A scale model of the Tower of London. It can be found inside the tower.

Model ships and castle

A scale model is a representation or copy of an object that is larger or smaller than the actual size of the object . Very often the scale model is smaller than the original and used as a guide to making the object in full size. Scale models are built or collected for many reasons. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2816 × 2112 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2816 × 2112 pixel, file size: 2. ... For other uses, see Tower of London (disambiguation) Her Majestys Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London (and historically as The Tower), is a historic monument in central London, on the north bank of the River Thames. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Modeltown2006. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Modeltown2006. ...

Professional modelmakers often create models for the below professions:

• For engineers who require scale models to test the likely performance of a particular design at an early stage of development without incurring the full expense of a full-sized prototype.
• For architects who require architectural models to evaluate and sell the look of a new construction before it is built.
• For filmmakers who require scale models of objects or sets that cannot be built in full size.
• For salesmen who require scale models to promote new products such as heavy equipment and automobiles and other vehicles.

Hobbyists or amateur modelmakers make die-cast models, injection molded, model railroads, remote control vehicles, wargaming and fantasy collectibles, model ships and ships in bottles for their own enjoyment.

Scale models can also be objects of art, either being created by artists or being rediscovered and transformed into art by artists.

Types of scale models

Some modelers build and collect models made from a certain medium (wood, plastic, paper, etc). Others build and collect models based on the types of object being modeled.

Model aircraft

Main article: Model aircraft

Douglas DC-3-Model aircraft

Model aircraft are divided into two main groups: static and flying models. A Die Cast Boeing 747-800 static model. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (877x658, 79 KB) Scale model of a DC-3 airplane ofFinnair. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (877x658, 79 KB) Scale model of a DC-3 airplane ofFinnair. ... The Douglas DC-3 is a fixed-wing, propeller-driven aircraft, which revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s and is generally regarded as one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made (also see Boeing 707 and Boeing 747). ...

Static model aircraft

Static model aircraft are commonly built using plastic, but wood, metal and paper also make nice models. Models are sold painted and assembled, painted but not assembled (snap-fit) or unpainted and not assembled. The most popular types of aircraft to model are commercial airliners and military aircraft. Fewer manufacturers exist today than in the 1970s, but many of the older kits are occasionally available to purchase. Aircraft can be modeled at many scales. Popular scales are, in order of size, 1:144, 1:72 (the most numerous), 1:48 (sometimes referred to as quarter scale because a quarter inch represents one foot) 1:32 and 1:24. Some European models are available at more metric scales such as 1:50. The highest quality models are made from injection-molded plastic or cast resin. Models made from Vacuum formed plastic are generally for the more skilled builder. More inexpensive models are made from heavy paper or card stock. Ready-made die-cast metal models are also very popular. As well as the traditional scales, die-cast models are available in 1:200, 1:250, 1:350, 1:400, and 1:600. These scales are usually reserved for civil airliners. Static aircraft scale modeling falls broadly into 3 categories: kit assembly, scratch-building, and collection of ready-made models. Scratch-builders tend to be the top echelon in terms of skill and craftsmanship; they tend to be the most discerning when it comes to accuracy and detail and they spend far more time on far fewer models than a kit assembler. Kit assemblers fall roughly into 2 categories: OOB (Out of Box) and Modified. Out of Box refers to the act of assembling a kit only from what is contained in the box supplied, whereas a Modifier will employ after-market products such as alternative decals, photo-etched metal detail parts, and cast resin detail or conversion parts to enhance or change the model in some way. Collectors are concerned purely with the issue of theme, and are not really interested in personal construction as such. Obviously aircraft modelers will often fall into more than one category as fancy takes them. The overwhelming majority of aircraft modelers concern themselves with depiction of real-life aircraft, but there is a smaller cadre of modelers who derive additional fun by 'bending' history a little by making models of aircraft that either never actually flew or existed, or by painting them in a color scheme that did not actually exist. This is commonly referred to as 'What-if' or 'Alternative' modeling, and the most common theme is 'Luftwaffe 1946' or 'Luftwaffe '46'. This theme stems from idea of modeling German secret projects that never saw the light of day due to the close of World War II. This concept has been extended to include British, Russian, and US experimental projects that never made it into production. Injection molding (British variant spelling: moulding) is a manufacturing technique for making parts from both thermoplastic and thermosetting plastic materials in production. ... Vacuum forming is a simplified version of thermoforming, whereby a sheet of plastic is heated to a forming temperature, stretched onto or into a single-surface mold, and held against the mold by applying vacuum between the mold surface and the sheet. ... For the M.I.A. song, see Paper Planes (song). ...

Flying model aircraft

Main article: Radio-controlled aircraft

Flying models are usually what is meant by the term aeromodelling. Most flying model aircraft can be placed in one of three groups: free flight, control line and radio controlled. Some flying models are realistic representation of full-sized aircraft, while others are built with no intention of looking like piloted aircraft. Flying models are often constructed like vintage full-sized aircraft. They can be built from scratch or from kits. Some kits take many hours to put together and some kits are almost ready to fly or ready to fly. Radio-controlled aircraft (abbreviated RC aircraft or RC plane) is a model aircraft that is controlled remotely via radio control. ... The essence of free flight model aircraft is that their flight path is pre-programmed, and once released, they are not directly controlled by the operator. ... Control line (also called U-Control in some countries) is a simple and light way of controlling a flying model aircraft. ... Radio-controlled aircraft (abbreviated RC aircraft or RC plane) is a model aircraft that is controlled remotely via radio control. ... Scratch Building (also Scratch Build; Scratch Built, Scratch-Build, Scratch-building) is a term used by serious scale-modelers that describes creating a model by using model building stock in materials like plastic, metal, and wood, as opposed to starting with a commercial kit. ... ARF is short for Almost Ready to Fly model aircraft kit that includes nearly assembled wings, fuselage and stabalizers already pre-covered in plastic film sheeting material such as Ultracote or Monokote. ... Ready To Fly (or RTF) is a term used to describe radio controlled airplanes that are supplied fully built with no assembly required. ...

