Walkaround Reference Photos for Scale Modelers

Why a walkaround beats a box-art search

A kit's instructions show you where a part goes. They don't show what the part looks like on the real vehicle. That is the gap a walkaround fills. Our packs move around the subject and stop at the details modelers care about: running gear, hatches, engine decks, tool stowage, weld seams, cast textures and the underside you never see in a museum brochure.

The photos are full-resolution originals. Most of the US museum vehicles in this collection were shot at 6240 × 4160 pixels, so you can zoom into a bolt pattern or a stencil without the image falling apart.

Armor: from WWII to the Cold War

The armor packs cover the vehicles most often built in 1/35 and 1/72:

• Jagdpanzer 38 "Hetzer": 41 photos of the compact German tank destroyer, $2.99.
• Churchill Mk VII Crocodile: 53 photos of the flamethrower variant.
• M24 Chaffee: 50 photos of the late-war American light tank.
• M60A1 Patton: 55 photos of the Cold War main battle tank.

For more tanks, see Tank Reference Photos. For towed guns and howitzers, see artillery walkarounds.

Aircraft, helicopters and ships, inside and out

Interiors are the hardest reference to find, because you can rarely climb in. Several packs go inside:

• The USS Pampanito interior walks through a WWII Balao-class submarine in 300 photos.
• The LVTP-7 pack covers the amphibious vehicle outside and in, with 111 photos.
• The Alouette III helicopter has 246 exterior and interior shots, including close-ups of key components.

For aircraft modelers, the B-17F Flying Fortress (107 photos) and the F-14A Tomcat (75 photos) show panel lines, landing gear and weathering on preserved airframes. Naval modelers can continue with warships and submarines.

A note on paint and markings

Most subjects here are preserved museum vehicles, so their paint and markings may come from a later restoration. Use the packs for shape, construction detail and wear. For an exact wartime color scheme, check period photos and unit histories as well. Real surfaces are still the best guide to how paint chips, how rust streaks and how dust settles. Our weathering reference collection focuses on exactly that.

Frequently asked questions

Do the packs show the vehicle from all sides?

Each pack is a walkaround of one subject, shot from many positions. The number of photos varies by pack, from about 30 for small vehicles to more than 300 for the USS Hornet carrier interior. Each product page lists the exact photo count and file size, so you know what you get before you buy.

Are these real vehicles or renders?

They are real photographs of real, surviving vehicles, taken by Fotoref contributors where the vehicles are preserved today. Each product page names the photographer, the location and the camera.

Can I build a 3D model or a printed kit part from the photos?

Yes. The license lets you create your own 3D models and textures from the photos for your projects. You cannot resell the photos or the packs themselves.

I run a small modeling club or studio. Which license do I need?

An Individual license covers one person. If an organisation with up to 10 artists will share the files, choose Small Studio. For larger teams, choose Large Studio. Every license covers unlimited projects and never expires.