Updates from team members at Everything Dinosaur. Company activities, fossil hunting trips, information about Everything Dinosaur.
4
07, 2020
Explaining the Scales Used in Prehistoric Animal Models
Looking at the Declared Scale for Prehistoric Animal Models
As collectors, we may be very familiar with many different product lines having a declared scale of 1:40 for dinosaur figures and a scale of 1:20 for prehistoric mammals such as Woolly Mammoths and Sabre-toothed cats, but not all manufacturers use these scales. Even if two prehistoric animal models from two different manufacturers are in 1:40 scale, this does not necessarily mean that these models are going to be the same size.
The Manufacturer CollectA Declares a Variety of Scale Sizes for its Prehistoric Animal Models
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
What Do These Declared Scales Mean?
Everything Dinosaur team members have been busy working on a short YouTube video that looks at how model manufacturers use varies scales in relation to their prehistoric animal replicas. In this video, we intend to explain how scale sizes are calculated and we urge caution when looking at any declared scale for a given prehistoric animal figure. A myriad of declared scales are used. For example, the Bullyland “Museum Line” range has a declared scale of 1:30, whereas Rebor and PNSO tend to use 1:35 scale, especially for some of their larger models. Papo in contrast, tend not to declare a scale for their “Les Dinosaures” at all.
Even when manufacturers claim the same scale for their figures, the actual models within those ranges can be very different sizes.
Getting to Grips with Prehistoric Animal Models
In our informative video, scheduled to be around twelve minutes long, we explore this theme and compare the 1:40 scale Natural History Museum Tyrannosaurus rex model with the CollectA Deluxe roaring, feathered T. rex which also has a declared scale of 1:40.
The London Natural History Museum T. rex Figure is Compared to the CollectA Roaring, Feathered T. rex Model
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
The Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“Our YouTube video looking at how the scale for dinosaur and prehistoric animal models is calculated, aims to help collectors to appreciate some of the difficulties behind working out just how big some dinosaurs were. If palaeontologists are uncertain as to just how big a dinosaur could grow, then it is very challenging for a model manufacturer to accurately scale a figure. The manufacturer has to consider other factors too and we outline some of the issues that need to be considered before deciding how big to make a prehistoric animal model.”
Everything Dinosaur on YouTube
The YouTube channel of Everything Dinosaur was started nearly ten years ago. It aims to provide product reviews, hints and tips as well as useful and informative videos to help model collectors make the most of their prehistoric animal collections.
The Everything Dinosaur YouTube channel has over 170 dinosaur and prehistoric animal related videos and reviews: Subscribe to Everything Dinosaur on YouTube.
