What's the point of 1/72

You just answered your own question. Size. It takes less space to display than the larger sizes. One hundred models of WW ll aircraft will take us much less space than one hundred of the same models in 1/48. Also for many years, the smaller kits had the only releases of many subjects.

I also build in 1/48 and 1/32 scale, but the smaller 1/72 scale subjects have their place in the industry also.

The Japanese likes to miniaturize things. In Japan, resources are expensive, space are expensive, and people have small hands.

I have to say that I find some of this insulting. It takes more care to model and detail 1/72. Plus if you've seen some of the 1/72 models in some osprey books that are more detailed than most larger scale builds, you'd realize how easy you have it doing 1/48 or bigger. So please, no more "little scale" remarks.

I build both scales and they each offer their own challanges and rewards. Space is a primary consideration for me with 1/72, which is why it outnumbers the quarter-inch kits in my collection by about 8:1.

Why the heck not? It's a cool scale and very easy to figure out. One inch equals six feet. If you have figures with your model, it's very easy for somebody viewing the model to understand the true scale of the plane or tank, or whatever.

Of course, having a figure helps with any scale, but I, at least, find it easier to think of one inch being the height of a man than one inch being two-thirds the height of a man. :D

Anyway, there's some exceptionally well done models in all scales. I don't think there's any overall best scale, just the scale I like best for each kit.

Regards,

-Drew

Have a look at the variety of subjects available in 1/72 and you can see why it's so popular..........there are things you can build that would never be built in 1/48 or larger - plus, can you imagine the tooling costs for Monogram (or Tamiya!!) to tool up for an ENTIRE 1/48 scale B-17 family (as per Academy) ???
Personally, I prefer 1/48 scale, but gaze wistfully at the variety of subjects on the 1/72 scale shelves that I know will never be molded in 1/48 scale.
Cheers
LeeTree

It is a great scale for apartment dwellers or others with limited space, it has good detail for low cost, it makes excellent gifts, it is cheaper to tool for (if it's a popular subject the company can tool for a larger kit, the research is done) it's good for children/beginners (low cost) and experianced modelers can make great kits out of them.

hey dont make fun of 1/72nd scale!! its so much funner to build than 1/48th!

Hi lplanch,

To a certain extent I agree with you: 1:48 makes a great scale. I started out building helicopters and civil fixed wing planes only in 1:48 scale but after some time had to shift to 1:72 because I had just about modelled everything there is in 1:48!
Believe me: if you haven't started 1:72 yet, a whole new world is still waiting for you!

Gertjan

Yes, smaller scales are deffinitely more popular in Europe than in the US. Not just for airplanes, but it's also very obvious in AFVs. Why? I don't really know. Airfix anf Frog flooded the market with kits of that scale several decades ago, and I guess people just kept getting smaller scales to have a continuity in their collection... Why Frog and Airfix started with the 1/72, I do not know.

Things are changing a little nowadays but that quite recent and it's probably due to the fact that many more larger 'streamline' kits (rather than vacuform) are available nowadays.

One interesting thing is that in AFVs, the UK favours 1/76 while the rest of the European continent favours 1/72...

The original 1/72 was called 1/6 (1ft = 6 ft) in ww2 when large no.s of recognition models were made and distributed to the armed forces and civilian observers. as to the validity of the scale today, and why do some build in it...It's not only cost or size...I have all the space I need for display purposes, and can afford to buy what I really want to build....but...
1. there are more subjects available in 1/72
2. it is more of a challenge to build and detail
3. the large bombers (like b-36, b-52) only come in that scale
4. if, like me, you like the display to show off the model and show its relative size to other aircraft from different eras etc then it is the scale to build in.
5. its fun to work in 1/72

For me it's a combination of things:
1. Variety
2. Size- until I bought my first home a few years ago, I was an apartment dweller...
3. Cost--yep..I'm cheap! Actually, if I had the $$ for some of the top line stuff I'd be all over it...but sadly, I don't. I can find stuff I like in 1/72nd that doesn't break the bank
4. I'm still learning...until I feel more confident in my detailing abilities, I'm shying away from the larger kits. I've got a 1/48 B=25 that I'm itching to build, but I want to get a few skills polished up first...and those are being polished on my 1/72 Mig, Warhawk, Hellcat and so on.

I like all scales, and just recently built my first 1/72nd tank (Italeri King tiger) and loved it. I think I'm hooked on armor in 1/72nd now!

Try to start a 1/48 bomber collection with limited space and see how far you get.
I have a 1/72 Bocks Car B29 still in the box waiting for space.
I think my 1/48 Herc will be a legacy unless I get more space.
I would love the 99Sqn RAF C17 but could not display it anywhere.

For me it is simple. I build 1:48 WWII and find myself building 1:72 modern. I just finished an F14 and F18 in 1:72 and they fit very nicely on my shelf with the WWII birds. Granted, I love realism, but size is an issue. That is why I am getting into 1:700 waterline ships, space and the more in the space, the better.

numbers, space, money, challenge... How could you build an A-7A without having an A-7B, A-7D, and an A-7E, Then there's the F/A-18A, TF-18A, CF-18B, F/A-18C, F/A-18D, F/A-18E... and what about all the variations of the FW-190 etc. Do it right and you can see the difference between versions right in front of you. Try that in 1/48 and still have money and space to sleep. I sometimes like to build multiples of the save versions for different markings.

QUOTE: Originally posted by hou_ge2000 The Japanese likes to miniaturize things. In Japan, resources are expensive, space are expensive, and people have small hands.

LMBO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'd also like to point out that Paul Boyer's entire collection is in 1/72 scale.

And I don't even have small hands (well, they're not big, either).

