RE: What did we all think of Sandown??
Wow, sorry to hear that your flagship show was not the same as in the past. I have only heard good things about previous years. It makes me wonder whether or not things will be going into a small slump.
Market saturation, over zealous marketing, too many new airplanes everyday...these tend to flood and fill the market. As things reach a plateau, in airplanes and flying (lots of new stuff but just a variation on yesterday's theme), the "must see" and "totally new" and "boulverser of modeling" no longer are what they are billed as being. Everyday a new airplane claiming to be the "best of all" graces the magazines and it is getting old quickly. I already see a calming of the market and people seem to be desiring now to settle down the wallet and start spending time with their friends flying yesterday's airplanes that are really just as good as the latest. 3D is now fairly common, nothing so new as to wow the seasoned spectator unless performed by the best of the best with great precision. Anyway, that is my take on the slight downturn of events. Give it a little time. People will turn away from the dime store toys for a while, then the top end stuff will start to refine and sell again, then the dime store stuff will taylor itself to giving the public a cheaper version and people will once again go crazy, needing the latest and greatest and once again the trade shows will be packed end to end with booths and peddlers. What is the cycle? I'd guess between three and five years.
Mark