1/48 vs 1/32 scales.

1/32 scale kits are impressive.  They have more 'impact' merely due to size. On the flip side of that is cost. And, well size.

1/48 has always been the happy medium.

There are a lot of nice 1/32 kits out there, but I can't see how they can be better selling than equivalent 1/48 scale kits.

 I suspect the 1/32 kits are 'flagship' models where the 1/48 kits are the bread and butter. Kind of like cars. The Viper, Challenger, Camaro SS and Corvette are impressive, but Chrysler and GM don't sell many of them compared to other models on the lot.

I like 1/48 kits for the balance of detail and size.  I thought that I wouldn't want to build any 1/32, because of the display space.  But I do find myself getting nostalgic for some 1/32 kits from my youth, even if they aren't necessarily as nice as a 1/32 $150-$200 kit from China.  I have the old Revell Wildcat in my stash-I bought it because the boxing had Bert Kinzey's D&S "US Navy Fighters"-and I have a copy of the old Monogram F3F, so I may yet start building some of the larger kits.  It will certainly be easier to see as I work, as I get older.

On the other hand, I thought I wouldn't mess with 1/72 scale, but I find myself adding more and more Braille scale kits, too.

I prefer 1/48 for aircraft dioramas, but I have  number of 1/32 as well.. I like to do a mix of armor and aircraft on some dioramas, and 1/32 is close enough to 35th for me...

I'm not jumping on the new 1/32 stuff though... Just too much money for a kit.. Revell's run 30-35.00, so I'll stick with them...  Plus, at times I can get them even cheaper on Ebay... Picked up a 1/32 Tony for 26.00 and shipping...

That's a good point Baron about seeing the detail.  I find the 1/48 is as small as I would want to go with my eyes and fingers.  I helped my son with a couple of 1/72 planes and was blind and all thumbs! 

I bought an Optivisor a couple of years ago, and immediately wished that I had done so even earlier

If I had the room, I'd go 1/32 as much as I could. Indeed price is higher, but if I do the math, a 1/48th kit can be equally or more expensive with AM parts to make it look as good as a 1/32 OOB. My latest Hassy F18C did cost me more than my 1/32 Tamiya F4 Phantom off of Ebay.  I have built a 1/32 Tamiya F16 and got from my LHS the Hassy 1/32 for $60.00, again, cheaper than my last F18C also from Hasegawa and came with a Black Box resin cockpit. I build OOB for the most part, but if I want to indulge on some AM with X or Y kit, I look around for some 1/32 options that might cost probably no more than $20-30 bucks and the display impact is worth it. Paying 60-70 dollars plus aftermarket parts and decals for a 1/48 kit is not a good idea (*to me*).

I have a price set for models. I would never pay more than $20 for a 1/72 kit unless the subject warrants that scale, i.e bombers. From $20 to $45 (a Dragon, DML or Eduard Profipak) for 1/48 and $65 to $140 depending on the extra goodies and overall quality on the 1/32 kit. I've seen 1/72 scale aircraft at my LHS for $35-40 and I just say to myself 1 thing, WTH?

Just MHO.

I am tempted by the 1/32 SBD that's out there, and isn't there also a 1/32 TBF?  Some other USN aircraft, too, old kits (Hasegawa's biplanes) and new (the F2A).

And for me, who likes figures with his machines, there is a whole world of 54mm - 1/32 figures out there to go with them.

the Baron

I am tempted by the 1/32 SBD that's out there, and isn't there also a 1/32 TBF? 

Yep, the TBF is what got me thinking about this.  I looked up a build of that kit and was amazed.

http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/allies/us/tc/cleavertbf.htm

El Taino

If I had the room, I'd go 1/32 as much as I could. Indeed price is higher, but if I do the math, a 1/48th kit can be equally or more expensive with AM parts to make it look as good as a 1/32 OOB. Just MHO.

That's a good point.

