"What scale aircraft to use in 15mm games" Topic

Just curious to know what scale aircraft you use in your 15mm games?

1/300 seem too small so I was thinking 1/200?

I use 1/144. 1/100 is in-scale, but they are just look too big on the table. Plus, there are a lot of things available in plastic in 1/144, which, being light, makes it easy to make flight stands that are unobtrusive.

I like 1/144, as above.

I use 1/144.

i use 1/100th by the likes of AIM and Airfix. For SCW I use minairons and they look great flying low to strafe and bomb. For some games i have parked aircraft on the ground for a scenario. Dave Schmidt's AIM are most highly recommended.
Italeri did some already painted aircraft in 1/100 which are/were excellent.

I usually put them on stands abut 5cm off the ground to help with storage and avoiding clumsy arms.

For helicopters I have used Revell Hueys for Vietnam. The Butler's models ones look good value too.

Flames of War uses 1/100 for helicopters and 1/144 for fighters/bombers.

1/144.

I prefer the same scale as the figures, so 1:100 for 15mm, 1:144 for 10mm and 1:48 for 28mm. To men the argument that they should be smaller than the ground force is back to front. Looking down on the battlefield the aircraft are closer, so should technically be bigger. Perhaps because I'm used to looking down at the ground from a pilot's eye where the further things are away, the smaller they are. But go for what you like best.

1/100.

I am looking at 3mm or 1/600. That way I can put 3 or 4 on a flight base that is a reasonable size. Plus they are cheap and fast to paint, especially for something that is only on the tale for a turn or two.

I've used 1/285, 1/144 and 1/100.

Pre painted F Toys 1/144 is my go to scale and range for 15mm.

1/100 on tall flight stands.

Why would I want to mix scales on the tabletop. Looks silly.

I use 1/100. Personally, I think the 1/144 look silly with 15mm.

More details discussed recently here (vis-a-vis 20mm): TMP link

1/100 is pretty much "actual scale" for 15mm troops, but the bombers are huge. Not sure about materials or availability (not my scale).

1/144 fighters look small, bombers still take up a large table area. Can be hard to find and expensive to acquire, but the pre-painted "gashopon" models are a really nice option. This scale is mostly available as plastic models which can be built with landing gear up or down, builder's choice.

1/200 fighters look ridiculously tiny on the ground, bombers tend to have a reasonable table footprint. On the bright side, it's already possible to find most major wartime aircraft designs, and the oddballs and holes are filling in steadily.

In all cases, pewter and diecast metal planes are fine on the ground but tend to be tippy and unstable atop sticks or telescoping antennae. Resin models are light and durable, but only rarely have clear canopies. Plastic model kits are very light, a bit fiddly to build, nearly always have clear canopies, and tend to be a bit on the fragile side.

I am personally planning to use 1/200 planes above my 15mm miniatures because I have a lot for dogfight gaming (I also really like AIM models), though I might occasionally use 1/144 scale planes for the same reason. I don't mind planes that are "too small" overhead, especially since each stand represents a bunch of troops and a plane model represents a flight of 3-5 planes.

I'm much more of a scale purist with the microarmor, but 1/300 ground attack planes are pretty small so it's not really an issue.

- Ix

1/144. Looks right for BF FOW, TY, FOAN and 'Nam.

But 1/100 for helos since they fly close to the ground or have to land to disembark infantry in the case of transports.

1/144th, no question. While 1/100th may be accurate they look too big and tend to be unwieldy on the gaming table when paired with ground action. As mentioned a quick trip to Ebay will show a variety of 1/144th available from a wide range of companies that come pre-painted. These may be completely assembled or painted but requiring some assembly.

One other reason is there are a number of mainstream model companies that put out plastic kits in 1/144th. These do require both assembly and painting but increases the range available.

Any plane is a representation of an approximate location and in aviation while it is moving. So a level smaller aircraft should not be an issue.

I largely agree with RudyNelson. Another consideration is what you are trying to represent. If you're playing something at the Command Decision level, and the plans are intended to represent a squadron of B-25's hitting Monte Cassino just before the grunts charge in, a smaller scale would be appropriate. If the aircraft are flying close to the ground, in a smaller scale action, then a larger scale – say 1/144 would be fine. If you're doing a skirmish game of an LRDG raid on an airfield, and the aircraft are parked, then 1:100 would be appropriate.

Seems like a broad range of approaches and ideas. Good discussion, with no one claiming to have a correct answer. Refreshing.

I have 1/100 Prepainted and 1/144 Prepainted, as I wasn't sure which size I wanted, but I was able to pickup 5 different 1/100 Focke-Wulf 190, for a airfield scenario. I do like the 1/100 for gaming though as I play Battlegroup and I have added some weights to my aerial stands so these won't tip over even on uneven ground.