smaller planes for scenarios

[italwars]

Hello
I remenber to have read, years ago,  that for his  land based wargame scenarios (involving mainly AFVs and infantry), a guy  used smaller scale air models if compared to the ground minis and tanks. Thas would have been, i guess, to simulate the altitude effect vision from the ground forces.
 While being in the course of purchasing quite a few helos and jets (possibly ready made diecasts)  for my Cold War Afghanistan, Falklands, South Africa, Rhodesia, Vietnam, Middle East ecc.. small battles with 1:72 or 20mm  minis i noticed that some types of aircrafts and helos  are expensive and rare to find in that scale for example Phantoms, MILs, Mirages..on the other hand i already have a MIL MI 24 from ERTL in 1/100 and i saw that it's easier to find  alreday made quite cheap 1/100 models ..for example from ERTL, Altaya.....what do you think?..have you ever tried to mix scales (air and land) in your miniature battles?
many thanks

[mikedemana]

I think it would look fine stepping down a scale for aircraft. They do look awfully small up there in the sky, sometimes... 
For my 20mm modern games, I am fine with more 1/72 scale aircraft which tend to be a slight bit smaller than 20mm minis are usually.

Go for it, I say! It is your game. If you like the look, who can say you're wrong?

Mike Demana

[von der Tann]

If I remember correctly the planes and jets (officialy) used for Flames of War are 1/144 while the vehicles and men are 1/100.
I think if they can do it, so can you.

[carlos marighela]

I do this in 28mm. My rule used to be 1/72 if it’s airborne and goes nowhere near the ground and 1/48 if it lands or touches the table surface. Latterly I’ve been moving to standardising it all in one scale (1/48). The notion that the smaller scale provides a forced perspective is a bit dodgy if you think about. Usually planes are on stands and are viewed from above. The forced perspective notion would only really work if they were suspended well above the table.

That said, if economy is the motive by all means use smaller aircraft. Tamiya did a useful range of 1/100 kits that provide good alternatives to resin or diecast so ling as you are looking at 1960s or 1970s planes.

[von der Tann]

That said, if economy is the motive by all means use smaller aircraft.

That or the fact that some planes are huge compared to other things represented on the table, even in 28mm or 1/48. A Hercules would need a table for itself and even an A-1 Skraider in 1:48 has a wingspan of approx. 32 cm ... so unless your available space is huge ... size might seem to matter. 

[Daeothar]

I do this in 28mm. My rule used to be 1/72 if it’s airborne and goes nowhere near the ground and 1/48 if it lands or touches the table surface.

Exactly this!

And like FoW, I also do the same with 1/144 and 1/100 in 15mm games...

[CapnJim]

My practice is similar to some of those already described.

I use 15mm or 1/87 fixed wing aircraft for my 20mm forces.  But I do use 1/72 rotary-wing stuff.  Since the fixed-wing stuff is elevated off the table, it looks OK a bit smaller in scale.  But since most of the rotary-wing stuff ends up on the table with figures next to them, I go with the scale-appropriate aircraft.   

[italwars]

My practice is similar to some of those already described.

I use 15mm or 1/87 fixed wing aircraft for my 20mm forces.  But I do use 1/72 rotary-wing stuff.  Since the fixed-wing stuff is elevated off the table, it looks OK a bit smaller in scale.  But since most of the rotary-wing stuff ends up on the table with figures next to them, I go with the scale-appropriate aircraft.

Thanks to everybody...the use of smaller aircraft, if compared to my 20mm infantry,AFV,s and scenics, seems, according to your answers a good possibility...i suppose that, in my case, 1.100 Aircrafts which are the most available and probably corresponding in scale to 15mm stuff , would be the solution...it ll save me to rebuy some of the diecast planes  thai i recently purchased and, as usual with Italian ebayers  i've been cheated in buying a phantom, a mirage and a Ju87 labelled 1:72 but in fact smaller 1.100 ...instead of trowing them away, as was my first intention,  i would offer them a second life 
thanks again for all the good suggestions

[Daeothar]

...a phantom, a mirage and a Ju87...

Now I'm wracking my brain trying to come up with a single scenario that could feature all three... 

[carlos marighela]

Now I'm wracking my brain trying to come up with a single scenario that could feature all three... 

Remember The Final Countdown, that shitty 1980s flick where Kirk Douglas and the USS Nimitz travels through some sort of worm hole in time back to 1941, just before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour?

Think 1973 and the Israeli Airforce travels through a time tunnel to 1939….. 

[Daeothar]

Nice one 

I was thinking more conventionally though, maybe with some mercenaries in Africa, some US or UK involvement, a local Mirage and a chartered old transport doing gun-running (DC-3's have been done to death in that capacity after all ).

But I like your scenario better! 

[Golgotha]

Love the ideas here and think smaller aircraft can work a treat for further ideas on adding airpower to games see the free e-zine magazine Warning order here: https://www.wfhgs.com/PDFFILES/wo53.pdf

Other editions of the magazine are available here: https://www.wfhgs.com/wrngorder.html

[FifteensAway]

I recently ordered a number of 3D printed 1/144 planes to use for my 15 mm WWI German East Africa collection.  Only challenge was I only wanted six, made the change, but apparently it didn't take so I am getting 10 different models.  No harm, no foul, they will all get some sort of use.  And, yes, I know that is more planes than were in that theater but I have some hypotheticals and some Pulpy games in mind.

1/100 would equate to the larger 15 mm ranges, those closer to 18 mm.  1/144 would be much closer to 'true' 15 mm ranges which is closer to 1/120.