Comments on editorial

[Alan]

I would prefer to model 1/87 now. It's true that there is a slight difference between the two scales, but the difference gets bigger with the increase in size of the vehicles! I like to keep the truck models in my collection fairly up to date, and thats where the real difference comes in: There are no up to date trucks in 1/76 (as far as I can find) and the availability of them in 1/87 is vast.
I go by this philosophy: If I can get it right, I will get it right!

[jeanmarc]

About HO scale, OO scale (1/76)….let think a minute? ???How getting a chance to have in your collection some Atkinson , Bedford Vega coach, Seddon Diesel, Sunbeam Alpine, Triumph Dolomite, ..and so on… ..if you ignore 1/76th scale?…waiting for German manufacturers, or Japanese, or Chinese? …or very tiny kit manufacturers?…so, we have to live with it, and as Lee says to forget the slight difference of size (when you don’t put them beside, that seems very true) ….Furthermore, products made by EFE,CORGI OOC are just fantastic!…I would dream of the same with French buses and trucks!…and what about old OO scale BUDGIE MODELS, MINIC TRIANG, MINIX, Or DUBLO DINKY-TOYS…aren’t nice models?

[stanhas87]

Dear Sirs:

What attracted me to 1/87 scale was the fact that such a tiny model had this many details-even in the past.I can remember the fascination that I had with Wiking's Mercedes 450 sedan that was made in the 1980's-even the star was there! I also collect 1/64 cars,and at the moment,the latter may offer an enormous amount of vehicles,but 1/87 cames in third-on my opinion-in terms of variety of vehicles.The first scale with a wide variety of vehicles would be,on my opinion,1/43;the second 1/64.However-again,to my opinion-1/87 can distance itself from the other because it also offers a large amount of kits and it supported by people who does not mind to modify their cars.As I saw at the North A merican 1/87 club people not only modify their vehicles,but they also scratchbuit these.I met the guy from this club that scratrchbuilt one of a kind buses,such as the Bluebird school bus,and the site has pictures of it.Also,as SKUNK told me,there is that scratchbuilt station wagon and the Magnusons have a good amount of one-of-a kind kits,along with Greg's Garage,who offers two cars that are not reproduced that easily-the 1950 Studebaker 4-door sedan and the 1948 ford four door.Kits are almost non-existent on 1/64 and there are some in 1/43.And then there are these exclusive kits,such as the ones which offers the cabs from the trucks only................................

[hofan]

I think that what scale you choose depends very much on what cars you are interested in having. most german cars have been made in 1/87 scale and that is why this scale is very popular in Germany and the countries near and 1/64 scale have a lot of American cars so it is more common in the U.S.A and so on. for me I choose to collect different cars and do not care where the true car is made and besides that a model in HO scale occupy only 1/8 the size of 1/43 models which makes storing them much eesier. I just hope that more American models from the 70's will be made because there are very few in this scale from that Era

[jeanmarc]

Why the HO scale is the best scale up to me?
....because it is a scale able to provide with good compromise (detail/size) the complete range in modelling from motorcycle, cars...to the biggest public works machines (cranes , dumpers...) .
Even if 1/43rd scale is considered as better scale for cars (?) ...I find this scale ugly for trucks (too big) ....That's why the scale for 1/43rd scale is used to be rather 1/50thscale...or 1/55 , 1/60.... ;D
For that point of view 1/87th scale is the proper scale (but 1/76 could do it as well....)

[stanhas87]

Dear Sirs:

I agree on hofan on the choice of scales.Most collectors are interested to have cars from a particular make or period.1/64 scale will have a huge amount of American Cars,including a 1971 Chevrolet sedan;1/87 at first was oriented towards european cars and/or considered,up to the early 1980's,cars for train layouts.Right now,since people are actualy collecting it,this scale became universal.I mean,which are the possibilities to see a say,Chevrolet Caprice along with a DKW coupe,Lada Niva,Syrena coupe and Aro 4x4 on the street? None-perhaps;and just think on the enormity of almost unknown models that exist in HO.It came to the point that this scale does offer this enormous variety of vehicles and if one would include trucks,buses (Skoda buses exists under this scale;add some of the Brazilian ones,such as CAIO,Marcopolo or Ciferal and that would be beyond perfect) and construction equipment.
Granted,not that many 1970's American cars im 1/87;but the ones that graduated-Monaco,Fury,Impala-are good enough.And then there is people like Joe who adds more and more ineteresting items to it and demonstartes that since this scale also offers a vast amount of kits,it becames on of the scales that,as 1/43 or 1/64,has an enormous variety of vehicles (and I do not dare to include locomotives here) to satisfy all tastes-or 90% of it.

Nick K

[skunk]

Agreeing with most of the points, I also take a real pleasure in the challenge of collecting in 1:87 scale.

In 1:43, nearly anyhting is available. It would be possible (but expensive) to purchase models of every single post-war starter at LeMans, for instance.

The need for hunting and scratchbuilding in H0 really is quite important to me.

