confused

Using the USS IOWA (887' or 270.35 M LOA) as an example:

1:96th  (1/8" = 1') scale,  the model will be 9'3"(2.81 M) LOA

1:144th scale,  the model will be 6' (1.87 M)

1:200th scale, the model will be 4' 5" (1.35 M)

1:350th scale, the model will be 30" (772 MM)

1:700th scale, the model will be 15" (386 MM)

1:1200th scale, the model will be 9" (225 MM)

For smaller ships, like destroyers and PT Boats, you may find them in larger scales like: 1:24th; 1:32nd; 1:35th; 1:48th; and 1:72nd.

Before plastic warships became the norm, ship models were built in larger scales.

There's two schools, of course because of two systems of measurement.

In the metric countries, like France, the scales are just that 1:100, 1:200, and modern warships like the ones Heller sells 1:400.

In the Imperial system countries, like England and the US, 1/32, 1/48, 1/72, 1/96 and 1/144 and 1/196.

I personally have absolutely no idea where 1/350 came from. Japan yes, but beyond that, something like "N" gauge?

The scale conversion is more complicated than it has to be. The ratio of 1/32 (for example) is the same as dividing 12 inches by 32 or .375" or 3/8" to a foot. 1/24 is the same as .25 or 1/4" to a foot. Well you get the idea.

However the railroad boys have complicated it. If we use 1/4" as "0" scale and 1 1/4" as the track gauge its pretty simple. But there are those who wish to use the track guage as a representation of standard gauge which is 4'-8 1/2". So they build their models slightly larger to compensate. The there is HO. It would be simple if it were 1/8" to a foot. So why did someone complicate it by making it 1/87?

Then there are the companies making military models at a scale of 1/35. I suppose this works out to something metric. Don't even think about "1" gauge, commonly called "G" gauge. It can represent standard gauge at 1/32 or 1/29. LGB uses it to represent meter gauge at around 1/25. However those that provide models of american 3' gauge use a scale of 1/20.5.

Add the conversion from metric to imperial and the whole scale question becomes a real mess.

GMorrison

I personally have absolutely no idea where 1/350 came from. Japan yes, but beyond that, something like "N" gauge?

 

Because model shipbuilding goes way back, many of these scales are so-called architectural scales.  That is, they have a factor of 12 in the scale- they can be expressed as so many inches per foot.  For instance, 1:24 scale is 1/2 inch per foot, 1:96 scale is 1/8 inch per foot, etc.  For some reason kit mfgs like to use more even numbers, so 1:200 is replacing 1:192, etc.

I think that the architectural scales were more popular when modelers did more scratch building.  Since scratch building seems to be going out of favor (and model shipbuilding has always been a genre with many scratch builders) hobbyists seem to like the more even number scales.

Several other factors have influenced all this. I Tamiya rep at an IPMS convention told me that the company had chosen 1/35 scale for its AFV kits because, in those days when Japanese kits had to be motorized, a 1/35-scale tank hull was just the right size to hold a pair of D batteries. The cast metal recognition models that the U.S. Navy cranked out by the thousands in WWII were made in two scales: 1/500 (for "teacher models") and 1/1200 (for "student models). Those were picked because, when the student stood at a practical distance (maybe it was twenty feet; I don't remember) from a 1/1200 model, it would look like the real ship looked at some standard distance in miles.

One thing that influenced the choice of model railroad scales, as I understand it, was the difference between standard track gauges in Europe and the U.S. European rails are closer together than American ones. That subject gets really complicated; others know far more about it than I do.

Sailing ship modelers have always liked 1/48 and 1/96, because of the easy conversion of measurements. I have, however, seen some old ship modeling books that recommend 1/10" = 1' (1/120), or 1/12" = 1' (1/144).

The important thing when working on an individual model is to know what the scale is, and understand what it means to the parts of the model.

Oh My ;

  You did bring up a good point .Some stuff is all over the place . T.B.

N scale- the gauge is nine millimeters.

CG Bob

Using the USS IOWA (887' or 270.35 M LOA) as an example:

1:96th  (1/8" = 1') scale,  the model will be 9'3"(2.81 M) LOA

1:144th scale,  the model will be 6' (1.87 M)

1:200th scale, the model will be 4' 5" (1.35 M)

1:350th scale, the model will be 30" (772 MM)

1:700th scale, the model will be 15" (386 MM)

1:1200th scale, the model will be 9" (225 MM)

For smaller ships, like destroyers and PT Boats, you may find them in larger scales like: 1:24th; 1:32nd; 1:35th; 1:48th; and 1:72nd.

 

 

Conversion measurements for the IJN HIRYU are:

1:96 scale = 7' 9.25" (2.378 M)

1:144 scale = 5' 2" (1.57 M)

1:200 scale = 3' 8.75" (1.14 M)

1:350 scale = 25.5" (650 mm)

1:700 scale scale = 12.75" (325 mm)

O Gauge is properly Gauge 0 (Zero) and is 1:43.5 scale.   Which helps explain cars in 1:43rd scale.  Using 1/4" = 1' (1:48th scale) makes for easier scaling.  Some of the various vehicles (produced by Corgi, Matchbox, et al) are 1:50th scale. 

Back in the mid 1990's I bought a calculator produced by Calculated Industries called the "ModelCalc", a proportional scaling calculator.  You might be able to find some on e-bay.  It has 22 scales built in and 4 user-set custom scales that you can program in.   You select a scale ratio, enter an "Actual Size" dimension and it automatically converts the actual size to the scale size.  It allows you to convert from feet/inhes to the Metric system.

Model Scaler by Woodland Scenics https://appsto.re/ca/m3MGF.i

There is app