensive. But as I said, you get a more detailed aircraft.

So I would say 1:500 is still alive and doing a great job. And as long as Herpa exists, you will always get new (LH ) models.