GENERAL INFORMATION

 

How big is the scale

For example, 1/18 scale model means that the length of the model is  1/18 of actual vehicle .If you chop up a vehicle in to 18 pieces, one piece length will be the same length as the 1/18 scale model.

How big is scale car model – 1/64, 1/43, 1/24, 1/32, 1/18…

1/18 scale cars are about 10”-12” inches long
1/64 scale cars are about 3” inches long
1/24 scale cars are about 7”-8” inches long
1/32 scale cars are about 4”-5” inches long
1/12 scale cars are about 13”-15” inches long

What is diecast

Diecast is a term used in hobby industry referring to a model body.
Diecast models doesn’t mean it is 100% metal model. A diecast toy (sometimes written as die cast or die-cast) is any toy produced through the die casting method of metal casting, and is typically made of a zinc alloy (or, in some cases, lead). Die casting is a process in which a molten metal alloy is forced under high pressure into a mold creating a product similar to injection mold plastic but made of metal. This relatively simple method was perfect for mass-producing toys of all kinds in the era before inexpensive plastics were developed. In addition to diecast model cars other vehicles such as planes, trains, motorcycles and even spaceships have also been produced. Japanese toy manufacturer Bandai first developed the ‘Chogokin’ (the Japanese word for “super alloy”) line of diecast giant robot toys that have been in production since the 1970s. The painstaking process for creating these toys is the same as in the production of classic car lines.One major appeal of diecast cars is how brands have been able to authentically recreate full-size cars at a much smaller scale. This has been the case since the early days of die casting. One of the first diecast cars from iconic toy manufacturer Dinky Toys was a model of the 1930s race car ‘The Speed of the Wind,’ driven by British race car driver and engineer George Eyston when he broke the land speed record. Many famous car brands such as Chrysler, Ford, Rolls-Royce and Volkswagen have also been captured in miniature size. Trucks are also a popular style among collectors, and branded models like the Heinz truck from Dinky Toys are particularly sought-after.

A Dinky Supertoys Guy Warrior ‘Heinz’ Van (920). Sold for £1100 via Wallis & Wallis (November 2017).
A Dinky Supertoys Guy Warrior ‘Heinz’ Van (920). Sold for £1100 via Wallis & Wallis (November 2017).

The history of diecast car models:

The term die-cast toy here refers to any toy or collectible model produced by using the die casting method of putting molten lead or zinc alloy in a mold to produce a particular shape. Such toys are made of metal, with plastic, rubber, glass, or other machined metal parts. Wholly plastic toys are made by a similar process of injection moulding, but the two methods are distinct because of the properties of the materials.

Typical early Dinky diecast toy,

with multiple parts and rubber tyres, but

early models had no glazed windows.

 

 

Process

The metal used in die-casting is either a lead alloy (used early on), or more commonly, Zamak (called Mazak in the UK), an alloy of zinc with small quantities of aluminium and copper. Lead or iron are impurities that must be carefully avoided in Zamac, as they give rise to a deterioration of the metal most commonly called zinc pest. The terms white metal or pot metal are also used when applied to alloys based more on lead or iron. The most common die-cast vehicles are scale models of automobiles, aircraft, military vehicles, construction equipment, and trains, although almost anything can be produced by this method, like Monopoly game pieces, furniture handles, or metal garden sprinklers.

A die-cast biplane.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Industry Leaders

A Die Cast Boeing 747 model in 1:400 scale

Diecast (or die cast, or die-cast) toys were first produced early in the 20th century by manufacturers such as Meccano (Dinky Toys) in the United Kingdom, Dowst Brothers (TootsieToys) in the United States and Fonderie de précision de Nanterre (Solido) in France. The first models on the market were basic, consisting of a small vehicle body with no interior. In the early days, as mentioned, it was common for impurities in the alloy to result in zinc pest, and the casting would distort, crack, or crumble. As a result, diecast toys made before World War II are difficult to find in good condition. The later high-purity Zamak alloy avoided this problem.Lesney began making diecast toys in 1947. Their popular Matchbox 1-75 series was so named because there were always 75 different vehicles in the line, each packaged in a small box designed to look like those used for matches. These toys became so popular that the “Matchbox” became widely used as a generic term for any diecast toy car, regardless of manufacturer.

