a question of scale

Thanks DURR.

I think the main thing to remember is its all down to what your used to. I have been building 72nd aircraft for almost 30 years. One of the main reasons I started in the that scale and have stuck with it is, as you can see, I build diorama's. As Don says, vision can be helped. The first thing I noticed when I got back into the hobby after 5 years away is that I was straining to se fine details when I hadn't before. A magnifying head band not only solved this, it made things far easier than they had been before.

But I can understand how people who have only built in a larger scale would find it hard to come down in size. Next year I plan on finding out if it works the other way round. I am hoping to build my first 32nd aircraft and I imagine my brain will implode with the detail over load.

don you are 110 % right on that   use it or lose it  i am down to 1 hand  2 fingers and a thumb on the other  but i keep going  

1st class work bish

Eyesight can generally be helped with vision aids.  I am losing dexterity in my fingers, which I assume will be harder to fix.  I have strong enough vision aids that I can see the  tremors in my fingers well magnified :-)

However, I believe in that old saying, "use it or lose it."  So my move to smaller scale is not just to gain more display space, but also to keep exercising the fine motor skills.

I prefer 1/48 scale aircraft, 1/35 scale armor, and 1/350 scale ships. My eyesight is getting worse so that is the reason I like these scales. Plus, there seems to be more AM for 1/48 scale planes and 1/35 armor.

But, I have seen some very nicely built 1/72 scale aircraft that are as detailed as 1/48 aircraft.

Too true. Very nice. Stunning! I'll have to rethink the scale. I'll get a chance with the Dawn of the Jet Age GB and my 262 and F86D and F4 in the Marines GB. I'll also have to come with a better presentation than I was originally going to do (was not going to do a stand).

Modelcrazy, I hate to burst your bubble, but I think you picked a poor example.  Even if you build that F11C from a Huge Ole Honkin' 1/32 scale kit,,,,,,it is still going to be a very small model, about the size of a 1/72 scale medium sized Navy Jet.

One trick to eliminate the "toy-like" appearance is to not use a high gloss final finish on a small model,,,,,,use satin/semi-gloss or flat/matt as your final clear.  Setting it on a base helps too.

Because let's face it,,,,,,compared to just about any other hobby, it doesn't matter which scale we build our plastic models in,,,,,,,they all look small to most other people,,,,1/24 down to 1/144, they all look like toys to a non-modeler.

Rex

I do 1/48 - aircraft, armor, ships, and figures.

modelcrazy

This is what I mean. They look like toys.

(Monogram 1/72 Curtiss BFC 2 Goshawk)

Perhaps they do when displayed like that. But do you think these look slike toys.

I think its all a case of presentation.  

(Monogram 1/72 Curtiss BFC 2 Goshawk)

This is what I mean. They look like toys.

(Monogram 1/72 Curtiss BFC 2 Goshawk)

i1369.photobucket.com/.../20140812_180658_zps9be76bcf.jpg

I didn't want a hodgepodge of stuff.  I have a wall section that I'm installing a bunch of glass shelves.  My  plan is to have a display to compare different fighters from WW2.  I chose this topic because I picked up a 1/48 Spitfire at a garage sale and a 1/48 Zero at the Hock Shop when I began modelling again.  I also have a shelf for 1/35 modern Canadian armour because I couldn't resist Trumpeter's AVGPs and LAV III.  I have more than enough space and subjects on my wish list to keep me going most of the rest of my natural life.

Depends on the genre.  Not that many 1:72 ship kits available (there are a few).  I have been all over the place on scale in the past, but I have run out of room for finished models.  So I am downscaling- no more 1:32 airplanes, moving to 1:72 and 1:144.  Moving from 1:350 ships to 1:700 (except for very small ships- building a 1:350 Cutty Sark now) ships.  Taking a look at 1:32 cars, finding more on the market than I realized. I guess a house full of models is what I get for being 76, starting modeling when I was 7, and not taking a break from it even when in college and Air Force.

Tanks it has to be 1/35. I did some 1/72 awhile ago and just don't like the scale.

Aircraft, I haven't done much lately but prefer 1/48.

Ships, Not really a fan so I can't say.

Cars, well I like Formula One so my options are pretty much limited to 1/20 which I have no problem.  

When it comes to bombers (Lancasters, B-17s. etc...), my preference is 1/72 scale due to space limitations in my home.

1/48 for flying stuff

1/35 for muddy stuff

1/25 for racing stuff

whatever I can afford for floating stuff

I agree with Jay Jay though, that they look like toys, and are hard for me to get any real detail with my tri focals.

I only do 1/35 armor, never tried anything else. To me their like the 1/72 AC, too small to work with.

For ships its mainly 1/700, but prefer 1/350. Cost and shelf availability stop me there.

Cars it's 1/35. Is there another scale?

Space and Si Fi, it's whatever I can get my hands on.

Lets see, is there anything else? Wood square riggers and misc., well, again I get what's available.

I am 1/72 for almost everything I build now. With the exception of one 1/288 ship model and some left over 1/700 ship kits from back when I had a dedicated ship collection going.

I had many scales at one time, lots of box scale kits, 1/35 tanks, you name it,,,,,,,,but, part of my "getting older, time to reduce the stash" efforts included selling off everything in scales other than 1/72 and subjects other than USN/USMC (it worked !!!, I am down to 550 models in my stash, lol)

I want to finish my 12" shelves with ground effects, so that the trucks and yellow gear can be displayed mixed in around the aircraft,,,,,,,so a constant scale is sort of a given with me.

Don't get me wrong, though,,,,,,,I grew up with an Uncle that built "anything and everything", and I could stand and look at his shelves full of Lindberg and Renwall models for hours,,,,,,,,,and did just that.  It would seem just as cool today as it did back then.

Rex

In aircraft I prefer 1/48, but I push myself to others.  I have a Lancaster in 1/72, and Concorde in 1/144, which would be to big in 1/48.  In armour 1/35, but I'm thinking of getting a 1/48 just to put in with the planes.  My ships are just, what ever.

I do aircraft in 1/48 scale, armor in 1/35 scale, and finally autos in 1/24 scale. I rarely do ships but I do have a couple on my wish list.

As a kid, I was all over the board on my model scales. I built everything back then. As an adult I decided to standardize- 1//48 aircraft and 1/35 armor. But within the past 10 years I started doing 1/32 aircraft again. On ships I am trying to stay with 1/350, but still dabble in other scales due to subject matter. Of course Sci Fi and Real Space is pretty much dictated by what is available.

I stick to 1/72 in aircraft and 1/700 in ships, although I do dabble heavily in 1/6 figures.

I have my preferred scales and types.I do 1/35 and 1/48 Armor-all types ,1/48 Aircraft-all types,and 1/350 Ships-all types.Im a little bit anal about having all my scales match up in my display cases

In aircraft, I build primarily in 72nd, though I do have a small select collection of 32nd aircraft. In armour, 35th only.

I do have a few 72nd ships, but for bigger vessels I would like to get some 350 scale.

I find it rather dificult  to craft much realism in small scale models,although I know you pro's out there do, I simply Iack the skills, so for AC I stick to 1/48, ships 1/350.  I have built several 1/72 and smaller AC, but they look like toys to me when I have finished with them.