Scale Model Conversion Chart

How to read and calculate any scale ratio

The second number in a scale ratio is the divisor: for 1:35, divide any real-world measurement by 35 to get the model measurement in the same unit. A 2.5 meter tall tank becomes 2.5 divided by 35, or about 7.1cm, and working backward, a 7.1cm model piece represents about 2.5 meters at that scale, which is the calculation to run whenever you need to check whether a piece looks proportionally correct next to another kit.

Mixing scales in one diorama is the most common continuity mistake in the hobby: a 1:48 aircraft next to a 1:72 ground crew figure will look obviously wrong once placed side by side, since the figure calculates out to roughly two-thirds the height it should be relative to the aircraft. Always convert both pieces to the same real-world reference height before combining kits from different scale families.

Wikipedia: scale model →

1:12 to 1:24 (large scale: figures, cars, dollhouses)

1:12: a 1.8m human becomes 15cm; a 5m vehicle becomes about 41.7cm. The dollhouse miniature standard and a common large figure scale.

1:16: a 1.8m human becomes 11.25cm; a 5m vehicle becomes about 31.25cm. Popular for large military vehicle and figure kits with high detail.

1:18: a 1.8m human becomes 10cm; a 5m vehicle becomes about 27.8cm. A common diecast car scale.

1:24: a 1.8m human becomes 7.5cm; a 5m vehicle becomes about 20.8cm. A very common car model scale, also used for some figure and dollhouse work.

1:32 to 1:48 (mid scale: aircraft, larger armor)

1:32: a 1.8m human becomes 5.6cm; a 5m vehicle becomes about 15.6cm. Common for larger aircraft and some armor kits.

1:35: a 1.8m human becomes 5.1cm; a 5m vehicle becomes about 14.3cm. The dominant scale for military armor and figure kits, the default most tank modelers build in.

1:43: a 1.8m human becomes 4.2cm; a 5m vehicle becomes about 11.6cm. A common diecast and slot car scale, also used for some display models.

1:48: a 1.8m human becomes 3.75cm; a 5m vehicle becomes about 10.4cm. A major aircraft modeling scale, often called quarter scale since it is close to a quarter inch to the foot.

1:72 to 1:144 (small scale: aircraft, sci-fi, wargaming)

1:72: a 1.8m human becomes 2.5cm; a 5m vehicle becomes about 6.9cm. The classic small aircraft scale, also common for military vehicle kits and some sci-fi models.

1:100: a 1.8m human becomes 1.8cm; a 5m vehicle becomes about 5cm. A common scale for large aircraft and some architectural and wargaming models.

1:144: a 1.8m human becomes 1.25cm; a 5m vehicle becomes about 3.5cm. Common for larger aircraft, spacecraft, and some sci-fi vehicle kits where a huge real subject still needs to fit on a shelf.

1:350 to 1:700 (ship scale)

1:350: a 1.8m human becomes about 5mm; a 300m aircraft carrier becomes about 85.7cm. A popular large ship scale that keeps most warships to a manageable but still impressive display size.

1:700: a 1.8m human becomes about 2.6mm; a 300m aircraft carrier becomes about 42.9cm. The most common waterline ship model scale, chosen because it lets entire large naval vessels fit into a reasonably sized display case or shelf.