Crew Figures. What scales are available?

The classic (and by most opinions, best) crew figures are the Revell ones included with Cutty Sark, Constitution, and Golden Hind.  The twenty or so are appropriate for a merchantman, but way under need for a combat ship.

Model railroad suppliers are your friends here.

N-scale is about 1:140 to 1:160
Z scale is 1:220
TT Scale is bang on 1:120, but is harder to find figures for.
T scale is 1:450, and is very hard to find things for (including train bits)

There are photo-etch and 3d printed figures for 1:350, 1:400. 1:600, and even 1:700 (those last three being nearly exclusively photo-etch, and in limited ranges.

Take a look at Shapeways.

Its an interesting site- they 3D print, market and sell parts for third party vendors who give them print files.

Don’t be put off if you see sets of figures for $ 800. For some reason they sell their prototypes like that but then sell sets at reasonable prices. I’ve bought a bunch of stuff from them- quality can vary.

I know Revell make's 1/72 scale WWII figure's for their U-Boat's and Schnell Boat's.

But there vinyl, and hard to keep paint on. Their also hard to alter ,if you want to change their pose's.

HO scale figure's (1/87scale ) are close enough to 1/96 scale that you wont notice a difference.

Cant help you with the 1/124 scale, but N scale railroad figures (1/160 ) is pretty close to 1/150 scale. And 1/48 scale figure's will work for 1/50 scale.

Shapeways is great for figures.  I found crew for my 1/24 PT boat, a 1/16 USCG lifeboat, and a 1/144 scale Escort Carrier there.

The reason for the crazy high prices for some sets is because of a change SW made in pricing several months ago.  They added a per piece surcharge that drove the prices of multi piece sets thru the roof- a set of 30 1/144 sailors, printed as individual figures, went from $20 to $300* .   This forced the designers to redesign their sets to use a sprue to make it a single piece. 

My favorite designer is a guy named Luis, his SW shop is called “PanzervsTanks”.  The great thing is that if he doesn’t have what you want, you can contact him and ask for it.

Thanks everybody. Super helpful as always! Loving this forum!

Auggie,

Plastic 1/100, 1/144, 1/200, and 1/300 figures have been available from some Chinese OEMs.  The figures are generally "railroad people". The ones I have were only a buck or 2 for 100 figures. Most come up for sale on "e"...

Quality is not so great but the figures are to scale. 1/220 figures are available from good manufacturers but more expensive. 

   Nino