Why no Schabak Forum?

[INTENSS]

Just wondering why there is no Schabak forum on here. Are their models that out-of-date already? I understand they're not as detailed as the other scales, but they do serve their purpose in allowing a person to collect an entire fleet if they wish without breaking the bank.

Does anyone else collect Schabak 1:600 scale?

-Rich

[newsnerd99]

I haven't bought a Schabak since 1993 when I found my first Herpa. It was kinda like the 1:400 of today...they were bigger, better looking, great detail. I'm pretty sure this is the Schaback forum by the way...since it is not 1:200 nor 1:400 nor 1:500.

Anyone want to buy my old Schabak's? Never found a place to off load 'em.

[Ciderman]

I have been collecting Schabak and Schuco airplane models for about 15 years and have a large fleet with many rare types. However, I agree that Schabak gets more and more obsolete. It's their lack of detail and the reluctant behaviour when it comes to new releases. I am indeed considering to stop collecting this scale and focus on 1/400 instead.

However, I compiled a list of Schabak/Schuco vintage mould 747s that might be helpful for Schabak collectors: just direct your browser to http://schabak.reiffer.com.

Cheers, Martin.

[Lufthansa]

Originally posted by INTENSS
Why no Schabak Forum?

I think Ron uses to ask this himself quite often!

Originally posted by INTENSS
Does anyone else collect Schabak 1:600 scale?

Yes. Ron does.

[ralph morton]

Being nearly 49 I started my plane collecting with Schuco, then Schabaks. Those visitors who have had the luxury of starting collecting Herpas or Geminis should remember that between 1974 and about 198?(whenever Herpa first appeared) there were simply no diecast airliners (sorry Ertl) in this small scale, other than children's toys (Zylmex etc).

For most of the 80s Schabak did a reasonable job of allowing one to collect fleets of various airlines (plus even now one can have a Schabak line up of colour schemes from BOAC through to BA). But they are toys!

I have virtually given up buying Schabaks and have concentrated on 1:400 replicas of late 60s-early 70s planes. However, I am happy to keep my unsellable collection for those moments when I like playing airports with the Herpa buildings. I say enjoy!

Ralph (UK based but presently in Germany)

No I don't want to buy any Schabak but if you have either the Schuco Irqi 747 or UTA DC8...

[flieger]

Ralph,

basically I can understand you, but something you said is not correct in my opinion. The Schuco planes can be claimed as toys, but Schabak not. Schabak was the first maker of die cast model aircrafts of a unique scale. They took over the Schuco moulds and used them as base for a model line, which was intended then mainly for collectors.
Also there were a lot of other toy makers earlier than Schuco, e.g. Dinky, Lone Star, CIJ, even in constant scale, but intended as toys.

I believe, that Schabak would have loved to keep the main player on the collector's field, but they lost against Herpa, because they never achieved their quality. And especially in the decision making 80s the quality requirements of the model collectors jumped ahead due to new modern production processes.

Look at the 1/250 scale models of Schabak! I have them all, but not in my glass cabinets.......
Another missed chance because of low quality.

I am sorry, but I believe, Schabak will soon leave the market....

[ralph morton]

Flieger

I think I agree with your comments more or less.

When Schabak first appeared, in about 1982-3?, they were sold at gift shops at airports (I got mine at Frankfurt). I agree, however, that they then seemed to aim for the market now occupied by Herpa.

Unlike a lot of people I am not a particular fan of Herpa (except the airport stuff). That is not being unkind to Herpa but merely because I am mainly interested in older aircraft.

I think 1:400 is the ideal scale for these models. Years ago I saw an old 1:400 plastic Lufthansa Boeing 707 in a display in Stratford in England. I don't know who made it in the early 60s. Since then I had always wanted this scale. When Andrew Klein told me that one of his first models was going to be the BOAC Boeing 747 (which I also have in Schuco and Aeromini) I was hooked.

In addition to the Schuco/Schabaks I also have a collection of the 1:250 Siku plastic aircraft, which I purchased mainly in Berlin from a Fundgrube shop in 1987. Noone would make such things today and sell them, but I like them anyway.

Now all I need to do is to find the Schuco Iraqi 747 and UTA DC8.
If Scahabak had issued a BOAC 1:250 747 (I have the Iraqi one) I would have bought that!

Finally, like I said I think we are incredibly lucky at the moment to have so much choice, something that before the 90s was only a daydream.

Ralph

[CO777/200]

I am sorry, but I believe, Schabak will soon leave the market....

Dont forget. Schabak makes his models for airlines. Not for the collectors like herpa it does!! 90 percent from the models going directly to the airlines.

[AirDar]

WhatEVER... I'd rather have a Sobchak forum!

[ralph morton]

Air Dar

If Gemini Jets/Aeroclassics had been around in the 80s I would never have had to collect Schabaks. Sobchak's NY International with its early 60s jets is my sort of place (except I would have a mixture of Heathrow's Terminal 3 (Plate glass: VC10s, 707s etc) and Kennedy's Control Tower and the TWA terminal (which I went through as a lost Brit in 1997) with those great US colours.

Don't get me started on SSTs or the 2707 six pack for Braniff

Ralph Morton

[newsnerd99]

maybe it's time for www.schabakchat.com ?