Its a real shame so many people over look 72nd scale. Ok, it is small, and if you have dodgy hands the small parts can be tricky. But for me the advantages over the larger scales are alot. First the cost. Sure, you can pay alot of a 72nd scale kit, the most i have paid so far is just short of £60. But the same kit from the same maker in a larger scale would be alot more. The range, at least at the moment, is huge. Not sure how long it will alst with the rise of larger scales. Of course they take up less space, and as a dio builder thats even more important. Also as a dio builder, the range of accesories is very big as well, vehicles, figures, AM sets like engines etc.

If you started with a larger scale and moved down, i can see it might be awkward at first. But if you start out on 72nd, as i did, then you know no better. I am surprised at how amazed some people are at whats possable in this scale.

I've always liked 1/48 best but now I'm out of space with several unfinished builds and others not started so I went to 1/144.  Big jump but I like the veriety of military aircraft in the same scale as airline kits.  1/72 never really interested me much.  So if anyone is looking for some 1/48 started or unstarted, I'll trade you.

One good thing for me is I have a local museum that gladely accepts donated built kits if I need room on my shelf.  Makes me feel good for the fact they like my amatuer work.

Bish, I don't discriminate against 1/72. If display room is an issue, then 1/72 is a no brainer. Otherwise *to me* the cost plays a factor and considering that I have no display issues (so far), I prefer larger scales. Below you can see a common sample. It is a 1/72 Snap-Tite Hobby Boss Sabre for $10. If I want something better in that scale, I have either to get a more expensive option of the same subject or add some AM goodies to bring it up to the level of the Academy 1/48 OOB which cost only $30. At $30 bucks for the 1/48 I'm around $20 bucks more for the 1/32 Kinetic pictured below.

When I decided upon a "uniform" scale for my aircraft kits, it was 1/48. The detail, size, and selection were better than 1/72 (detail) and delection (1/32) And in size they could match either, depending on the subject matter. So for nearly 20 years it was 1/48 only. Then while I was on deployment and limited on modeling choices, I decided to try my hand on old 1/32 aircraft kits, mainly Revell, I had built as a kid. And boy was I taken in by those big planes! While the level of detail on those kits is for the most part below state of the art, they had room for improvement that was easily done with basic materials. I was leaving the finished builds behind so display space was not an issue.Since I came home I haveone project going and many more in the wings. But still display space has re asserted itself as a consideration. In any case I will continue to build mainly 1/48 in aircraft but still dabble on occasion in 1/32. They are too sweet to ignore.

  I started out doing 1/72, 1/32, and 1/48 scales, anything that caught my I. But then I thought (this was back in the mid-late '80's) "what scale would provide the optimal detail, reasonalbe pricing (at that time), and viewing satisfaction? 1/48 scale was the conclusion! Now 20-odd years later, I still basically hold to the same addige, but with this creavete, I'll go out of scale IF it really is of interest to me, and the likelihood of it appearing in 1/48 scale is slim to non-existant! Of course I HAVE been proven wrong at times-especially when it comes to Vacs. Like the old Monogram HU-16B Albatross kit thats been recently re-released as an SSP. Combat Models/Roberts Models has it in 1/48 scale as a vac!, As well as a C-46 Commando, C-123 Provider, and a number of others that have only been kitted in 1/72 scale, or smaller.

When I returned to the world of scale modeling, I too decided on concentrating on 1/48 planes.  One reason was that I wanted to see the various planes in the same scale in order to understanding and appreciate their relative sizes.  At the time(late '80s), there seemed like a greater selection of 1/48 scale aircraft available.  I've remained a 1/48 scale builder exclusively.   But, it seems to me that as so many scale modelers get older, with the diminished eye-sight that accompanies that evolution, not to mention perhaps, lessened motor skills as well (arthritic hands anyone?), the model companies are turning out more and more choices in 1/32 scale.   Know your customer base I guess.  One more factor for me is the aforementioned space issue.   Even with a new 40" display cabinet with four shelves, I don't think I've enough space to display all I'll eventually build.  Where the heck would I put them in any large scale?

