World War One Aircraft Scale?

1/32 all the way. WW1 fighters just beg to have details added to them and this larger scale makes it much easier (and visible on the finished model) to do so. A 1/48 ww1 biplane is a little bitty thing.

Chris

I model 1/72. I'd suggest you try all three scales. Problem is that 1/32 is limited in subjects and can get really expensive.

GMorrison

I model 1/72. I'd suggest you try all three scales. Problem is that 1/32 is limited in subjects and can get really expensive.

Agreed. It sort of depends on what you envision for your collection. If you want to do many different types of a/c, 1/72 or 1/48 will give the largest variety of types. The detail you add (or choose not to) is up to your eyesight and hand/eye coordination. If you prefer to superdetail just a few types, 1/32 would probably be best.

Keep in mind, too, that aftermarket stuff for WW1 a/c, though constantly growing in availability, is still much more limited than for WW2 and modern types. You may end up having to hand-paint, or make your own decals, for that special scheme you want to reproduce.

Eduard and other brands are pretty good. Wing Nuts are the best in the business regardless of scale if you're willing to spend the $$$ for them. if you like the Felixstowe F.2A from Wingnuts, be prepare to find room to display the kit. Wings are 3 feet in length when completed. Oh yeah that kit is $$$$$$$.  LOL!

I'd go with 1/48, if you want to balance size, cost and detail. I like 1/72 but they are just tiny for that era, and there are fewer 1/32 kits. I am going to start on a 1/28 DR1 here soon, and I'd like to get the 1/28 Camel, but that's just for those two.

1/48 IMHO.

Call it OCD, maybe anal retentive, but I want all my kits in the same scale so that in display, they can be compared respectively.  As a real history nerd, it was wanting to see and compare aircraft of different eras that got me back into scale modeling.  As a kid, I just lumped them all in together, but now they have to be all the same scale and that's 1/48 for me.

Gary

Texgunner, I agree with you haha what I'm looking to do with these is our them on display. 1/72 just seems way to small, no offense to you 1/72 guys. I'll probably end up doing 1/48 just cause I can add more to that collection. Are yall able to give me a length of the fuselage and wingspan just so I have an idea of how small it'll be? Also do they make 1/48 scale WW1 bombers (like the gotha or handled page)? You can thank Rise of Flight for this new love in ww1 aircraft! I've built the dr.1 in 1/28 and it was a blast, just want more of challenge with the rigging! Not to mention I'm tired of the clear plastic windshields of ww2 and modern jets haha

I'm building my second WW1 kit from Wingnut Wings and couldn't be more impressed. At 1/32 they certainly are large (expect a wingspan starting at around 18 inches and maybe much more) plus they're not cheap. They start at close to $100 and can be significantly more. The detail (especially interiors and engines) is superb as it the parts fit. Instruction books are amazing with great drawings and photos of the real planes. You buy them directly from the company in New Zealand but it shouldn't take more than two weeks to arrive at your home. www.wingnutwings.com/ww

I personally like 1/32 scale followed by 1/48.

I second Wingnut Wings. They are expensive but you will be blown away by the detail they pack. Try to get at least one of them so you can see what is being said. Sometimes you find one at a model show vendor's table for a lot less. I snatched a WNW Se5 kit for $40 at a local show, quite a large savings.

Eduard makes some pretty impressive models complete with pe parts. I have several in 1/48. Roden is pretty decent too but they do not include pe parts and they are made up to 1/32 which is a bit larger.

If you have no rigging experience then I suggest to start with planes with little or no rigging just to get your feet wet.

WW1 planes are a bit small, so you might go up one size from what you usually build.  Also, rigging can be a bit of a challenge in 1:72, although it can be done.

If you want to build in 1:32, Wingnut kits are very nice if you can afford them.  They don't have dealers- you have to buy from their website, but their service is good.

Here is a display of a WW1 model collection at The Museum of Flight, Boeing Field near Seattle, created by Dr. H. Logan Holtgrewe over a period of four and a half years. He scratch-built most of the aircraft. I believe they are in 1/48.

I apologize if they are hard to see as these are the only ones I could find. Over 150 AC, very impressive.

Hi ;

  The fact is 1/48 can be small , 1/72 definitely !  But 1/32 can bust your room space . I usually do all planes in 1/48 because most are easy to work with and I can detail the heck out of them !

      Don't get me wrong I have some 1/48 scale aircraft that are large , almost too large .

Ahhh forget it! Ill build 1/32...yeah the selection is small but it'll look really good! Plus I think it'll be worth it to get the wingnut wings models, yeah they'll be expensive but worth it in the end! Thanks guys! Time to order the Nieuport 17 from scalehobbyist.com because there's no model building store in my area...