"ROCO 1:87(?) actual scale by item" Topic

I have had a fairly large mixed collection of ROCO and 1:72 WW2 armor for many years, and have noted a discrepancy in the scales of some items. For example, #101 and #102 (M4A1 and M4A4) are noticeably different sized, and #106,107,108 (PzKw IVs) are smaller than #174, #175 (PzKw IIIs), when they should be a bit larger. Is there a definitive list floating around of the ROCO line of models, with the actual scale of each item? It would make grouping like scale items together on the battle table easier. As noted elsewhere, when we were younger, and we could get ROCOs for a dollar or so apiece, the variances in size/scale just weren't as egregious as they seem to be today, when an Airfix/ESCI soldier can peek over the turret top of a Sherman or PzIV.

I've noted that too. Particularly with the Pzkw IIIs and IVs.
I think its not so much about scale as when the models were issued (note how the IIIs were issued later). It may simply be a quality control issue.

Am I missing something here? Roco models were supposed to be 1:87 scale; inevitably a tank in 1:87 scale is going to look ridiculous alongside an infantry figure scaled to 1:72 ( AirFix/ Esci)
If the query is about variation in scale of models that are supposed to be same scale (1:87), then that is apronlem, although it does occur across othermodel ranges.

I believe that USR was clear. He has a mix of ROCO (1/87) and 1/72.
This was common practice in the 70s, due to a lack of choice in both scales. And, as he points out, ROCO was cheap back then.

There is a 1-87_military_models group in the yahoo groups that may be able to answer this. That group looks to be pretty active currently. (If you find a listing stating which are over or under sized for 1/87, please post it for the rest of us.)

The original Panzer IV (#108) was too small. This was rectified when it was re-released (#705). Then the size matched up much better with the Panzer III. At this point Roco also released the Jagdpanzer IV/48, Hummel, Munitionstraeger Hummel, and re-released the Ostwind and Wirbelwind in the corrected size. Unfortunately they never went back and corrected the Panther, but Trident more than made up for that with their releases.

I forgot to mention the Nashorn/Hornisse was also released.

While I would never use the Roco tanks with my 1/76 collection, I do still use their soft skins and halftracks.

The first few Roco vehicles were about 1/100 scale. Most of the smaller vehicles were discontinued pretty early in the run. The Sherman Z101 and the Panzer IV and Panther were much smaller than HO scale but were kept in production for decades after the other small ones were discontinued.

The later Sherman Z202 was the right size, HO 1/87 scale, their new Panzer IV is HO 1/87 scale, but you have to go to Heiser Models or Trident to get a real HO scale 1/87 Panther.

The use of 1/72nd and 1/76th scale plastic figures with HO scale vehicles started in the very early 1960's when Roco and Airfix were widely sold in the USA by mass marketers. HO scale military figures were hard to find and 1/72nd scale vehicles were rare. Many people today, like me, stiff do that.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog

The original Airfix figures were also pretty small. They looked fine with Roco, and were the mainstay of our school wargaming club.

Roco only made 1/87 and 1/90 military vehicles. The 1/90 vehicles were early copies of Roskopf 1/100 releases. Roskopf only made 1/100 and 1/87 vehicles. Neither Roco nor Roskopf released anything in 1/72 or 1/76.

Any size discrepancies would be between 1/87 (or 1/90) and 1/100.

@PanMarek. Thank you, but I don't think the nature of USR's query was completely clear as he referred to an Airfix Esci infatry figure peering over the top of (presumably) a Roco tank. Putting 1/87 models alongside 1/72 figure is always going to look odd. When the same manufacturer varies scale of different products without making it clear that is annoying and I sympathise. Didn't Roco go into administration?
@Martin Rapier: I believe you are correct re the original Airfix WW2 figures, as they were 1/76 and the modern ones (actually rebadged Esci or Italeri?) are 1/72, although, like "20mm" that seems to be a matter of interpretation rather than mathematics.