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Is there a clearly noticeable difference between 1/35 and 1/32 scales?


Qtebakqsth

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So, i'm trying to build dioramas including both tanks and planes, but it is difficult to find aircraft in 1/35 scale. Since the models i will be using in a future diorama (flak 37, spitfire) will be about a foot apart, will the slight scale difference be a problem?

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Depends.  It's not orders of magnitude bigger, but...

 

I have a 1/32 Revell Cayuse.  Resin details sets are all 1/35 because they're made for the Dragon kit.  There'd be quite a noticeable gap if I installed a resin cockpit in the Revell kit.

 

As for a model as a whole in relation to another - if you can't go with 1/35 aircraft, no-one will really notice anyway, especially if you put them that far apart.

Edited by RobL
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There's about 10% difference in length (35/32) or 30% difference in volume (35*35*35/(32*32*32) which, if you have different scale models of similar items, would be very noticable. However as you're talking disimilar items i.e. aircraft & tanks it would probably be a lot less noticable.

 

If you can plan the diorama to be viewed with 1:32nd at the front with 1:35th at the back that way you'd force perspective into the scene.

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I'd imagine it could be noticeable, it all lies in the eye of the beholder though, if you are building for yourself and don't mind (I'm not fussy myself) then all good and well, if you intend to display to other enthusiasts or display at shows its probably going to get noticed ... but most of my home visiting friends (when not in lockdown) are non modellers and I can almost guarantee they would not notice if I chose to do that ... and I wouldn't be telling them either :)

When I did Art at school, was thought perspective and how to paint or draw that way, everything seems smaller at distance, your diorama sounds big with models a foot apart so should look fine IMHO. I'd like to see the finished result actually .. good luck, go for it!

There are some Aircraft 1/35th kits, helicopters especially if you wanted to change diorama type, but I think you are on to something with spacing a foot apart, especially if you can diminish the scale of other diorama points appropriately and subtly too.

Good luck.

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If you put a 1/32 Bf109 alongside a 1/35 Bf109 (there is one available!), then yes, the difference will be obvious. If you put a 1/32 Bf109 alongside a 1/35 Kettenkrad or Kubelwagen, while the difference

is there, it won't be as obvious.

However, the real catch is figures! A 1/32 figure alongside a 1/35 figure is like Arnold Schwarzenegger standing beside Rick Moranis!. But if you don't place them too closely, is it really an issue?

And 1/32 equipment (small arms, etc) just looks wrong on a 1/35 figure, and vice versa. (And that's why , if you do mix scales, don't put different scale figures too close together, a 1/32 MP40 is noticeably

bigger than a 1/35 one.)

While the scale "numbers" 32 and 35 may seem close, there is a noticeable size difference. Whether this is enough to put you off is entirely up to you. such a mix can be made to work if done thoughtfully

and carefully.

I was quite surprised to be told that 1/24 and 1/25 cars could have a significant size difference, to the point where a 1/25 bodyshell of , say, a Chevy Camaro, would fit snugly inside a 1/24 example of the same car . . .

 

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Just going to mention part of what I was going to mention yesterday.

 

Taking a Spitfire VB as an example, and assuming the kit maker has the dimensions spot on,  the wingspan has about 3.01cm, i.e. over an inch, in difference between it's length in 1/32 and the same measurement in 1/35.

Edited by RobL
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Work it out: a difference of 3 in 32 is almost 10%, and that is only in one dimension.  A model has three,   So in bulk the difference is in the order of 0.9 cubed, which in my maths suggests that a 1/35 model will have around three-quarters of the bulk of a 1/32.  By all means work it out more precisely, but the answer isn't going to be a long way different.  Of course the third dimension isn't that important in a Spitfire model as opposed to a figure or a tank.

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14 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

Work it out: a difference of 3 in 32 is almost 10%, and that is only in one dimension.  A model has three,   So in bulk the difference is in the order of 0.9 cubed, which in my maths suggests that a 1/35 model will have around three-quarters of the bulk of a 1/32.  By all means work it out more precisely, but the answer isn't going to be a long way different.  Of course the third dimension isn't that important in a Spitfire model as opposed to a figure or a tank.

That's an interesting calculation, and explains a lot of why they don't look right together...

I wouldn't mix them myself in a diorama or whatever,  maybe someone could do a clever "perspective" thing , but that would probably only work  from one particular angle / distance /viewpoint...or if it's just done to create a photo.

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I think we have two examples, krow113's and Black Knight's, that highlight how different things can look.  To me that FW 190 looks huge compared to the figures, just something about it, especially in the first photo, that makes the plane look oversized or the figures undersized.  Whilst the vehicles and figures all look relatively normal.  Great models though, nice one guys.

Edited by RobL
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In our squadron, we had a lad who was 5'6" tall, and another one who was 6'2".  Not every person is the same height, so therefore, not every figure will be the same height either. If you look at the figures which Tamiya include in their Cromwell kit, they are a bit undersized, but only if you assume that everyone is the same average height.

 

John.

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On 09/04/2021 at 08:58, Bullbasket said:

In our squadron, we had a lad who was 5'6" tall, and another one who was 6'2".  Not every person is the same height, so therefore, not every figure will be the same height either. If you look at the figures which Tamiya include in their Cromwell kit, they are a bit undersized, but only if you assume that everyone is the same average height.

 

John.

Whilst it's fair to say that not everyone is the same size the equpment, note not clothing, would be the same size. Don't go mixing 1:32 & 1:35 rifles, holsters, packs etc. stick with those of the same scale as the main subject.

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4 minutes ago, Circloy said:

Whilst it's fair to say that not everyone is the same size the equpment, note not clothing, would be the same size. Don't go mixing 1:32 & 1:35 rifles, holsters, packs etc. stick with those of the same scale as the main subject.

Not necessarily so; the Stahlhelm came in 5 different sizes, the Brodie and Adrian came in 3 different sizes. Haversacks / bread bags, British and German WW2 came in at least six sizes. I have leather patterns for common WW2 pistols, eg Colt 1911A1, Webley, and P08, and for each I have at least 3 different sizes overall though the internal size is the same for each weapon. Going back a bit; the common 'Brown Bess' musket came in 5 different lengths and the 'Baker' rifle came in  4 different lengths. I've also seen Kar 98s of different lengths

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Talking about mixing scales, I've found that 1/32 aircraft cockpit placard decals can be useful in those 'not easy to see that clearly' locations on 1/35 subjects (like the depths of interiors glimpsed through open hatches, engine bays, firewalls, etc.). Not strictly accurate, but they can look very effective...

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11 hours ago, Black Knight said:

 I've also seen Kar 98s of different lengths

 

Different lengths in what sense? With longer and shorter stocks? Or with different barrel lengths?

Variations in stock types sure did happen, different barrel length however would indicate different versions that may or not have been present in the same unit.

In any case with a different barrel and stock the relative proportions of the various rifle components would be visually different, as other parts remained of fixed length while using two rifles in different scales result in the same proportions but different lengths.

This is particularly noticeable in the "bulk" of the object, as a 1/35 rifle will be narrower than the 1/32 counterpart. Even considering the fact that German soldiers in WW2 made some use of "small ring" Mauser 98 based rifles, these would not be well represented by using a 1/35 rifle on a 1/32 figure.

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