The popularity of diecast toys developed through the 1950s as their detail and quality increased. More companies entered the field, including successful brands like Corgi brand, produced by Mettoy, Italian Mercury, Danish Tekno, or German Schuco and Gama Toys. Corgi Toys appeared in 1956 and pioneered the use of interiors and windows in their models.

In 1968, Hot Wheels were introduced in the United States by Mattel to address the complaint that they had no line of toys for boys to balance their line of Barbie dolls for girls. Because they looked fast and were fast (they were equipped with a low-friction wheels/axles), Hot Wheels quickly became the most popular diecast cars in the toy market, becoming one of the world’s top sellers, challenging the popularity of Matchbox.

Since 2009, the Diecast Hall of Fame inducts designers, industry executives and others that have made major contributions to the industry.

Promotionals

1:24 Diecast Model of the Honda Valkyrie

Although advertising had been used by Meccano (Dinky Toys) since 1934, during the 1960s new companies began to use diecast vehicles exclusively as promotional items. The idea that children play a large role in a family’s purchasing decisions was key. There is also the fact that children grown up to buy products that they were exposed to when young. Matchbox vehicles mildly advertised a variety of mainly British products like Singer sewing machines, Tetley tea, Pickford’s movers, or Coca-Cola. As time passed, companies such as McDonald’s, Sears Roebuck, Kodak and Texaco commissioned toymakers to produce promotional models featuring their names and logos or licensed their use. One early example was an American Airlines London bus produced by Matchbox, an idea some other airlines quickly copied.

Beginning in the mid 1970s, trucks and other commercial vehicles grew greatly in popularity. Matchbox started the trend when they re-launched their Models of Yesteryear range. They made a score of different versions of their Y-12 Ford Model T van, along with other trucks in colorful liveries such as Coca-Cola, Colman’s Mustard, and Cerebos Salt. They also made promotional versions for Smith’s Crisps (potato chips) and Harrods department store. Some models were made exclusively for certain markets and immediately became quite expensive elsewhere: Arnott’s Biscuits (Australia) and Sunlight Seife (soap, Germany) are examples.

 

Corgi copied this idea when they expanded the Corgi Classics line in the mid-1980s, producing more than 50 versions of a 1920s era Thornycroft van. Corgi also produced hundreds of versions of their 1/64 scale Routemaster bus in the 1980s and 1990s. Multitudes of versions were made to be sold exclusively in the stores advertised on the bus flanks. Harrods, Selfridges, Gamley’s, Hamley’s, Army & Navy, Underwood’s, and Beatties were among the British stores employing this idea. A South African chain called Dion was one of the few overseas firms to follow suit. Many collectors took pleasure in the variety, but some disparaged the development as “collecting paint” as the castings were identical; only the decorations were different. In any event, it was a great cost saving measure as companies put less money into expensive casting tooling. So, by the 1980s a new trend had solidified as many diecast vehicles were now being purchased by adults as collectibles, and not just as toys for children. Aluminium die cast is playing a big role in automobile sectors.

Variety of Different Themes

A die cast Yamaha motorcycle model in 1:18 scale

In the 1970s, Japanese toymaker Popy (owned by the larger Bandai) created a line of die-cast toys based on the popular Super Robot anime series of the period. The line was named Chogokin, meaning “Super Alloy”, that futuristic metal robot Mazinger Z was said to be made of. The weighty toys were meant to give kids a sense of heftiness of robots in the cartoons. In a similar manner, Popy’s other line was Jumbo Machinder (known in the West as Shogun Warriors) whose metal make-up gave children the idea that their toys were made of the same stuff as the “real” robots. The line proved popular, with some figures imported to the west. In the late nineties, Bandai created the Soul of Chogokin line of adult collector figures featuring metal parts, as a callback to the original Chogokin toys, and then the smaller but similar Super Robot Chogokin line.

