Scale Modeling Glossary: 50 Terms Every Modeler Should Know

Scale modeling has its own vocabulary — a mix of manufacturing terms, assembly techniques, finishing methods, and industry shorthand that can be confusing for newcomers. This glossary covers more than 50 essential terms, organized alphabetically, to help you navigate product descriptions, forum discussions, and instruction sheets with confidence.

A

Aftermarket — Any accessory, detail set, or upgrade part produced by a company other than the original kit manufacturer. Aftermarket products include photo-etch, resin, 3D printed parts, decals, paint masks, and tools. Browse aftermarket parts.

Airbrushing — Applying paint with a compressed-air spray tool (airbrush) for smooth, even coverage. Airbrushing is the preferred method for basecoats, camouflage patterns, and pre-shading on scale models.

Annealing — Heating brass or copper parts (such as photo-etch) briefly in a flame to soften the metal, making it easier to bend without springing back. The part should turn a straw color — do not heat to red.

B

Bash (Kitbash) — Combining parts from two or more kits to create a variant or subject not available as a single kit. Also called "kit conversion."

Brass / PE — The material used for photo-etched detail parts. Most PE sets are etched from 0.10 to 0.25 mm brass sheet. Browse photo-etched detail sets.

Burr — A small raised edge or rough spot left on a part after cutting from a sprue, fret, or pour block. Remove burrs with a sanding stick or sharp knife before assembly.

C

CA Glue (Cyanoacrylate) — Instant-bonding adhesive commonly called "super glue." Used for metal-to-plastic and resin-to-plastic bonds where standard plastic cement does not work. Available in thin, medium, and thick viscosities.

Camouflage — A multi-color paint scheme that replicates military patterns. Accurate camouflage application often requires paint masks and stencils for crisp edges.

Cockpit — The pilot's compartment in an aircraft kit. Cockpit detailing is one of the most popular applications for aircraft photo-etch sets, which add instrument panels, side consoles, seat harnesses, and control sticks.

Conversion — Modifying a kit to represent a different variant, version, or subject than the one in the box. Conversions range from simple decal swaps to complete resin and PE overhauls.

D

Decal — A thin printed film applied to a model's surface to replicate markings, insignia, serial numbers, and stencils. Traditional decals are waterslide (soak in water, slide onto model). 3D decals add raised texture and depth.

Detail Set — A packaged collection of aftermarket parts designed to upgrade a specific area of a model (cockpit, engine bay, exterior, etc.). May contain PE, resin, 3D printed parts, decals, or a combination.

Diorama — A scene that places one or more models in a realistic setting with terrain, buildings, figures, and vegetation. Browse figures and diorama accessories.

Dry Brushing — A painting technique where most of the paint is wiped from the brush before lightly dragging it across raised detail. This deposits paint only on edges and high points, simulating wear and highlighting texture.

Dry Fit — Assembling parts temporarily (without glue) to check alignment, fit, and appearance before permanent bonding. Essential when working with CA glue, which bonds instantly.

E - F

Etch / Photo-Etch (PE) — Precision metal parts created by chemically etching brass sheet. The most popular aftermarket upgrade category for scale models. See our complete beginner's guide to photo-etch for detailed information. Browse all photo-etch sets.

Flash — Thin excess material found on resin or injection-molded parts where the mold halves meet. Flash must be trimmed and sanded before assembly.

Fret — The brass sheet containing multiple photo-etch parts, connected by small tabs. Individual parts are cut or scored free from the fret during assembly.

Fuselage — The main body of an aircraft. In kit form, usually two halves (left and right) that are glued together along a centerline seam.

G - H

GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) — A standardized product identifier (includes EAN and UPC barcodes) used in e-commerce. Aftermarket manufacturers increasingly include GTIN for accurate product identification in online marketplaces.

Hull — The main body of a ship or boat model. Ship hulls benefit greatly from photo-etch upgrades that add railings, ladders, anchor chains, and other fine detail impossible to mold in plastic.

I - K

Injection Molding — The primary manufacturing method for plastic model kits. Molten styrene is injected into a steel mold under pressure, forming the parts on a sprue frame. Injection molding has a minimum wall thickness of about 0.3 to 0.5 mm at hobby scales.

Kit — A boxed model product containing plastic sprues, decals, and instructions for assembly. Major kit manufacturers include Tamiya, Zvezda, Trumpeter, and Hasegawa — each with dedicated aftermarket PE support.

L - M

Livery — The complete color scheme and markings of a specific vehicle, aircraft, or ship. Modelers choose a livery and apply matching paint and decals to replicate a particular unit or time period.

