Modelling Scales Explained - What Do They Mean? A Beginner's Guide

Modelling scales help to tell us how big or small our finished kit is going to be. Some scales are more popular than others and can help inform our decision on
which kits we purchase.

Join me in this video as I take a brief look at scales and what they mean.

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[ianvaughan]

The video would be so much better if it was in focus. The presentation and narrative are great, but the low-res out of focus video is a strain on the eyes. :-)

[russelltaylor]

One thing missing from this video is a discussion of how these scales came about. The most common aircraft modeling scales don't make a lot of sense in the metric length system, but in Imperial units 1/24 means 1 inch on the model = 2 feet in real life. In 1/48, 1" = 4'. In 1/72, 1" = 6' (so a 1/72 scale figure should be about 1 inch tall). In 1/144, 1" = 12'. There were attempts to metricize the scales so there are a lot of older Japanese-made kits in 1/70 scale and Heller did quite a few 1/50 scale kits, but they never really caught on.

[logancarruthers]

Why is there just a model minutes logo in the middle

[georgehorniman]

If I'm creating a diaroma using 1:72 scale soldiers - do the vehicles have to be 1:72 scale to be in context with the soldiers please?

[bradyates]

what is the scale diffence of 1:28 to1:48 which is bigger?

[Tahlilkutah]

Hi sir thank you for better understanding of the scale, , pbm mariner 5 scale 1.118 but on the package write 20cm long sometimes I get confused!

[treborpohsib]

This tells me nothing! Whatis 1 inch of my model equal to in 1/500 scale or 1/700 scale? If I want to build a large model of a battleship, say 3 or 4 feet long, what scale would I buy ? 1/300, 1/500,
1/700 or 1/1200???

[aztecwarrior]

How do you determine the original size using a scale of 1:86 or any scale for that matter??

[angelreading]

To fully understand model scales we need to look at the history behind them and how they became standardarised, before 1930 model plans and kits were done to all kinds of odd scales which started in America where manufacturers made the models to fit what boxes were available, it was a schoolboy named James.Hay.Stevens who produced the drawings for a company called Skybirds who settled on a standard scale of 1/72nd which was the same scale as OO Model Railways becoming popular at that time, HO was the Continental railway size that is why you often see it written as OO/HO.Major aviation periodicals further promoted 1/72nd with the publication of plans and books such as Volumes 1-7 of 'Aircraft of the Fighting Powers' interesting that when Airfix produced that very first plastic aircraft model Spitfire BT-K 1/72nd was chosen by the directors of the company even to producing what was large for its time the Avro Lancaster kit. to 1/72nd.
On the Continent we have 1/100th scale made popular because of its use with TT gauge model railways, 1/96th scale was popular in America in the fifties and sixties for this reason being a near match for subjectas allied to the railway modeller.
What we must remember is that these popular scales originated as imperial sizes and do not always convert well to metric sizes.

[Adam-ixig]

Forgive me as I'm very much a novice when it comes to models but I plan to model a battle scene (ww2). My question is that if I was building a tank for example that was a scale of 1:35, does everything else I build need to be of thr same scale? In other words, should I buy all my kits at 1:35?

[kdots]

Hi I'm looking for figures 2&half inches tall what scale should I be looking at money thanks

[larsulrich]

How are model kits and the math actually calculated and produced in a factory?

[aztecwarrior]

How do you measure the original model, for example a ship? Does the measurements include the length of the forward mast?

[Imperialofficer]

Quick question: So I have a 1/6 scale action figure, I want to buy a weapon for said figure, like say a Garand rifle, what scale would scale well with the 1/6 scale figure?

[r.a.monigold]

Park a full sized 1967 Chevy anywhere. Place a model of the same car on the ground in front of the real car. Staring at the front most part of the bumper, use the model to mark off how many places it takes the model to reach the back bumper. If it's 25, then it's 1/25 scale. 24 times = 1/24. 72 = 1/72 scale, etc. The inverse - if a kit says1:72 scale it will take 72 models end to end to be as long as the real plane. ALL scales work the same. 1:24 car is bigger than 1:25 because it only takes 24 to make a full sized car over 25 in 1:25 scale.

[mountainbloke]

Similar videos on this subject to have the maths explained is partly helpful but im a visual learner how about getting a five pound note for reference and then put a few FINISHED models next to it so we get it... I fancy a few tanks to build through the virus season i don't want micro machines or one tank that fills my living room - - - 1:35 seems popular but all photos are of the finished item with no reference points its bizarre

[isaacixtupe]

What will be the biggest model in a 1 to scale?

[lou]

I still don't understand. I want to buy a 1:400 model of queen mary 2. So does this scale mean once completed it will take another 400 of these to match the queen mary 2 height, width and length?

[strikeeaglemodels]

Very well explained mate! Keep up the great work! 🍻👍

[POLLOTROM]

I am trying to figure what is 1/1000 of the space ship Yamato but I do no know how big is the original.