1/76 scale buses became very popular in Britain in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with competing lines from Corgi (the Original Omnibus Company) and Gilbow Holdings (Exclusive First Editions, or EFE) fighting for the market. The 1/76 scale fits in with British ‘OO’ scale model trains.

By the 1990s, 1:18 scale diecast cars became very popular in the United States, but the popularity of that scale waned approaching the millennium. By 1990 also, NASCAR stock car racing enjoyed increasing popularity in the USA, and a large number of racing-related NASCAR diecast cars and trucks, painted in the colors of the racing teams, appeared from various manufacturers. Racing Champions was a leading brand, but there were many others.

Diecast aircraft and military models also became popular. While Dinky had made aircraft decades earlier, new companies entered the field in the 1980s and 1990s. One producer was Dyna-Flytes, which went bankrupt in the 1990s, but their market share was quickly taken up by their competitors, including Schabak, GeminiJets, Herpa, and Dragon Wings.

In 2005 Oxford Diecast entered the scale accurate market with range of vehicles in popular British railway scales of 1:76 and 1:148. This and a radically enhanced product in its 1:43 scale range meant the company rapidly grew sales and UK market share, becoming the dominant player within 5 years. Licensing agreements with BBC TV for the Top Gear programme and UK Haulier Eddie Stobart followed as they expanded into licensed product.

Vintage die-cast car models

A Norev model car made in France – a miniature representation of a real Renault 4CV and would have been sold as a children’s toy.

A diecast 1:10 scale Doepke ToysJaguar XK120 from 1955. One of two car models the company made, this model is 17.5 in (440 mm) long.

Moko Lesney no. 27 Flat bed truck box. Reproduction boxes can sometimes be difficult to spot.

Corgi no. 241 Ghia Chrysler. Everything opens on this model and in many ways it is the epitome of Corgi sophistication.

CMC Models Maserati 250 Grand Prix car. Classic Model Cars (CMC) are usually in 1:18 scale and sell for between $300 and $800

Model scales

Die-cast toys and models come in various scales, the most popular ones being:

