| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Nerd on the Prairie
Posts: 3052
|
|
|
Post subject: Scale descriptions and conversions
|
 |
|
http://www.bobeshobbyhouse.com/scaleart.html
| Quote: | Model and Figure Scales
by Cranky Old-Timer
Most model scales are expressed as a ratio, or proportion, between the model and the real thing (or "prototype") that the model represents. Thus, a 1/48 scale model of a 48-foot long truck will be one foot long, while a 1/72 scale model of the same truck would be eight inches long (48 feet × 12 inches ÷ 72 = 8). Scale is not the same thing as size; if a real truck is twice as big as a sedan on the road, the truck's model will be twice as big as the sedan's model if they are both to the same scale. The biggest difference between toys and models is that models are carefully scaled (usually), while toys are sized to fit common packaging. This means that most toys in a product line are close to the same size without regard to any common scale, or even to any realistic proportion. This said, of course, I have in my time seen some great toys and some lousy models. I have occasionally spent time in toy departments using a trusty pocket ruler, but that is another story . . .Some well-known ratio scales are:
1/2400: became a popular naval wargaming scale in the 1970's.
1/1200: an old wartime ship identification scale (often called "100 feet per inch"), it is still popular for naval wargaming.
1/800: not common for model ships except aircraft carriers.
1/700: very popular for model ships, mostly WW II and modern.
1/600: an older model ship scale (often called "50 feet per inch"), still popular.
1/400: a fairly popular model ship scale.
1/350: very popular for model ships, mostly WW II and modern.
1/285: starting in the 1970's, this is a tremendously popular historical wargaming scale for ground and air combat of WW II and after, but some WW I miniatures are also available.
1/200: moderately popular for transport aircraft and airliners.
1/144: popular for small aircraft models, especially airliners.
1/100: basically a failed model airplane scale, some very nice old models are still available, and it is fairly popular for metal kits of military vehicles.
1/87: the most popular railroad scale (see "HO Gauge"), plus very many civilian vehicles, many military vehicles, some planes, ships and boats.
1/76: traditionally popular for military vehicles, but losing ground to 1/72.
1/72: offers by far the widest variety of military aircraft models of all types, also popular for military vehicles and plastic figures.
1/64: very popular for die-cast cars, one of the traditional train scales (see S Gauge).
1/48: claimed to be the most popular scale for military aircraft, but less variety than 1/72; also popular for model trains (see "O Gauge"), very limited for military vehicles.
1/43: internationally, the most popular scale for die-cast cars, with tremendous variety; also popular for toy trains (see "O Gauge").
1/35: the most popular scale for military vehicles and figures (see "54mm"), also some helicopters.
1/32: while traditional and popular for planes and cars, the variety is limited.
1/25: very popular for U.S. car models, especially street cars and hot rods.
1/24: rivals 1/25, especially for die-cast cars and racing car models.
1/20: some model cars, also model trains using G Gauge track to represent U.S. 3-foot gauge railroading.
1/15: (also 1/16) very popular for figures (see 120mm) and for kits of military vehicles compatible with the figures, including some radio-control tanks.
1/12: the most popular dollhouse scale, also a popular scale for motorcycles and figures.
1/9: popular for motorcycles and figures.
1/8: very popular for resin-cast figures.
1/6: Probably the most popular "action figure" scale, also popular for motorcycle models.
1/4: popular for large resin-cast figures.
There is another traditional approach to model scale, usually used for model ships and trains, which easily translates into a ratio when you know how. For example, references to 1/4" scale and 1/8" scale are very common for model ships, and are not at all the same thing as 1/4 scale or 1/8 scale, which are already in ratio form. 1/4" scale means that 1/4" equals a scale foot on the model or four scale feet on the model equals one real inch, thus "four feet to the inch". To determine the scale ratio, calculate 1 (real inch) ÷ .25 (1/4") × 12 (inches per foot) = 48, or 1/48 scale. Here are some common ones:
1/16" scale = 1/192; a common model ship scale.
1/10" scale = 1/120; a common architectural scale.
1/8" scale = 1/96; a very common model ship scale.
3/16" scale = 1/64; a common scale for ships, trains (see "S Gauge"), and die-cast cars.
1/4" scale = 1/48; a very common scale for ships, trains (see "O Gauge"), and planes.
3/8" scale = 1/32; traditional but not real common for boats, trains, cars, and planes.
1/2" scale = 1/24; a common scale for cars and dollhouses.
1" scale = 1/12; a very common scale for dollhouses, less so for figures.
Third, there are the "letter scales", which require translation for non-railroaders:
Z Gauge = 1/220; mostly european, rare in the U.S.
N Gauge = 1/160; very common, also a small number of planes and military vehicles.
TT Gauge = 1/120; rare, but common for architecture and wargaming (see "15mm").
HO Gauge = 1/87; the most common railroad scale, with planes and vehicles to match.
OO Gauge = 1/76; mostly British, also traditional for military vehicles.
S Gauge = 1/64; common for trains, and very popular for die-cast cars.
O Gauge = This one varies; usually O27 or O Gauge refers to 1/43 toy trains, while
O Scale refers to more realistic 1/48 scale model trains.
G Gauge = 1/22.5; popular for garden or outdoor trains.
