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What is the British Rail double arrow logo?
Posted in: Model Railway, Rolling stock
1st February 2021
The British Rail Double Arrow logo was designed by Gerald Barney in 1965 for the then nationalised British Railways....
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How can I paint rust effects with just a brush?
Posted in: Painting
23rd January 2025
To paint realistic rust effects with just a brush, here's a straightforward approach: Materials you'll need:...
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Where were first, second, and third class coaches typically located on a train?
Posted in: Rolling stock
16th January 2024
The location of first, second, and third class coaches varied depending on the era and the specific train design....
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What scale is Hornby?
Posted in: Model Railway
23rd May 2019
Hornby model railways are OO Scale or 1/76th that is 4 millimetres to the foot (12 inches). It runs on a track with...
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Is a resin kit better than a plastic kit?
Posted in: Kit building
27th August 2019
That would really depend on your point of view. If you are making a military model such as a tank for wargaming,...
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What scale of plastic model aircraft kit should I buy?

If you have never constructed a plastic model aircraft kit before, the subject of scale may well be far down on your list of priorities when shopping for one, a more probable factor determining which model you take to the checkout is likely to be how much appeal the picture on the box has.

One of the reasons we dismiss scale is that most of us have a preconceived idea of how big a model aircraft will be based on childhood memories of a Spitfire hanging from the bedroom ceiling, but since those happy days a lot has happened in the world of modelling resulting in a range of scales being readily available so care should be taken that you don't end up choosing a model that is significantly different in size to what you are expecting.

Having said that, there are still many models available that will meet your expectations with a shelf-compatible model size remaining in favour. Meeting this demand, popular models of larger real-life aircraft often have a smaller scale while smaller Spitfires and the like have a larger scale to achieve a similar-sized model, but, be careful, this rule is not set in stone and most model manufacturers cover a range of model sizes.

On balance, the most popular scale for model planes is the same as it's always been (1:72 scale), but, things are changing and as modellers become more interested in detail, a larger 1:48 scale is fast becoming a serious contender for the number one slot in popularity.

When choosing a model plane you should think about what is important to you, a larger model will likely provide more detail, but if you require it to take pride of place on a particular shelf, the completed size of the model should be considered, it would be a mistake to assume that big planes are big and small planes are small, some commercial airliners are available in scales as small as 1:400 while smaller planes can be obtained in scales as large as 1:24.

In most cases, new modellers will enter the hobby using a starter kit, here the decision is made for you as these are generally only available in 1:72 scale, but, if you're venturing into something a little more advanced, a quick peek in the box before purchasing at the wings or fuselage will be enough to give you an idea of how big your model will be.

Posted in: Kit building

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