I'm new to this and I am planning on building a destroyer. I have found groups (Not Many) that use 1/96th scale ships. Why use 1/144th scale over 1/96th scale? Also if you have plans that are in 1/96th scale how do you convert them to 1/144th scale?
Larger ships are easier to handle (transport,store,etc) in 144th since they are smaller, but smaller ships like destroyers are harder to build since they are smaller too. I think big battleships are more common in 144th clubs and destroyers and cruisers are more common in 96th scale clubs. but thats just my observations. So i guess part of it is what you are more interested in battling. Having a Bismark thats 8.5' long is kinda big for most cars and to easily handle around the house. (and thats not the biggest ship either) its less than 6' in 144th. That and what do the clubs near you battle? thats a big factor for a lot of people too. to go from 1/96th to 1/144th divide by 1.5, or scale them to 66.6(repeating of course)%.
A ship in 1/96 scale is 3.375 weights 3.375 times as one in 1/144 scale. so a big destroyer would be 4 lbs in 1/144 and 13.5 lbs in 1/96. A typical cruiser would be 10 lbs in 1/144 and 33.75 lbs in 1/96 A WW2 battleship would be 35 lbs in 1/144 and 118 lbs in 1/96 When ships get more than 40 lbs they get very hard move around on soft pond banks. In 1/144 you can build destroyers- but it difficult due to small size, and you can build and handle the largest battleships. Sence many people want to have battleships, 1/144 is popular. Sence there are many people doing 1/144, many other people chose to use it, so they can have other boats to shoot at. The 1/144 scale guys have battles with many ships. The 1/96 ships are fewer in number.
The best way to pick what kind of battling you start with is what are the local guys doing. This way there are people to help you get started and play with when your ship is done.
The NY group for IRCWCC battles about 4 hours away from you, Its 1/144th scale. I think there are a few other guys that live in MA that come to those battles.
Can we move this to a more general forum? Nothing in this thread that's remotely related to "Weapons & Pneumatics". JM
One other thing about 144 scale destroyer's is that they arre hard to arm! I have a 144 Scale French destroyer (FNS Magador) she is almost as large as a light cruiser. I am attempting to arm her right now. with only enough equipment to arm only two barrels, she floats just below the water line! I am looking for was to build VERY light turrets! I had hopes of arming some of the torpedo tubes. Knight.
Interesting question. But I noticed that you asked how to re-scale 144th scale drawings to 96th scale. Battlestations is a 96th scale club. Just in case I am not on the same page as the one who originally posted the question... Mikey
