Ive noticed...

noname

noname

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Jun 16, 2010
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...that the most popular scale in terms of military models seems to be 1/35 for armour and 1/48 for planes. Is this correct? I'm just thinking that if they sat on a shelf together, they would be the same size. I've noticed there are 1/32 planes but I'm not seeing any 1/35 planes. Wonder why that is?

I've also noticed that 1/72 planes are quite small and difficult to detail. I've heard of one company having a 1/72 submarine but I've yet to see it.

I've also noticed that when you mix peanut butter and choclate together , it doesn't quite taste like a Reeses Pieces.

Any comments on my boring observations?
 
Said it before, but I like 1:72. You can get tanks, planes, some subs / small ships, and sci-fi subjects all in that scale. Other positives include; that you can fit more models on a shelf and the kits are relatively low cost.
 
Size and cost I'm guessing. Where ya going to stick a $350 1/35th Flying Fortress?

I've been told that "standard" tank scale was 1/48th. Tamiya started making 1/35th and it was a big hit so everyone moved to that scale. Odd thing is now that Tamiya lost that niche market they are going back to pushing 1/48th.
 
Actually, along time ago, the scale of the kit was in direct relation to the size of the box that they could put it in. Because...back then, the cost to make the box, was much more than the cost of the plastic. This is where the term box scale came from.

I know Tamiya pretty much invented the 1/35 scale....but I don't remember them into the 1/48 scale before about 5 or so years ago. Big scale back then was 1/32 in armor.

For me...armor is 1/35. Aircraft...depends, jets, usually 1/72, props usually 1/48.....I do have a few odd balls here and there as well.

Auto now...that is where the scales take off...........1/43, 1/24, 1/25, 1/20, 1/18, 1/16, 1/12, 1/8 are all main stream. 1/18 is more for diecast now, but Tamiya did have a line of 6 car kits in 1/18 out in the late 60's, early 70's before they switched to 1/12 for their large scale cars.
 
I realize that 1/72 is usually more reasonably priced and can fit on a shelf better. Detailing (if your into that) although quite possible can be a bit difficult. I like the way you can make smaller sized dioramas with them.

I thought it funny that there is no 1/35 planes. Yes, they would take alot of room (which I know I don't have) but, 1/32 is pretty close and yet bigger! I've just noticed that 1/35 armour and 1/48 planes seem to be more popular. And it makes sense to me. I like to stick to the same scale but I'm going to try not to worry about that. Just build what ya like and what ya get your hands onto. I personally think it looks a bit funny to have a 1/72 sitting next to a 1/35.

I've picked up a few 1/35 armour kits and I like the fact that they are still a bit small compared to the 1/25 autos I've been building for the last few years. However, I think I'll stick mostly to the smaller vehicles rather than the big Tiger tanks and whatnot.
 
There are some 1/35 Helo kits made by Academy, I hear they are pretty nice, Black Hawks, Kiowas and Cobras if I remember correctly. I also vaguely remember some 1/35 fixed wing a/c kits, I dont remembver who made them though, seems to me they were Viet-Nam era Air Controller subjects. Dont quote me on that one though. Some 1/35 WW2 aircraft would be cool.
 
Thats right I forgot about seeing some 1/35 choppers.

So has anybody seen the 1/72 sub I've heard about?
 
Revell Germany has a couple of 1/72 subs.

Couple of different variants of the German U-Boats, and a US Gato Class.

There is also the 1/72 Flower Class Corvette
 
For planes, the common scales are 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32. They don't make many 1/32 I've noticed. :/ I started at 1/72 because of the cost and size and how quick it is to do. Though I started going to 1/48 to get more details in. I can't stand having a shelf of mixed scales though but I get used to it.

I did a couple of 1/72 armor but with armor, I really like 1/35. I did 1/48 and it's better but bigger seems more fun to build so I started buying 1/35 armour kits.

Ships, I usually see 1/350 and 1/700 as the more common. I haven't built any of those though I started on 1/400 Titanic.
 
There are lots of aircraft kits in 1/32.

Trumpeter has a whole slew of them, Hasegawa, Tamiya just to name a few.

Main scales:

Aircraft: 1/144, 1/72, 1/48, 1/35, 1/32, 1/24

Auto: 1/43, 1/25, 1/24, 1/20, 1/18, 1/16, 1/12, 1/8

Armor: 1/144, 1/76, 1/72, 1/48, 1/35, 1/32, 1/24, 1/16

Ships: 1/72, 1/144, 1/350, 1/700, there are however the Airfix and Heller scales, 1/400 and 1/600

Figures....multitude of scales from 1/72 to 1/9

Sci Fi....too many to mention
 
I get a chortle out of some sci-fi scales, like;

1:529, 1:2256 or 1:50000
 
Planes ain't really aint my thing and I didn't know 1/32th is a common scale. I see you point about it being so close and not matching 1/32.

I don't know much about subs either. I do remember seeing a 1/35th scale sub. Box was around 6 feet long.
 
JMac said:
I get a chortle out of some sci-fi scales, like;

1:529, 1:2256 or 1:50000
Click to expand...
Those are, once again, the likely result of the "box scale" monster.
Although the 1/50000 is likely for the HUGE Star Wars ships.
 
I went looking on the net for the 1/72 sub and they certainly do exist. One was four and a half feet while the other was five! I'd like to get one of those buggers some day when I actually have a place to display it. Revell Germany has a 1/125 U99 which is kind of an in between size. I also saw a handfull of 1/35 mini subs as well.
 
I've seen the Revell 1/72 Type VIIc built and on display at a hobby show a few years back, man it was impressive. The builder did an excellent job, it won best of show. As impressive at it was, the type VII U-Boats were not very big, I can only imagine how much bigger a USN Gato Class would be in the same scale.
 
The scale can be deceiving. Because 1:1 subs can vary so much you have to really look on the box somewhere to see how many mm or cm it is built up. I also saw a large (1/72?) sub built up and it was quite impressive. What really made it for me was the fact it was weathered just right. But it needs it's own display case which this one had.
 
Here is the one that Charlie mentioned, it won Best in Show, in 2006 (hard to believe it was that long ago) at the CAMS show.

IMG_5535-vi.jpg

IMG_5536-vi.jpg

IMG_5603-vi.jpg

Crappy photos, and doesn't give you the sensation of size, but it is in excess of 36" long.
 
Yup, thats the one... One of these days Id liek to tacke one of those kits, Ill do it up in the markings of "Das Boot"
 
That is nice. Looks like the one at the Greenwood Military Aviation museum. Maybe I can get a pic of that one.
 

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