1/32 figures?

[LSP_Ray]

32nd was already fully accepted as a standard scale for decades before 35th came along. Had Mr Tamiya taken a slightly broader view of the potential for mixing subjects under a common scale, rather than simply fitting the size of his motors and batteries, we wouldn't have this rediculous 'nearly but not really compatible unless you squint from right across the room' situation we are in today. Sure, if you keep the subject matter seperate, it doesn't matter two hoots which you use. But put them together? Not for me. Mr Tamiya was a genius, but on this matter, I reckon he dropped the ball big time......

I agree, and Tamiya's argument that 1/35th scale was picked to fit batteries doesn't make any sense. After all, that first kit was a Panther, one of the largest the Germans built. So how do you fit batteries into a Pz IV or Pz III? In fact, the first Pz IV lower hull was too wide so batteries would fit in it! If Tamiya was really thinking ahead they would have gone to 1/32nd. There were already Monogram and Airfix kits in 1/32nd out there. While it was great Tamiya got into the armor game as their products were a step above what was out there at the time, using 1/35th was a mistake that causes problems with crossover, which could have driven additional sales.

[TonyT]

Rather like Tamiya also choosing 1/25th scale for their larger tanks and not 1/24

[Joe66]

Ahh, the age old complaint of 1/35 ! I have to agree with others in that...while Tamiya 1/35 scale kits are quite nice, ...1/32 was already around and established ..why in the heck did he upset the apple cart !

 

To original post : you can sometimes find a few decent figures by searching for 54mm....though most of those listings are toy soldiers.

 

I would like to get more 1/32 resin figures into the market, but it is difficult finding a digital sculptor for the process of making 3d printed masters and then molding those to cast in resin ( to keep the price of production and retail reasonable )

 

Joe

[LSP_Ray]

Oh, one other thought: if you can find any old Verlinden figures, an old complaint was they were closer to 1/32/54mm than 1/35th so should fit in pretty good. Again, just watch the accessories!

[GrahamF]

I think the demand for figures is there but only if they were free and next day free delivery.

[wunwinglow]

Historex and Prieser figures are closer to 1:32, as were the individual Airfix soldier kits. Funny isn't it, times were hobby modellers thought nothing of carving up kit bits, slapping on the filler, doing a bit of casting, stretching sprue, slicing up styrene sheet, just cracking on a doing their own thing! 

 

My old buddy Robert Lane at Elan13 does some lovely 32nd WW1 aircrew figures, and I have been trying to get him to do some later ones too. I'd love a crew for my Swordfish for example! Maybe pestering him might get some results!

 

Tim (no commercial links, usual disclaimers!)

 

elan13.co.uk