Gary

I too had decided to go with 1/48 when I became active in modeling again about five years ago with the exception being 1/72 for very large aircraft that were not available in 1/48. However I found after building several small planes like the Bf 109 and Yak-3 that not only did I have problems dealing with the small detail parts, PE and all but I was unhappy with the level of detail that I could obtain due to unsteady hands and gradually worsening eyesight so earlier this year I decided to go with 1/32 for any fighters I wanted to build. For twin engined and larger I will stick with 1/48.

Old Dog

I too had decided to go with 1/48 when I became active in modeling again about five years ago with the exception being 1/72 for very large aircraft that were not available in 1/48. However I found after building several small planes like the Bf 109 and Yak-3 that not only did I have problems dealing with the small detail parts, PE and all but I was unhappy with the level of detail that I could obtain due to unsteady hands and gradually worsening eyesight so earlier this year I decided to go with 1/32 for any fighters I wanted to build. For twin engined and larger I will stick with 1/48.

That makes a lot of sense and I may be joining you soon...... except there's that growing stash of 1/48's I have.

Buy some 3-power readers and Charlie Mike...

I've never kept all the models I build.. I generally tear them down after I get tired of looking at them... If I'd kept all of them, I reckon I'd have about 1300-1500 models...

Looks like I fit the standard story of coming back to the hobby in 1/48. And that's honestly where the bulk of my aircraft stash still resides.

BUT...

I LOVE 1/32 scale. It's not just the detail...the size gives the things a presence that 1/48 just can't match. And I would say the three 1/32 kits I've built are definitely the standouts of my collection:

My intention at first was...one or two...aircraft I REALLY loved. A P-47, maybe a Dauntless. Yeah. Now I've got two more 109s, two P-51s, a P-40, a Dauntless, an Ar 196, a Bearcat, another Pup, and three P-47s in 1/32. 

I do still plan to build in both scales, and the majority of my builds will probably still be in 1/48, but someone referred to 1/32 as the flagships, and I think that's definitely true, at least in my case.

DoogsATX

I do still plan to build in both scales, and the majority of my builds will probably still be in 1/48, but someone referred to 1/32 as the flagships, and I think that's definitely true, at least in my case.

Pretty much my building habit/style. And BTW, nice models as always Doogs.

I'll also add that I couldn't imagine going smaller than 1/32 with biplanes.

And for smaller fighters (Lavochkins, Yaks, 109s, etc) I think 1/32 is my preferred working scale. Of course, a 1/48 Yak-3 isn't THAT far off from a 1/72 P-47...

Speaking of which...there need to be more VVS aircraft in 1/32. I know Trumpy makes the Mig-3, and there's an Il-2 out there. But the Yaks. The LaGG-3, La-5/5FN, La-7. They'll get there one day I guess.

...........the older the eyes, the bigger the scale............

DoogsATX

I'll also add that I couldn't imagine going smaller than 1/32 with biplanes.

I couldn't agree more, doogs. WnW has proven that. Nothing wrong with the Eduard kits, but I was amazed at how much more could be packed into one of those 1/32 scale puppies without them taking up any more display space than a 1/48 'jug.

DoogsATX

And for smaller fighters (Lavochkins, Yaks, 109s, etc) I think 1/32 is my preferred working scale. Of course, a 1/48 Yak-3 isn't THAT far off from a 1/72 P-47...

Speaking of which...there need to be more VVS aircraft in 1/32. I know Trumpy makes the Mig-3, and there's an Il-2 out there. But the Yaks. The LaGG-3, La-5/5FN, La-7. They'll get there one day I guess.

Amen to that.  My next project is the 1/48 Eduard "weekend" La-7 and there's not much plastic in the box!

Of course, there's a LOT more in that one than the 1/48 I-16 in my stash.

Hans von Hammer

Buy some 3-power readers and Charlie Mike...

I've never kept all the models I build.. I generally tear them down after I get tired of looking at them... If I'd kept all of them, I reckon I'd have about 1300-1500 models...

 

In a way, that's a shame, Hammer.  It would be pretty cool to see a whole collection like that, that was assembled (pun!) over time.  Understood, though, about where the heck to display them.

