Opinions on Aircraft Scales (1/72 and 1/48 specifically)

Much thanks for all the replies. I've already begun building a 1/72 stash. I've decided I'm going to start with building a collection of 72nd scale A/C. Partly because it was my first choice, and also because of spatial considerations. I'm saving up to get a larger house in a few years, and I plan to start building 48th scale A/C after that. I won't have the same limited space I do presently, and my skills will be better then too so I can better take advantage of building larger aircraft with more detail

I reckon a lot will be dictated by space (and budget!!). Personally I have chosen three scales to work in 1:72 for all WW2 and post war fighters, 1:144 for all post war aircraft, and 1:35 for all armour.  This way I can keep similar genres to scale without filling the shelves too quickly.  If the kits are good quality then I find little difference in the build quality.  That said if you find a particular project that you really want in larger scales then go for it.  I for one took on the Revell Type VIIc u-boat in 1:72 and it's a meter in length.  I also have the Bismarck waiting in a similar size.

Don Stauffer

Some types of planes have a wider size range than others, which complicates scale choice.  I'd like to stick to one scale, like others, but my favorite subject is commercial airplanes (airliners) of all periods.  The early ones were relatively tiny compared to modern ones, so one scale is impractical.  A 787 or 380 in 1:72 is huge!  So I have to build in both 1:72 and !:144.   And, I like to build other civil aircraft in addition to airliners.  A Ford Flivver is so small it is only kitted in 1:48.  So the subjects I am interested in kind of rule out picking a single scale :-(

 

I'm with Don on this. I prefer civilian subjects, so the subject comes first and the scale second. If there's a plane I want to build that's only available in 1/72, so be it. And if there's a plane I want to build that's only available in 1/48, then I'll get it.

But! If given a preference, I do prefer 1/72 purely because they don't take up so much space.

The opinions have been well covereed here, but I'll just echo what others have said: for me, 1/72 has always been my aircraft scale. My first a/c kits were in that scale and it's always looked 'right' to my eye. I've built a few 1/48, (fighters, prop and jet), but for me 1/72 offers availability across eras and gives you space efficiency. No other scale allows you to relatively compare in terms of size a Fokker Dr.1, Gotha IV, Gee Bee R-1, B-17, Ki-46 Dinah, all the Bf-109 variants, B-47, F2H Banshee, F-4, B-36 and B-52, etc. etc. etc...and that's not mentioning the plethora of helicopters out there.

I don't mind the 1/48th WWII single-engine fighters and smaller offerings in that scale, but I'm currently building a 1/48 A-10 on commission and....holy crap, it's big to my eye. That's just me, but I agree with the others who build the braille scale. Best of luck jetmaker. 

Dave

When I first started building over 35 years ago I built 72nd almost exclusively. About 10 years ago I tried 48th. I like the extra size for detailing. But I still love my braille scale. Now I build both. I just have separate shelves. Only 48th on one and 72nd on the other. I think.my stash is fairly equal between the two. Also in 72nd scale you can build a WWI or WWII fighter and then build a B-52 or KC-135 in the same scale. Can't do that with bigger scales. A 48th scale B-52 would have a roughly 4' wingspan

Some types of planes have a wider size range than others, which complicates scale choice.  I'd like to stick to one scale, like others, but my favorite subject is commercial airplanes (airliners) of all periods.  The early ones were relatively tiny compared to modern ones, so one scale is impractical.  A 787 or 380 in 1:72 is huge!  So I have to build in both 1:72 and !:144.   And, I like to build other civil aircraft in addition to airliners.  A Ford Flivver is so small it is only kitted in 1:48.  So the subjects I am interested in kind of rule out picking a single scale :-(

When I was a wee little fellow, my Dad got me a 1/72 Monogram F-4D, and I believe that wa  my first model. The next kit he got me was a 1/48 Monogram P-51D. When completed I put them each on my stereo speakers. Looking at the two, I couldn't help thinking the smaller scale kit looked like a toy, but the P-51, now that looked legit. Ever since then, I've been hooked on 1/48. Now I know 1/72 kits aren't toys. I just don't believe I could work with the teeny tiny pieces it takes to do a 1/72 with the amount of detail I have grown used to in 1/48.

Now on the flip side, 1/72 has more subjects to choose from. I am particularly interested in WWII Japanese twins. But aside from Tamiya's Ki-46, J1N, and their pricey G4M, and Hasegawa and Nichimo make a Ki-45, they just do not exsist injection molded in 1/48. And that is just a bummer.

Also, 3 of my favorite airframes happen to be the B-25, A-20, and Bf 110 (between the 3, I have like 25 I really want to do.) In 1/48, that will end up taking ALOT of space.

1/72 scale is one of the best scales to have.In the recent years 1/72 ND scale comes very detail and s typical modeler can get after market parts to a full highly detail model.Also it saves you on room for displaying them.1/48 scale and larger you would have a problem.A 1/48 scale F-4E is over 12inches long in some cases.I have over 500 1/72 nd scale aircraft displays which I have room for more .I would go w/ 90% 1/72 nd and the rest 1/48 or larger like the 1/24 Hawker Typhoon.Good luck.

fermis

The benefits to 1/72....

Cheaper, more fit on a shelf, more fit in the stash, more variety, more rare/obscure subjects, less consumables used (glue, paint, putty, etc), less sanding, less time to complete, so you can build more, MORE, MORE!!!!

 

Fermis, I'm thinking that building more models sort of negates the "fewer consumables used" point.  Wouldn't the larger number of models equal more material used, in the long run?  The greatest benefit of 1/72 is their reduced need for display space, imho.  At one point, I regretted not devoting my builds to 1/72 for that very reason.  But now, as my eyesight and "feel" aren't what they were, I need that larger model.

