what scale car to accompany a 1:48 aircraft?

[neillydone]

I am trying to create a diorama using the 1:48 Tiger Moth and put a car alongside it (probably something like a Morris Minor) - can anyone suggest if 1:43 or 1:50 would be ok as it seems there isnt too much choice in 1:48 scale car kits.

 

thanks

 

Neil

[jenko]

Tamiya do do a Beatle and a Citroën in 1/48... they are belters also a Tilly that could be seen after the war in civvies. Hasegawa did a pre-war BMW.

 

HTH for starters

 

Dick  

[Black Knight]

42 minutes ago, neillydone said:

I am trying to create a diorama using the 1:48 Tiger Moth and put a car alongside it (probably something like a Morris Minor) - can anyone suggest if 1:43 or 1:50 would be ok as it seems there isnt too much choice in 1:48 scale car kits.

Check out the Matchbox Models of Yesteryear. 

The cars vary in scale around 1/43 - 1/48

They do a nice pre-war Riley, SS 100 Jaguar, and others.

I'm sorting some 1909 -1918 cars to go with WW1 biplanes

[Troy Smith]

1 hour ago, neillydone said:

can anyone suggest if 1:43 or 1:50 would be ok as it seems there isnt too much choice in 1:48 scale car kits.

 

Hi Neil

1/43 would look oversize.

Have a read here

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235044177-dh60-gypsy-moth/#elControls_3192818_menu

and here

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235044177-dh60-gypsy-moth/#elControls_3197777_menu

 

this took a few searches, but here's a Models Of Yesteryear" list with stated scales

https://matchboxforum.co.uk/models-of-yesteryear-listing

 

There are some plastic models to "1/48th" whose manufacturer I'm having difficulty remembering,   

 

Ah, there is ASAM

http://www.asam.co.uk

"ASAM Models is a new company with 45 years experience
offering a wide range of 1:48th Metal & Resin Scale Models including
Heavy Haulage Systems, Modern Commercials, Military & Old Timers"

 

Very extensive range, but not cheap. not very helpful website. 

 

I just put 'cars 1:48' into the Scalemates site

https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?fkSECTION[]=Kits&q=cars+1%3A48*

 

I think the models I was thinking of were by Renwal, possibly later by Revell, but have a browse of the link.

 

HTH

[Ratch]

2 hours ago, jenko said:

Tamiya do do a Beatle

John, Paul, George or Ringo?

[jenko]

1 hour ago, Ratch said:

John, Paul, George or Ringo?

 

OK spelling not my best thing..................... that's why I make models 

[neillydone]

thanks everyone for the great tips!

[bar side]

I have to say I don’t feel the Corgi Vanguard 1/43 cars are really that big.  If you took a 1/48 pilot you would struggle to get them in the driving seat.  I don’t mean a small 1/48 like Heller (nearer 1/50 or less) but a chunky Monogram pilot.  This is a Vanguard MGB with a 1/48 Italeri Hunter

 

[jenko]

11 hours ago, bar side said:

I have to say I don’t feel the Corgi Vanguard 1/43 cars are really that big.  If you took a 1/48 pilot you would struggle to get them in the driving seat.  I don’t mean a small 1/48 like Heller (nearer 1/50 or less) but a chunky Monogram pilot.  

 

 

The joys of 1/48 figures. Remember the Airfix RAF ground crew set ?? I compared them with Tamiya figures ...the Tamiya looked anorexic in comparison. Airfix scaling out to over 7 feet tall... and the best part of 20 stone plus .... 

 

Size matters. 

 

Dick 

[bar side]

27 minutes ago, jenko said:

 

The joys of 1/48 figures. Remember the Airfix RAF ground crew set ?? I compared them with Tamiya figures ...the Tamiya looked anorexic in comparison. Airfix scaling out to over 7 feet tall... and the best part of 20 stone plus .... 

 

Size matters. 

 

Dick 

The Monogram figures always look too big, the Fujimi / Heller are almost 1/72.  Tend to base mine on Hasegawa ground crew - no idea how accurate the are for 1/48 but the equipment around them would look wrong if out of scale with the people

[Troy Smith]

3 hours ago, jenko said:

I compared them with Tamiya figures ...the Tamiya looked anorexic in comparison.

Tamiya 1/48th figures are for being undersize in 1/48, but the Airfix '1/48th' ground crew set  noted for being overscale.