  • 1:12 scale – Very large, highly detailed models; usually about 14 or 15 in (36 or 38 cm) long; mainly targeted at adult collectors. These models are generally much more expensive than the 1:18 models. Many diecast motorcycles are also produced in this scale.
  • 1:18 scale – Large, detailed models, usually about 7 or 8 in (18 or 20 cm) long; mostly targeted at adults. America is the main market for these, although European, Asian and Australian companies also produce at this scale. 14+ age limit is typically written on the boxes. This scale is generally for collectors.
  • 1:25 scale – Numerically, there is little difference between 1:24 and 1:25 scale, but historically, they represent very different approaches to modelling. Plastic promotional models and kits made in the United States as early as the post-war 1940s were traditionally in 1:25 scale.
  • 1:24 scale – This size became a standard among international diecast model makers like Mebetoys and Bburago of Italy during the 1980s. Companies like Maisto and Jada Toys today also focus on this scale. Franklin Mint, Trax, and many others also use this scale. An 8+ age limit is often written on the boxes, although there are some exceptions, like Welly, which have 14+ age limit on some models.
  • 1:32 scale – Intermediate size, most common for model tractors and other agricultural vehicles; Britains has used this scale for decades, and it is also used by Ertl and Siku. Vintage car brands like Signature Models are common in 1:32 scale.
  • 1:36 scale – Popularized by Corgi in the 1970s, a common scale for toy vehicles seen as more properly sized for youngsters – such as models from Maisto, Kinsmart and Welly.
  • 1:34 scale – Used almost exclusively by First Gear Models of the USA for their large scale diecast trucks.
  • 1:43 scale – The most popular scale for model cars worldwide and dating from as early as the 1930s. This scale was made popular by Dinky as compatible with O gauge model railways. This scale is the most commonly used in Britain, Europe, Japan and Australia, but less so in the USA. In the 1950s and 1960s 1:43 scale models were sold more as toys while later In the US, Canada, Europe, Japan, and even South Africa, 1:43 became favored for handbuilt models in resin and white metal. It was common also for trucks, but these are often found in the more manageable 1:50 scale.
  • 1:48 scale – Several companies produce diecast model aircraft in 1:48 scale, which is a popular scale for plastic construction kits. Some diecast military vehicles and model train accessories are also made in this scale.
  • 1:50 scale – The most widely used scale for construction vehicles and for other trucks and buses.
  • 1:55 scale – used mostly by Siku of Germany for its toy range of cars and trucks. The Disney-Pixar Cars Die-Cast Line by Mattel are nominally in this scale.
  • 1:60 scale – the scale of the immensely popular pre- and post-war military vehicles series by Dinky Toys (including military Dinky Supertoys), and still used by many military modelers.
  • 1:64 scale – popular for farm models and American model trucks. Matchbox, Hot Wheels, Johnny Lightning, Greenlight and model NASCAR racers are nominally this size. However, in recent years, Japanese companies like Kyosho, Aoshima and CM’s Corp have been producing ranges of highly detailed 1:64 models, including racing cars and road cars, with CM’s Corp mainly producing 1:64 rally model cars. Australian models are available in this size from Biante and some other brands. This scale is compatible with S scalemodel trains.
  • 1:66 scale – Roughly a ‘Matchbox’ size, used most commonly by Schuco. It should be remembered though that most producers of smaller diecast did not stick regularly to one scale – they stuck to one size – approximately 2.5 to 3 inches long, meaning trucks and sports cars were made the same size to fit in similar packaging and small hands – and not to a strict scale.
  • 1:72 scale – usually used for military die-cast armoured fighting vehicles due to compatibility with 1:72 plastic construction kits.
  • 1:76 scale – scale popular mainly in Britain, Australia and Hong Kong for highly detailed buses and lorries such as those by EFE and Corgi OOC, and Trax Models in Australia. A major growth in this scale was caused when Oxford Diecast entered the market with a range of over 90 different cars and commercial vehicles. These models were originally intended as OO scale model railway accessories, but became collectibles in their own right.
  • 1:87 scale – These are compatible with H0 scale model trains, and tend to be more popular in the USA and continental Europe. They are more commonly made of plastic, and German companies such as Herpa and Wiking produce wide ranges of highly detailed models in this scale.
  • 1:148 scale – compatible with British N scale model trains, this scale has recently gained popularity in the UK due to its compact size and low priced models from Oxford Diecast.
  • 1:400 scale – A common scale for aircraft, as a car in this scale would be fairly tiny.
  • Meccano (Dinky Toys) aircraft were made at scales ranging from 1/122 to 1/265 and their ships from 1/1200 to 1/1985

The history of diecast car models:

The term die-cast toy here refers to any toy or collectible model produced by using the die casting method of putting molten lead or zinc alloy in a mold to produce a particular shape. Such toys are made of metal, with plastic, rubber, glass, or other machined metal parts. Wholly plastic toys are made by a similar process of injection moulding, but the two methods are distinct because of the properties of the materials.

Typical early Dinky diecast toy,

with multiple parts and rubber tyres, but

early models had no glazed windows.

 

 

Process

The metal used in die-casting is either a lead alloy (used early on), or more commonly, Zamak (called Mazak in the UK), an alloy of zinc with small quantities of aluminium and copper. Lead or iron are impurities that must be carefully avoided in Zamac, as they give rise to a deterioration of the metal most commonly called zinc pest. The terms white metal or pot metal are also used when applied to alloys based more on lead or iron. The most common die-cast vehicles are scale models of automobiles, aircraft, military vehicles, construction equipment, and trains, although almost anything can be produced by this method, like Monopoly game pieces, furniture handles, or metal garden sprinklers.