There's an old five-and-dime store south of me, Sine's, in Quakertown.  It has survived the arrival of Jamesway/Kmart/Walmart over the years.  They have a couple of large display windows on either side of their entrance, a frontage of maybe 50 or 60 feet.  And in those display windows is a collection of finished models, some, I think, were built by the owner's son, and others, by customers.  It's nice to see the collection, and people walking by can admire the work.

I go by there all the time but haven't stopped in in a lonnnnnngggggg time, so I don't know if they still stock any kits, but of course, back in the day, that was where a lot of boys in Q-town spent their chore money on models.

El Taino

Bish, I don't discriminate against 1/72. If display room is an issue, then 1/72 is a no brainer. Otherwise *to me* the cost plays a factor and considering that I have no display issues (so far), I prefer larger scales. Below you can see a common sample. It is a 1/72 Snap-Tite Hobby Boss Sabre for $10. If I want something better in that scale, I have either to get a more expensive option of the same subject or add some AM goodies to bring it up to the level of the Academy 1/48 OOB which cost only $30. At $30 bucks for the 1/48 I'm around $20 bucks more for the 1/32 Kinetic pictured below.

I certainly know what you mean about super detailing 72nd kits, if you want to go to town, you can spend a fourtune. But then the same goes for larger scales. But there are some nice detailed 72nd kits around, and it would stand to reason that they would be cheaper than a larger scale kit of the same detail.

Personally, price and space are not an issue for me. I will spend as much as i think it needs to get a kit to the standard i want, of course that doesn't mean when i build it it will be any good. My main reason is that its all i have ever known, and i am surprised at how amazed some people are at seeing the detail than can be gotten on a 72nd build. A couple of years ago, i decided i would get a small select collection of larger scale aircrfat to build as free standing models. I decided that 32 had the aircrfat types i wanted so went for that. So hopefully the detail on those should be a breeze after 72nd builds. It would just be nice if more people would consider 72nd as i am sure they would be surprised at what they find.

I'm a 1/48 guy, mostly cause of the subject matter I seem to buy more (multi-engined props). I do have single engined 48 props, and a couple of jets.  I mostly stick to 48 due to size, though i do have a 1/32 F4F, F6F and TBM mainly due to the fact that they have the wing fold option (saves space, whenever I get to building them).

I don't have a problem with either scale, only with 72 cause i can't hold the parts.  Right now its mostly space, more than anything.

I do have to agree, that the kit itself, plus AM stuff for 48 can add up the price of a 32 kit.

Reasoned

 

DoogsATX:

 

And for smaller fighters (Lavochkins, Yaks, 109s, etc) I think 1/32 is my preferred working scale. Of course, a 1/48 Yak-3 isn't THAT far off from a 1/72 P-47...

Speaking of which...there need to be more VVS aircraft in 1/32. I know Trumpy makes the Mig-3, and there's an Il-2 out there. But the Yaks. The LaGG-3, La-5/5FN, La-7. They'll get there one day I guess.

 

 

Amen to that.  My next project is the 1/48 Eduard "weekend" La-7 and there's not much plastic in the box!

Of course, there's a LOT more in that one than the 1/48 I-16 in my stash.

I've got the same La-7 (Profi-pack though, mainly for the marking options and Cartograf decals) and yeah, it's about as sparse as the Yak-3 I built last year.

The Zvezda La-5 has a lot more going on, but it's still tiny. I'd love to see what someone could put into a 1/32 with the exposed M82 radial, gun bays, etc.

Honestly, as good as their recent kits have been, I think Zvezda should be the ones to do it.

[quote user="DoogsATX"]

I'll also add that I couldn't imagine going smaller than 1/32 with biplanes.

I felt the same way until a friend gave me the Eduard 1/48 scale Fokker DVII kit. The detail and quality is just incredible. I rather build it in 1/32 or the older Revell 1/28 scale ones that require some TLC but build up to very nice models despite their age. Now the WNW are just a work of art!