The caveat in model railroading is to remember that scale and gauge are not the same thing, although most people use the terms interchangeably without a thought. Strictly speaking, gauge refers to the scale distance between the rails, which is usually, but not always, 56.5 inches. This is called standard gauge; anything less is called narrow gauge, while anything more is called wide gauge. When you encounter a model railroad label that says something like HOn3, the essential fact is that the scale is HO or 1/87. While the rest of this kind of label denotes a narrower than standard gauge ("n") of three scale feet ("3"), it is irrelevant for matching figures, structures, or vehicles that do not run on the track.
If you are still with me, brace yourself, because things are about to get ugly. Figure scales can turn you gray or bald (I am both), because instead of anything rational like a stated or implied scale ratio, they are expressed as a figure height in millimeters. How do you correlate these to vehicles, weapons, and other good things for a diorama or display? The theoretical answer is to calculate the height of a six-foot man in millimeters: 6 (feet) × 12 (inches per foot) × 25.4 (mm per inch) = 1,828.8 mm. Now divide this by the height of the figure: 1828.8 ÷ 54 = 33.87, which means that a 54mm figure is 1/34 scale, or near enough to 1/35. One obvious problem is that people come in different heights. This should make it easier to put various figures together without necessarily matching heights, but there is a second problem: figure sculptors tend to treat figure height as a large ball park in which to target the scale of their figures and associated weapons and equipment. People come in different heights and shapes, but their rifles, helmets, etc., are government issue. One solution is to use a common source of weapons and equipment for all your figures in one scale. This is easy in 1/35 scale, but more difficult in other scales where it can be very difficult to find a generous variety of items from one manufacturer.
Actually, modellers in 54mm to 120mm scales have a much easier time than the small-scale gamers, whose "15mm" figures can range from 14 to 18mm (almost a 30% deviation) and whose "25mm" figures can range from 25 to 33mm or even more (a 33% deviation). When some of these manufacturers first began to use a "28mm" designation, many of their own figures were already well over 30mm tall.
These deviations and disagreements go at least as far back as the mid-sixties (the extent of this old-timer's figure experience), when some people even argued that the proper measurement of figure height was from the soles of the figure's feet to the level of its eyes. It has gotten so bad that when some manufacturers of historical gaming miniatures list both a figure height and a vehicle scale for their product line, the two do not match - in the list below, for example, note that a line of 15mm figures and 1/100 vehicles strongly hints that the figures are at least 18mm tall. Here are some of the more common figure scales along with my translations:
6mm = 1/305; also used for 1/285 gaming miniatures.
10mm = 1/183; does not correlate to any modelling scale, although the manufacturers sometimes claim it to be compatible with N Gauge. Personally, if I can't match scales, I prefer to use structures and scenery items in a scale that is smaller than the figures, not larger.
12mm = 1/152; which is slightly larger than N Gauge, but very close.
15mm = 1/122; a very good match for 1/120, which is a common architectural scale. Unfortunately, many so-called 15mm figures have grown to the extent that they are being listed with 1/100 vehicles and have difficulty fitting within traditional gaming base dimensions. I have had to divide my own stock of figures into "large" and "small" fifteens, treating them as two different scales, and basing them for two different game systems.
20mm = 1/91; close to 1/96 ship models and 1/87 (HO) trains. Some of these figures have grown to the extent that they are being listed with 1/72 vehicles, which should be 25mm scale.
25mm = 1/73; effectively a match for 1/72 models, except that figure growth has hopelessly muddied these waters, even when not described as "Heroic 25mm" or "28mm". All you can do is pull out that trusty pocket rule.
28mm = 1/65; effectively a match for 1/64 die-cast cars and S Gauge trains, but treat these with the same suspicion as the 25mm above.
30mm = 1/61; matches practically nothing and may really be up to 35mm tall, but most 30mm figures are such body-builder types that they go surprisingly well with 1/48 scale vehicles for sci-fi gaming. This opens up an enormous range of model plane and train kits and parts for adaptation.
54mm = 1/34; a good match for 1/35 models, but oversize fifty-fours would be more comfortable with 1/32 scale.
70mm = 1/26; an uncommon figure scale, but good with 1/25 cars.
80mm = 1/23; a popular scale for "girl figures".
90mm = 1/20; a very popular figure scale which is a good match for some model cars and trains.
120mm = 1/15; the recent popularity of this figure scale has generated production of compatible vehicles and accessories, frequently described as 1/16 scale.
150mm and above = in recent years, large resin-cast figures have become very popular, but working or collecting in a single scale is just as difficult as it is in the small 15-30mm gaming scales.
Why don't the figure manufacturers switch to scale ratios like other model manufacturers? I'm sure that "tradition" would be invoked in a veritable chorus . . . some problems never go away, like taxes and cockroaches.
|
_________________
 |
|
 Fri Oct 30, 2009 6:29 pm |
|
|
AHF Silver-Rated Trader
Posts: 861
|
|
|
Post subject:
|
|
|
Thanks !!! Useful... even If in knew most of it.
It also should be available in the model section
_________________
Remember-OWS-
AAM Scenario Creator, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, |
|
| Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:44 pm |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
Donations are used for Forumini Olympics awards (donations admin: Aquarius)
| Forumini Gallery |
 |
|
