Is scale 1;500 now defunct ?

[Geoff]

If it is the case that the scale 1;500 is on it's way out then I've wasted a great deal of money. I have in my collection 78 models and am looking for one more in particular, namely a Lockheed Tristar L1011-500 of Aer Lingus, but with a British registration. It would now seem that it'll be like looking for hens teeth. I see that INFLIGHT 500 no longer appears on any lists on this site, so must assume that they've even given up. I wonder if any manufacturers think that we all have acres of room in our homes in which to keep our collections? I don't for one, and think there are thousands more like me. Come on you makers of these airplanes, please start doing 1;500 again. Here's hoping.

[FireAngelZero]

Herpa is probably the only 1:500 scale builder I've seen, but not to sound cliche if the question has been asked but why not try 1:400? I have space restrictions as well and 1:400 scale Geminijets have been more than enough for me. The models offer slightly more realistic detail than most of the 1:500 scale models I've seen, and it's not really that huge of a jump to go from 1:500 to 1:400. Heck I've even heard that the Herpa Airports that are made in 1:500 scale will fit the 1:400 scales perfectly fine. Maybe Inflight 500 stopped because there's really not that much demand to go for that scale. I know you must be pretty upset, to me there's nothing worse than to collect from a manf. and to find out that manf. is no longer selling models anymore. I've been exclusively Gemini 400 for a while so I'm not sure what the quality difference is between Inflight and Herpa 1:500 scale. To me detail and realism are very big and I feel like 1:500 is too small to provide that. Again this is my opinion and it's not the expressed opinion of this website or other users.

[fleetlordatvar]

If it is the case that the scale 1;500 is on it's way out then I've wasted a great deal of money. I have in my collection 78 models and am looking for one more in particular,...please start doing 1;500 again. Here's hoping.

IF they stopped producing all of them right now, it's not a waste of money as long as you enjoy having / viewing them. If they go away, it's the market driving this. I''ve seen posts of 1/400 collectors complaining about several 'veterans' switching over to 1/200. I'm sure even crownvic (in the hundreds of models), assuming he has a mansion, that he still doesn't have enough room to display all his models. He'll do as many do & rotate them out of displaying them in his area.

[Geoff]

Thank you for your message. I feel much happier for your suggestion that I rotate my displays. It never entered my head to do that. A change is as good as a rest I'm told. Kind regards, and thanks.

[planemanone]

I like the comment about the switch over to 200 from 400. I would have done it to if had double the money and double the space! But the reality is that the hobby is in the eye of the beholder. I have much more attraction to the pre Airbus era. From DC3's to the Connies along with the prop jets and smokers like the 707. 990 and DC 8's.

[Brusselsairlines]

1:500 is still selling very good, you know. Herpa relaeses a lot of models each two months (+/- 20 models) which sells usually like hot cakes! Sky500 releases two or three models also every three months àd Aero500/Aerolclassics releases a few models once in a while. In Europe, 1:500 is almost the only scale sold there! 1/500 models are also being more and more detailled with better and better moulds! Herpa also sells a lot more airport GSE than in 1:400!! Conclusion: 1/500 IS NOT(!!!!!!!) DEFUNCT!!!!!!!!

[fleetlordatvar]

... In Europe, 1:500 is almost the only scale sold there! ...

I think you got a little over excited when claiming this. What would explain ARD & aviationmegastore success

[Brusselsairlines]

Please remeber that Aviation Megastore also sells a LOT of 1:500 models and GSE ( ARD also sells a few). However shops like Modelutions, Aviation Center Berlin sells a LOT of (and almost ONLY!!) 1:500 models. Kindly accept my following comment: This forum has NOTHING to offer to a 1:500 collector! That's probably the reason why no 1:500 collectors ate around here! Please shearch somewhere else before making that kind of post! 1:500 is still very present and will probably always be!!!! Apologies for being rude

[Geoff]

I must remember not to say a word to any of you. I appear to be rude, ignorant, and thick.

[fleetlordatvar]

I'm confused, Geoff is being sarcastic?

[fleetlordatvar]

w/ the super high taxes in EU I'm not surprised by this, but your 1/500 centric view of the world skews your reality. Why don't you bring all your 1/500 collectors to an actual functioning forum instead of putting up w/ the degradation at the main forum

[DiecastAirplane]

I would say that in the US 1:500 scale is not as big as 1:400 scale, but we still have plenty of dedicated customers in 1:500 scale and with 100's of new Herpa release each year this category stays up to date.

It is a shame that Starjets and InFlight 500 got out of the market, no doubt about it though.

