Soldier Scales (1 Viewer)

[Firebat]

I am starting to build some dioramas, I have FOV and 21st Century armor etc. Which soldiers from other manufacturers ( Conte - Britans - Figarti - Old Northwest Trading ) match up best with the figures included with FOV and 21st Century. I used to be a 1/35th scale modeler, but due to lack of time to build everything, the 1/32 pre built diecast seemed to be the way to go, but the figure size seems to be a problem....HELP

 

[Steven Chong]

Dear Firebat,
Conte, Britains, ONWTC and Figarti are all supposed to be 1/32, the same scale as FOV and 21st Century. That said, I have found some of the FOV vehicles are slightly smaller than 1/32 scale and that the figures by the companies you mentioned varied slightly in height depending the the thickness of the base. Check out the following site which has a pictorial comparision of the various figures:

http://www.oldnwtc.com/Old_NW_Site/cool_stuff_folder/sizes_folder/sizing_things_up.html

Hope this helps.

 

[Alexdakar]

You will have to go with close enough. In the 1/35 world everything has to be to scale. If its not then thats when the kit bashing starts. I have seen people argue over 1mm difference. With 1/32 there is a bit more freedom but I'm sure that will change with time because this stuff is getting more and more realistic and historically correct. The figures you mention are pretty close in size (1/32). K&C, HB, HJB and NMA are 1/30 in size.

 

[Mr Man]

FOV & 21C are actually 1/35 scale.

 

[Steven Chong]

FOV & 21C are actually 1/35 scale.

Dear Mr. Man,

Are you sure? FOV is advertised as 1/32 scale. On the other hand, that would explain a lot ... I know the FOV Matilda is smaller than 1/32 scale.

 

[Firebat]

First of all thanks to all who replied, this is my first post. Having been in 1/35 for many years, I still have some of the soldiers I built, and they are a bit smaller than the FOV and 21st. I was actually hoping to use them ( I built and painted about 50 ) but it is not working out.

 

[OzDigger]

Don't listen to Mr Man Firebat, most of the FOV and 21C stuff IS 1/32, I used to build 1/35 kits so I should know FOV also have some pre built and painted 1/32 scale soldiers: 8th Army, American and German. They are made of plastic and bigger than 1/35 so go well with the FOV and 21c vehicles.

Steven, what did you measure your FOV Matilda against, maybe the other one is in 1/30 making the FOV version look small - just a suggestion.

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Guys,

When I did a lot of 1/35th scale models I found that you can use them together if you use the shorter ones in the background to add some depth the display. Of course you need to compare them form soles of the boots to top of helmet and see whether they are fairly close in size. I know when I mixed a few 1/32d in with my 1/35th they looked good as long as there were too many of the bigger ones sort of like having a bigger guy in the squad. Anyway its a way to give the display a little more depth. Hope you post some pictures of the work you are doing.

Dave

 

[Alexdakar]

1/30...1/32...1/35

 

[Leadmen]

Nice pics for size Alex. I measured my FOV Mark Iv and it is 1/32. My Tamiya same model is 1/35 with noticible difference when side by side. Welcome Firebat to Forum . Leadmen

 

[Firebat]

Brothers..... Maybe I should clarify my question. I have FOV and 21st Vehicles and Soldiers most of which I would like to use. Which of the Manufacturers I mentioned, is the absolute closest in size to the FOV and 21st, so I can use them together. Or should I forget about mixing and do one diorama with Conte, one with Britans etc. Thanks for the tip of using smaller figures for prospective. I will send some pics as soon as I finish. Included is a Fire Dept diorama I did a while back.

 

[OzDigger]

Those three are all supposed to be in 1/32 scale so they should match the FOV and 21C stuff exactly. However in practice some of the figures in the 1/32 ranges are actually closer to 1/30 scale (60mm) so they fit in with K & C stuff. For example most of the Generals (Rommel etc) and WWII artillery figures made by Britains are closer to 1/30 scale.