Model buildings

Main article: Building model

Model building for an HO scale railroad

Most hobbyist who build models of buildings do so as part of a diorama to enhance their other models such as a model railroad or model war machines. As a stand-alone hobby, building models are probably most popular among enthusiasts of construction toys such as Erector, Lego and K'nex. Famous landmarks such as the Empire State Building, Big Ben and the White House are common subjects. Standard scales have not emerged in this hobby. Model railroaders use railroad scales for their buildings: HO scale (1:87), N scale (1:160), and O scale (1:43). Lego builders use miniland scale (1:20) and minifig scale (1:48) and micro scale (1:192)^[1] Generally, the larger the building, the smaller the scale. Model buildings are made from plastic, foam, balsa wood or paper. Card models are published in the form of a book, and some models are manufactured like 3-D puzzles. Professionally, building models are used by architects and salesmen. Highrise model from Vollmer Building models are scale models of structures. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (806x453, 134 KB)train station Photo by William J. Grimes I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (806x453, 134 KB)train station Photo by William J. Grimes I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... HO scale (H0 scale in continental Europe) is the most popular scale of model railway in most of the world (outside the United Kingdom, where the slightly larger 00 gauge is most common). ... A diorama is any of the two display devices mentioned below. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Erector Set is the trade name of a toy construction set that was wildly popular in the United States during much of the 20th century. ... For other uses, see Lego (disambiguation). ... A bridge made from Knex. ... HO scale (H0 scale in continental Europe) is the most popular scale of model railway in most of the world (outside the United Kingdom, where the slightly larger 00 gauge is most common). ... U.S. Prototype model of an N scale (1:160) Chesapeake and Ohio Railway 2-6-6-2 shown with a pencil for size N scale is the superior model railway size. ... Australian 0 gauge model railway 0 scale (or 0 gauge) is a scale commonly used for toy trains and model railroading. ... The entrance of Legoland Deutschland. ... Space, Castle, and Town minifigures Minifigures are small, plastic figural toys produced by Danish toy manufacturer Lego, which are usually sold with Lego sets, as characters intended to populate modular Lego environments. ... Card models, also sometimes called paper models, are models of real-world objects made usually of heavy paper or card stock as a hobby, or sometimes as a craft for children. ...

Architectural Models

Main article: Architectural model

Architecture firms usually employ model makers to make models of projects to sell their designs to builders and investors. These models are traditionally hand-made, but it can also be a computer-generated image. Typical scales are 1:50, 1:100, 1:200, 1:500, etc. An architectural model is a tangible representation - whether accurate or conceptual - of an architectural idea usually built to communicate design ideas to clients, owners, committees, customers, and the general public. ...

Dolls' Houses

Main article: Doll's house

Dolls' houses are usually built to a scale of 1:12. Interior and exterior fittings, furniture, wallpaper etc are available in a huge array of styles, from simple toys to hand-crafted artifacts costing as much as full-scale items. A dollhouse is a miniature replica of a standard house. ...

House Portrait Models

Main article: Model house

Typically found in 1:50 scale and also called Model House, Model Home or Display House. This type of model is usually found in stately homes or specially designed houses. Sometimes this kind of model is commissioned to mark a special date like an anniversary or the completion of the architecture, or these models might be used by salesmen selling homes in a new neighborhood. A Model House (also called a Model Home or Display House) is a term for a display version of manufactured homes, or houses in a subdivision. ...

Model buses and trucks

1:64 scale diecast trucks

Main article: Model commercial vehicle

Typically found in 1:50 scale, most manufacturers of commercial vehicles and heavy equipment will commission scale models made of diecast metal as promotional items to be given to prospective customers. These are also popular children's toys and collectibles. The major manufacturers of these items are Conrad and NZG in Germany. Corgi also makes some 1:50 models, as well as Dutch maker Tekno. Image File history File links 1-64_Scale. ... Image File history File links 1-64_Scale. ... A model commercial vehicle is a scale model that represents a commercial vehicle -- truck (lorry), bus, etc. ... An excavator Engineering vehicles are heavy-duty vehicles, specially designed for executing engineering tasks. ... Conrad models in 1:50 scale Conrad GmbH is a German manufacturer of diecast scale models primarily in 1:50 scale for use both as toys and promotional models by heavy equipment manufacturers. ... Volvo promotional model for articulated bus in 1:50 scale made by NZG NZG (Nürnberger Zinkdruckguß-Modelle) GmbH is a German manufacturer of diecast scale models primarily in 1:50 scale for use both as toys and promotional models by heavy equipment manufacturers. ... The Welsh Corgi is a dog breed that originated in Wales. ... 1:50 Tekno truck Tekno is a toy maker from Denmark. ...

Trucks are also found as diecast models in 1:43 scale and injection molded kits (and children's toys) in 1:24 scale.

Recently some manufacturers have appeared in 1:64 scale like Code 3. Code 3 when releated to models, is a model which has been customized or converted from its original state. ...

Model cars

1:24 scale diecast cars including "promo" models of Dodge Intrepid and Chevy Van

Main article: Model car

Although the British scale for 0 gauge was first used for model cars comprised of rectilinear and circular parts, it was the origin of the European scale for cast or injection moulded model cars. MOROP's specification of 1:45 scale for European 0 will not alter the series of cars in 1:43 scale, as it has the widest distribution in the world. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (960x280, 49 KB)[edit] Summary Mike Chapman [edit] Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (960x280, 49 KB)[edit] Summary Mike Chapman [edit] Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Metal die-cast model of a Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Highly detailed die-cast model of a Porsche Carrera GT by Minichamps A model car is a miniature representation, or scale model, of an automobile or similar powered vehicle, generally reproducing the shapes of actually-produced vehicles. ... ... Metal die-cast model of a Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Highly detailed die-cast model of a Porsche Carrera GT by Minichamps A model car is a miniature representation, or scale model, of an automobile or similar powered vehicle, generally reproducing the shapes of actually-produced vehicles. ...

In America, a series of cars was developed from at first cast metal and later styrene models ("promos") offered at new-car dealerships to drum up interest. The firm Monogram, and later Tamiya, first produced them in a scale derived from the Architect's scale: 1:24 scale, while the firms AMT, Jo-Han, and Revell chose the scale of 1:25. Monogram later switched to this scale after the firm was purchased by Revell. Some cars are also made in 1:32 scale, and rolling toys are often made on the scale 1:64 scale. Chinese die-cast manufacturers have recently introduced 1/72 scale into their range. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Monogram models. ... Tamiya Corporation is a Japanese manufacturer of plastic model kits, radio controlled electric and nitro-powered car models, battery- and solar-powered educational models, and sailboat models. ... A GMC Astro tractor-trailer model from AMT Aluminum Metal Toys, or AMT for short, is a Troy, Michigan-based company that manufactures various plastic models, particularly those of big trucks. ... This article lacks information on the importance of the subject matter. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Monogram models. ...

Model cars are also used in car design. Metal die-cast model of a Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Highly detailed die-cast model of a Porsche Carrera GT by Minichamps A model car is a miniature representation, or scale model, of an automobile or similar powered vehicle, generally reproducing the shapes of actually-produced vehicles. ... Automobile design or car design is the design of automobiles. ...

