Uniform height of figures

Most 35th scale figs if properly scaled out would be closer to 32nd or 30th scale...my theory is simply that manufacturers fudge on the size because it is easier to sculpt them and produce them slightly larger than they should be...

> but in any diorama different heights "would not look right".

Why do you say that? Different heights are a fact of life. A famous example: the Beetles in Yellow Submarine (John Lennon was 5'11", Paul McCartney is 5'11", and George Harrison was 5'10.5", all noticeably taller than Ringo Starr at 5'8"); the animators had to account for Ringo's shorter stride.

Then there's the chronological element: the average height of US soldier during World War 2 was 5'6". In the 19th Century, it was 5'7.75". Even "now" (using 2006 statistics) the average height of a Caucasian American male 20-39 is 5'10.5", not 6-even.

John Lyle

If you look at military figures of just about any scale they are all 6 scale feet tall. Yet real life soildiers are anywhere from 5'3 to 6' 6" tall,  but in any diorama different heights "would not look right" . Why is this?

Is there anyone out there who uses figures of different heights? 

I do--take a look at my nearby thread featuring two very different sized figures from TaNk. If you want to add more variation to the sizes of figures in a given scene it's very easy as different manufacturers have very different ideas about the scaling of thier figures. Drawing from different companies is an easy way to get away from 'sameness'---though 4 figures out of the same DML set will look pretty consistant.

Several folks have pointed out that Tamiya figures tend to be smaller so throwing a few in the mix may help.

You could also mix and match figures or even shorten or extend body parts since some people tend to have longer torsos and shorter legs where others are the opposite.

I recently picked up the 1/32 Flying Sub from Moebius and was having a heck of a time looking for figures in that scale then I put a Legend 1/35 scale figure up against the rear bulk head and compared it to the actors in a screen shot and it matched perfectly so I'll be able to just use that scale instead of more searching of having to heavily modify something.

TomZ2

> but in any diorama different heights "would not look right".

Why do you say that? Different heights are a fact of life. A famous example: the Beetles in Yellow Submarine (John Lennon was 5'11", Paul McCartney is 5'11", and George Harrison was 5'10.5", all noticeably taller than Ringo Starr at 5'8"); the animators had to account for Ringo's shorter stride.

Then there's the chronological element: the average height of US soldier during World War 2 was 5'6". In the 19th Century, it was 5'7.75". Even "now" (using 2006 statistics) the average height of a Caucasian American male 20-39 is 5'10.5", not 6-even.

 This is what was said to me by a few model builders at a local hobby show I went to whan I asked them why there was not a mixture of heights.

I actually think it would add to realism to have figures of different heights. I didn't realise that some 1/35 scale figures are slightly larger than they should be.

If your figures are too short, its not hard to slice their legs off above the knee and add a styrene disc spacer. A little sanding and shaping and you have a taller figure. For shorter, remove a slice and reattach the ends together.

You can do the same mid torso above the waistline...I like doing this above their webgear or belts.

John Lyle

 This is what was said to me by a few model builders at a local hobby show I went to whan I asked them why there was not a mixture of heights.

I actually think it would add to realism to have figures of different heights. I didn't realise that some 1/35 scale figures are slightly larger than they should be.

It might not look right----then again it could be done so that it looks very right

It's all down to how it's executed---like everything else

Everytime you hear / read a "rule" about Dio building--

-think of it as more of a 'guidline" because there's always the exception.

The trick to using figures of various heights is to keep the equipment in the same scale... While people are of various heights and sizes, things like rifles, machine guns, ammo belts, mag-pouches, e-tools, bayonets, canteens, holsters, and helmets are not...  So keep your gear uniform by using the same manufacturer's equipment for every figure.. An M-16A1 is 39 inches long whether the Soldier carrying it is 6'5" or 5'6" tall..

I am making a dio with a char b1 bis getting refueled, with three crew memebers in it.  In actual photos of char b1 bis tank crews, some tower over everbody else, and some were so small and delicate looking  I had to get a magnifying glass to make sure they were not women.  Some also were short, thick and brutish looking.  A very good variety to work towards.

Buffy Sainte-Marie

He’s 5 foot 2 and he’s 6 feet 4
He fights with missiles and with spears
He’s all of 31 and he’s only 17.
He’s been a soldier for a thousand years

"Universal Soldier", 1964.

Several folks have pointed out that Tamiya figures tend to be smaller so throwing a few in the mix may help.

That's especially true of their 1/48 scale figgies.. The US Army Infantry set I bought scaled out at an even Five-foot-Nuthin' tall... Unusable with any other manufacturer's 1/48 figures, even their own flight crew figures..

TomZ2

Buffy Sainte-Marie

He’s 5 foot 2 and he’s 6 feet 4
He fights with missiles and with spears
He’s all of 31 and he’s only 17.
He’s been a soldier for a thousand years

"Universal Soldier", 1964.

Canadian content! - did the CRTC send you???