[cfesmire]

I think JeanMarc makes an excellent point in that any vehicle modeled that is larger than your average passenger vehicle in a scale larger than 1:87 becomes way too big. Imagine a collection of DeMag or Liebherr cranes in 1:64. Most of us would have to refinance to put an addition on the house just for our models. And then there is the cost involved in making these pieces too.

[BillC]

First, let me say I would also like to see some more English models, RHD and all. Especially from the years when Ford and Vauxhall were creating their own designs.

Incidentally, one model missing from the British HO list is Wiking's Jaguar Mk II; a very nice model, right down to the leaping jag on the hood (bonnet). Sadly, their police version is unlike any ever used by British police. They could have just left it black and been spot on.

I did pass on a suggestion to Brekina that when they release their Volvo Amazon Estate, they produce a model of the Hampshire Constabulary car (real easy, take a white estate, add a blue light - on top of a riser box that says "POLICE" if it's to be done right). The Amazon estate was the first non-British car to be purchased by an English police agency.

Next, money. I pay $20/year to the 1/87 Vehicle Club and more than that for various subscriptions. I have no problem with a donation.

Finally, to the editorial. Yes, there are lots of clubs. Yes, the Internet is wonderful. The problem is that the Internet is passive; you have to be looking for something to find it and oftentimes you have to wade through a mountain of irrelevant stuff to get to it.

While I am not in favor of forming one worldwide "ueberclub", even if that was possible, I do think the more we reach out to other organizations, websites and groups, the better off we will be. To use the overworked American buzzword, we need to be proactive.

Let's face it, the one thing we all have in common is a desire to see our favorite scale grow and to find new friends is always good.

It is also the best way to attract new model projects. It's very expensive to try to advertise to the whole world, but it's very inexpensive to network. What if we could share news with other groups with a couple of keystrokes? That's something we can do.

For example, I did a quick Google search for 1:87 scale clubs and discovered the North American region of the Mercedes-Benz Modellauto-Club. I was surprised to discover that a club dedicated to models of Mercedes-Benz models did not have a link to Brekina, Busch or Wiking.

This effort need not apply to just the major model companies; this could be a huge benefit to the small operation who do not have access to traditional distribution. Right now, some of the projects I have seen are among the world's best-kept secrets. An interchange of news would not only give a the manufacturer more "reach", it would give model builders and collectors who might be interested a chance to get the model. I know I have missed a model I would have liked on more than one occasion.

Let's face it; if this kind of stuff works for fans of pop stars, why not make it work for us?

Bill C.

[Lee]

Most interesting and thoughful comment. After watching for the last six months the actions on various websites, I have to agree that just one website can not handle the whole world even in just 1/87 scale. Links seem to be the answer. I am seeing really interesting websites that I would have never found by myself because others have been sharing what they have found.

I would like to see a greater effort to list online dealers in various countries, even if the sites are not in English. I also would like to see some way set up to help dealers in various countries make contact with manufactures in other countries to aquire their products for resale. This would be of help to the modelers - collectors the world over.

I know that I am putting pressure on Eric and Christian, but of the listed 1000 manufactures, how many have websites and email address? How do we as individuals or small retailers make contact?

[Christian]

Lee said:

I know that I am putting pressure on Eric and Christian, but of the listed 1000 manufactures, how many have websites and email address?

I am pretty sure that we have about 99% of all available manufacturers' websites linked. If a link isn't there it likely doesn't exist.

How do small retailers make contact? They have to be persistent and inventive. Small series manufacturers almost never actively acquire customers. 87thscale.info can help providing the necessary information, but it's the dealers themselves who must be willing to stock strange models from far away countries.
How do you think I got in contact with Autosculpt for example? They don't provide any contact details at all (justified fear of licensing troubles!), and 87thscale didn't even exist back then.

[Eric]

Lee said:

I would like to see a greater effort to list online dealers in various countries, even if the sites are not in English. I also would like to see some way set up to help dealers in various countries make contact with manufactures in other countries to aquire their products for resale. This would be of help to the modelers - collectors the world over.

Ehm, we are going to need some help... according to Google there are about 4,285,199,774 web pages at the moment (and they just count what their spiders crawl!). Imagine that just 0.01% of those pages (428519) are webshops......

Seriously though, we can list more shops if so desired but we do need help, there is no way we can find them all by ourselves. I suggest creating a new thread where everyone can put up the details of shops they've found.

[Lee]

Great idea Eric. It will cut down on a lot of hunting and fustration.

[stanhas87]

Dear Sirs:

eBay USA has a list of dealres;the point is to get the ones who deal with 1/87 scale.Most of the major brands are present there and I managed to find pieces that one can not get normally.I think that the same is true at the Global eBay: dealers are listed and I know that the German site has an extensive HO listing.

That is only the beggining,of course.I also suggest well-known swap meets,toy shows,etc.

[Eric]

Something else to consider when listing dealers, do we list all dealers that carry 1/87 models or do we just list dealers that carry 1/87 models exclusively ?