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I'm looking to base my battlewagon/looted wagon on a 1/35 scale military model, like those by Tamiya. What I need to know is, how do these models compare to GW model's in size. How much bigger is a 1/35 panzer than a leman russ? Too big? How about making a Skullhammer? Is a 1/35 model too small? Also any suggestions for the models to use?

try 1/48th scale instead.

1/35 vs 1/48, which looks better depends on who you ask.

GW have used parts of 1/35 models to make conversions for their own models. A 1/35 model will make a very large vehicle, probably more like a Baneblade than a Rhino.

1/48 is a better match as bubber says. There are several makers doing tanks and vehicles in 1/48 including Tamiya, Hobby Boss, Aoshima and Hasegawa.

I've seen 1/48 recommended more than any other scale.

I'm about to find out for myself too, as I'm getting into Darkson's AE-WWII and West Wind's Secrets of the Third Reich (both Weird War II games)...

I build a Battlewagon on top of a 1/35 scale Elefant (Tiger) chassis.

I liked the outcome, but it was simply too big. I'm not sure how this will play out in 5th, might be more desirable to have a big tank, but I didn't use it because of its size in 4th.

So, scale is one factor, and my experience would suggest that 1/48th scale would be better. On the other hand, the vehicle chosen is also important. A modern battle tank is much, much larger than a WWII tank. Even WWII tanks vary a lot in size. A Tiger chassis is much bigger than a Hetzer.

For example:

An M1A2 Abrams tank hull is 26 feet long. At 1/35 that's 8.9 inches. At 1/48 it's 6.5. At 1/72, it's 4.3 inches.

A Tiger tank hull is about 20 feet. At 1/35th, that's 6.9 inches. At 1/48 it's 5 inches.

A Hetzer hull is about 15.5 feet. At 1/35 that's 5.3 inches. At 1/48 it's 3.9 inches.

To put all of that in context, a Leman Russ hull is about 4.5 inches. A Rhino is about 4.75 inches.

So, what scale is right? Depends on how big you want it to be, and how you want it to look. Generally I'd suggest that it be sorta chunky and old looking. A WWII tank would fit the bill better than a modern one.

A 1/48 scale Tiger would be a good fit.

Mine is actually 7.5 inches, a bit larger than my googling suggests, but I measured from fender to fender, so that might explain it.

Regardless, I think a 1/48th scale Tiger chassis would be a good start.

On the other hand, GW tends to make their treads overly chunky. A normal tank tread has a LOT more links than the GW models depict, so trying to find a smaller tank in 1/35th scale might make the treads look a little more consistent with GW models.

I have been staring at a 1/35 scale russian KV-1 it is a bit to big for my Battlewagon though. So I am currently looking for a KV-1 in 1/48. I have no intention of using the turret, just liking the look of the chassie.

Actually I am in the process of building my Ork Battlewagon based on a Trumpeter Russia KV1 "Big" Turret model, nice model, with both hard plastic and traditional rubber tracks and you can get it online for a pretty good price. Personally, to me the 1/48 scale models just seem a bit to small, especially for Ork vehicles.

1/35 is generally too big, but it does depend on what you're doing with it, and also exactly what kit we're talking about. A 1/35 scale very early WWII tank such as a pz I or II might not be too big, but the mid to late tanks are too big. I had considered using 1/35 scale BMPs as Chimera's but the BMP is obviously too large when you put one side by side with a Chimera.

I'm sure there are plenty of 1/35 scale bits that would look fine. And it you tore up a tank enough and just use chunks of armor here or there it would probably look fine and Orky.