Why do you think there is so much more interest in WWII vs. WWI (both from modellers and manufacturers) when it comes to modelling, or discussion in general?

This has been discussed before, and is generally chocked up to several things,

1. WWII was more recent, and there is a much greater personal connection to WWII. WWI is not a very nice thing to study because there was no "bad guy".
2.There were only a handful of armour types used in WWI,(Aeroplanes don't really fall into the "not often modeled" category, as they are quite pouplar.) which provides for very little variation in building subjects

As David said, for me, the one major reason is that I have a personal connection with WWII. My Father, Father in Law, 2 Uncles, and my Mother, a volunteer Women's Auxiliary, all served in WWII. I don't have any personal connection at all with WW1. Far as I can see modeling really took off in the late 50s, early 60s. At that time most people modeling were like me, baby boomers who had the same connection. That's what sold, that's what the kit makers made. I think from that point on it was a vicious cycle, people bought what was available, and the makers made more product that sold, which people bought because it was available, and so on.

The one thing I can't understand is why WW1 ships haven't caught on as much as WW1 planes have. They were certainly interesting enough.

I believe that one reason is the lack of popular media depictions of WWI. "Flyboys" is the most recent I can recall and didn't get the success that Saving Private Ryan got. Unfourtunately Americans can't remember 15 minutes ago let alone WWI. It is unfortunate.

As far as armour modelling goes there was very little in the way of tanks and AFV's in WW1 compared to thousands of AFV's and variants for WW2. Therefore as an armour modeller there is little to choose between.
Also the 'great war' was very static, with both side holed up in trenches, making little progress, this doesn't inspire interestiong dioramas compared with the huge sweeping moves of blitzkreig and the like in the second world war, providing more interest and ideas for dioramas.

James

I'd love to see more WW1 models. My grandfather was an Infantry NCO in that war and if I could find a good quality, large-scale figure to represent a US Infantryman, I'd spend some serious money on it.

I have a connection to almost every conflict involving the United States. As best we can trace back through our family history (luckily preserved in several places, mostly in Georgia) I had two brothers from our family serve as continental marines during the revolutionary war. Everything since then has seen at least one male family member serve. In WW1 my great grandfather was an infantry officer in a cavalry recon unit. My other great grandfather was an NCO with the Corps in Belleau Wood. My grandfather, an Italian immigrant, served aboard the Hoggatt Bay in the Pacific. He married a Georgia girl turned Navy nurse shortly after the war. Several great uncles served the 1rst Marines in the Pacific, two brothers giving their lives, and as Army infantry with the 84th Railsplitters and in the 101st Screaming Eagles. In an odd twist of fate my great uncles Buddy and Lee (brothers with one in the 84th, the other in the 101st) met in a field hospital shortly after the relief of Bastogne.

On that note I would have to say that I like to model both. It is a pain in the a** to find good WW1 infantry (in fact any help with that would be great!). That is the chief reason I do not do more WW1 era modeling. I think the availability of WW2 vehicles and infantry make it more appealing. I would like to see more WW1 kits come out in the future however. I have a great deal of ideas that cannot be put into action because I have no kits!!!!

-Mike C

Actually, in terms of historical importance, World War One was far greater than Two. The end of the Austro-Hungarian empire, and of the Ottoman Empire, the final fall of nobility and royalty in much of Europe, the United States actually intervening militarily in Europe for the first time, etc.

I agree with of most of what has been said so far, but my two cents is, WWII was a better documented war than the First world war. There is a lot more research avalible on the second world war.