Editing Scale model (section)

===Vehicles===
====Trains====
[[Image:HO Layout 1.jpg|thumb|right|An [[HO scale]] [[model railroad]]]]
[[Image:Virginia Farmlands Rwy 2 SW8 @ Doorstown 6-17-2007.JPG|thumb|right|An [[N scale]] locomotive]]
[[Image:Livesteamtrain.jpg|thumb|A propane fired 1:8 scale [[live steam]] train running on the [[Finnish Railway Museum]]'s miniature track]]
{{Main|Rail transport modelling}}
Model railroading (US and Canada; known as ''railway modelling'' in UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland) is done in a variety of scales from 1:4 to 1:450 ([[T scale]]). Each scale has its own strengths and weaknesses, and fills a different niche in the hobby:
* The largest scales are used outdoors, for "[[Live steam]]" railroads with trains large enough for people to ride on, as much as {{convert|3|m|ft|sp=us}} longs are built in several scales  such as 1-1/2", 1", and 3/4 inches to the foot. Common gauges are 7-1/2" (Western US) and 7-1/4" (Eastern US & rest of the world), 5", and 4-3/4". Smaller live steam gauges do exist, but as the scale gets smaller, pulling power decreases. One of the smallest gauges on which a live steam engine can pull a passenger is the now almost defunct {{frac|2|1|2}}-inch gauge.
* The next largest scale range, [[G scale]] (1:22.5) in the US and [[16 mm scale]] (1:19.05) in the UK, and as large as 1:12 scale, is too small for riding but is used for outdoor [[garden railway]]s, which allow use of natural [[landscaping]]. G scale is also sometimes used indoors, with the track mounted adjacent to walls at eye level of standing adults. A franchise chain of restaurants and [[coffeehouse]]s named [[Výtopna]] in the [[Czech Republic]] acquired a trademark for the use of G-scale trains mounted on the countertops to serve customers beverages, and pick up their orders and empty glasses.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.reuters.com/video/2011/12/29/model-train-delivers-restaurant-drinks?videoId=227620002 | title=Model train delivers restaurant drinks | publisher=[[Reuters]] | access-date=7 December 2013}}</ref><ref>[http://www.fodors.com/world/europe/czech-republic/prague/review-591689.html Vytopna Prague Review | Fodor's<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref name="RadioPrague">{{cite web | url=http://www.radio.cz/en/section/spotlight/pragues-vytopna-restaurant-a-hit-with-families-tourists-train-fans | title=Prague's Výtopna restaurant a hit with families, tourists & train fans | publisher=[[Radio Prague]] | date=March 14, 2012 | access-date=7 December 2013 | author=Velinger, Jan}}</ref>
* Smaller scales are used indoors. [[O scale]] (1:48) sets were introduced as early "toy trains" by companies such as [[Lionel Corporation]], but has developed a following among serious adult hobbyists. [[American Flyer]] purchased by [[A. C. Gilbert Company]] popularized [[S scale]] (1:64) trains starting in 1946. Even smaller scales have become the most popular, allowing larger, more complex layouts to be built in smaller spaces. Dedicated model railroaders often mount indoor layouts on homemade plywood tables, at a height in the range of {{convert|30|to|42|in|cm}}, putting the track optimally close to eye level for children or adults.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-01-07 |title=Benchwork |url=https://www.nmra.org/beginner/benchwork |access-date=2022-04-27 |website=National Model Railroad Association |language=en}}</ref> As of 2022, the two most popular sizes are [[HO scale]] (1:87) and [[N scale]] (1:160).<ref name=RMC2016>{{cite web| url=http://rrmodelcraftsman.com/model-train-scale-gauge/| title=Model Train Scale and Gauge| website=Railroad Model Craftsman| publisher=White River Productions| date=December 25, 2016| access-date=May 3, 2020}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Model railroad scales
!Name
!Scale
!Standard
gauge
!Narrow
gauge
!Use
|-
|T
|1:450
|
|
|Indoor
|-
|ZZ
|1:300
|
|
|Indoor
|-
|Z
|1:220
|
|
|Indoor
|-
|N
|1:160
|
| 9&nbsp;mm
|Indoor
|-
|2mm
|1:152
|
|
|Indoor
|-
|[[TT scale|TT]]
|1:120
|12 mm
|
|Indoor
|-
|3mm
|1:101
|
|
|Indoor
|-
|HO
|1:87
|16.5&nbsp;mm
|
|Indoor
|-
|OO
|1:76.2
|16.5&nbsp;mm
|
|Indoor
|-
|S
|1:64
|
|
|Indoor
|-
|O
|1:48
|
|
|Indoor
|-
|1
|1:32
|44.45
|
|Garden;<br/> live steam
|-
|H
|1:24
|45&nbsp;mm
|
|Garden;<br/> live steam
|-
|G
|1:22.5
|45&nbsp;mm
|
|Garden;<br/> live steam
|-
| 
|1:12
|
|
|Garden;<br/> live steam
|-
| 
|1:4
|
|
|Live steam
|}