To me the beauty of 1/72 scale is the variety and the ability to concentrate on finish and markings. Most of my models are closed-canopy, with just enough detail inside to look good. I'm more interested in the markings and the history than I am in dial-counting or landing-gear-bay plumbing. Yes, you can do that in 1/48 scale, and you almost HAVE TO in 1/32 scale to make the model look right.

Besides, a model display (to me) should be in one scale. A mixed scale public display really irks me no end. Put 'em all in one scale, please, and if you're want to show the big and the small, 1/72 scale is the only way to go.

Like the others, the primary consideration for me was space. Since then, however, the kit manufacturing technology has improved tremendously and some 1/72nd offerings will rival 1/48th or 1/35th samples. Revell Germany's new 72nd scale AFVs like the M-1A1, the Fuchs and the PzH2000 are examples. The Hase 72nd aircraft line are of course well-known for detail.

With reference materials, some creativity and a very patient pair of eyes you can build a masterpiece out of a 1/72nd kit. You save space and money without compromising detail.

Check out tamiya's 1/72 corsair, P-51, spitfire, FW-190. The detail for the scale is astounding. Puts Hasegawa to shame in my book. Don't get the 1/72 Tamiya jets though as they are reboxed Italieri junk.

Tamiya jets junk? The reboxed Italeri kits should be available only in Japan. However, some of the Tamiya 1/72 jets are their originals: F4D Skyray and the F-84G Thunderjet.

for 1/72 kits are great and they have a very large amout of subjects and intresting things, you could use some of the HO scale buildings and scenery items for an ausome Diorama and still have room to sparebut I myself perfer to build 1/48 but I've build the collection for the old Lowery AFB Heritage Museum(now called the Wings Over The Rockies Museum) in 1/72nd scale because of the limited space, back in the late 90's and I really enjoyed it, I made everything in the USAF inventory that was avaibile at that time now there is more, you can't discredit that scale because of the cost to produce and to sell a huge 1/32 scale B-52 would be almost impossible to market because of the cost & space to market it think about the size of the box to hold the sprues & parts you might kill a whole forrest just for 1 box and use a whole oil tanker to produce the styrene just for 1 kit and then think about this kicker where in the world will you put it, I know for a fact that the wife would never allow it to be displayed in the living room or any other living space in the house, so there is reasons why the scale is there also I got my start in modeling aircraft by doing the 1/72 scale and it was really fun to do, you should try it you may change your mind on the scale-------remember this hobby is to have fun and escape from the hassles of everyday life not to come home and start stressing out & pull what little hair on your head out---- like Frankie(of the 80's) said relax

Sorry about the generalization. The reboxed Italieri are widely available on the web most notably on ebay. Their 1/72 warbird collection has many jets in it but as far as I know the skyray and the thunderjet are the only Tamiya originals out of dozens. It's too bad because I bought a couple of these kits before I knew they weren't Tamiya originals. I hope they do more of their own jets but without a close look at the box you won't know what you're getting.

Soon I'm going to start work on my scratch built 1/48 B-36 Peacemaker.

Just as soon as the Lottery Heritage Fund give me the money to build the hangar for it in my garden!

Even Revells little 1/72 B-36 'Minnow' takes up the whole of my workbench
(A former six seater Dining Table)!

Beers,

Rob M.

I started out as a strict 1:48-scale guy, too ( except for the obvious need for reason when it comes to, say, a B-52 ). Then I realized a few things.

1) Display issues.

2) If you're not super-detailing ( must have the numbers on the dials ), the issue isn't so much scale as manufacturer.

3) Money.

4) Time. I'm not one to try to make every kit a masterpiece. Good enough to display publicly without embarassment will do for most of my projects. Most of the time I'd rather have three 1/72 projects done than the one 1/48 project that would take the same time.

BTW ( certain people only, here ), we shouldn't make fun anyone for their scale choices here. Just remember that ALL of us are talking about a hobby that's "just for kids" in the minds of the outside majority! :)

Is your question one of the 'poke with a stick and see how it annoys people' variety - Scale models are SCALED its like asking why water is wet.

I have returned to 1/72 for the simple reason that has already been touched on in a few of the posts - having completed models rather that half built, very detailed ones! I tend to build RNZAF subjects, and as my career in the RNZAF has gone from armourer on jets to photographer I have access to so much reference material, both in the shape of the real aircraft and large archives of photos, that I just can't help myself when it comes to detailing. Unfortunatley I have found myself getting so bogged down at times that I have never quite got around to finishing the models. In 1/72, there is so much less scope for ensurng that every switch is correct etc, that I find I am able to build a nicely detailed model without getting so carried away that I end up shelving the model.

I spent 2 1/2 hears working on real ejection seats, and my 1/32 A4K has an escapac seat that looks like it should work, shame the rest of the kit is still awating completion!

1/72 is a nice size. Its not so big that you need a lot of room to display them, but its big enough that you can see details on it. Its also nice because you can have a relatively more detailed and exspansive diorama. That is especially nice for armor / figure dioramas, because you can get a relatively larger battlefield section, and more troops and tanks. For the same reason, you can build and display more models. And as was pointed out earlier, it is more difficult to detail in smaller scales.

I can't understand why you dislike 1/72 so much if you haven't even tried it.

it's also nice since you don't have to detail it as much. It'll look fine right out of the box.

Well that one got right up my nose!!!
I started out in 1/72 because it was the only one available (Airfixes MkIX Spitfire) and Ive still got it!! Then came various others in varying states of accuracy that I built and/or converted. Some times it was only a "paint"conversion at others the aircraft was partialy scratch built. A Slip wing Hurricane was the first of these.
Then I converted a Matchbox Wellington into the aircraft my father flew in RAF Coastal Command. And so it went. Now I have over a thousand models in my collection all to 1/72. Try doing that in 1/48 or 1/32.
TTFN Dai.