What is a 1/48 Scale?

Answer 1

it means the measurements are 1/48th of the original size. For instance, if you had a 1/48 model of boat that was 48 feet long, the model would only be 1 foot long. They also use this concept in maps.

Answer 2

It's a measure of how much smaller the model is than the original. For instance, if you have a 1/48-scale model of a 48-foot boat, the model would be one foot long; a model of a 24-foot airplane would be six inches long, et cetera.

This Web page has a good description of some of the commonly available scales, including examples of some of the companies that produce models in the scales listed in the chart:

http://www.diecast101.com/scales/index.asp

For train collectors, 1/48 is pretty close to "O" gauge (1/45), certainly close enough that you could use 1/48 models for scenery and backdrops for an O-gauge railroad layout.

Answer 3

The first three answers are all basically right... these scales are often used for models... airplanes, cars, boats, tanks...

Model airplanes are usually 1/32, 1/48, 1/72, 1/144 scale... are the most common

Cars and tanks are often 1/24 or 1/25 scale for the smaller ones... but you can get cars, trucks, planes and others in 1/4 scale as well.. they are quite large. The larger the scale numbers, the smaller the actual model. So, 1/144 scale is quite small compared to, say a 1/32 scale model.

Answer 4

1 inch = 48 inches to scale.

Answer 5

My guess is that it means an object is a miniature of another object, and it is 1/48th the size of the real thing. For example, a matchbox car Corvette might only be 1/48th the size of a real Corvette. You would have to double the size of the matchbox car 48 times in order for it to be the same size as the real car.

Answer 6

If something was, in the real world, 8 feet long, the model depicting that object would be 2 inches long. It's a way to "scale" down something so you're not trying to paint/assemble a model that's life sized.

Answer 7

It's shown at approximately 2% of its real size.