=====Gauge vs scale=====
Model railroads originally used the term ''[[Rail gauge|gauge]]'', which refers to the distance between the [[Rail tracks|rail]]s, just as full-size [[Rail transport|railroads]] continue to do. Although model railroads were also built to different gauges, [[standard gauge]] in full-size railroads is 4' 8.5". Therefore, a model railroad reduces that standard to scale. An HO scale model railroad runs on track that is 1/87 of 4' 8.5", or 0.649" from rail to rail. Today model railroads are more typically referred to using the term ''scale'' instead of "gauge" in most usages.

Confusion arises from indiscriminate use of "scale" and "gauge" synonymously. The word "scale" strictly refers to the proportional size of the model, while "gauge" strictly applies to the measurement between the inside faces of the rails. It is completely incorrect to refer to the mainstream scales as "HO gauge", "N gauge, "Z gauge", etc. This is further complicated by the fact some scales use several different gauges; for example, HO scale uses 16.5&nbsp;mm as the standard gauge of {{RailGauge|ussg}}, 12&nbsp;mm to represent {{RailGauge|1000mm}} gauge (HOm), and {{RailGauge|3ft6in}} (HOn3-1/2), and 9&nbsp;mm to represent a prototype gauge of {{RailGauge|2ft}}.

The most popular scale to go with a given gauge was often arrived at through the following roundabout process: German artisans would take strips of metal of standard metric size to construct their products from blueprints dimensioned in inches. "Four mm to the foot" yielded the 1:76.2 size of the British "OO scale", which is anomalously used on the standard HO/OO scale (16.5&nbsp;mm gauge from 3.5&nbsp;mm/foot scale) tracks, because early electric motors weren't available commercially in smaller sizes. Today, most scale sizes are internationally standardized, with the notable exceptions of [[O scale]] and N scale.

There are three different versions of the "O" scale, each of which uses tracks of 32&nbsp;mm for the standard gauge. The American version follows a dollhouse scale of 1:48, sometimes called "quarter-gauge" as in "one-quarter-inch to the foot". The British version continued the pattern of sub-contracting to Germans, so, at 7&nbsp;mm to the foot, it works out to a scale of 1:43.5. Later, the European authority of model railroad firms [[MOROP]] declared that the "O" gauge (still 32&nbsp;mm) must use the scale of 1:45, to allow wheel, [[railway tire|tire]], and [[splasher]] clearance for smaller than realistic curved sections.

N scale trains were first commercially produced at 1:160 scale in 1962 by the [[Arnold (models)|Arnold company]] of [[Nuremberg]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/shop/brands/arnold-n-1-160.html| title=The German pioneer of N gauge| website=Hornby Arnold| publisher=Hornby Hobbies| access-date=May 3, 2020}}</ref><ref name=RMC2016/> This standard size was imported to the US by firms such as the [[Aurora Plastics Corporation]]. However, the early N-scale motors would not fit in the smaller models of British locomotives, so the [[British N gauge]] was standardized to allow a slightly larger body size. Similar sizing problems with Japanese prototypes led to adoption of a 1:150 scale standard there. Since space is more limited in Japanese houses, N scale has become more popular there than HO scale.