Masking — Covering areas of a model with tape or liquid mask to protect them during painting. Precision masking is critical for camouflage patterns and multi-color schemes. Pre-cut paint masks save significant time compared to hand-cutting tape.

MPN (Manufacturer Part Number) — The unique identifier assigned by the product manufacturer (e.g., "MD 072205" for a Microdesign PE set). MPN is used for accurate search and inventory matching across retailers.

N - P

OOB (Out of Box) — Building a kit exactly as packaged, with no aftermarket additions, modifications, or conversions. OOB builds test a modeler's painting and assembly skills using only what the manufacturer provides.

Panel Line — Recessed or raised lines on a model's surface representing the seams between metal panels on real vehicles. Panel lines are often enhanced with washes or with 3D decal overlays that add realistic rivet and fastener detail.

PE (Photo-Etch) — See "Etch / Photo-Etch" above. The abbreviation PE is universal in scale modeling discussions and product listings.

Pigment — Dry, powdered coloring material (similar to artists' pastels) used for weathering effects — dust, mud, rust, soot, and exhaust stains. Applied with a brush and fixed with pigment fixer or matte varnish.

Primer — A preparatory paint coat applied before the main color to improve adhesion, reveal surface flaws, and provide a uniform base. Essential on bare metal (brass PE parts) and resin, where paint does not grip well without it.

Pour Block — The stub of hardened resin left where the casting material was poured into the mold. Found on all resin aftermarket parts. Must be sawed or sanded off before the part can be used.

R

Resin — Polyurethane casting material used for aftermarket parts that require complex 3D shapes — wheels, turret interiors, figures, and conversion components. Browse resin parts.

Rigging — The wires, cables, and braces on biplanes, WWI aircraft, and sailing ships. Rigging is usually added with stretched sprue, monofilament line, or specialized elastic thread. Some PE sets include pre-formed rigging elements.

S

Scale — The ratio between the model and the real object. A 1/48 scale model is 48 times smaller than the real thing. Common scales include 1/32, 1/35, 1/48, 1/72, 1/144, 1/200, 1/350, and 1/700. See the scale reference table below.

Scratch Build — Creating parts or entire models from raw materials (plastic sheet, wire, putty) rather than using kit or aftermarket components. The ultimate test of modeling skill.

Sprue — The plastic frame that holds injection-molded kit parts. Parts are attached to the sprue by thin gates and must be carefully cut free. "Sprue" is also used informally to refer to the parts themselves.

Stencil — Small markings and warnings printed on real vehicles ("NO STEP," "RESCUE," fuel type indicators). In modeling, stencils are replicated with decals or paint masks.

T - W

Thinning — Diluting paint with the appropriate solvent (water for acrylics, lacquer thinner for lacquers, white spirit for enamels) to achieve the right consistency for airbrushing or brush painting.

Tool — In modeling, refers both to hand tools (knives, tweezers, sanding sticks, PE benders) and to the steel mold ("tooling") used by manufacturers to produce plastic kits. Browse modeling tools.

Turret — The rotating weapon platform on tanks, warships, and some aircraft. Turret interiors are a popular subject for resin and PE detail sets, since kit turrets are usually hollow or simplified.

Wash — A heavily thinned paint (usually enamel or oil-based) that flows into recessed panel lines, rivets, and surface detail by capillary action. Washes darken recesses to create depth and definition.

Weathering — Techniques that replicate the effects of age, use, and environmental exposure — paint chipping, rust, dust, exhaust stains, oil streaks, and fading. Weathering uses a combination of washes, dry brushing, pigments, and chipping fluids.

Zimmerit — A textured paste coating applied to WWII German armored vehicles to prevent magnetic mines from sticking. In modeling, Zimmerit is replicated with putty, specialized tools, or aftermarket textured decals.

Numbers and Scales

Understanding scale is fundamental to scale modeling. Here is a quick reference for the most common scales:

Scale	Common Subjects	1 cm Represents
1/32	Aircraft, cars	32 cm (12.6 in)
1/35	Armor, military vehicles, figures	35 cm (13.8 in)
1/48	Aircraft, armor	48 cm (18.9 in)
1/72	Aircraft, armor, ships	72 cm (28.3 in)
1/144	Aircraft, spacecraft	144 cm (56.7 in)
1/200	Ships, large aircraft	200 cm (78.7 in)
1/350	Ships	350 cm (137.8 in)
1/700	Ships, naval dioramas	700 cm (275.6 in)

Start Exploring

Now that you speak the language, explore our collections to find the right upgrades for your next project. Photo-etch sets for precision flat detail, resin parts for 3D replacements, 3D detail sets for cutting-edge geometry, and universal accessories that work across any kit and scale.