A die-cast biplane.

Industry Leaders

A Die Cast Boeing 747 model in 1:400 scale

Diecast (or die cast, or die-cast) toys were first produced early in the 20th century by manufacturers such as Meccano (Dinky Toys) in the United Kingdom, Dowst Brothers (TootsieToys) in the United States and Fonderie de précision de Nanterre (Solido) in France. The first models on the market were basic, consisting of a small vehicle body with no interior. In the early days, as mentioned, it was common for impurities in the alloy to result in zinc pest, and the casting would distort, crack, or crumble. As a result, diecast toys made before World War II are difficult to find in good condition. The later high-purity Zamak alloy avoided this problem.Lesney began making diecast toys in 1947. Their popular Matchbox 1-75 series was so named because there were always 75 different vehicles in the line, each packaged in a small box designed to look like those used for matches. These toys became so popular that the “Matchbox” became widely used as a generic term for any diecast toy car, regardless of manufacturer.

The popularity of diecast toys developed through the 1950s as their detail and quality increased. More companies entered the field, including successful brands like Corgi brand, produced by Mettoy, Italian Mercury, Danish Tekno, or German Schuco and Gama Toys. Corgi Toys appeared in 1956 and pioneered the use of interiors and windows in their models.

In 1968, Hot Wheels were introduced in the United States by Mattel to address the complaint that they had no line of toys for boys to balance their line of Barbie dolls for girls. Because they looked fast and were fast (they were equipped with a low-friction wheels/axles), Hot Wheels quickly became the most popular diecast cars in the toy market, becoming one of the world’s top sellers, challenging the popularity of Matchbox.

Since 2009, the Diecast Hall of Fame inducts designers, industry executives and others that have made major contributions to the industry.

Promotionals

1:24 Diecast Model of the Honda Valkyrie

Although advertising had been used by Meccano (Dinky Toys) since 1934, during the 1960s new companies began to use diecast vehicles exclusively as promotional items. The idea that children play a large role in a family’s purchasing decisions was key. There is also the fact that children grown up to buy products that they were exposed to when young. Matchbox vehicles mildly advertised a variety of mainly British products like Singer sewing machines, Tetley tea, Pickford’s movers, or Coca-Cola. As time passed, companies such as McDonald’s, Sears Roebuck, Kodak and Texaco commissioned toymakers to produce promotional models featuring their names and logos or licensed their use. One early example was an American Airlines London bus produced by Matchbox, an idea some other airlines quickly copied.

Beginning in the mid 1970s, trucks and other commercial vehicles grew greatly in popularity. Matchbox started the trend when they re-launched their Models of Yesteryear range. They made a score of different versions of their Y-12 Ford Model T van, along with other trucks in colorful liveries such as Coca-Cola, Colman’s Mustard, and Cerebos Salt. They also made promotional versions for Smith’s Crisps (potato chips) and Harrods department store. Some models were made exclusively for certain markets and immediately became quite expensive elsewhere: Arnott’s Biscuits (Australia) and Sunlight Seife (soap, Germany) are examples.

 

Corgi copied this idea when they expanded the Corgi Classics line in the mid-1980s, producing more than 50 versions of a 1920s era Thornycroft van. Corgi also produced hundreds of versions of their 1/64 scale Routemaster bus in the 1980s and 1990s. Multitudes of versions were made to be sold exclusively in the stores advertised on the bus flanks. Harrods, Selfridges, Gamley’s, Hamley’s, Army & Navy, Underwood’s, and Beatties were among the British stores employing this idea. A South African chain called Dion was one of the few overseas firms to follow suit. Many collectors took pleasure in the variety, but some disparaged the development as “collecting paint” as the castings were identical; only the decorations were different. In any event, it was a great cost saving measure as companies put less money into expensive casting tooling. So, by the 1980s a new trend had solidified as many diecast vehicles were now being purchased by adults as collectibles, and not just as toys for children. Aluminium die cast is playing a big role in automobile sectors.