Model construction vehicles

A model construction vehicle (or engineering vehicle) is a scale model or Die-cast toy that represents a construction vehicle such as an excavator, crane, concrete pump, backhoe, etc. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... 1:50 scale diecast construction vehicles A model construction vehicle (or engineering vehicle) is a scale model or Die-cast toy that represents a construction vehicle such as a excavator, crane, concrete pump, backhoe, etc. ... An excavator. ... 1:64 scale toys 1:24 scale including models of a Mercedes-Benz M-Class SUV, a Chrysler Concorde and a Chevy Express Van The term Die-cast toy here refers to any toy or collectible model produced by using the casting method. ...

Construction vehicle models are almost always made in 1:50 scale, particularly because the cranes at this scale are often three to four feet tall when extended and larger scales would be unsuited for display on a desk or table. These models are popular as children's toys in Germany. In the US they are commonly sold as promotional models for new construction equipment, commissioned by the manufacturer of the prototype real-world equipment. The major manufacturers in Germany are Conrad and NZG, with some competition from Chinese firms that have been entering the market.

Model railways

An HO scale model railroad.

An N scale locomotive.

A British steam locomotive in N scale

A propane fired 1:8 scale live steam train running on the Finnish Railway Museum's miniature track.

Main article: Rail transport modelling

Model trains come in a variety of scales, from 1:8 on the large end and 1:220 on the small. Each scale has its own strengths and weaknesses, and fills a different niche in the hobby. The largest models are as much as 3 meters long, the smallest a few centimeters. The most popular size is H0 scale (1:87) and second is N scale (1:160). Part of an HO-gauge model railroad layout built by Arthur Spicer and photographed by Eric Guinther, April 30, 2004. ... Part of an HO-gauge model railroad layout built by Arthur Spicer and photographed by Eric Guinther, April 30, 2004. ... HO scale (H0 scale in continental Europe) is the most popular scale of model railway in most of the world (outside the United Kingdom, where the slightly larger 00 gauge is most common). ... This article needs cleanup. ... Image File history File linksMetadata N_scale_CSXT4346. ... Image File history File linksMetadata N_scale_CSXT4346. ... U.S. Prototype model of an N scale (1:160) Chesapeake and Ohio Railway 2-6-6-2 shown with a pencil for size N scale is the superior model railway size. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 391 pixel Image in higher resolution (2795 × 1367 pixel, file size: 481 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 391 pixel Image in higher resolution (2795 × 1367 pixel, file size: 481 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... U.S. Prototype model of an N scale (1:160) Chesapeake and Ohio Railway 2-6-6-2 shown with a pencil for size N scale is the superior model railway size. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1397x948, 538 KB) Photo by User:Janke 2006 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1397x948, 538 KB) Photo by User:Janke 2006 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A Live Steam Festival displaying equipment ranging from small stationary engines to full-size locomotives. ... The Finnish Railway Museum (Finnish: Suomen Rautatiemuseo) is located in Hyvinkää. It was originally founded in 1898 and located in Helsinki. ... HO scale model railroad. ... This article needs cleanup. ... HO scale (H0 scale in continental Europe) is the most popular scale of model railway in most of the world outside the United Kingdom, where the slightly larger in scale OO gauge is most common. ... U.S. Prototype model of an N scale (1:160) Chesapeake and Ohio Railway 2-6-6-2 shown with a pencil for size N scale is the superior model railway size. ...

Model railways originally used the term "gauge", which refers to the distance between the rails, just as full-size railways do. Although model railways were also built to different gauges, 'standard gauge' means 2 1/8 in (54 mm) between the inside surfaces of the rails. The dominant rail gauge in each country shown Rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the two parallel rails that make up a railway track. ... Rail tracks. ... As railways developed and expanded one of the key issues to be decided was that of the rail gauge (the distance between the two rails of the track) which should be used. ...

Now it is more typical to refer to the scale of the model, and the term scale has replaced "gauge" in most usages. This is despite considerable confusion between countries as to the definition of 0 scale and N scale. The concept of scale is applicable if a system is represented proportionally by another system. ... British outline O gauge model railway at Kew Pumping Station Australian O gauge model railway O scale (or 0 scale, O gauge or 0 gauge) is a scale commonly used for toy trains and model railroading. ... U.S. Prototype model of an N scale (1:160) Chesapeake and Ohio Railway 2-6-6-2 shown with a pencil for size N scale is the superior model railway size. ...

The gauges for model railways were first measured in inches, but later they were standardized to metric units, even for companies which put models in traditional Architect's scale proportions on such metric tracks. A range of accepted gauges were accepted by model railroaders for each scale for convenience's sake.

Considerable confusion often arises when referring to "scale" and "gauge", especially as some misinformed individuals tend to use the words interchangeably. The word "scale" only ever refers to the proportional size of the model, the word "gauge" only ever applies to the measurement between the inside faces of the rails. To highlight this difference, consider the various gauges used in H0 scale; A gauge of 16.5 mm is used to represent the "Standard gauge" of 4 ft 8½ in (1,435 mm) (H0 scale), a gauge of 12 mm is used to represent 1,000 mm (3 ft 3⅜ in) gauge (H0m) and the "Cape gauge" of 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) (H0n3-1/2) and a gauge of 9 mm is used to represent a prototype gauge of 2 ft (610 mm). It is completely incorrect to refer to the mainstream scales as "H0 gauge", "N gauge" or "Z gauge" As railways developed and expanded one of the key issues to be decided was that of the rail gauge (the distance between the two rails of the track) which should be used. ... Rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the two parallel rails which make up a railway track. ...

The most popular scale to go with a given gauge was often derived at by the following roundabout process. German artisans would take strips of metal of standard metric size to make things to blueprints whose dimensions were in inches: hence "4 mm to the foot" yields the 1:76.2 size of the "00 scale". This British scale is anomalously used on the standard H0 scale (16.5 mm gauge from 3.5 mm/foot scale) tracks, however, because early electric motors weren't available commercially in smaller sizes.

