I would like to know how did we come to the scales that we use today? 1/35th -1/72nd- 1/48th..............

1/72 scale originated from US WW2 aircraft identification models. They used 1 inch to equal 6 feet (or 72 inches) because they worked on the assumption of a 6' tall man. This translates to 1"=72" or 1/72 scale.

I don't know the reason for the creation of 1/48 scale, but it is another scale based on an inch equalling some amount of feet, in this case 1"=4'. This becomes 1"=48" or 1/48.

1/35 was created because of metrics. I don't know the particulars, but apparently this scale is easy to work with using the metric system.

1/32 scale is another odd scale. Renwal used to refer to this scale as 3/8"=1 foot.

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/32350&page=1
Wulf- Sabot is most definitely the expert here, but you can also check this thread for more info.
RobH

Well, way back when, some person thought they looked fat and wondered how much they weighed. They then got the brightest people of their time to develop a system that, by pressure alone, would determine your wei...oh you mean modelling scale. Well, Sabot about cleared that up.

No, I am not an expert nor do I try to pass myself off as one.

My opinion is just for the 1/35 scale:
The first tank released on the market was a Tamiya German Panther in 1/35 scale in the early 60 - Why in 1/35 scale? at that time, the first Tamiya AFV was in motorized version, the 1/35 scale had been chosen simply because it could accomodate a couple of type B batteries. Tamiya's 1/35 series tanks got to be known all around the world, but this is the slightly haphazard origin of their rather awkward scale.

Master Modeler by Shunsaku Tamiya:
http://www.tamiyausa.com/books/mastermodeler.html

3442, we now have some one to blame on the mess of scales

A stroll down modeling-memory lane can be fun. Look at these scales c.1950-70s (by then 'standard' scales were recognized). I have the companies I know of in parenthesis: 1/20, 1/21 (Tamiya), 1/24, 1/25, 1/30 (Nichimo, Bandai), 1/32, 1/35, 1/36, 1/40 (Revell), 1/43.5 (English model railroad O scale), 1/48, 1/50 (Tamiya, UPC aircraft), 1/64 (railroad S scale, Lindberg & some Monogram aircraft), 1/72, 1/76 (railroad OO), 1/87 (railroad HO, MiniTanks), 1/96 (ships), 1/100 (Tamiya / AHM / UPC, etc aircraft)...

...then there are the Box Scales--manufacturer's literally scaled models to fit in 'standard sized' boxes.

You will see patterns: 1/100--1/50--1/25, 1/32--1/48--1/72--1/96. AFAIK, the 1/32--1/48--1/72--1/96 scales are based on Western 1/16th of an inch multiples, while 1/100--1/50--1/25, and 1/700 naval came from metric Asia.

Then there are the milimeter scales of figures and model railroads!

The history of scales is very interesting to me. I hope to read a definitive history one day.