[Layla's Keeper]

Actually, you're right in wondering if military/aircraft modeling is more profitable than auto modeling, because it often is for a hobby shop.

Auto modelers are not the finicky bunch that military, aircraft, and railroad modelers are. An auto modeler will refuse to buy a $20 kit if he can buy a slightly less accurate version for $10. A military modeler will do the opposite.

It's often a larger investment in shelf stock to have a good military, aircraft, and especially railroad selection. But I know personally that a hobby shop will often stay open for weeks on one O gauge locomotive sale.

My local hobby shop, Parma Hobby (Bob, Sandy, love you guys and can't thank you enough for ten years running of service), will never drop its automotive selection, but their primary business is RC airplanes and model railroading. The unfortunate truth of the matter is that it takes 5-10 model car kits to equal the sale of one HO scale Athearn Genesis series 2-8-2 Pennsy light Mikado.

And that Pennsy Mike takes up a lot less shelf space than 5-10 model car kits, and it's actually easier to sell one item than it is to sell 5-10.

So, with most other forms of modeling, you have a higher price market that requires less shelf space (generally) AND as the market is generally a more mature one, it's more likely they have the disposable income to spend.

Parma Hobby just sold a $3,000 high range Italian kit of the HMS Victory in a very large scale. I don't think it's very likely there are many car modelers out there looking to drop $3,000 on a kit.