SPA Modeler

I don’t have a preference really, and haven’t given it too much thought, except when it comes to 1:72. There are some really nice kits out there in 1:72, which I’d like to build, but don’t because that’s just a shade too small for me. I feel like I don’t have a precise enough or gentle enough touch for some of those 1:72 aircraft. Not all of them though. I have a 1:72 Warrhog that’ll be fine, it’s a big airplane. That I can probably do. But a 1:72 109, I don’t think I could make that happen.

My first model was in 1965, it was a 1/72 scale Revell Corsair.

I kept to that scale for a while, because of all the fighters available in 1/72.

I have looked at possibly changing scales a few times over the decades, especially when 1/48 got more options for available aircraft models.

But, I stayed with 1/72 up to today for the same reason that I always built and drove the same Car Company's hot rods. It is hard to get rid of all of the spares for one make of car to switch makes, especially if you have some really cool and rare parts.

The same thing would have happened if I "jumped" up to 1/48 or 1/32. Only some little bits of the decals I have would possibly be of any use in a different scale, spares box and vehicles, weapons packs,,,,etc, etc,,,,,all of no use in a different scale.

A lot of people are convinced that their viewers are more impressed with the large models, and I believe that is true to an extant.

But, I revel in the idea that people say things like "you built that itty bitty thing?" when they see a 1/72 jeep, jet, bearcat, or people walking around on a flight deck base.

No real reason to prefer 1/48 or 1/32 over the smaller scales except for the size of the item. My fingers do not like (never have) the really tiny stuff.

I think there have been some great answers gents and it's been really interesting to see why people do what they do.

I personally only build in 1/72 because that's what I've always done, and that's the scale of a lot of the older kits that I like to build. However I much prefer the look of a 1/48th kit and if I could rewind time that's the way I would have gone.

RexCag wrote:
The same thing would have happened if I "jumped" up to 1/48 or 1/32. Only some little bits of the decals I have would possibly be of any use in a different scale, spares box and vehicles, weapons packs,,,,etc, etc,,,,,all of no use in a different scale.

That is so true... I had tons of 1/48 ground stuff and spares from Bandai, and loads of 1/72 decals in my stash when I got home from the Army and went with my 1/48 Air-1/35 ground stuff. I got rid of it all...

RexCag wrote:
A lot of people are convinced that their viewers are more impressed with the large models, and I believe that is true to an extant.

But, I revel in the idea that people say things like "you built that itty bitty thing?" when they see a 1/72 jeep, jet, bearcat, or people walking around on a flight deck base.

One of the former officers in our IPMS Chapter told me as such. If one is looking to win the contests, build something big. Not so much scale, as just overall size gets the notice, after all the basics of construction and finish are considered.

Stikpusher wrote:...A large scale Apache or Blackhawk has a very large display footprint with those rotors.

What a coincidence! I recently got myself an 1/35 scale Blackhawk from Academy...
One could build those without rotor blades, as in flight...

Thomas_M wrote:

Stikpusher wrote:...A large scale Apache or Blackhawk has a very large display footprint with those rotors.

What a coincidence! I recently got myself an 1/35 scale Blackhawk from Academy...
One could build those without rotor blades, as in flight...

Yes, please!!!!

Kitty Hawk is making a whole line of Blackhawks. I've seen CAD renderings of the Pavehawk, Blackhawk and Seahawk so far.

Yes, I have the 1/35 Academy MH-60 kit. I would like to perhaps get their Air Force version and possibly an Army UH-60 in 1/35 as well. I do love my Hawks.