There is no doubt that over the last few years the emergence of 1/16 has gone from being a tentative toe in the water, to a full-blown swimming gala, with competitors diving in with increasing enthusiasm.
Though my work focusses almost exclusively in the construction of models in 1/48 and 1/35 (with a smattering of 1/72 thrown in for good measure) occasionally, I have the chance to work in larger scales as needs arise. Over the last month, I found myself working on a brand-new 1/16 kit of the M4A3E8 Sherman and in so doing, walked once more into a scale that it would appear, is becoming more and more popular with modellers looking for projects with more detail and I hasten to add more presence, than those in smaller scales.
So why is this and is this larger scale, as David Parker put it to me last week, really ‘The Gentleman’s Scale’?
Though nothing new in terms of military kits, or indeed this particular modelmaker (I’ve built a fair number of vehicles and dioramas in 1/16 over the last couple of decades) there is no doubt that over the last few years the emergence of 1/16 has gone from being a tentative toe in the water, to a full-blown swimming gala, with competitors diving in with increasing enthusiasm. No longer are the kits there to create radio-controlled replicas that combine the best in static display work with running gear and sound-effects, play value being more important than visual appeal. Now, they are being released to create static, high-quality replicas that you can build and display with great pride should your skills and frankly, wallet, be up to the strain.
The model I was asked to build by Marcus Nicholls as part of my work with Tamiya Model Magazine International, was Andy’s Hobby Headquarters 1/16 M4A3E8 (76mm) Sherman, or more pithily, the AHHQ ‘Easy Eight’, the first of what appears to be an ongoing collection created in collaboration with TAKOM from this American concern. It’s large, complex and highly detailed: everything that you would expect from a kit in this scale. That said, there’s a familiarity when you open the box much being seen, albeit in smaller packages, within previous Shermans offered in scales such as 1/35. Indeed, I would argue that there are more complex 1/35 kits on the market with higher levels of detail and far more parts (Miniart, anyone..?) but that takes nothing away from AHHQ’s accomplishment and the impression that their first kit leaves upon you during, and after, construction.
The great thing about these kits of course and the reason why so many modellers are now turning their thoughts towards them, is the ability to create what can be seen as ‘museum’ models, those larger replicas often seen through glass walls, amongst collections of full-sized artefacts the models seek to mirror, or indeed replace. Finish one of these kits and you have a replica that has 4 times the volume of a 1/35 model and that makes a massive difference to how it is perceived when on display.
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Size alone though is not the only consideration, far from it. It’s also the detail that you can incorporate and then the paintwork that you can apply to each part that really gets the juices flowing. Though it’s possible to micro-paint smaller scale models, the larger canvass that 1/16 and above offer (have you tried to build a kit in 1/12, or 1/6?) allows each part to be painted as close to a prototypical way, as possible.
Today, these kits are now possible at a cost that places them within the grasp of the enthusiast because technology and mould-making, are no longer constrained.
Going back to David’s description of this scale, I’m not sure I fully agree, but I get the point that he is trying to make, at least in terms of what is possible when imaginative projects, result in fully-realised miniatures. Traditionally, models were not constructed in smaller scales that manufacturing demands had until recently, been able to offer. They were built to be as imposing and commanding as possible and that’s certainly what you get from one of these 1/16 vehicles. You had to be able to clearly see detail, understand shapes and reflect on what the real machines would allow when miniature illusion, turned into full-sized reality.
Now you can once more.
Today, these kits are being released at a cost that places them within the grasp of the average enthusiast, because technology and mould-making are no longer constrained. Today, we have the ability to replicate anything in any scale and then offer it at a cost that would have seemed impossible even a few years ago. The scale of 1/16 and the models that are being produced within it, are now little more to buy than a complex 1/35 kit and that makes them very attractive to modellers keen to build sizeable replicas for their collections. Those large-scale models of yore are no longer a pipe dream, but a democratised realisation that we can all enjoy.
MY NEW MODELLING GUIDE – AVAILABLE TOMORROW!
Before continuing with this discussion, just a quick heads up for those that follow me, that I have a new that will be on sale tomorrow, April 6th. If you would like to read more about it, please check out my earlier update where you will find plenty of additional information!
thekitbox.org/2023/04/03/hunter-your-in-depth-modelling-guide/
Along with the increasing numbers of plastic kits that we are now seeing on model shop shelves and within the list of the world’s online retailers, we are beginning to witness the birth of a burgeoning aftermarket scene, where new forms of technology such as 3D printing, are offering updates that take your basic kit from simple build, to detailed masterpiece. This larger scale allows details that much like painting might only have been hinted at in the past, to be replicated almost perfectly. No longer are we seeing facsimiles of structures such as weapons and tools, engines and interiors. Now we have virtual engineering studies that you can admire and learn from. Once only the domain of onlookers in Company offices or museum visitors, mouths agape at miniatures they had no idea how to build, these models are now available to all.
David Parker has certainly played a role in the increased familiarity of this scale, his King Tiger and Panzer IV projects completed over the last decade, showing exactly what is possible from this scale when basic plastic kits are taken to new heights. Along with his skills within the modelling world, he’s now showing what is achievable using computer-aided design and 3D printing, a huge number of incredible details being offered for many of the kits that are now hitting the market. If you would like to see what is available, please give the AFV Modeller shop a visit – I’m sure that you will find much to tantalise should you wish to take one of the new kits and make it something truly special…
FUTURE PLANS…
At some point this year I hope you return to this scale the AHHQ Tiger seeming like a possibility for work. Time will tell if that does indeed come to pass, or if I elect to choose something else. In the meantime, you can find my build of the Sherman within the pages of Tamiya Model Magazine’s issues 331 & 332, on sale shortly!
FINAL THOUGHTS…
So, is 1/16 here to stay? I think it is. If the popularity of the recent releases is anything to go by and the sales that they are subsequently generating, I see a bright future for these kits over the years to come. Just looking at the release lists for a number of companies reveals that we are in for some exciting projects as 2023 rolls into 2024, AHHQ in particular seeking to offer a range of kits that will mirror their Sherman in detail and accuracy. Personally, time will tell if I choose to return to this scale any time soon, or, as I plan to do, I continue to focus on aviation subjects once more. That’s the great thing about this hobby and the industries that support it: you really never know!
See you next time.
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