The Mystery of Scale: Part Three

Just today, I found this on my Facebook feed.

Source: Isaiah Takahasi

It's an impressive composite water scene of an RX 78-2 towering over what seems to be a Catalina-type sailboat yacht, but something seems off.

Yup, the scale is all wrong. The RX is too big compared to the size of the Catalina, which is about 10m from the base to the tip of the sail, and considering foreshortening, the RX is still rather huge since it's only 18m in 1:1 scale.

But, using the known average height of the Catalina which is around 10m, we can interpolate the height of that RX in the photo/image (proportionate to the GTO kit) to be around 50m, just as tall as the first version of Gojira.

Source: Google Search

So, it really is off scale, almost 3 times its actual height. At that height, the scale of the RX against its 1/1 counterpart is 2.78/1. Rule of thumb: The higher the value of the denominator, the smaller the scale height would be, hence why 1/144 scale of a certain object at 1/1 is smaller than its 1/100 scale counterpart)

Now Someone commented that the boat is 1/144 and that the RX is 1/48. We don't really mix scales when doing dioramas, and I know what the person meant, but sure, let's bite.

Using 1:1 height reference, the scale of the RX would be 1/36, and not 1/48. How did I get that number? Again, by using fractions, ratios and proportions which we learned in grade school and high school. Let's assign xb as the unknown scale we're trying to figure out, knowing the 1:1 height of the RX at 1800cm, the 1:1 height of the boat at 10m, and its estimated height of the RX in the image at 5000cm (1m=100cm), we get

Or, for the mathematically-challenged, here's a visual (which still requires Math to figure out, unfortunately). At 1/144, the height of the boat would be at 7cm (1000/144=6.94444~),  the height of the RX would be 12.5cm (1800/144). At 1/100, the boat and the RX are 10cm and 18cm respectively. At 1/48 (Mega-Size), the height of the RX would be 37.5 cm. At 1/60 (Perfect Grade) the height would be 30cm.

 

Here's where it goes nutty: If we use the 50m height as 1/1, the 1/48 height would be 104cm, while the 1/36 would be a whopping 139cm, almost a meter and a half, which is about the average height of a tall adolescent, or a small adult. I was overthinking this, but, if we interpolate the 1/36 and 1/48 heights into 1:1 relative to the height of the boat of 10m, then we get 50m and 37.5m respectively.

(Sidenote: I did get a little bit confused here earlier because of the 18m and 50m heights, since I thought I made a computation error to get 1/36. As it turns out, the 1/100 scale of 50m and 1/36 scale of 18m are both 50cm).

Now, here's how it should look like when everything is on the same scale.

Where's that rampaging T-Rex when you need it?

So, again, to determine the height of an object based on scale, you need to know one other value: the height of another object you can compare it to. Research comes into play in this case, since the only object I can compare the RX with is the Catalina. Even if you don't know anything about boats, you can simply do a keyword search for sailboat dimensions, which is exactly what I did.

In closing, I'd like to share with you this very nice image that depict the heights of different robots and super robots in relation to one another.

Source: All-over the Internet, but, where the heck is Gurren Lagann?

Why Gundams do not Rust

Disclaimer: I've seen impressive weathering done on Gunpla. I've also seen overly or improperly done weathering that looks as if they were dunk in a vat of oil or greasetrap gunk, or were haplessly lathered in marker inks, without any direction or logic. This article does not intend to hamper one's preference, standard or style, but rather simply explains the subtle logical reasons why Gundams or most Mobile Suits (MS), especially those that operate in space, do not rust. Such is the case, there are people who scream Gunpra iz Fleedom at people who actually know a thing or two about modeling and weathering when they make a polite comment* about how their weathering looks more like a cat puked it out, I won't show those, ugh, dirty socks.

First, let me start with a couple of things I posted a while back in several of the Facebook groups I was in. 

I've never liked the RX78-2, or, overly weathered kits. Gundams do not rust after all. But, this one is impressive. The modeler's name is M Live, and no surprise there, he's Japanese. It's dirty to the point of being haplessly lathered with dirt, but it somehow looks nice. In the discussion, someone commented that it was probably the pose that did it, and I would tend to agree.