====Aircraft====
{{Main|Model aircraft}}
[[File:Koottava DC3.JPG|thumb|Scale model of a [[Douglas DC-3]] in [[Finnair|Finnair Airlines]] colors. Many airlines use model aircraft as advertisement items]]
[[Static model aircraft]] are commonly built using plastic, but wood, metal, card and paper can also be used. Models are sold painted and assembled, painted but not assembled ([[snap-fit]]), or unpainted and not assembled. The most popular types of aircraft to model are commercial airliners and military aircraft. Popular aircraft scales are, in order of increasing size: [[1:144 scale|1:144]], [[HO scale|1:87 (also known as HO, or "half-O scale")]], [[1:72 scale|1:72]] (the most numerous), [[1:48 scale|1:48 (known as "O scale")]], [[1:32 scale|1:32]], [[1:24 scale|1:24]], [[1:16]], 1:6, and [[1:4]]. Some European models are available at more metric scales such as [[1:50 scale|1:50]]. The highest quality models are made from injection molded plastic or [[resin casting|cast resin]]. Models made from [[Vacuum forming|Vacuum formed]] plastic are generally for the more skilled builder. More inexpensive models are made from heavy [[Paper plane|paper]] or card stock. Ready-made die-cast metal models are also very popular. As well as the traditional scales, die-cast models are available in [[1:200 scale|1:200]], [[1:250 scale|1:250]], [[1:350 scale|1:350]], [[1:400 scale|1:400]], [[1:500 scale|1:500]] and [[1:600 scale]].

The majority of aircraft modelers concern themselves with depiction of real-life aircraft, but there are some modelers who 'bend' history by modeling aircraft that either never actually flew or existed, or by painting them in a color scheme that did not actually exist. This is commonly referred to as 'What-if' or 'Alternative' modeling, and the most common theme is 'Luftwaffe 1946' or 'Luftwaffe '46'. This theme stems from the idea of modeling German secret projects that never saw the light of day due to the close of World War II. This concept has been extended to include British, Russian, and US experimental projects that never made it into production.

[[File:Alaska Airlines plane model.JPG|thumb|Scale down model of Alaska Airlines]]
Flying model aircraft are built for aerodynamic research and for recreation ([[aeromodeling]]).

Recreational models are often made to resemble some real type. However the aerodynamic requirements of a small model are different from those of a full-size craft, so flying models are seldom fully accurate to scale. Flying model aircraft are one of three types: [[Free flight (model aircraft)|free flight]], [[control line]], and [[Radio-controlled aircraft|radio controlled]]. Some flying model kits take many hours to put together, and some kits are [[Almost Ready to Fly|almost ready to fly]] or [[ready to Fly (radio control)|ready to fly]].

====Rockets and spacecraft====
{{Main|Model rocket}}

Model rocketry dates back to the [[Space Race]] of the 1950s. The first [[Model rocket#Model rocket motors|model rocket engine]] was designed in 1954 by [[Orville Carlisle]], a licensed [[pyrotechnics]] expert, and his brother Robert, a model airplane enthusiast.<ref name=pyroguide>{{cite web |url=http://www.pyroguide.com/index.php?title=Black_powder_rocket |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070905045721/http://www.pyroguide.com/index.php?title=Black_powder_rocket |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-09-05 |title=Rocket (Black Powder) |publisher=PyroGuide |date=2010-04-10 |access-date=2012-07-06 }}</ref>

Static model rocket kits began as a development of model aircraft kits, yet the scale of 1:72 [V.close to 4&nbsp;mm.::1foot] never caught on. Scales 1:48 and 1:96 are most frequently used. There are some rockets of scales 1:128, [[1:144]], and [[1:200 scale|1:200]], but Russian firms put their large rockets in 1:288. [[Heller SA]] offers some models in the scale of 1:125.

