Doing different scales?

[elcrni]

Hi all,

 

So as the title says, what's the general consensus here, is it usual for scale modelers to keep to their scale or you would do anything you happen to like at that moment.

I do aircraft in 1:32 but recently wanted to a jet or two and 1:48 as it seems more appropriate size wise, but then i started overthinking and complicating on how to make these finished different scale live in harmony 🙂

 

and i am not talking abou transitioning to different scale all together but doing different scales simultaneously ;)

 

Thanks,

Alek

 

 

Edited January 19 by elcrni

[fasteagle12]

I started with only doing 1/72 (around 275 in the stash), then transitioned to 1/48 ( around 175 in the stash)and then some 1/32 around 12).  I'm slowly selling off the 1/32 since im running out of shelf space to display them. 

[phantom]

I mostly do 1/48. Most aftermarket decals available in that scale. But, I prefer 1/32 for the detail. Have 76 built up models in 1/32 one more on the bench. But reality, some planes have to be 1/72. Just finished a couple as 1/72 is the ONLY scale that plane comes in.

 

I have two completed 1/48 Hercs.........They take up a bit of room. 72nd would have been smarter.

[southwestforests]

2 hours ago, elcrni said:

is it usual for scale modelers to keep to their scale or you would do anything you happen to like at that moment

I have no information on what is usual for modelers, I only have my own life history of modeling, i.e., what was/is usual for me.

And I've built various and sundry models and miniatures in various and sundry scales ranging from 1/2400 to 1/22.

That includes metal kits for naval wargaming ships, classic plastic model kits, and model railroad kits and scratchbuilds.

 

For plastic model aircraft kits specifically, have built various scales from 1/288 Space Shuttle in the 1990s to 1/32 Revell F-4, Mustang, P-40, Wildcat, in the 1970s.

I really like the sizes of 1/72 pilots and 1/48 pilots, therefore I built, build, most airplanes in those scales.

1/144 is also an appealing scale for aircraft and space rockets, especially now that there are 3D printed 1/144 astronauts, and pilots, and ground crew, and mechanics.

Remember my first 1/144 model kit was an Entex RA-5 Vigilante, in the 1970s. Build it today and I'd get the guys to be flying it.

 

As for keeping to a single scale, that 1/32 Revell F-4J ate a lot less 1970s bedroom volume than a 1/32 scale model of whichever carrier it flew off of ...

Edited January 19 by southwestforests

[Geoff M]

I was strictly 1/48(planes mostly but a few of the tamiya trucks and jeeps even a PT boat!), but there are some nice 1/32 scale planes out there that I have.  Then I started seeing some cool 1/24 AMT car kits that bring back the good ol' days.  

[cruiz]

I consider myself a committed 1/48 airplane modeler, but I do make 1/72 whenever I want to try something new in a short time without worrying if I succeed; 1/72 helped me switch to acrylics, airbrushing free-hand cammo, honing my scratch building, and most importantly, coming back to modeling after a hiatus.

 

Also, since I want to try my hand at ship models in the near future, I choose the 1/350 scale because, oddly, in my mind, it is the equivalent of 1/48 for ships so to maintain consistency.

[Spruemeister]

It’s a big hobby. A really big hobby. I used to be an exclusive scale only modeler, and then I figured out how much enjoyment I had locked myself out of by doing that. As I contemplated branching out, it became more about understanding and respecting the guys in the other scales first before I expected them to do the same for me.  Same with other genres of scale modeling. I suddenly enjoyed talking to modelers who built what I didn’t, getting their story, and learning something instead of pushing any agenda in the conversation. 
I do have a preferred scale that fits my level of expected balance between detail, buildability and display space. It maximizes my enjoyment, but does not define who I am anymore. I get something from just about everything now. Wish I had understood this a lot sooner. 
 

Rick L. 

[WymanV]

I stick to a scale. I don't want them to look odd on display together.

[John Tapsell]

I feel more comfortable working in a single scale because I do a lot of scratchbuilding of components and my brain has become calibrated over the years to the sizes and proportions. If I build in a different scale I find it more difficult to gauge where I'm at. About 10 years ago I did transition to a smaller scale (from 1/32 down to 1/48 because of lack of space) and it took me a couple of years to retrain my instincts to work in the new scale.

 

That said, many of the guys in my club build in multiple scales scales depending on what they are inspired to build, so there is no 'right' or 'wrong' approach to the one scale/multiple scales conundrum.

Edited January 20 by John Tapsell

[elcrni]

Thanks everyone!

 

As said, i am not too happy to mix scales and while most WWII planes are just perfect size in 1/32 i find modern jets simply a big too large, for my desk and the display later, so the idea is to keep 1/32 for WWII and switch to 1/48 for jets. 

 

Someone said "i am tuned to a scale"... me too, plus 1/32 offers more details and easier to work with in terms of parts size.

[airmechaja]

Good topic. I've always been a 1/48 modeler but space is at a minimum now so I'm dabbling in 1/72 at present. Also I finish them much faster.