Impressive Weathering by M Live

At the other end of the spectrum, there's minimalist weathering done by Zaku in a Box, which is what an MS would look like after a few days of deployment.

Minimalist Weathering by Zaku in a Box

I'd also have to include this magnificent Turn X done by Naoki The Turn X is one of my favorite MS designs as well. This is one of the best examples I can give when it comes to weathering done right. It's not overly weathered, has dirt in all the right places and does not look like someone dropped it in a vat of oil and viola! Instant weathering.

Turn X by Naoki

Now that that is out of the way, let's address the reason/s why Gundams do not rust.

One word: Gundarium.

Gundarium is the fictional metal alloy most Gundams or MS are made of. It's also called Luna Titanium (UC) mainly because it's sourced from the Moon, and Gundanium (Gundam Wing). As it is, Gundarium or Gundanium are alloys of Titanium. In Gundam SEED, the metals used Gundam and MS are also probably made with some form of Titanium alloys but are augmented by an electrostatic system (Phase-Shift Armor) which gives it added strength and durability against physical and projectile damage. In IBO, Gundams are made with nano-laminate armor, but who's to say that the metal component isn't a Titanium alloy of some sort either? I also have to mention 00 Mobile Suits which are made of e-Carbon, which as per lore is an artificial allotrope of Carbon (Carbon nanotubes), which is described as a materials with virtually no weakness and is corrosion resistant, so it's safe to say that it doesn't rust.

Titanium (Ti) is the 22nd element in the periodic table, with the same Atomic number. Produced in the heart of Supernovas, it's very ductile in its pure form, but when alloyed with other metals, becomes one of the strongest and hardest metal alloys on Earth, which is very resistant to corrosion. In fact when it oxidizes, the surface oxidation itself becomes its protection against further corrosion, as such it does not really corrode unlike cast iron metal or non-alloy steel which start to rust only after a few days exposed to the elements. Further, Titanium Dioxide, or titania, one of its naturally-occurring oxide forms, is used as a white pigment in paints.

Exposed to the elements, Titanium and its alloy forms would be very resistant to rusting, even after exposed for a very long time. If it does rust, it's most probably alloyed with iron, and only iron corrodes red.

Now, the other reason why Gundams don't rust in space should be rather obvious: the lack of oxygen in space. Granted that space colonies would have water and oxygen, these colonies would also be made of rust- and corrosion-resistant alloys which would mostly likely be Titanium. So, if one depicts a rusted MS in space, that would probably one which is not made of Gundarium or other Titanium alloys and have not been maintained properly. If the scene is a derelict, then it would probably be possible, but, it goes back to the point that, if it is a derelict, then it would be exposed to space, space is a vacuum, and in the vacuum of space, there is no oxygen or water (water freezes in space). No oxygen, no oxidation, no corrosion, no rust.

On the ground, it goes back to the same logic: how did that still-operating MS gets so rusty? In a continuous operation, the logical weathering would be scratched paint, projectile or beam weapon damage, dirt and dust on the edges and nooks and crannies.

 

But rust?

 

This is probably the only most realistic scene ever in the Gundam Universe.

 

Leiutenant Shiro Peeping Tom reporting for duty...

Ooops. Wrong scene.

 

Giant Robots ain't no match to the might of the miniscule dust and dirt...

We go back to that point of what Gundams and most MS are made of: Gundarium, which is an alloy of Titanium, which is corrosion-resistant, which if ever corrodes, has white corrosion.

Now, when the 00 was left on the field, flowers started to bloom and cover it, but it did not rust (as was depicted in the anime), since it is after all, made of carbon.

Source

Edit: Incidentally, I just recently came across this very impressive digital art by Aldiaz Nasher Arighi that depicts the RX 78-2 as a derelict in a forest scene, heavily battle-damaged and has started to rust in places.