The Germans have a more developed terminology, which can explain this a bit better. Baugrösse (English: "building size") is the alphanumeric designation, which is used in place of a numeric scale ratio. It's used for scale, as in "0 scale", "H0 scale", or "Z scale". Maßstab (English: "measure") is the proportion, with a colon, as in the corresponding terms "1:43", "1:87.1", and "1:220". Spurweite (English: "track width") is the distance between the rails, or correspondingly "32mm", "16.5 mm", and "6.5 mm", and again gauge is used for this in English. One might add to these the old use of the term scale, of "7mm to the foot" and "3.5 mm to the foot" for the first two, while the last really isn't expressible in this manner. Early 1900s German mass-produced toys had a measured gauge from rail centre to rail centre of rolled tinplate rail, with much latitude between flange & rail. British outline O gauge model railway at Kew Pumping Station Australian O gauge model railway O scale (or 0 scale, O gauge or 0 gauge) is a scale commonly used for toy trains and model railroading. ... HO scale (H0 scale in continental Europe) is the most popular scale of model railway in most of the world outside the United Kingdom, where the slightly larger in scale OO gauge is most common. ... Z scale (1:220) is the smallest commercially available model railway scale with its track gauge of only 6. ...

There are three different standards for the "0" scale, each of which uses tracks of 32 mm for the standard gauge. The American version continues a dollhouse scale of 1:48. It is sometimes called "quarter-gauge", as in "one-quarter-inch to the foot". The British version continued the pattern of sub-contracting to Germans; so, at 7 mm to the foot, it works out to a scale of 1:43.5. Later, MOROP, the European authority of model railroad firms, declared that the "0" gauge (still 32 mm) must use the scale of 1:45. That is, in Europe the below-chassis dimensions have to be slightly towards 4 ft. 6 inches, to allow wheel/tyre/splasher clearance for smaller than realistic curved sections.

"Live steam" railways, that you actually ride on, are built in many scales, such as 1-1/2", 1", and 3/4" to the foot. Common gauges are 7-1/2" (Western US) and 7-1/4" (Eastern US & rest of the world), 5", 4-3/4". Smaller Live Steam gauges do exist, but as the scale gets smaller, the pulling power decreases. One of the smallest gauges on which a live steam engine can pull a passenger is the now almost defunct 2-1/2" gauge. A Live Steam Festival displaying equipment ranging from small stationary engines to full-size locomotives. ...

Model robots

Main article: Model robot

Japanese firms have marketed toys and models of what are often called mecha, nimble humanoid fighting robots. The robots which appear in animated shows, or anime are often depicted at a size between 15-20m in height, and so scales of 1:100 and 1:144 are common for these subjects, though other scales such as 1:72 are commonly used for robots and related subjects of different size. Model Robots is an area of modeling with its origin in the fictional Japanese anime genre of mecha. ... This article is about the term used in science fiction, anime, and manga. ... Animé redirects here. ...

The most prolific manufacturer of mecha models is Bandai, whose Gundam kit lines were a strong influence in the genre in the 1980s. Even today, Gundam kits are the most numerous in the mecha modeling genre, usually with dozens of new releases every year. The features of modern Gundam kits, such as color molding and snap-fit construction, have become the standard expectations for other mecha model kits. This article is about the Japanese toy manufacturer. ... Model robot, which may alternatively called Gunpla (derived from Gundam plastic model), arised from the marketing schemes for Gundam and numerous model anime (Indeed, some hardcore mecha show fans complained modern mecha shows is nothing more than 20 minutes of model commercial) Usually, they are marketed in scales 1:100...

Due to the fantasy nature of most anime robots, and the necessary simplicity of cel-animated designs, mecha models lend themselves well to stylized work, improvisations, and simple scratchbuilds. One of Gundam's contributions to the genre was the use of a gritty wartime backstory as a part of the fantasy, and so it is almost equally fashionable to build the robots in a weathered, beaten style, as would often be expected for AFV kits as to build them in a more stylish, pristine manner. This article is about the anime series. ... An armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) is a military vehicle, protected by armour and armed with weapons. ...

Model rockets and spacecraft

Main article: Model rocket

Model rocket kits began as a development of model aircraft kits, yet the scale of 1:72 [V.close to 4 mm.::1foot] never caught on. Scales 1:48 and 1:96 are used. There are some rockets of scales 1:128, 1:144, and 1:200, but Russian firms put their large rockets in 1:288. Heller is maintaining its idiosyncratic standard by offering some models in the scale of 1:125. A model rocket launching Model rocketry is a hobby similar to building model airplanes, where rocket-shaped models are flown vertically and recovered by a variety of means (see Recovery below). ... A model rocket launching Model rocketry is a hobby similar to building model airplanes, where rocket-shaped models are flown vertically and recovered by a variety of means (see Recovery below). ...

Science fiction space ships are heavily popular in the modeling community. Models based on ships from such franchises as Star Trek, Star Wars, and Battlestar Galactica are regularly sold and created in scales ranging from 1:24 to 1:1400 to 1:2500 to 1:10000 for the larger Star Wars ships. Finemolds in Japan have recently released a series of high quality injection molded Star Wars kits in 1:72, and this range is supplemented by resin kits from Fantastic Plastic. Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... This article is about the entire Star Trek franchise. ... This article is about the series. ... This article is about all the media that use the name Battlestar Galactica. ...

Model living creatures

Scale models of people and animals are found in a wide variety of venues, and may be either single-piece objects or kits which must be assembled, usually depending on the purpose of the model itself. For instance, models of people as well as both domestic and wild animals are often produced for display in model cities or railroads to provide a measure of detail or realism, and scaled relative to the trains, buildings, and other accessories of a certain line of models. If a line of trains or buildings does not feature models of living creatures, those who build the models will often buy these items separately from another line in the interest of featuring people or animals. In other cases, scale model lines will feature living creatures exclusively, often focusing on educational interests. Sometimes animal figurines will not adhere to a particular scale, but some companies endeavor to produce models that are as accurately scaled as possible. One of the foremost producers of such scale models is Safari, Ltd., known for such lines as the Carnegie Collection, a line of dinosaur replicas that adheres to a 1:40 scale, and the Vanishing Wild Collection, featuring mammal figures on a scale of 1:15. Another to specialize in this field is Tamiya, who produce dinosaurs in 1/35 scale. The Carnegie Collection is a series of authentic replicas based on dinosaurs and other extinct prehistoric creatures, using fossils featured at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History as references. ... Tamiya Corporation is a Japanese manufacturer of plastic model kits, radio controlled electric and nitro-powered car models, battery- and solar-powered educational models, and sailboat models. ...

Models of living creatures requiring assembly are not as common as single-piece units, but certainly not unheard of. One of the most prolific kinds of kits requiring assembly that feature living creatures are models of human and animal skeletons. Like their single-piece counterparts, such kits are often touted as being educational activities. Skeleton kits often have unique features such as glow-in-the-dark pieces or attachable internal organs. Again, dinosaurs are a popular subject for such models.

