Williams Bros 1/53 scale Electra

Because a model of that size fit their molding machinery and their standard boxes...so, essentially, it's what we old-timers from the early days of plastic kits knew as "box-scale".

A friend of mine once asked them this very question and they told him they didn't realize that so many modelers who would otherwise have bought an Electra in a standard scale would refuse to buy it in this odd scale because it doesn't fit into their collections.

Jim Whitley Programs Manager

Yeah, but would a 1/48 (or maybe even a 1/32?) Electra be any bigger than a 1/72 C-46?

Jim Whitley wrote:

Maybe they were out of C-46 boxes. :-)

Personally, I wish they had done it in 1/32nd scale. Also wish they had done my three favorite Thompson trophy racers, Benny Howard's "Mr. Mulligan", Rudy Kling's "Folkert's Special", and Roscoe Turner's "Laird-Turner Special". Also wish they'd gotten the Sirius out before closing up shop.

FWIW,

I heard on Hyperscale that the real reason was sabotage - their mold-maker was angry at them for some reason, and intentionally made the mold in an off scale to get revenge at the owners.

Tom Test

wrote

C'mon.

That sounds like something that would've been solved by a lawsuit - or maybe a Theft of Services criminal complaint - well before issuing any kit. Even stupid juries realize that when you contract for 48 and get 53, something's amiss.

KL