A Spitfire has a wingspan of about 11.2 metres. In 1/72 it measures roughly 15.6 cm across, in 1/48 about 23.4 cm, and in 1/32 about 35 cm. Same aeroplane, three very different objects on the desk. The scale printed on the box says which one you are buying, and it is worth reading before the kit goes in the basket. The wider route from first purchase to finished model is in the beginner’s guide.
What a scale ratio means
A scale is written as a fraction: 1/72, 1/48, 1/35. The model is that fraction of the real size, so the larger the second number, the smaller the model. Divide any real measurement by the second number and you have the model’s measurement. A ten-metre real object, for example, becomes about 13.9 cm at 1/72, 20.8 cm at 1/48 and 28.6 cm at 1/35.
Some kits also use the form 1:72, which means the same. The scale calculator does the arithmetic in either direction.
The common scales by subject
Each subject has settled on a few scales over decades of kit-making, which determines what you can actually buy.
| Scale | A 10 m real length becomes | Typical subjects | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/144 | 6.9 cm | Airliners, small aircraft | Tiny, quick, collectable |
| 1/72 | 13.9 cm | Aircraft, some armour | Compact, enormous range |
| 1/48 | 20.8 cm | Aircraft | Room for detail |
| 1/35 | 28.6 cm | Armour and figures | The standard for military vehicles |
| 1/24 | 41.7 cm | Cars | Workable engine bays |
Cars and motorcycles have their own habits. Car kits are mostly 1/24 or 1/25, with 1/20 for some racing cars and 1/43 for small collectable-sized pieces, while motorcycles are commonly 1/12, a size Tamiya has long supported with detailed kits. Sci-fi and fantasy kits are the exception: a starship or a monster has no real size, so makers pick a size that suits the box, and the sci-fi guide explains how to work with that.
Ships follow their own pattern. Waterline and full-hull kits in 1/700 fit a shelf, while 1/350 gives detail for fittings and rigging, and 1/200 or larger scales appear for big display models. The ships guide covers the choices there.
Aircraft builders mostly work in 1/72 or 1/48, with 1/32 for those with space, and the aircraft guide goes through the main makers. Armour is dominated by 1/35, with 1/72 growing for collectors who want a compact fleet, as the armour guide explains.
Choosing for space, budget and skill
Space comes first. A 1/32 bomber can span more than half a metre, and a display case for it is a project of its own. A 1/72 bomber of the same type fits an ordinary shelf. If you plan to build several models, count the shelf length before you buy.
Skill and eyesight matter next. Small scales are harder on fingers and eyes: 1/72 cockpits have parts a millimetre wide, and painting a pilot at 1/72 or 1/144 takes a steady hand. Large scales forgive less in other ways, as a seam or a brush mark on a 1/32 wing is plain to see.
Budget varies by scale. Bigger kits cost more, and kits in a popular scale have more choices of decals, paints and detail parts from other makers. A beginner who picks a common scale finds more guides, more reviews and more second-hand kits, which helps.
Mixing scales and the figure problem
Models of different scales can sit together, though the effect is odd: a 1/72 tank beside a 1/35 one makes the small one look like a toy. Many collectors choose a single scale for each subject for this reason.
Figures and vehicles have to match. A 1/35 tank commander does not belong on a 1/48 turret, and a 1/72 pilot rattles around in a 1/48 cockpit. Check the scale on both boxes. Figures are also sold in millimetre heights, such as 54 mm or 75 mm, which refer to the height of a standing person rather than a fraction. The figures guide explains how those relate to the ratios.
Dioramas raise the same question on a bigger stage. A vehicle, a few figures and a patch of ground only look right if every item shares a scale, and a base that holds a 1/35 tank and crew is about the size of a hardback book. Many modellers keep one scale for all diorama work, so that figures, walls, crates and groundwork can be bought and swapped freely.
Makers measure real objects differently, so two 1/48 kits from different companies may not match in size. Reading reviews before you buy two makers’ kits for one display saves surprises.
Scale and detail
A bigger model does not automatically mean a better one, but it does allow more. At 1/32 or 1/24 a kit can include separate cockpit instruments, a wired engine and thin trailing edges that look right. At 1/72 the maker has to simplify: panel lines are shallower, small parts are moulded as one, and a few items that would be separate at 1/48 are left out.
That does not make small scales poor. A well-moulded 1/72 kit from a modern tool can look excellent, and the lack of fiddly parts makes it quicker to finish. For a first kit the better question is how much detail you want to deal with. A simple 1/48 kit can be a comfortable build, while a complex 1/32 one can overwhelm.
Checking a size before you buy
Box art does not show size, and a photo of a built kit can make a 1/144 airliner look as big as a 1/48 fighter. Check the dimensions printed on the box side or the maker’s website, which most list as length and wingspan, and compare them to the shelf. If the number is missing, work it out: real length divided by scale.
Online shops and show traders both help. At a show you can pick a box up and look at the sprues in a way a screen does not allow, and the people behind the tables usually know the subject. Look at the shows page for the circuit, and keep the scale calculator open on a phone.
Next, choose one scale for your first subject, buy a kit in it and move on to the tools list.