Model ships and naval wargaming

Pendon Museum's model of Madderport

1:1250 scale die-cast models of ships

Main article: Ship model

In the first half of the twentieth century, navies used hand-made models of warships for identification and instruction in a variety of scales. That of 1:500 was called "teacher scale." Besides models made in 1:1200 and 1:2400 scales, there were also ones made to 1:2000 and 1:5000. Some, made in Britain, were labelled "1 inch to 110 feet," which would be 1:1320 scale, but aren't necessarily accurate.
Michele Morciano says small scale ship models were produced in about 1905 linked to the wargaming rules and other publications of Fred T Jane. The company that standardised on 1:1200 was Basset-Lowke in 1908. The British Admiralty subsequently contracted with Basset-Lowke and other companies and individual craftsmen to produce large numbers of recognition models, to this scale, in 1914-18.^[2]
Just before the Second World War, the American naval historian (and science fiction author) Fletcher Pratt published a book on naval wargaming as could be done by civilians using ship models cut off at the waterline to be moved on the floors of basketball courts and similar locales. The scale he used was non-standard (reported as 1:666), and may have been influenced by toy ships then available, but as the hobby progressed, and other rule sets came into use, it was progressively supplemented by the series 1:600, 1:1200, and 1:2400. In Britain, 1:3000 became popular and these models also have come into use in the USA. These had the advantage of approximating the nautical mile as 120 inches, 60 inches, and 30 inches, respectively. As the knot is based on this mile and a 60-minute hour, this was quite handy. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1277x942, 305 KB) Photo by William J. Grimes I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1277x942, 305 KB) Photo by William J. Grimes I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Pendon Museum, located in Abdingdon near Oxford, displays typical scenes on the Great Western Railway (GWR) of the 1920s. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... 1:64 scale toys 1:24 scale including promotional models of Dodge Intrepid and Chevy Van The term Die-cast toy here refers to any toy or collectible model produced by using the casting method. ... Model of a 19th-century vessel in the Bishop Museum, Hawaii Ship models (or model ships) are scale representations of sea-going vessels. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s The 20th century lasted from 1901 to 2000 in the Gregorian calendar (often from (1900 to 1999 in common usage). ... The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... Murray Fletcher Pratt (1897–1956) was a science fiction and fantasy writer; he was also well-known as a writer on naval history and on the American Civil War. ... Model of a 19th-century vessel in the Bishop Museum, Hawaii Ship models (or model ships) are scale representations of sea-going vessels. ... Waterline refers to an imaginary line marking the level at which ship or boat floats in the water. ... A nautical mile or sea mile is a unit of length. ... A knot is a unit of speed abbreviated kt or kn. ...

After the war, firms emerged to produce models from the same white metal used to make toy soldiers. One British firm offered a tremendously wide line of merchant ships and dockyard equipment in the scale 1:1200. In the US, at least one manufacturer, of the wartime 1:1200 recognition models, Comet, made them available for the civilian market postwar, which also drove the change to this scale. In addition, continental European manufacturers and European ship book publishers had adopted the 1:1250 drawing scale because of its similar convenience in size for both models and comparison drawings in books. For other uses, see Ship (disambiguation). ...

A prestige scale for boats, comparable to that of 1:32 for fighter planes, is 1:72, producing huge models, but there are very few kits marketed in this scale. There are now several clubs around the world for those who choose to scratch-build radio-controlled model ships and submarines in 1:72, which is often done because of the compatibility with naval aircraft kits. For the smaller ships, plank-on-frame or other wood construction kits are offered in the traditional shipyard scales of 1:96, 1:108, or 1:192 (half of 1:96). In injection-molded plastic kits, Airfix makes full-hull models in the scale which the Royal Navy has used to compare the relative sizes of ships: 1:600. Revell makes some kits to half the scale of the US Army standard: 1:570. Some American and foreign firms have made models in a proportion from the Engineer's scale: "one-sixtieth-of-an-inch-to-the-foot", or 1:720. For other uses, see Boat (disambiguation). ... Airfix is a UK manufacturer of plastic scale model kits of aircraft and other subjects. ... This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Monogram models. ...

But the continental Europeans have an on-going project of getting rid of all conversions and measurements which they consider non-standard. As they saw how four Japanese model-making firms (Tamiya, Hasegawa, Aoshima, and Fujimi) formed a cartel to apportion out the project of putting out waterline kits of the whole fleet of Japanese warships of the Second World War on the market in a proportion that no firm from any other country did - 1:700, the Europeans are attempting to have the scale of 1:400 standardized for full-hull model ships, even though some Japanese firms have produced larger ships in the luxury scale of 1:350. On the other hand, the rise of the resin kit industry in the 1990s led to the introduction of companies around the world producing kits in the 1:350 and 1:700 scales to match pre-existing injection molded kits, creating in limited production a large variety of kits of subjects which traditional injection-molding makers have not invested resources to produce, due to the expense of creating a large injection mold. In scales more conducive to wargaming, continental Europeans have long marketed waterline kits in the scales 1:1250 and more recently 1:2500 to supplement the British and American lines. The Chinese are joining them. Such trends toward standardization has not affected the Japanese firm Nichimo, which still produces fit-in-the-box sizes from old molds, and 1:450 size models. Tamiya Corporation is a Japanese manufacturer of plastic model kits, radio controlled electric and nitro-powered car models, battery- and solar-powered educational models, and sailboat models. ... Hasegawa is a company that manufactures plastic model kits of a variety of vehicles, including model aircraft, model cars, model ships, model armor and model space craft and Science Fiction kits. ... It is proposed that this article be deleted, because of the following concern: This entry fails WP:CORP. If you can address this concern by improving, copyediting, sourcing, renaming or merging the page, please edit this page and do so. ... Fujimi (富士見市 Fujimi-shi) is a city located in Saitama, Japan. ...

Manned ship models

Main article: Port Revel

Many research workers, hydraulics specialists and engineers have used scale models for over a century, in particular in towing tanks. Manned models are small scale models that can carry and be handled by at least one person on an open expanse of water. They must behave just like real ships, giving the shiphandler the same sensations. Physical conditions such as wind, currents, waves, water depths, channels and berths must be reproduced realistically. Model of a 19th-century vessel in the Bishop Museum, Hawaii Ship models (or model ships) are scale representations of sea-going vessels. ...

Manned models are used for research (e.g. ship behaviour), engineering (e.g. port layout) and for training in shiphandling (e.g. maritime pilots, masters and officers). They are usually at 1:25 scale.