Variety of Different Themes

A die cast Yamaha motorcycle model in 1:18 scale

In the 1970s, Japanese toymaker Popy (owned by the larger Bandai) created a line of die-cast toys based on the popular Super Robot anime series of the period. The line was named Chogokin, meaning “Super Alloy”, that futuristic metal robot Mazinger Z was said to be made of. The weighty toys were meant to give kids a sense of heftiness of robots in the cartoons. In a similar manner, Popy’s other line was Jumbo Machinder (known in the West as Shogun Warriors) whose metal make-up gave children the idea that their toys were made of the same stuff as the “real” robots. The line proved popular, with some figures imported to the west. In the late nineties, Bandai created the Soul of Chogokin line of adult collector figures featuring metal parts, as a callback to the original Chogokin toys, and then the smaller but similar Super Robot Chogokin line.

1/76 scale buses became very popular in Britain in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with competing lines from Corgi (the Original Omnibus Company) and Gilbow Holdings (Exclusive First Editions, or EFE) fighting for the market. The 1/76 scale fits in with British ‘OO’ scale model trains.

By the 1990s, 1:18 scale diecast cars became very popular in the United States, but the popularity of that scale waned approaching the millennium. By 1990 also, NASCAR stock car racing enjoyed increasing popularity in the USA, and a large number of racing-related NASCAR diecast cars and trucks, painted in the colors of the racing teams, appeared from various manufacturers. Racing Champions was a leading brand, but there were many others.

Diecast aircraft and military models also became popular. While Dinky had made aircraft decades earlier, new companies entered the field in the 1980s and 1990s. One producer was Dyna-Flytes, which went bankrupt in the 1990s, but their market share was quickly taken up by their competitors, including Schabak, GeminiJets, Herpa, and Dragon Wings.

In 2005 Oxford Diecast entered the scale accurate market with range of vehicles in popular British railway scales of 1:76 and 1:148. This and a radically enhanced product in its 1:43 scale range meant the company rapidly grew sales and UK market share, becoming the dominant player within 5 years. Licensing agreements with BBC TV for the Top Gear programme and UK Haulier Eddie Stobart followed as they expanded into licensed product.

Vintage die-cast car models

A Norev model car made in France – a miniature representation of a real Renault 4CV and would have been sold as a children’s toy.

A diecast 1:10 scale Doepke ToysJaguar XK120 from 1955. One of two car models the company made, this model is 17.5 in (440 mm) long.

Moko Lesney no. 27 Flat bed truck box. Reproduction boxes can sometimes be difficult to spot.

Corgi no. 241 Ghia Chrysler. Everything opens on this model and in many ways it is the epitome of Corgi sophistication.

CMC Models Maserati 250 Grand Prix car. Classic Model Cars (CMC) are usually in 1:18 scale and sell for between $300 and $800

Model scales

Die-cast toys and models come in various scales, the most popular ones being:

