1:500 scale is a scale mainly used by Europeans for pre-finished die-cast airliner models, such as German manufacturer Herpa

Herpa

Herpa, or Herpa Miniaturmodelle GmbH, is a German manufacturer of die-cast model aircraft under the Herpa Wings trademark and plastic car models under the Herpa Cars & Trucks trademark. The mainstay of Herpa Wings is in the 1/500 scale, although models are also produced in the 1/400, 1/200, and...

. This scale is also used by Japanese model kit manufacturer Bandai

Bandai

is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...

, Nichimo Co Ltd. and Fujimi Model for ship and Sci-Fiction

Science fiction

Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...

 model kits.

Ship models for the military

During WWII, H.A. Framburg and Co. of Chicago was one of the makers of naval recognition ship models in teacher scale. This company was commissioned by US Navy to make ship models to be used for wargaming and as teaching tools for their officers to help them identify ships out on the ocean. These ships are mostly die cast of zinc alloy and painted gray. Therefore, this scale was also called "Teacher Scale". The 1:500 set contained about half the number of models found in the 1:1200 scale sets.

Plastic model kit (Ships)

In 1960s, Renwal released fourteen 1:500 scale ship models from WWII

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 or post war US Navy, and Frog

Frog (models)

Frog was a well-known British brand of flying model aircraft and scale model construction kits from the 1930s to the 1970s.- History :Founded in 1931 by Charles Wilmot and Joe Mansour, International Model Aircraft Ltd...

 also released six models from Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

. Both makers had failed in late 1970s, but some makers such as Chematic rereleased ex Frog 1:500 scale ship models until 2000s.

In 1970s, Nichimo released a series of 1:500 plastic scale ship models. The series only comprises of a small number of ships, with most of them being ships from WWII Japanese Navy

Imperial Japanese Navy

The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...

. These models are still under production and widely available in the market. In mid 1970s, Monogram

Monogram models

Monogram has been a premier maker of scale models of aircraft, spacecraft, ships, cars, and military vehicles since the early 1950s. The company was formed by two former employees of Comet Kits, Jack Besser and Bob Reder...

 also released models of USS Chicago (CG-11) and USS Columbus

USS Columbus (CA-74)

The third USS Columbus , a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser, was the second ship of the United States Navy named for Columbus, Ohio. She was launched 30 November 1944 by Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, Massachusetts; she was sponsored by Mrs. E. G...

 in 1:500 scale (actually, 16 in. length box scale). In late 1990s, Trumpeter

Trumpeter (company)

Trumpeter is a Chinese company that manufacturers plastic injection moulding military model kits. Their product line consists of model ships, aircraft, cars and military ground vehicles. Trumpeter kits initially had a reputation of being somewhat less detailed than those of competitors such as...

 released 1:500 scale models of Nimitz class aircraft carrier

Nimitz class aircraft carrier

The Nimitz-class supercarriers are a class of ten nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in service with the United States Navy. With an overall length of and full-load displacements of over 100,000 long tons, they are the largest capital ships in the world...

.

In November 2009, Fujimi released an all-new tooling model of the Japanese battleship Yamato

Japanese battleship Yamato

, named after the ancient Japanese Yamato Province, was the lead ship of the Yamato class of battleships that served with the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. She and her sister ship, Musashi, were the heaviest and most powerfully armed battleships ever constructed, displacing...

 in 1:500 scale. Fujimi then follows on the series by releasing Japanese battleship Nagato

Japanese battleship Nagato

Nagato was a battleship of the Imperial Japanese Navy; the lead ship of her class. She was the first battleship in the world to mount 16 inch guns, her armour protection and speed made her one of the most powerful capital ships at the time of her commissioning.She was the flagship of Admiral...

 and Design A-150 battleship (a Japanese plan for a class of battleship following the Yamato Class, also known as the Super Yamato class) in the same scale.

There are also resin kits available in this scale, such as the USN CVE-73 Gambier Bay

USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73)

USS Gambier Bay was a Casablanca-class escort carrier of the United States Navy. She was sunk in the Battle off Samar after helping to turn back a much larger attacking Japanese surface force....

 by Aki.

Plastic model kit (Building/Structure)

Doyusha released a limited number of Japanese castle

Japanese castle

' were fortresses composed primarily of wood and stone. They evolved from the wooden stockades of earlier centuries, and came into their best-known form in the 16th century...

 models in 1/500 scale. These comprise of Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle

When the han feudal system was abolished in 1871, Himeji Castle was put up for auction. The castle was purchased by a Himeji resident for 23 Japanese yen...

, Matsue Castle

Matsue Castle

is a feudal castle in Matsue in Shimane prefecture, Japan. Nicknamed the "black castle" or "plover castle", it is one of the few remaining medieval castles in Japan – at least of the few remaining in their original wooden form, and not a modern reconstruction in concrete.The construction of...

 and Kōchi Castle

Kochi Castle

is a castle located in Kōchi, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan.-History:Following the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Kōchi Castle was constructed in what was then the province of Tosa. It was built by Yamanouchi Kazutoyo, who took control of the province after the Tokugawa victory. The castle was constructed...

. They are also available in another version that features gold colour plated parts.

Plastic model kit (Sci-Fiction)

1:500 scale is also used in Sci-Fiction plastic model kit by some model manufacturers. AMT released a futuristic spaceship

Starship

A starship or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....

 model in 1960s. Bandai released a model of the Space Battleship Yamato

Space Battleship Yamato (spaceship)

Space Battleship Yamato is the title spaceship from the anime series Space Battleship Yamato and was designed by Leiji Matsumoto. According to the fictional continuity of the anime series, the spacecraft was built inside the remains of the Japanese battleship Yamato...

 in 1980s, and an all-new tooling model of the same ship was released in early 2010. Fine Molds began to release spaceship models designed by well known anime

Anime

is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....

 and manga

Manga

Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...

 artist Leiji Matsumoto

Leiji Matsumoto

is a well-known creator of several anime and manga series. His wife is also known as a manga artist.-Space opera:Matsumoto is famous for his space operas such as Space Battleship Yamato...

 in October 2011.

Collectables (Aircraft)

Herpa launched a Wings series of airplane collection models in the 1/500 scale in 1992. The series also includes model diorama airports and airport accessories.

F-toys also released a 1/500 scale pre-painted and mostly pre-assembled "trading kits" on JAL

Japan Airlines

is an airline headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. It is the flag carrier of Japan and its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Tokyo International Airport , as well as Nagoya's Chūbu Centrair International Airport and Osaka's Kansai International Airport...

 747

Boeing 747

The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...

aircraft.