Model tanks and wargaming

American Civil War miniature battle at the HMGS "Cold Wars" convention in Lancaster, PA

Main articles: Model military vehicle and Miniature wargaming

Just before the twentieth century, the British historian (and science fiction author and forgotten mainstream novelist) H. G. Wells published a book, Little Wars, on how to play at battles in miniature. His books use 54 mm lead figures, particularly those manufactured by Britains. His fighting system employed spring-loaded model guns which shot matchsticks. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1270x850, 153 KB)Photo from Cold Wars wargaming convention in Lancaster, PA. 2003. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1270x850, 153 KB)Photo from Cold Wars wargaming convention in Lancaster, PA. 2003. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... The Historical Miniatures Gaming Society (or HMGS) promotes the hobby of historical miniature wargaming as a registered non-profit charitable and educational foundation. ... Cold Wars is one of the largest gaming conventions in North America devoted to historical miniature wargaming. ... , Official name: City of Lancaster Nickname: The Red Rose City Country  United States State  Pennsylvania County Location Penn Square  - coordinates , Highest point  - elevation 368 ft (112 m) Area 7. ... A model military vehicle is a scale replica which represents a military vehicle -- tank or other armored fighting vehicle, artillery, truck (lorry), Jeep, etc. ... Bavarian Napoleonic Infantry, 1811, from the historical wargame Volley & Bayonet. ... Herbert George Wells (September 21, 1866 – August 13, 1946), better known as H. G. Wells, was an English writer best known for such science fiction novels as The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man, The First Men in the Moon and The Island of Doctor Moreau. ... For the surname Battle, see Battle (surname). ...

This use of physical mechanisms was echoed in the later games of Fred Jane, whose rules required throwing darts at ship silhouettes; his collection of data on the world's fleets was later published and became renowned. Dice have largely replaced this toy mayhem for consumers.

For over a century, toy soldiers were made of white metal, a lead-based alloy, often in architect's scale-based ratios in the English-speaking countries, and called tin soldiers. After the Second World War, such toys were on the market for children but now made of a safe plastic softer than styrene. American children called these "army men". Many sets were made in the new scale of 1:40. A few styrene model kits of land equipment were offered in this and in 1:48 and 1:32 scales. However, these were swept away by the number of kits in the scale of 1:35. The white metals are any of several light-colored alloys used as a base for plated silverware, ornaments or novelties, as well as any of several lead-base or tin-base alloys used for things like bearings, jewellery, miniature figures, fusible plugs, some medals and metal type. ... A rare, complete set of Nazi S.A. tin soldiers, from the 1940s. ...

Those who continued to develop miniature wargaming preferred smaller scale models, the soldiers still made of soft plastic. Airfix particularly wanted people to buy 1:76 scale soldiers and tanks to go with "00" gauge train equipment. Roco offered 1:87 scale styrene military vehicles to go with "H0" gauge model houses. However, although there is no 1:72 scale model railroad, more toy soldiers are now offered in this scale because it is the same as the popular aircraft scale. The number of fighting vehicles in this scale is also increasing, although the number of auxiliary vehicles available is far fewer than in 1:87 scale. Bavarian Napoleonic Infantry, 1811, from the historical wargame Volley & Bayonet. ... Roco, based in Salzburg, Austria, is a manufacturer of model railway equipment, The company was founded in 1960 by Ing. ...

A more recent development, especially in wargaming of land battles is 15 mm white metal miniatures, often referred to as 1:100, though this is not a correct conversion of scale. 15 mm scale actually is very close to railroad TT scale or 1:120. The use of 15 mm scale metals has grown quickly since the early 1990s as they allow a more affordable option over 28 mm if large battles are to be refought, or a large number of vehicles represented. The rapid rise in the detail and quality of castings at 15 mm scale has also helped to fuel their uptake by the wargaming community. TT scale is a niche model railroading scale, whose name stands for Table Top. ...

Armies use smaller scales still. The US Army specifies models of the scale 1:285 for its sand table wargaming. There are metal ground vehicles and helicopters in this scale, which is a near "one-quarter-inch-to-six-feet" scale. The continental powers of NATO have developed the similar scale of 1:300, even though metric standardizers really don't like any divisors other than factors of 10, 5, and 2, so maps are not commonly offered in Europe in scales with a "3" in the denominator. This article is about the military alliance. ...

Consumer wargaming has since expanded into fantasy realms, employing scales large enough to be painted in imaginative detail - so called "heroic" 28 mm figures, (roughly 1:64, or S scale). Firms which produce these do so in so small production lots that they are necessarily made of white metal. One successful company in this field is British firm Games Workshop, which offers white metal and plastic war machines and soldiers for its Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Fantasy Battle. Following the cinematic release of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, a third miniature-based gaming line was created. Wargaming is the play of simulated military operations in the form of games known as wargames. ... For other uses, see Fantasy (disambiguation). ... S gauge is a scale in model railroading. ... For the unrelated defunct American company, see Game Designers Workshop. ... Warhammer 40,000 (informally known as Warhammer 40K, WH40K, W40K or just 40K) is a science fantasy game produced by Games Workshop. ... It has been suggested that Armies of warhammer be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about the Peter Jackson films. ... The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game (abbreviated as LotR SBG), often referred to by players as Lord of the Rings, is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop (GW). ...

Scales

For a more complete list of scale model sizes, see list of scale model sizes and Rail transport modelling scales

Model railways have unique scale/gauge designations, such as: Z; N; H0; 00; EM; P4; 0; S; 1. Model figure scales are usually expressed as the height of a six-foot (1.83 m) figure; for example: 54 mm. Other model scales are generally given as a ratio which expresses what a measurement on the model represents on the actual object. When buying a model train, scale sizes are referred to by letter name, not number ratio. Comparison of the sizes of model train scales. ... One of the smallest (Z scale, 1:220) placed on the buffer bar of one of the largest (Live steam, 1:8) model locomotives. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Märklin introduced the Z Gauge (1:220 scale) in 1972. ... U.S. Prototype model of an N scale (1:160) Chesapeake and Ohio Railway 2-6-6-2 shown with a pencil for size N scale is the superior model railway size. ... HO scale (H0 scale in continental Europe) is the most popular scale of model railway in most of the world outside the United Kingdom, where the slightly larger in scale OO gauge is most common. ... (Redirected from 00 gauge) OO gauge model railways are the most popular standard in the United Kingdom, being one of several 4 mm scale standards (4 mm to the foot (305 mm), or 1:76. ... EM gauge is a gauge of model railway, 4 mm scale. ... P4 gauge, also known as protofour, 4 mm finescale, and S4 is a model railway standard of 4 mm scale and accurate 18. ... ... S gauge is a scale in model railroading. ... 1 gauge is a toy train and model railroading standard, popular in the early 20th century, particularly with European manufacturers. ... A model figure is a scale model that represents a person, either a generic figure of a type (such as World War II Luftwaffe pilot), a historical personage (such as King Henry VIII), or a fictional character (such as Conan). Model figures are sold both as kits for the enthusiast... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

For hydraulic models, specific scale rules are applied in order to obtain the correct reproduction of physical phenomenae.

