1950s cars in 28mm scale?

[FramFramson]

Personally. I use, "Looks Right" scale.
Or "LR Scale"

If the vehicle looks about right I use it. Just don't mix up two of the obviously same vehicle in different sizes.

But I find that 1/43rd and 1/48th look about right for 28-32mm figs!


 

Yeah, exactly, though in my case I started off with all 1:43 and 1:48 (due to their high quality - so nice!) but sold most of them and was far more careful the second time around because most 1:43 just looked wrong to me - the hoods of most 1:43 cars was at neck height to my figures and that drove me nuts, and that's even with many of my figures being larger (the biggest are 1:48, but most are 32mm).

However, it's not half so bad if you use thick bases for your figures (I don't). I do still have a few straight 1:43 cars. For instance the Traction Avant was such a low-slung car it still looks fine in 1:43.

[Gary Peach]

Take a look at Ebay - Dinky Toys. Get the trashed ones.  Plenty of american classic, Plymouth, Hudson, Lincoln, Crysler, Cadillac.  Use the car names for searches it save time and clears out the stuff you dont want.  Dodge and ford trucks too.

[vodkafan]

I've used carefully-selected "box scale" vehicles which are 1:55 or close. I've used 1:43 as well, but any 1:43 models I have were specifically selected because they were models of cars which were originally quite small (like the Peugeot 301 or Fiat 508), so they actually blend perfectly with 1:55 cars.

The one thing I wish I could find which has eluded me is a true 1:55 Model T (car or small van).

I have accrued diecast Model Ts in 5 different sizes! Never been sure of the exact scales. I use some with small 25mm figures and some with 28mm and bigger.

[Andrew Rae]

The Zvezda Pixar Cars Doc Hudson is worth a look. It's advertised as 1:43 but is barely longer than the diecast Doc Husdon. However, it is wider which means it works really well with 28mm figures which are generally proportionally wider than their height would suggest. It's a plastic kit so a bit easier to convert too.

Edit: Here he is (my one is a flying hornet):



He's about 30mm off 1:43 in length and 5mm off in width. Eyes need filling, mind.

[FramFramson]

Is that a plastic DA Denton? Or just some really smooth primer?

[FramFramson]

I have accrued diecast Model Ts in 5 different sizes! Never been sure of the exact scales. I use some with small 25mm figures and some with 28mm and bigger.

Oh you have my attention!

Okay, so in 1:56, a Model T would be about 62 mm long and 31 mm wide. Do you have any which are close to that?

I found the Lledo Model T was both too small and incredibly cheap and ugly (sorry, Lledo lovers) and others far too big. But if you happen to have one which is actually a hair bigger, maybe I can track it down. Hell, I'm interested in the origins of five different-size Ts in the first place! Who're the manufacturers? Even a pic of your five next a mini would be cool too.

The reason I'm so hellbent on tracking one down is how common it would have been as an old beater in the 30's. "Common"-looking cars are actually the hardest ones to find good models of whereas there's probably hundreds of different models of say, various Bugattis.

[vodkafan]

Oh you have my attention!

Okay, so in 1:56, a Model T would be about 62 mm long and 31 mm wide. Do you have any which are close to that?

I found the Lledo Model T was both too small and incredibly cheap and ugly (sorry, Lledo lovers) and others far too big. But if you happen to have one which is actually a hair bigger, maybe I can track it down. Hell, I'm interested in the origins of five different-size Ts in the first place! Who're the manufacturers? Even a pic of your five next a mini would be cool too.

The reason I'm so hellbent on tracking one down is how common it would have been as an old beater in the 30's. "Common"-looking cars are actually the hardest ones to find good models of whereas there's probably hundreds of different models of say, various Bugattis.

I certainly will take a few pics Fram  and get back to you. Some of them might be painted and not in their original condition though. I will also get the ruler out and have a bit of a measure up!

[majorsmith]

Taken the plunge, gone with 1/43 see how it goes!

[majorsmith]

Well I got this lovely 1/43 scale car today, fits in perfect with my 28mm tintin, so definitely going with this scale

[FramFramson]

Yeah, tall bases make 1:43 work.