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Author Topic:   Scale preferences for aerospace models
Retro Rocket
Member

Posts: 445
From: Santa Paula, Ca,. USA
Registered: Dec 2007

posted 09-09-2017 12:38 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Retro Rocket   Click Here to Email Retro Rocket     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
If all goes well by early next year, I'll be able to start my "Aerospace Design Museum" project I've been working on for a looong time. The idea is to show the evolution of American Aerospace using scale models, tools used, drawings, some actual parts (a wing rib for example) in a standard industrial space.

As part of the fundraising I'd offer copies of the models on display for sale. I'm thinking 1/16th is a good size to show each model in a cutaway form. That scale would be handy when showing larger vehicles in 1/32nd scale so an easy explanation is this model is twice as big.

One thing however is that the high end models, like my detailed X-15 or Fine Art Models P-51, are in 1/15th scale and for some reason that small difference does seem to make a difference in the perceived value. I've listed the X-15 at the same level of detail in 15th and 16th scales and the 15th always sold for much more.

The same thing has been true with contractor style models. My 1/40th X-15 will sell way before a 1/32nd or 1/48th.

All the models I built for NASA were in 100, 50, 25, 15 scale with a few exceptions, the 1/72nd and 1/32nd NB-52's with the X-43A built for the Hyper-X program, also there were the 1/4 and 1/8 models.

My question to the collectors: would a 15th scale model have more appeal? Same for the 1/40th vs. 1/48, etc. I would like to do all the X-15 variants in 1/40th that has the look of a contract model and is accurate. Thoughts?

Philip
Member

Posts: 5952
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001

posted 09-09-2017 02:54 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Philip   Click Here to Email Philip     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
For a museum display, the larger the better!

Retro Rocket
Member

Posts: 445
From: Santa Paula, Ca,. USA
Registered: Dec 2007

posted 09-09-2017 07:26 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Retro Rocket   Click Here to Email Retro Rocket     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I meant is 15th preferable to 16th scale?

mode1charlie
Member

Posts: 1169
From: Honolulu, HI
Registered: Sep 2010

posted 09-09-2017 02:41 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mode1charlie   Click Here to Email mode1charlie     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Since you're asking for opinions... I would prefer models that are in a scale consistent with my other (which is also to say "most commercially available") scales. So 1:16 over 1:15 and 1:48 over 1:40, etc. But also: I would not have room to display many models larger than 1:32 (at most - and for the X-15, 1:48 would probably be the limit).

All times are CT (US)

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