History of the scales

Before the plastic model kit industry

Hobbyists' scale models derive from those used by the firms which made the full-sized products. Originally, a "scale" was a physical measuring instrument, a notion which survives as concerns weight. First among scales are the rulers that are triangular in cross-section and called architect's scales or engineer's scales. The terminology used was of this manner: "scale size to full size", or the reverse. An architect's scale was used to make the first affordable models: doll houses and their furniture. Its popular scales for these miniatures were "one inch to the foot" and "one-half inch to the foot"; there is also "three-quarters inch to the foot". An architects scale is a specialized ruler. ... An engineers scale is a ruler, a tool for measuring distances. ...

The proportion of the model to the prototype was originally called "size", as in "full-sized" or "half-sized", as used on a blueprint for making something that would fit on a workbench. For other uses, see Prototype (disambiguation). ...

Shipyards were the first to use the scales to make models of things larger than a house. The scales they used were expressed in a different manner: "one-foot-to-the-inch" through "six-feet-to-the-inch" were common. During the Second World War, battleship models were made "eight-foot-to-the-inch", in the later phrasing, "one-eighth-inch to the foot"; you will find these models, used for training workers, in maritime museums. The model ship would be referred to as "one-ninety-sixth size", or "1/96th", but rarely, as there were few scales commonly used; it couldn't possibly be "1/98th scale", for example. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... For other uses, see Battleship (disambiguation). ... A maritime museum (sometimes nautical museum) is a museum specializing in the display of objects relating to ships and travel on seas and lakes. ...

There were also rotary instruments in which one would line up marks on two dials to be able to translate measurements from units on the prototype to units on the model. After the production of kits to make plastic models became an industry, there were developed rulers marked in the model units and which are called scales. For other uses, see Plastic (disambiguation). ...

Comparing scales

Phrases used are those of "larger" and "smaller" scales. The scale of 1/8"-to-the-foot is a larger scale than 1/16"-to-the-foot, even though the denominator is smaller. So a larger model is made to a larger scale. You can remember this in that a full-size, or full-scale, model is larger than a half-size model.

Origins of the plastic model kit

For aircraft recognition in the Second World War, the RAF selected models to the scale of "one-sixth inch to the foot" (which was two British lines, a legal division of length which didn't make it to America, besides being a standard shipyard scale). Although some consumer models were sold pre-war in Britain to this scale, the airmens' models were pressed out of ground-up old rubber tires. This is of course the still-popular 1:72 scale. It wasn't predestined to succeed; there were competitors. Flying machine redirects here. ... RAF redirects here. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American...

The US Navy, in contrast, had metal models made to the proportion 1:432, which is "nine-feet-to-the-quarter-inch". At this scale, a model six feet is about half a statute mile; and seven feet about half a nautical mile. The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ...

After the war, firms that moulded models from polystyrene entered the consumer marketplace, the American firm Revell notably offering a model of the Royal Coach around the time of the 1953 coronation. In the early years, firms offered models of aircraft and ships in "fit-the-box" size. A box that would make an impressive gift was specified, and a mould was crafted to make a model that wouldn't ludicrously slide around inside. Modellers could not compare models, nor switch parts from one kit to another. It was the British firm Airfix that brought the idea of the constant scale to the marketplace, and they picked the RAF's scale. For other uses, see Polystyrene (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Monogram models. ... Airfix is a UK manufacturer of plastic scale model kits of aircraft and other subjects. ...

In the 1960s, the company Monogram offered an aircraft actually labeled as ¼" scale, which may have been a common contraction in factories. They meant "one-quarter-inch to the foot", or "one-forty-eighth size". Shortly thereafter, hobbyists lost the ability to distinguish the two, and now the proportion is referred to as scale. The Chi-Rho, a monogram of the first two letters in the Greek word for Christ E and L embroider for clothes and bedding, for a wife by the initials E L or L E A monogram is a motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or...

Terminology

The terms and the means of writing them down have changed, and for model kits they are now standardized for the European Union. In English-speaking countries, such terms as "1/72" were used, but the format with a colon as "1:72" is often preferred. The slash format is usually avoided with decimal fractions: "1/76.2" is usually not used; it's "1:76.2" instead. That hybrid 00 gauge can also be expressed by explicitly using a mixed system of units as "4 mm:1 ft" or "1 mm:3 in", but the dimensionless form makes comparison with other scales easier. (Redirected from 00 gauge) OO gauge model railways are the most popular standard in the United Kingdom, being one of several 4 mm scale standards (4 mm to the foot (305 mm), or 1:76. ...

Rational choice of scales

Freedom Plaza is a scale model depicting the layout of the Federal Triangle and part of the National Mall, Washington, DC; the diagonal slash across the layout depicts Pennsylvania Avenue

A 1:5000 model of the entire Singapore City is found in the URA Gallery Museum

The nominal height of a man is simple in the inch-based system: six feet. Many traditional scales are derived so that a figure of such a height against the model can be readily imagined as a simple relation to an inch. Although the metric system has specified a limited series of scales for blueprints and maps, when it comes to models, there may be a problem with these scales for a readily imagined person of 180 centimetres. Model railways have the additional difficulty of having to present the rail gauge as a simple number, the height of a person being secondary. Trade authorities in metric countries are attempting to specify scales that are simple mulitiples of 2 and 5, but neither tracks nor people seem to fit. In such cases, rationalization may actually be invoked for competitive advantage, to prevent interoperability with products from another manufacturing country. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2304x1728, 982 KB) Freedom Plaza, Washington DC, as seen from the 12th floor of the Clock Tower on the Old Post Office, Washington, D.C., looking along Pennsylvania Avenue toward the west. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2304x1728, 982 KB) Freedom Plaza, Washington DC, as seen from the 12th floor of the Clock Tower on the Old Post Office, Washington, D.C., looking along Pennsylvania Avenue toward the west. ... Freedom Plaza as viewed from the Old Post Office Pavillion There are several uses of the term: A building complex in Washington, D.C. with a generally uniform style of architecture including orange Spanish tile roofs, devoted to many of the Civil Service functions of the United States Federal Government... Facing east across the Mall with ones back towards the Lincoln Memorial. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... Pennsylvania Avenue street sign, 2004. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2048x1536, 2431 KB) The map offering a view of the central and south areas of Singapore. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2048x1536, 2431 KB) The map offering a view of the central and south areas of Singapore. ... The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) is the national urban planning authority of Singapore, and one of the departments under the Government of Singapore. ... The International System of Units (symbol: SI) (for the French phrase Syst me International dUnit s) is the most widely used system of units. ... The dominant rail gauge in each country shown Rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the two parallel rails that make up a railway track. ...