But, hey, I love looking at all scales!

Thanks Bish. Yeah, at first I thought I would go for puting them on wooden bases, but then scrapped that idea for free-standing on wooden shelves. I may go toward dioramas at some point, but not yet. I say that it's a possibility because figure painting is really starting to strike a chord with me, and who doesn't like dioramas? Especially with the recent passing of Shep Paine, I've been looking at his work, and it's hard not to fall in love with it. If I look into my crystal ball, what I see possibly happening is that I build single subjects for a while, building my skills, then take on figures, which would lead to vignettes. At that point, if life goes well, I will have a good space to start a really nice display room

Thanks for taking the time guys. I really appreciate it. Even though this is a personal decision, and there's no "right" answer, everyone's comments have provided me some good food for thought

I love viewing 1/72 builds, they look so fun. The idea of a faster build is appealing as well. One thing I hadn't considered was the savings in building materials. However, regarding that, and shelf space, those would definitely be benefits given the same, or roughly the same, number of models, but having a larger collection might mitigate that

1/48 scale builds just look perfect to me. They seem to present proportion and detail while still maintaining a "miniature" feel that appeals to me. I wish there were more modern armor offerings in 48th, as I love the idea of a uniform scale across platforms

I guess what it's coming down to for me is 1) display shelving, which I'm going to have to deal with anyway, and 2) whether I want to do quicker builds with a larger collection or vice versa

I restarted in the hobby about 10 years ago & asked myself the same question, but as I prefer modelling jet bombers, availability & finished size were both concerns. I would have preferred to go 1/48, but in reality it didn't make much sense so I went down the 1/72 route.

For most kits that I've purchased so far 1/72nd has been fine, although there are a few aircraft of smaller size that I now wished that I had gone for in 1/48 (F-111 type size) as 1/72 is just too small to my eye. I eventually submitted & now have 1/72, 1/48 & 1/32 kits & now decide what scale to go with based on the completed size & have given up trying to have a fleet in one scale...

As posted, each scale has it's positive things but I had the storage space both for display and stashing I would stick to 1/32 and 1/24. In this size the pe and resin details are just amazing since they are larger and more visible. ROG is turning out some amazing 1/32 kits for under $30-$35 range. Once in a while Squadron has sales and the 1/32 Trumpy kits will go for under $40. Like Bish, I also started going into 1/32 in some subjects lately and love the scale. I guess it's just a matter of personal preference.

Due to the space restriction most of my model planes are 1/48 and 1/35 for armor. I have found some 1/72 planes to pack as much detail as a larger scale so I have deviated into a few kits in this scale. The bombers are quite large at 1/48 so 1/72 suits me fine for B-17's, 24's, etc. As an example, I have in my stash the ROG 1/32 Uhu that is a gargantuan model. In retrospect, I should have gone with 1/72 or even 1/48 due to the display space limitations.

1/48 for me,1/32 is very impressive,but too big and expensive.

I prefer 1/48 scale. I have done a few 1/72 scale aircraft which is nice for the larger aircraft. But I enjoy WWII aircraft and the single engine planes are great to do. Details can be done without too much eye strain and they fit on shelves pretty well.

IF storage space is not a major concern 48 if it is then 72   and   if u dont mind mixing sizes...for me single eng a/c  i like 48th for multi eng a/c i always go 72nd yeah some parts are smaller but say a b24 or b17 are a foot long and about a foot and a half wide making them big enough to handle

Fermis is right. Now say you got your eye on a 1/48 scale B-52 Stratofortress kit by Monogram. You're talking almost a 3 foot wingspan tip to tip. I should know for I had one. It's that big. Even some modern jets in 1/48 scale are big too - F-14 Tomcat, F-16 Fighting Falcon, etc...

I have a 1/32 P-51 Mustang kit in my stash and even that kit is big.

It all boils down to if you have the space to house strictly 1/48 scale aircraft. Myself, I like 1/48 WW2 aircraft fighters, 1/72 WW2 heavy bombers (B-17, Lancaster, Stirling, etc...). Cold War era and modern jets, I prefer in both 1/72 and 1/48 scale depending on the aircraft. 

Part of it depends upon your interest area- in some areas, 1/48 has a better selection, in some areas, 1/72 does. Bet the detailing on 1:48 kits is better and better. If you use AM like resin or PE, in 1/72 those parts can be downright minuscule. Now you can't go wrong with 1:72 for space considerations, but...

if I were to be starting over and standardizing, I'd look real hard at 1:48 for aircraft and armor. Unless your preferred area in armor is late Cold War to now. The new 1/48 armor stuff from Tamiya and Hobby Boss is pretty sweet and you can have the single scale continuity in 1:48 now.

I really respect the guys who can do 1/72, and do it well, but in the end, it's not for me. I like my quarter scale birds. 

I only build 1/48 aircraft.   My OCD demands that all are in the same scale so that their respective sizes remain true when displayed.  At least I think that's why...

Gary

Well...for the most part, I used to be almost exclusively 1/48th with an occassional 1/32 thrown in (but only on subjects that I thought were way badass!!!). I'd also kick out a simple 1/72 single prop from time to time, just to "decompress" after a long project. That said, I found myself starting to enjoy 1/72 more and more. Now, 1/72 makes up about 80-85% of what I build, and I have very little desire to tap into my 100 strong 1/48 stash.

The benefits to 1/72....

Cheaper, more fit on a shelf, more fit in the stash, more variety, more rare/obscure subjects, less consumables used (glue, paint, putty, etc), less sanding, less time to complete, so you can build more, MORE, MORE!!!!