  • 1:12 scale – Very large, highly detailed models; usually about 14 or 15 in (36 or 38 cm) long; mainly targeted at adult collectors. These models are generally much more expensive than the 1:18 models. Many diecast motorcycles are also produced in this scale.
  • 1:18 scale – Large, detailed models, usually about 7 or 8 in (18 or 20 cm) long; mostly targeted at adults. America is the main market for these, although European, Asian and Australian companies also produce at this scale. 14+ age limit is typically written on the boxes. This scale is generally for collectors.
  • 1:25 scale – Numerically, there is little difference between 1:24 and 1:25 scale, but historically, they represent very different approaches to modelling. Plastic promotional models and kits made in the United States as early as the post-war 1940s were traditionally in 1:25 scale.
  • 1:24 scale – This size became a standard among international diecast model makers like Mebetoys and Bburago of Italy during the 1980s. Companies like Maisto and Jada Toys today also focus on this scale. Franklin Mint, Trax, and many others also use this scale. An 8+ age limit is often written on the boxes, although there are some exceptions, like Welly, which have 14+ age limit on some models.
  • 1:32 scale – Intermediate size, most common for model tractors and other agricultural vehicles; Britains has used this scale for decades, and it is also used by Ertl and Siku. Vintage car brands like Signature Models are common in 1:32 scale.
  • 1:36 scale – Popularized by Corgi in the 1970s, a common scale for toy vehicles seen as more properly sized for youngsters – such as models from Maisto, Kinsmart and Welly.
  • 1:34 scale – Used almost exclusively by First Gear Models of the USA for their large scale diecast trucks.
  • 1:43 scale – The most popular scale for model cars worldwide and dating from as early as the 1930s. This scale was made popular by Dinky as compatible with O gauge model railways. This scale is the most commonly used in Britain, Europe, Japan and Australia, but less so in the USA. In the 1950s and 1960s 1:43 scale models were sold more as toys while later In the US, Canada, Europe, Japan, and even South Africa, 1:43 became favored for handbuilt models in resin and white metal. It was common also for trucks, but these are often found in the more manageable 1:50 scale.
  • 1:48 scale – Several companies produce diecast model aircraft in 1:48 scale, which is a popular scale for plastic construction kits. Some diecast military vehicles and model train accessories are also made in this scale.
  • 1:50 scale – The most widely used scale for construction vehicles and for other trucks and buses.
  • 1:55 scale – used mostly by Siku of Germany for its toy range of cars and trucks. The Disney-Pixar Cars Die-Cast Line by Mattel are nominally in this scale.
  • 1:60 scale – the scale of the immensely popular pre- and post-war military vehicles series by Dinky Toys (including military Dinky Supertoys), and still used by many military modelers.
  • 1:64 scale – popular for farm models and American model trucks. Matchbox, Hot Wheels, Johnny Lightning, Greenlight and model NASCAR racers are nominally this size. However, in recent years, Japanese companies like Kyosho, Aoshima and CM’s Corp have been producing ranges of highly detailed 1:64 models, including racing cars and road cars, with CM’s Corp mainly producing 1:64 rally model cars. Australian models are available in this size from Biante and some other brands. This scale is compatible with S scalemodel trains.
  • 1:66 scale – Roughly a ‘Matchbox’ size, used most commonly by Schuco. It should be remembered though that most producers of smaller diecast did not stick regularly to one scale – they stuck to one size – approximately 2.5 to 3 inches long, meaning trucks and sports cars were made the same size to fit in similar packaging and small hands – and not to a strict scale.
  • 1:72 scale – usually used for military die-cast armoured fighting vehicles due to compatibility with 1:72 plastic construction kits.
  • 1:76 scale – scale popular mainly in Britain, Australia and Hong Kong for highly detailed buses and lorries such as those by EFE and Corgi OOC, and Trax Models in Australia. A major growth in this scale was caused when Oxford Diecast entered the market with a range of over 90 different cars and commercial vehicles. These models were originally intended as OO scale model railway accessories, but became collectibles in their own right.
  • 1:87 scale – These are compatible with H0 scale model trains, and tend to be more popular in the USA and continental Europe. They are more commonly made of plastic, and German companies such as Herpa and Wiking produce wide ranges of highly detailed models in this scale.
  • 1:148 scale – compatible with British N scale model trains, this scale has recently gained popularity in the UK due to its compact size and low priced models from Oxford Diecast.
  • 1:400 scale – A common scale for aircraft, as a car in this scale would be fairly tiny.
  • Meccano (Dinky Toys) aircraft were made at scales ranging from 1/122 to 1/265 and their ships from 1/1200 to 1/1985

 Collectible Diecast Car Models

 Collectible Diecast Motorcycle Models

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Collectible Diecast Car Models

 Collectible Diecast Motorcycle Models