If of interesting I can dig out a very interesting set of comparisons, but I'd need to search it up.

3 hours ago, bar side said:

Tend to base mine on Hasegawa ground crew - no idea how accurate the are for 1/48

get a ruler.   6 feet in 1/48th an inch and half,  or 37/38 mm.     

 

Thing is , humans vary in size,  but what tends not to vary is head size,  or head height. 

You may not be consciously aware of this,  so,....

 

 

 

 

 

 And we tend to be very good at spotting discrepancies in reproductions of us!

 

It maybe of note that figures from Japanese companies are more petite than ones from an American company,  given the average Japanese tends to be smaller than the average American.

 

So, a  mix of set of figures that match in head size will probably work, but will look funny if they don't.   

 

HTH

[jenko]

Thanks for the heads up Troy. 

 

Dick

[John B]

On 10/25/2020 at 6:30 AM, Troy Smith said:

Tamiya 1/48th figures are for being undersize in 1/48, but the Airfix '1/48th' ground crew set  noted for being overscale.

If of interesting I can dig out a very interesting set of comparisons, but I'd need to search it up.

get a ruler.   6 feet in 1/48th an inch and half,  or 37/38 mm.     

 

Thing is , humans vary in size,  but what tends not to vary is head size,  or head height. 

You may not be consciously aware of this,  so,....

 

 

 

 

 

 And we tend to be very good at spotting discrepancies in reproductions of us!

 

It maybe of note that figures from Japanese companies are more petite than ones from an American company,  given the average Japanese tends to be smaller than the average American.

 

So, a  mix of set of figures that match in head size will probably work, but will look funny if they don't.   

 

HTH

Hi folks -

    So along the same lines, when we "see" someone with a "big head", is it the shape of the head or it just because the proportionately he is 7.4 heads tall compared to his body?    (I have a "pointy" head with a short haircut, so my hats trend towards the smaller end of the adjustable size scale.)    How do helmets/ flight gear/ clothing affect our perception of "size"?

    How close to 1/48 can something be in scale that we don't notice the difference?   If I used a 1/55th sci-fi helmet on a 1/48 figure, would it be immediately noticeable?  

Edited November 5, 2020 by John B

[Giorgio N]

31 minutes ago, John B said:

Hi folks -

    So along the same lines, when we "see" someone with a "big head", is it the shape of the head or it just because the proportionately he is 7.4 heads tall compared to his body?    (I have a "pointy" head with a short haircut, so my hats trend towards the smaller end of the adjustable size scale.)    How do helmets/ flight gear/ clothing affect our perception of "size"?

    How close to 1/48 can something be in scale that we don't notice the difference?   If I used a 1/55th sci-fi helmet on a 1/48 figure, would it be immediately noticeable?  

 

If you have something in 1/55 scale it will be more than 10% smaller than the same object in proper 1/48 scale. Is 10% noticeable ? To me it is but it depends on many things, not last how familiar the viewer is with the "full scale" specimen. A similar ratio applies to 1/48 Vs. 1/43, the 1/43 item will be over 10% larger than the one in 1/48 and it would be noticeable, at least to me...

It is however possible to hide the difference somewhat by placing the objects in different positions in a diorama: a 1/43 car may be too large but when placed in the foreground this difference may be less noticeable. Same with a smaller object placed in the background.

 

Helmets and similar gear can have different effects of how we see size for a number of reasons and one is that these are items that generally come in a limited or even unique number of sizes. Helmets for example often comes in 3-4 sizes and I vaguely remember that some even came in a single outer size with differently sized inner linings. Boots will come in a wide number of sizes but puches or water bottles will come in one single size. And of course, weapons only have their size.

This leads to some situations that look almost unrealistic, just look at some pictures of early Vietnam War ARVN soldiers, with large US helmets and M1 rifles on men of quite small stature. I have a similar "problem" myself, as being 170 cm means that with a helmet on I sometime looked like Space Balls' Dark Helmet...

Clothing will on the other hand make a person look bulkier, particularly in case of heavy winter clothes... modern load bearing gear increases this effect and when armour is carried it makes the person even bulkier... and I saw this on me, with a winter smock and an Osprey vest I look like a fatty bloke with a small head. And I'm not fat ! I do have a bit of a beer belly but I  swear that I'm not fat.. 🤣

[TEXANTOMCAT]

I’ve used 1/43 diecast but simply put it at the back of the dio- works ok for me but you be the judge! 
 

 

TT