Why is this? Its a bit frustrating, large scale doesn't line up (1/35 armor v. 1/32 aricraft), small scale does(1/72 is pretty easy to find for both), but the selection for 1/48 armor is rather limited compared to Aircraft, where 1/48 is almost the most common.

The way i understand it is that 1/32 was the original scale for large aircraft, but the Japanese (well Tamiya really) then begun making armor in 1/35 scale and it's been that way ever since. Why i'm not really sure. Someone once told me (and i admit i don't really understand this) that 1/32 is an imperial scale, 1/35 is a metric scale. Why that matters i don't know, but it's the same with automotive scales the USA companies did 1/25 (imperial) and the Japanese started 1/24 (metric).

1/48 scale is different because the Japanese are pretty much solely responsible for starting that one for both aircraft and armor, it wasn't really an already estblished scale elsewhere- though some "boxscale" stuff came close to 1/48.

And why is there 1/72, 1/76 and HO?

This list on wikipedia might help explain scales a bit.
Andy

Well, there is certainly a long history attached to the wide range of scales available but this does not solve the problems.

I guess that manufacturers do not always think ahead. As an example, there is a small( dutch?) manufacturer that makes buildings like windmills, barns, jhouses, bridges ...

These things are really beautiful and very interesting to put in a WWII diorama, except for the fact that the scale is 1/30 instead of 1/35.

I hope that one day manufacturers will understand that standardisation of scales will lead to bigger sales

I did a Sherman Caliope in about 1969. It was 1/32nd. I saw the same kit a few months ago, except it was now 1/35th. From what I understand, it was the same kit (Same 1/32 molds) as the earlier kit, but marketed as 1/35th. It seems to me that 1/10th would be 1/10 regardless of what kind of ruler is used. Same goes for quarter scale (1/48). I also am curious as to why the scales can't match up though. Thanks for bringing this up.

This will not clear the Tamiya fogs around 1:35, but maybe the question of imperial/metric scales.

1:72 seems to have no logic whatsoever.
1:48 is imperial and called "quarterscale" because 1/4" (inch) equals 1' (foot).
1:32 is also imperial because 3/8" equals 1'.

Both these could nowadays easily be used with a "metric" calculator or compu but somehow the Japs has allways been metric fundamentalists.

The problem can be traslated to reality, and then we almost end up with a Marx brothers plot.

My job in the nineties involved designing news paper packing machines, and this time we should build belt conveyors for an american printing house. We got 2d-cad drawings which matched well with normal standards so the layout was made in 1:100 as we used to. Finally we made a trip to make the final agreement, but when measured in reality the layout wouldn't fit in the house. The scale was not 1:100 (Like all europeans would have used) but 1/8" should equal 1', whigh means 1:96. Luckily there are such things as hand grinders

One inch is 6 foot.


One inch is 4 foot


Once inch is a yard

these scales are related to technical drawing in imperial measurements.
Anything else is foreign and wrong

Doesn't explain why 1/35 exists.
Everyone knows armour modelers subvert the natural order of things anyway.

Ok JP, that straightens even more out, but one there is one thing.




We are a lot of foreigners who say we are right. I believe that Master Yoda would call all imperial inventions evil. But I give you a choice - which of the following would be possible for Britain to give up : The imperial dimensioning system or left hand traffic?

Normally that would be an impossible choice. But I will humour it.

If we gave up imperial measurements that would be Ireland.

If we gave up right-hand drive that would be America.

American pints are smaller. only 16oz
On that logic It would have to be imperial measurements to go.

Since pints of beer and milk, and distance are the only things officially allowed
to be measured in imperial measurements here now it looks like we are already
metric.

As a Swede. You can't even make you mind up which side to drive on.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagen_H
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_on_the_left_or_right#Sweden

Keep on smiling,
JP

Yup. Guess you're right. There are one slot each for Ireland and America, and those are full. I guess I prefer a pint as big as it comes too. And finally, when it comes to swedish referendums, they always come out as the oposite of what people really want.

Origin of 1/72
More

I can't count to twelve.
1/36 is one inch to the yard.
so armour is right. (almost).

I think the Wikipedia entry make the most sense for why we have 1/35




Cheers

Allen

you know - that's an American joke - and Europeans (in particular) take it far more seriously than it is intended, which only encourages Americans to make the joke more often to see who else bites.

most of America is pretty much ready to switch to metric, if only our silly government would start the initiative to do so again. We tried back when Carter was president (with road signs in KpH and everything), but Reagan countermanded the order and made the tax payers pay to switch completely back to "imperial" units.

We pretty much all understand the superiority of the metric system, even if there aren't a whole lot of people familiar with actual metric units (but then, how many actually know their imperial units!).

Most of our industry has already long since switched anyway (since they are almost all multi-national these days).

As far as scales... seems to me that metric compatible scales would be something like 1/10th, 1/50th, 1/100, etc.

It getsworse if you model warships in large scales. My friend has a besutiful Ticonderoga constructed as a Sirmar semi-kit in 1/96 scale. Try getting a Sea Hawk helicopter or decals for it. He also is building HMS Lion (has been for over 10 years) to 1/96 scale, can he get a Sopwith 1 1/2 strutter or Pup for it? I have offered to scratch build it.