Somehow the GI Joe scale (1/6) pilot (Elite Forces Luftwaffe) I have looks a little too big for my 1/6.5 scale EIII. The calculations seem about right, i.e. a 6' pilot would stand about 11" scale tall and even a shorter 5'7" pilot would still be 10" or so. In this regard the Elite pilot seems right.

But in the old photos the pilots seem so much smaller -- almost teeny in the cockpit. In the photo below the mechanics face is about level with the prop hub so on my model that would be somewhere about 9" maximum. What's up? Of course, it could always be my math! I'm not an English teacher for nothing!

Small mechanic?

A couple of things to consider, your pilot is 12" and that makes him Tall. If you were to get a pilot that was in the 50th percentile group he would be around 5'6-7", meaning half the guys were taller and half the guys were shorter. I would opt for a smaller guy. Second thing to consider is the "Scale Size" of your plane. Most planes are not scale in all respects. This includes length and width. So even if your pilot IS scale he may appear out of scale because of the plane's dimensions. Choose a pilot that looks correct regardless of the scale and you'll be fine.

And one MORE thing! How do I get that damn DOG to stay on the wing in flight???

Also, even today, the military prefer small pilots because of the cramped cockpit conditions, and the lesser weight. In the early days, I would have expected weight to be an even greater consideration.


Can't help you with the dog. I could not even get mine to stay on the seat of my motorcycle

Les

Have you ever considered this?

Maybe during WWI they wanted small pilots so that a) they would be smaller targets to hit and b) their planes would look bigger and therefore more intimidating to the enemy.

It's a fact that people (men) were much smaller 90 years ago than today and even in WWII. I went to the Smithsonian Museum a few years ago and was really surprised when looking at the actual uniforms and civilian clothing of 'average' people from 100 years ago how tiny they seemed compared to today.

But there are always exceptions to every rule and even 90 years ago when the average was small compared to today there must have been at least a few 6 footer's flying those old machines. That would make your pilot scale unless he is supposed to be replicating an historical figure who was under 6' tall.

Abu,

Since we share the same interest, antique planes, I have a lot of doc, books and pictures on the subject. In a small book named "Above Flanders fields", there is a lot of squadron pictures, where pilots pose in a row in front of a plane...It is amazing to see how they were small guys and tall ones...so I would not worry about that...The apparel, however, did vary a lot from the early years and the end of the war, at what time they almost always had overall. Concentrate on a pilot that is dressed up right, the size is correct if you want a guy my size (?) 73".
The Red Baron was a small fell, but Boelke was tall...
Good luck,and congrats fortis super model..I like the gear and all the details you did add on it
Al

Those figures are 12" tall so if you do the math at 1/6.5 scale that equates to a 6' 6" person. Very tall even by today's standards. WWI pilots were probably more in the 5' to 5' 6" range. That's why your pilot looks too big.