I had envisioned it as Space Fleet meets BSG, so . . . Space Fleet scale? Which is pretty similar to Full Thrust scale, which is pretty similar to BFG scale. Let's call it "fleet" scale, with models typically in the one to three inches long range. If you want to get really technical, I think ships like this usually look to be about 1/2400 even when the companies manufacturing them insist that they're ludicrous scales like 1/10,000 or worse. (1/2400 being the naval wargaming scale that looks most similar, both in overall size, and generally detail.)
I was thinking ragtag fleet, so there'd be no reason at all for things to be particularly similar. Lots of freighters, maybe with guns strapped on if you want. Lots of races. Probably no need for much more than one or two purpose built military ships, which means most folks wouldn't need to go out in search of classic metal. A few of us have some we could contribute.
So my thinking is an escort or small civilian ship might be an inch or so long, or slightly less. A three inch ship is quite large, especially if chunky. And a ship five or six inches long will feel positively enormous.
Seawise Giant would be seven and a half inches in 1/2400.
RMS Queen Mary is about five. I've attached a couple of photographs for scale, and also to show some currently in-production models that I think look good with Space Fleet.
Below you can see a selection of 1/2400 RN and merchant ships alongside some classic Citadel Space Fleet models, some
Valiant Enterprises Stardate 3000, and some
Vanguard Battlegroup Helios miniatures.
Below you can see a bit of what's on my painting table right now, which includes some classic Space Fleet and some
MojoAmok miniatures.
I hope that helps envision what I'm thinking.