On the other hand, wargaming scales have traditionally been traced to metric system, where the number of millimetres relate to the relative height of the human figure based on 180 cm standard man. Therefore 25 mm scale (popular in historical and fantasy wargaming) refers to 1:72 scale, whilst the 15 mm scale (nowadays the most popular scale in ancient, medieval and Renaissance wargaming) refers to 1:120 scale (Many manufacturers refer to 15 mm as 1:100 scale). Likewise, 50 mm scale is the same as 1:35 military model scale, and 5 mm equals 1:350 naval scale.

Rationalisation typically falls into 2 categories: Industrial Trade, and Hobbies. Industrial trade covers areas like building and maritime architecture where universally accepted scales have been established and are conformed to both in the construction of models and drawings, in order to facilitate smoother co-operation between commercial parties. The rationalisation of hobby scales has been more gradual and organic; largely driven by clubs lobbying industry, as well as tradition, and indirectly, consumer demand. A couple of artificial efforts to standardise have not been successful: ie Tamiya in the 1970's with aircraft models in 1/100th scale, and Heller with airline models in 1/125th scale. Even though rationalisation in hobby scales sounds appealing, it has not proved to be historically evident, although there may be some very gradual progress as consumer demand becomes more organised.

Miniatures in Contemporary Art

Miniatures and model kits are used in contemporary art whereby artists use both scratch built miniaturizations or commercially manufactured model kits to construct a dialogue between object and viewer. The role of the artist in this type of miniature is not necessarily to re-create an historical event or achieve naturalist realism, but rather to use scale as a mode of articulation in generating conceptual or theoretical exploration. Political, conceptual, and architectural examples are provided by noted artists such as Jake and Dinos Chapman (otherwise known as the Chapman Brothers), Ricky Swallow, John Timberlake, Shaun Wilson or the Psikhelekedana artists from Mozambique. Jake Chapman (born 1966) and Dinos Chapman (born 1962) are brothers and British artists who work almost exclusively in collaboration with each other. ... Ricky Swallow is an Australian sculptor born in San Remo, Victoria in 1974. ... Shaun Wilson (born Melbourne, 1972) is an Australian artist, film maker, academic and curator working with themes of memory, place and scale through painting, miniatures and video art. ... Psikhelekedana sculpture by Samuel Balói depicting the 2000 Mozambique flood and the rescue of Sofia Pedro and her newly born daugher Rosita. ...

Cultural References

• In the movie Zoolander the character Mugatu entices Zoolander to model for his fashion label by offering to build an educational facility and shrine to Zoolander's dead friend called "Derek Zoolander's Centre for Kid's Who Can't Read Good and Other Things". Mugatu shows Zoolander a scale model of the centre and Zoolander freaks out because he thinks it is at 1:1 scale, and thus, very small. He demands that the building must be at least "3 times the size".

• In the movie Spinal Tap, the band request a stage design of the pre-historical relic Stonehenge to accompany their song of the same name. The guitarist makes a sketch drawing for the construction of the model and passes it to the set designer. When the model appears for the first time during a concert, the band freak out because the model barely reaches the height of their knees. In discussion with the set designer afterwards, it turns out the units on the construction drawing were marked as inches instead of feet.

Zoolander is a 2001 comedy film directed by Ben Stiller. ... Zoolander is a 2001 comedy film based on a pair of short films directed by Ben Stiller and written by Drake Sather and Ben Stiller for the VH1 Fashion Awards television show in 1996 and 1997. ... For other uses, see Spinal Tap (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Stonehenge (disambiguation). ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ...

See also

• Computer-aided design
• Die-cast toy
• Historical Miniatures Gaming Society
• Maquette
• Miniature figure
• Miniature park
• Miniature pioneering
• Miniature effect
• Model figure
• Solar system model
• Standard gauge in model railways

CADD and CAD redirect here. ... 1:64 scale toys 1:24 scale including models of a Mercedes-Benz M-Class SUV, a Chrysler Concorde and a Chevy Express Van The term Die-cast toy here refers to any toy or collectible model produced by using the casting method. ... The Historical Miniatures Gaming Society (or HMGS) promotes the hobby of historical miniature wargaming as a registered non-profit charitable and educational foundation. ... Adobe Ceramic maquette model of a tower. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Part of the one-tenth scale model of Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, England A miniature park is an open space that displays miniature buildings and models and is usually open to the public. ... Atlantis Tower 2003 Miniature Pioneering or Model Pioneering is an art form featuring the miniaturized version of pioneering construction. ... In the field of special effects a miniature effect is a special effect generated by the use of scale models. ... A model figure is a scale model that represents a person, either a generic figure of a type (such as World War II Luftwaffe pilot), a historical personage (such as King Henry VIII), or a fictional character (such as Conan). Model figures are sold both as kits for the enthusiast... Jupiter at South Station, part of Museum of Science, Boston scale model. ... As railways developed and expanded one of the key issues to be decided was that of the rail gauge (the distance between the two rails of the track) which should be used. ...

References

External links

• [1] A website showing a variety of pictures with 44+ years in the business of custom model making
• BuildingScaleModelAircraft.com a website about the hobby of building scale model aircraft
• The Definitive 1/72 Scale Model Census Listings of commercially produced die-cast and kit models, including aircraft, space, sci-fi, figures, vehicles, and ships.
• Diecast House - Huge collection of die-cast Vehicles.
• Photos of toy steam engines
• The Scale Firehouse - Emergency Vehicle Scale Models
• [http://www.rtvmodeler.com/ Militar Models in scale with Gallery, Museum photos, Articles y more!.
• KitMaker Network - An online community of scale model builders from around the world.
• Models of Horse-Drawn Carriages.
• Clayton's model ship page Features many model links and practicums
• Aircraft Resource Center Daily galleries of aircraft models.
• Historic ship models Webpage devoted to scale ship model building, with more than 2000 high resolution photos of ship models of all ages
• aostamodel.net/home.htm 1/43 handbuilt scale model cars display
• A&M Model Makers Custom scale model makers with numerous images and samples of work.