What scale should I use?

Ship models have been built in various scales, from 6"=1' (the model of the whaling bark Lagoda in the New Bedford Museum) to 1"=100' and even smaller. Obviously, the smaller the scale, the smaller the model (and all of the details thereon); the larger the scale, the easier it is to put in fine detail.

A "museum quality" ship model generally shows all details that will have a dimension of at least 1/16th inch on the model.

Common scales are specified in one of two ways, either as a pair of dimensions (e.g., 1/4 inch = 1 foot), or as a dimensionless ratio (e.g., 1:48). The latter is probably a better usage, since one unit on the model corresponds to n units on the actual ship (no matter what units are being used... inches, feet, metric, "points", etc.; it also avoids confusion (is a 1/16 model 1:16 or 1"=16' ?)

Probably the most important criteria is: how much room do you have to display the model? Consider the Queen Mary -- Overall Length = 1,019.5 ft. (310.74 m.) -- admittedly an extreme example, and the U.S.S. Constitution ("Old Ironsides") -- length (between perpendiculars) = 175 ft.
Scale Length of model:
Queen Mary Constitution
1:12 12"=1' 1019' 6" 174'
1:2 6"=1' 509' 9" 87' 6"
1:3 4"=1' 339' 10" 58' 4"
1:4 3"=1' 254' 10" 43' 9"
1:6 2"=1' 169' 11" 29' 2"
1:12 1"=1' 84' 11" 14' 7"
7:96 7/8"=1' 74' 4" 12' 9"
1:16 3/4"=1' 63' 9" 10' 11"
1:24 1/2"=1' ==> 1" = 2' 42' 6" 7' 3"
1:32 3/8"=1' 31' 10" 5' 6"
1:36 1"=3' 28' 3" 4' 10"
1:48 1/4"=1' (1"=4') 21' 3" 3' 8" (Model Railroad O scale)
1:60 1"=5' 17' 2' 11"
1:64 3/16"=1' 15' 11" 2' 9"
1:72 1"=6' 14' 2" 2' 5"
1:87.1 3.5mm=1' 11' 8.5" 2' 1/12" (Model Railroad HO scale)
1:96 1"=8' 10' 7" 1' 10"
1:120 1"=10' 8' 6" 1' 5.5" (Model Railroad TT scale)
1:128 3/32"=1' 7' 11" 1' 4"
1:160 1/16"=10" 6' 4" 1' 1 1/8" (Model Railroad N scale)
1:196 1/16"=1' 5' 3" 11"
1:384 1/32"=1' 2' 6" 6"
1:500 2' 4"
1:700 1' 6" 3"
1:768 1/64"=1' 1" 4" 3"
1:1000 1' 2"
1:1200 0' 10" 2"
Kits often are to a scale "that fits the box" -- I have an ancient set of kit plans for the Normandy at 1:686 ! And, of course, there are other, "bastard" scales (model railroad "HO" scale is 1:87.1 ==> 3.5 mm = 1'). The "popular" scales seem to be: 1:700 (plastic warships), 1:96 (modern ships), 1:48 (sailing ships), 1:24 & 1:12 (small boats).
{John O. Kopf}

How much space do you have to devote to your collection?

1:48, 1:96 and 1:192 are popular (but not exclusive) scales used in maritime and naval museums in the U.S. In Europe, Metric scales (e.g., 1:100, 1:200, etc.,) seem to dominate.
{RAlcorn824}

I have seen various postings on the net proposing a standard modeling scale for naval ship models, 1:700 being too small for those of us with crappy vision, and 1:350 being only great if you have a stadium to display your finished models (1:500 would be great, too). Well, my humble proposal is (no surprise) 1:600.
{Joseph W. Reyna}
To a large extent I agree. Also, most 1:700 scale ships are waterline models. I hate them. I like working on props, rudders, bilge keels, etc.

Most of my fleet is between 1:450 and 1:600.

Thanks to the folks on rec.models.scale, I've been working on more 1:600 Airfixes lately. My British collection is getting to be quite big, and it will soon outgrow its display box. Also, Arii makes Yamato class & Iowa class battleships in 1:600.

Keep in mind that Frog, Renwal and Nichimo also put out 1:500 scale ships. Find them if you can. Frog & Renwal are gone, (the Frog molds are in Russia, and Revellogram has the Renwal molds) and the Nichimos are rare.

A standard scale is exactly what is needed. Unfortunately, the standard is now 1:700 waterline. For good, bad, or indifferent, most of the model kits today come from the Far East, and they are the staunchest supporters of the 1:700 standard. They aren't going to make all new molds just for us.

There aren't enough ship modelers to make it worth their while. Similarly, Revellogram is going to continue with their "box scale", simply because they aren't making any new ship molds, and they get by with just re-issuing their old stuff.

As much as I would like to see a 1:500 or 1:600 full hull standard scale, it isn't going to happen.
{D. Wells}

Ever tried Heller's 1:400? Good stuff :-)
{John G. Burns}
That depends on what you build. True, a 1:350 battleship may be big, but a destroyer or a sub is about the size of a 1:48 airplane.

This scale is not as bad as you may believe. Here are some dimensions for the ships that we as ship modelers need in this scale:
USS Pennsylvania BB38 20.84" x 3.43"
USS St. Louis CL49 20.57" x "2.12"
USS Alaska CB1 30.21" x 3.13"
USS Saratoga CV3 32.17" x 3.30"
And the detail to these that someone could do would far exceed any of these other smaller scales!
{REDBOZO6}

The table below shows scale values (1:48, etc.) and fractions that answer the question, "At this scale, what fraction of an inch represents one foot on the eal world vessel?" For example, at 1:192, 1/16 of an inch on the model represents one foot on the real world vessel.

The upper part of the table (from 1/32 to 1/2) has increments of 1/32 of an inch. The lower part of the table (from 1/2 to 1.0) has increments of 1/16 of an inch. Model railroad scales are also shown.
Scale Fraction of Inch = 1 Foot
1:768 1/64
1:384 1/32
1:220 Model RR Z scale
1:192 1/16
1:160 Model RR N scale
1:128 3/32
1:96 1/8
1:87 Model RR HO scale
1:76.8 5/32
1:64 3/16 Model RR S scale
1:54.9 7/32
1:48 ¼ Model RR O scale
1:42.7 9/32
1:38.4 5/16
1:34.9 11/32
1:32 3/8
1:29.5 13/32
1:27.4 7/16
1:25.6 15/32
1:24 1/2 Model RR G scale
1:21.3 9/16
1:19.2 5/8
1:17.5 11/16
1:16 3/4
1:14.8 13/16
1:13.7 7/8
1:12.8 15/16
1:12 1
{Mike Graff}

Back?