The History of Scales in Plastic Kits

 architect's scale was used to make the first affordable
A scale model is a replica or copy of an object that ismodels: doll houses and their furniture. Its popular scales
either larger or smaller than the original. Commonly thefor these miniatures were "one inch to the foot" and
scale model is a smaller version of the original and is"one-half inch to the foot"; there is also "three-quarters
produced to provide a guide for making a full sizeinch to the foot".
version or as a hobby or toy.The proportion of the model to the prototype was
Model makers often make models for the followingoriginally called "size", as in "full-sized" or "half-sized", as
professions;used on a blueprint for making something that would fit
For architects who require a smaller version to buildon a workbench.
from.Phrases used are those of "larger" and "smaller"
For engineers to evaluate design performance at anscales. The scale of 1/8"-to-the-foot is a larger scale
early stagethan 1/16"-to-the-foot, even though the denominator is
For salesman to provide scaled down versions of ansmaller. So a larger model is made to a larger scale.
item for demonstrationYou can remember this in that a full-size, or full-scale,
Film makers to recreate elaborate setsmodel is larger than a half-size model.
Toy makers and hobbyists make a wide variety ofThe History of Plastic Model kits
models including die-cast models, injection moulded,For aircraft recognition in the Second World War, the
model railroads, fantasy creatures and remote controlRAF selected models to the scale of "one-sixth inch to
vehicles etc for their own enjoyment.the foot" (which was two British lines, a legal division of
Scales and Sizelength which didn't make it to America, besides being a
Hobbyists' scale models are from those created bystandard shipyard scale). Although some consumer
the companies which made the full-sized products.models were sold pre-war in Britain to this scale, the
Originally, a "scale" was a physical measuringairmens' models were pressed out of ground-up old
instrument. First among scales are the rulers that arerubber tires. This is of course the still-popular 1:72 scale.
triangular in cross-section and called architect's scalesIt wasn't predestined to succeed; there were
or engineer's scales. The terminology used was of thiscompetitors.
manner: "scale size to full size", or the reverse. An