[elcrni]

54 minutes ago, airmechaja said:

Good topic. I've always been a 1/48 modeler but space is at a minimum now so I'm dabbling in 1/72 at present. Also I finish them much faster.

Thats another thing, 1/48 jets in my case are much simpler in terms of number of parts than 1/32.

[A-10 LOADER]

My scale is 1/48th however as I type this I have two 72nd builds going, a EP-3E (on hold, waiting on decals) and a AC-130J. I've also tackled a 1/18th scale JSI Tomcat re-build.

Steve

[Hajo L.]

I purely build 1/72. As someone already mentioned, I'm "tuned" into that scale now. I did two or three 1/48 builds for friends and felt uncomfortable when "out of my scale".

I just like having all my differnet subjects at the same scale for comparison.

 

 

HAJO

[southwestforests]

8 hours ago, John Tapsell said:

I feel more comfortable working in a single scale because I do a lot of scratchbuilding of components and my brain has become calibrated over the years to the sizes and proportions.

 

30 minutes ago, Hajo L. said:

I just like having all my differnet subjects at the same scale for comparison.

 

Those make sense.

[Snowbird3a]

I am currently doing a 'scale rotation', every kit being a different scale as the previous build.   On the bench now is a 1/32 Mustang Mk1, next build will be a 1/72 jet, after that a 1/48 something or other, then,  a 1/144 scale airliner, then back to 1/32 scale.   The product of a 40+ year stash

 

Tony

[Scott Smith]

Yes, I’m a “bigger is better” lunatic that  builds 1/32.  I’ve built quite a bit I have in my display case.  But I also have small kits to build too.  Like 3-1/48 C-130 kits.  Already built one in 1/72.  Also have 2-B-17 kits in 1/32 and 1 B-24.  
But I’m all over the place. 1/144 C-5 built, 2 kits to go, 1/72 B-36 hanging from the ceiling, 1/72 Saturn V in the corner of the room and 1/72 space shuttle stack in the other corner.  
Usually if I can get it in 1/32, I’ll pass on the smaller scales.  If it’s a subject I really want though, I don’t mind mixing it up.  

[Rod D]

I tend to vacillate between 1/48 and 1/72 aircraft.  I like consistency among my builds.....I won't display different scales in the same display shelf.  Typically I'll build a bunch of 1/72, then get tired of the tedious bits, so I move to 1/48.  But, as the display starts growing, I realize I am running out of space, so go back to 1/72.  I do have a few 1/32 interspersed here and there, as well as smaller scales...1/100, 1/144, etc.  

 

Been working this way for years!  Some would say it's a sickness!!!  🙂

 

Rod

[Ryan Hothersall]

On 1/20/2024 at 6:23 PM, WymanV said:

I stick to a scale. I don't want them to look odd on display together.

Same here. I build 1:72 jets so I agree with you on keeping everything to a constant scale. 

[Helmsman]

I'm quite flexible, but generally prefer larger(1/32) scale depending on subject and available space. But I have no problem going down to 1/48 if large kit is not accurate enough. E.g., Trumpeter Flanker vs. GWH.

 

[habu2]

When I was young I built 1/72 because I couldn't afford larger, more expensive kits.

 

As I got older and better at the hobby I built 1/48 largely because I had more disposable income.

 

As I got even older and my eyesight wasn't as good I started building 1/32.

 

Currently working on my 1/1 car in the garage.....

[Robert Garelli]

I build almost anything, don't care for Gundam models or 1/700 scale ships and 1/32 cars. I mainly stick with 1/48 for aircraft, 1/35 for armor. 1/24-25 for cars and trucks and 1/350 or larger for ships and watercrafts as well as most SciFi. I will build 1/72 scale aircraft based on size, like the B-52 or B-36 and every once in awhile I  will throw together a 1/72 scale piece of armor just because I want to build something fast. 

 

[Joe Hegedus]

I'm scale-flexible.  Right now, I have a 1/32 SPAD, 1/48 A-7, and a few 1/72 biplanes on the bench.  It kinda depends on the subject as to what scale I build in.

[southwestforests]

2 hours ago, habu2 said:

Currently working on my 1/1 car

At that scale I'd expect you'll be adding resin seats and photoetch serpentine belts.

[ElectroSoldier]

I started building 72nd scale because thats pretty much all there was back then. Over the years there were more 48th scale options to build so I built them but still built 72nd scale too, then 48th scale seemed to become as popular as 72nd scale at least for the more popular aircraft and now 32nd scale is where 48th scale was in the early to mid 90s.

 

Armour I build mostly 35th because all the other things I have are 35 and its a nice size of model. Except I bought a Russian missile launcher that was a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be.

 

I dont often build cars and trucks in the last couple of years but when I do its always 24th scale.

 

Im rather looking forward to getting some aircraft in 35th scale to build up some dios that can use some 35th scale vehicles.