[[Science fiction]] space ships are heavily popular in the modeling community. In 1966, with the release of the television show ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'', AMT corporation released an {{convert|18|in|cm|adj=on}} model of the [[Starship Enterprise|Starship ''Enterprise'']]. This has been followed over the decades by a complete array of various starships, [[shuttlecraft]], and [[space station]]s from the ''Star Trek'' franchise. The 1977 release of the first ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' film and the 1978 TV series ''[[Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica]]'' also spawned lines of licensed model kits in scales ranging from 1:24 for fighters and smaller ships, to 1:1000, 1:1400, and 1:2500 for most main franchise ships, and up to 1:10000 for the larger ''Star Wars'' ships (for especially objects like the [[Death Star]]s and [[Super Star Destroyer]]s, even smaller scales are used). Finemolds in Japan have recently released a series of high quality injection molded [[Star Wars|''Star Wars'' kits]] in [[1:72 scale|1:72]], and this range is supplemented by [[resin kit]]s from [[Fantastic Plastic Models|Fantastic Plastic]].

====Cars====
{{Main|Model car}}
[[Image:ScaleCarComparison.jpg|thumb|right|L to R with {{convert|12|in|adj=on}} ruler at bottom: 1:64 [[Matchbox (brand)|Matchbox]] [[Chevrolet Tahoe]], 1:43 [[Ford F-100]], 1:25 Revell Monogram 1999 [[Ford Mustang Cobra]], 1:18 [[Bburago]] 1987 [[Ferrari F40]]]]
Although the British scale for [[0 gauge]] was first used for [[model car]]s made of rectilinear and circular parts, it was the origin of the European scale for cast or injection molded model cars. MOROP's specification of 1:45 scale for European 0 does not alter the series of cars in [[1:43 scale]], as it has the widest distribution in the world.

In America, a series of cars was developed from at first cast metal and later styrene models ("promos") offered at new-car dealerships to drum up interest. The firm [[Revell|Monogram]], and later [[Tamiya Corporation|Tamiya]], first produced them in a scale derived from the Architect's scale: [[1:24 scale]], while the firms [[Aluminum Metal Toys|AMT]], [[Jo-Han]], and [[Revell]] chose the scale of 1:25. Monogram later switched to this scale after the firm was purchased by Revell. Some cars are also made in [[1:32 scale]], and rolling toys are often made on the scale [[1:64 scale]]. Chinese die-cast manufacturers have introduced 1/72 scale into their range. The smaller scales are usually die-cast cars and not the in the class as model cars. Except in rare occasions, Johnny Lightning and Ertl-made die-cast cars were sold as kits for buyers to assemble. [[Model car]]s are also used in [[car design]].

====Buses and trucks====
Typically found in [[1:50 scale]], most manufacturers of commercial vehicles and [[heavy equipment]] commission scale models made of die-cast metal as promotional items to give to prospective customers. These are also popular children's toys and collectibles. The major manufacturers of these items are [[Conrad (company)|Conrad]] and [[NZG Models|NZG]] in Germany. [[Corgi Toys|Corgi]] also makes some 1:50 models, as well as Dutch maker [[Tekno (toy manufacturer)|Tekno]].

Trucks are also found as diecast models in [[1:43 scale]] and injection molded kits (and children's toys) in [[1:24 scale]]. Recently some manufacturers have appeared in [[1:64 scale]] like [[Code 3 Collectibles|Code 3]].[[Image:1-64 Scale.jpg|[[1:64 scale]] die-cast trucks|alt=|center|frame]]

====Construction vehicles====
[[Image:Model construction vehicles 1 50 scale.jpg|thumb|right]]

A [[model construction vehicle]] (or [[engineering vehicle]]) is a scale model or [[die-cast toy]] that represents a construction vehicle such as a [[bulldozer]], [[excavator]], [[crane (machine)|crane]], [[concrete pump]], [[backhoe]], etc.

Construction vehicle models are almost always made in [[1:50 scale]], particularly because the cranes at this scale are often three to four feet tall when extended and larger scales would be unsuited for display on a desk or table. These models are popular as children's toys in [[Germany]]. In the US they are commonly sold as promotional models for new construction equipment, commissioned by the manufacturer of the prototype real-world equipment. The major manufacturers in Germany are Conrad and NZG, with some competition from Chinese firms that have been entering the market.