 

Source

So, Gundams, in general, do not rust. Weathering, on the other hand, has logic to it:

• Less is more.
• Outside more than Inside.
• Lower more than Upper.
• Edges more than Flats.
• Corners more than Curves.

Too much of it, your masterpiece can look like a masterpiece of shit, which is probably okay if it is depicted as a derelict and is no longer in service. But, if you're lazy, as such you opt skip sanding, priming and painting altogether and decide to weather bare plastic, there's a natural weathering technique I can share with you.

Effortless Weathering, for the Lazy amongst us...

The Mystery of Scale Par Deux: Understanding Scale and Height

Scale is the proportions of an object based on two sets of dimensions, or the measurement of an object relative to two points of reference. Objects such as model kits, will have different measurements relative to its scale.

I had a not-so-unusual request from a friend to help him figure out the scale height of the recently released (July 2021) 1/32 Tyrannosaurus Rex Imaginary Skeleton kit from Bandai.

Oh Bandai. Another kit we don't really need, but would most likely get anyway, just because...

According to HLJ's release page, the assembled kit is about 35cm in length (13.78in for the metric-challenged), but says nothing about the assembled height (and in hindsight, wasn't really relevant). So I had to be creative and do what an intrepid researcher must do first when the information presented is incomplete: Google. (Sidenote: is anyone still using Yahoo, or other search engines?)

First thing I checked is the 1:1 height of a T-Rex.

Google is your Friend...

On average, a T-Rex would be around 5m in height, so I'll use that as a base reference for the 1:1 scale height. Using a simple equation we learned in high school (employing fractions, ratios and proportions), 

Math 101: scale is just ratio and proportions

the height of our reference T-Rex at 1/32 scale is around 15cm, which is roughly the height of 1/144 kits on average, with a few exceptions, like huge MS designs like the Sazabi (23m), Nu (22m), Sinanju (22.6m) and Unicorn (21.7m D-mode), all of which are above average Gundam head heights of 18m at 1:1. (Another sidenote: there are MS that have two height values, the head height, which is measured from foot to the tip of the head, sans the v-fin or horns, and the overall height which often also include the additional height from the backpack and shoulder attachments).

Relative heights based on scale (Sazabi overall height, 25.6m)

As I understand it, most kits or figures that come in HG-sized boxes will basically have the close to the same height when assembled, most probably so that it uses the same amount of material when molded to place it at that price point, so I guess this won't be any different. For its scale, the T-Rex does look like it'll be around the height of an average 1/144 kit.

Now, to understand this a bit further, the T-Rex, despite its 5m towering height over humans, is relatively small compared to a Gundam (18m) or a Sazabi (25.6m). The T-Rex would be around the size of the Sazabi's foot.

The T-Rex is puny compared to the Mighty Sazabi

On the other hand, the T-Rex would smash them 1/144, 1/100 kits and 1/60 kits without batting an eyelash,

Source: https://twitter.com/mikkkori/status/1418042019927056391

Or have your oh-so-precious-holy-grail kits for lunch.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunpla/comments/7ycjsx/cat_vs_unicorn/

Ooops. Wrong visuals. Here's, uh, the same T-Rex if it were 1:1 and we're comparing the relative heights of the scaled kits. See how those things in your hands seem relatively huge, but is relatively tiny compared to a rampaging monstrosity of an imaginary skeleton.

Huge and small is really just a matter of perspective.

Now, if you're curious if the length of the kit given by HLJ at 35cm would be proportionate to the 1:1 length of the T-Rex (12.3m or 1230cm), we still use the Magic Math Formula we used previously,

35 ≠ 38.4375, but that's darn close

Considering these are all estimates to begin with, that's rather a close value. Given my history of having a lot of difficulties with college Math (Calculus is a bitch, and I haven't really used it, lest I become a rocket scientist), I still love math.

Don't you?

A few days later, Fire Ants held residence at the Derek Zoolander's
Center for Kids Who Can't Read Good and Wanna Learn to Do Other Stuff Good too...

Lastly, here's the best thing to use for scale comparison in any occasion.

Source