[fleetlordatvar]

Please remeber that Aviation Megastore also sells a LOT of 1:500 models and GSE ( ARD also sells a few). However shops like Modelutions, Aviation Center Berlin sells a LOT of (and almost ONLY!!) 1:500 models. Kindly accept my following comment: This forum has NOTHING to offer to a 1:500 collector! That's probably the reason why no 1:500 collectors ate around here! Please shearch somewhere else before making that kind of post! 1:500 is still very present and will probably always be!!!! Apologies for being rude

cool, an more educated guess from a retailer, than emotional response from a collector. I took the advice of Brusselsairlines & contacted those business to see how large the 1/500 model sales are in Europe. Modelutions website does not support the opinion as there are more models available in both of the other scales than the 1/500. If 1/500 sales are so large why would a store keep so much dead weight inventory of the other scales especially when both of them outnumber the 1/500s?

[Brusselsairlines]

Guys, Again, I didn't wanted be be rude and apologies if I did but I just want to tell and clarify you that 1:500 scale models are still selling like hot cakes!

[fleetlordatvar]

got it. maybe a little passionate about your scale preference. Np, it happens to us all eventually.

[Geoff]

Thank you for your comments re the 1;500 scale. I have learned a lot by my one query, and will look more for the scale I want from Scale Model Store in Holland. I've been looking at some of the planes now up for sale/auction on E-bay and discover a lot of items are based on planes now flying in the U.S.S.R/Russia which are of no interest to me, but to each his own I say. I have gained a lot of information from all of you, and thank you for your help. I now think it's time to move on and bring this matter to a close.

[eugenevh]

I started out in 1:500, but then saw that for my particular scheme's I wanted at that stage (South African only) that 1:400 and 1:200 has seemingly a bit more variety to offer.
Another thing which put me off 1:500 actually is the Version 1, Version 2, Version 3 business I saw in the database. My question is why don't they do the mold right the first time? Or if you bring out a better mold, then give a different registration.

At the end of the day I decided to only stick to 1:400 and 1:200 as that is already taxing enough on the budget.

I don't think 1:500 is dead at all. 1:200 is great, but the space issue will catch up to most. Yes, you can rotate your displays, but what if you want to display all models at once, then it does become a bit tricky. 1:400 seems to have the most current manufacturers, but that could change in the near future.

As stated previously, it isn't a waste of money. I still have a couple of 1:500 models which hasn't seen the light of day in other scales (excluding customs now), and they are just as lovely to look at than the others I have.

I don't think you have to worry at all that 1:500 will disappear. There are a lot of collectors who have a lot of vested interest in that scale which will see it grow for a long time still.
If you were a 1:600 collector however, that would have been another story entirely. I have a couple of Schabak 1:600 and in my view they are just too small and in my view appear a bit crude at times. Ok, it could be my eyesight to blame there so if you are a 1:600 collector just blame my eyesight :-)
I've seen some collectors with amazing airport dioramas in 1:600 though (Swiss I can think of for now) and it does appear very nice from a distance.

Geoff, as Fleetlord rightly stated, simply enjoy your 1:500 collection. You worked for it and you paid good money for it and nothing should take away your enjoyment of it.

My mantra as always on forums are : It DOESN'T MATTER what OTHERS think about your collection. YOU are the one who should be happy with it. And importantly, you DON'T NEED VALIDATION form anyone else to feel good about that or anything about yourself in life. When people try to put you down it could well be because you appear as a 'threat' to their view of themselves.

[Geoff]

Thank you for your very kind and much appreciated message. I fully agree with you re the issuing NEW and UPDATED models all with the same item number. I've already fallen into that trap once.One particular model springs to mind, the Boeing 747-8i, the first edition of which was a disgrace.Where was quality control when they let that out ?. I complained to Herpa and they did eventually replace it but this is bad also, but better than nothing. In this case they gave the item number 516068 for the first model, and then with the second model the number was 516068-001, same plane, same reg, same name. I also agree that I buy them with my money, they keep me happy, and others may giggle at a grown man buying toys(?) I care not one jot.

[eugenevh]

lol - Now your last comment about a 'grown man buying toys' have been a huge debating point on some of the forums I read. It seems you are either on the one side or on the other.
I see them as expensive toys, but toys they are. If you want a real plane, then you need to get one from Boeing or Airbus or one from the smattering of smaller manufacturers.

It might still be a collection, but in my view it will always be a collection of toys. Not an investment per se.
Some models might bring you a profit a couple of years down the line, others you might not be able to give away to a charity.

In any case, I kind of have a huge distaste towards people who speculate with my hobby as they make it more difficult for me personally to get the models which are seemingly produced in ever diminishing numbers. A term has been coined on another forum : PANIC BUYING! It seems some models in certain scales are almost sold out before they are even freely available in the market place. Welcome to the club of Panic Buyers and Men who spend large amounts of money on toys they treat like gems

[JAL1628]

Very well said.

[planemanone]

They most certainly are not an investment. There are of course anomalies that seem to get more attention than others. I have paid the price for that like many other collectors. In my case I chased a PAN AM 727-200 with winglets some years ago and paid a premium for it! But it made me happy and that was the value in it - not the prospect of making a lot of money reselling it.

[Geoff]

Totally agree with you on all counts. May we all live long and prosperous lives, and have fun doing it