You really have to check individual figures as the size does vary from time to time. I suspect some Chinese factories make figures for a variety of figure companies - well that's just my conspiracy theory anyway.

 

[desk11desk12]

Hi Firebat:

Welcome to the forum,

This is just my opinion, I've found FOV to be much better quality than 21st Century but the later more consistently 1/32 scale depending on the model.

Conte, Old Northwest Trading Company (ONTC) and Toy Soldiers of San Diego (TSSD) plastic/ and painted plastic match up best to 21st Century/ FOV.

Some early Britains pre 2002 figures come close but not the current staff. However, since Ken Osen, is sculpting the new WWI and WWII future sets perhaps they may get closer to 1/32 scale. Ken sculpted the ONTC and I believe some of the earlier Conte (Red Devils, SS, Paratroopers, etc.) produced pre 2004.


Carlos

 

[Fubar]

Hi all, Firebat welcome to the forum!
Carlos has got it right.You can also use Airfix solid plastics and multipose plastics.Deetail as well. I add more gear to the Airifx and Deetail figures and repaint them.You'll find the 1/35 simply look like runts compared to the new 1/32 plastic and metal figures.
You can always use your 1/35 troops in the back of your diorama, I have some 1/35 Tamiya German HMG teams that always man the bunkers and pillboxes.

Also , the FOV and 21st Century are 1/32.They match perfect with my old Monogram 1/32 German armor. I have many 1/35 still around. A 1/35 Sherman, Tiger, PZ4 or Panther next to a FOV or 21cent toy of the same type are noticeably smaller.

I have a Chassis rule. No one makes a 1/32 Marder, YET. Therefore my 1/35 Marders are acceptable as theres nothing in 1/32 on the same chassis to compare it to.

I look the other way concerning my lone M36 TD by Tamiya!

Best of luck with the displays and do let us see what you come up with!!!

FUBARrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[Firebat]

I am glad you guys reminded me of the Airfix multi purpose figures, they will work well . I sold over 35 built 1/35 scale models on Ebay, and about 75 soldiers, some of them were the 1/32 Airfix Multi purpose. I should have kept them , they came out nice. There was also some Monogram stuff in there. The Squadron shop still carries them, I think I will order them, and then have to build them all over again...... Maybe not. Maybe I'll sell everything and go with King and Country. I don't even want to talk about all of the 1/6 scale figures I have, which is why I sold the 1/35 to begin with, then came FOV and 21st and back in I went.......... Now I know about K&C, Britans, ONWTC etc!? ......Actually it is all a lot of fun, I just finished off my basement and I am Ready To Roll .............. lets see what happens. You guys have been very helpful..Thanks

 

[binder001]

As the other boys have stated the FoV and 21C (both also sold as "Motorworks" at WalMart in the USA) are 1/32nd scale. Further as staed before, there's a generous allowance as to what is "54mm" scale in figures. K&C are closer to 1/30th. Conte, many Britains WW2, TSSD and ONTC are "large" 54mm if you place them next to an Airfix Multipose, which are closer to "true" 1/32nd modeling scale. 21C figures are very close to Airfix, as are the mediocre figures from the Monogram 1/32nd scale tank series (also not to be confused with a bunch of 1/35th scale models they boxed as "1/32nd"). Anothyer source for figures is some of the old Louis Marx figures. They generally lie between the Airfix and Conte sizes. Another source of troops is 54mm lead (now pewter) model soldiers, such as Valiant and Imrie-Risely (old lines, but both still available). Personally, my primary display group has figures from Airfix soft plastic, Airfix Multipose, Marx and 21C together and they look OK. It's YOUR collection, you can work out what looks good to you or pleases you. Don't worry about what some of us compulsives think of it.

Gary

 

[binder001]

by the way, FUBAR, the old Tamiya M36 is poorly scaled and comes out with a chassis that is roughly 1/33rd and a turret that's a little over 1/35th, so that vehicle isn't too far off - again close enough if it looks OK to you!

Gary