How I Build a 1/100 Model

[Rata]

Thanks Karol. They can be tricky alright. I can relate totally to builders who display their prop models 'in flight'.

[Pall1962]

Thanks for sharing this!

[Rata]

Thanks for looking in!

[ChickenFaceMan]

This is fantastic!! I learned a lot!! Thank you!

[Rata]

No problem! Glad you got something out of it all.

[LE CRIQUET]

Hello,

Very interesting presentation, but I still think this scale has its limits.
For example, let's take the Nieuport 17 which can be downloaded from the forum.
If mathematically the model seems realizable, I highly doubt the quality of the final result considering the dimensions of the model. But I'd like to be shown the opposite with a photo of the assembled model.
I can't imagine any models being proposed without at least a "beta version" being made first!
Regards and thanks

[Rata]

Originally Posted by LE CRIQUET

Very interesting presentation, but I still think this scale has its limits.
For example, let's take the Nieuport 17 which can be downloaded from the forum.
If mathematically the model seems realizable, I highly doubt the quality of the final result considering the dimensions of the model. But I'd like to be shown the opposite with a photo of the assembled model.
I can't imagine any models being proposed without at least a "beta version" being made first!

Totally agree which is why most of the 1/100 models I build were designed in that scale. We see some remarkable builds on this forum of reduced scale models but the REALLY good results are the exception not the rule.
Of course the same principles can be applied to small scales being upsized. Done a few of these myself of 1/300 subjects built as 1/100 and have to say rarely satisfied with the result. Any required-for-the-scale design short-cuts and flaws are just 3 times bigger!
I guess at the end of the day we do what we want to do and one of the most appealing aspects of paper is being able to build (or at least attempting to ) a model in a preferred scale.
Thanks for looking in and eternal thanks for your amazing contribution to this hobby.
Garry

[Texman]

Originally Posted by LE CRIQUET

Hello,

Very interesting presentation, but I still think this scale has its limits.
For example, let's take the Nieuport 17 which can be downloaded from the forum.
If mathematically the model seems realizable, I highly doubt the quality of the final result considering the dimensions of the model. But I'd like to be shown the opposite with a photo of the assembled model.
I can't imagine any models being proposed without at least a "beta version" being made first!
Regards and thanks

I am to stand in disagreement here. Without trying to brag, I know that in reduced scales ( I use 1/144 because that is what I build)
paper models can be built that rival anything a larger scale can do. I have the trophies to prove that a
well executed paper model, can best a plastic model, even in the 1/100 or less scale.

[LE CRIQUET]

My "philosophy" is to illustrate what I write with pictures. The same is true about the models I design, even if they are free to download, whatever the level of design. It's a question of credibility.


So here are the pictures of the Nieuport 17 available in downloading and assembled 'from the box', to use an expression popular with our friends plastic modelers.

As everyone knows, 'paper' has its limits. The main one (which is what gives it its charms) is that it can only be used to reproduce shapes that can be developed. Smaller is the original model and smaller is the scale: more complicated things become. There are limits to the simplification of shapes, and this little Nieuport 17 is a very good example.

That said, it has to be admitted that 1:100 is still suitable for reproducing aircraft of significant size (liners, for example), especially as their shape is geometrically simple. There are some remarkable examples at this scale on the forum. In addition, this scale is well suited to repainting, as long as you have a minimum knowledge of photo software, which allows an infinite number of decorations. For certain models, the use of "optical illusion" (as on the Nieuport 17) compensates a little for this inevitable simplification by giving the impression of volumes where it is impossible to give any. Congratulations to the author.

we have to be realists. The huge advantage of this small scale is that it allows you to design a model in record time (a simple blue print and a few notions of geometry are usually enough). If you're at all familiar with photo retouching software, it's particularly fun to personalise the model. The same goes for details. You can quickly build up a collection of different and varied aircraft, virtually unlimited in number, because there are so many subjects to reproduce. At a time when everything has to move fast....

it is audacious to compare a paper model in this scale range with its plastic counterpart .... I don't think you should mix the two. On the other hand, their juxtaposition at an exhibition is always a source of amazement, even wonder, both for visitors and for the most hardened plastic modellers.

It's a true story, and paper deserves it. Whatever the scale.
(and sorry for my english)

[Rata]

Originally Posted by LE CRIQUET

On the other hand, their juxtaposition at an exhibition is always a source of amazement, even wonder, both for visitors and for the most hardened plastic modellers.

"I can't believe it's made from paper'' is probably the most common comment from people seeing a paper model the first time. And I know thinking that very sentiment myself brought me over from plastic!

I've always regarded 1/100 as the 'happy medium' scale and what I regard as what the flying model fraternity refer to as 'stand-off' scale; which basically means when viewed from a short distance you know what full size aircraft the model is supposed to represent while the finer details would generally not pass close scrutiny. The Nieuport 17 you show (which if I'm not mistaken is a Don Weeks repaint of a Bruno original) is a perfect example. Details like the flat engine plate and faired over cockpit are things that I'm perfectly fine with- and I can change if I want to- yet the model cannot be mistaken for anything but a Nieuport 17. No doubt a larger scale kit of the same plane reduced to 1/100 could produce a 'better' model but comes with the trade-off of taking longer and being a lot more difficult (read fiddly) to construct and with the increased risk of messing it up.