Best orca figure 20cm and above

[JimoAi]

I think schleich and Papo omitted the saddle patch as they want us to choose what ecotype we want to match our preference

[callmejoe3]

I think schleich and Papo omitted the saddle patch as they want us to choose what ecotype we want to match our preference

Ehh, I personally doubt that was the case, since neither Papo nor Schleich come off as the type of companies that would acknowledge the variation between ecotypes, since 95% of people don't know about them either. I believe it was simply an oversight since the saddle patch is the most commonly omitted coloration character on killer whale figures. A lot of killer whale figures lack saddle patches because it's the least conspicuous aspect of a killer whale's coloration to a casual viewer, so omitting them would ease mass production.

[JimoAi]

I think schleich and Papo omitted the saddle patch as they want us to choose what ecotype we want to match our preference

Ehh, I personally doubt that was the case, since neither Papo nor Schleich come off as the type of companies that would acknowledge the variation between ecotypes, since 95% of people don't know about them either. I believe it was simply an oversight since the saddle patch is the most commonly omitted coloration character on killer whale figures. A lot of killer whale figures lack saddle patches because it's the least conspicuous aspect of a killer whale's coloration to a casual viewer, so omitting them would ease mass production.

It does leaves us with a bit of creative thinking

[callmejoe3]

It does leaves us with a bit of creative thinking

That's true. That's why the saddle patch is the thing I really don't care about when looking for a good killer whale figure because a splash of grey is an easy thing to add. The sculpt and the rest of the paintjob is what's more important. Though having a saddle patch already on there helps.

[JimoAi]

I am planning to buy 2 2018 schleich orca and I would like to add saddle patches to them. Any suggestions on the ecotype I should go for if I want to make it a 1:30 scale female?

[callmejoe3]

I am planning to buy 2 2018 schleich orca and I would like to add saddle patches to them. Any suggestions on the ecotype I should go for if I want to make it a 1:30 scale female?

If you're looking to customize, my stance on ''ecotype doesn't matter'' changes a bit. At the 1:30, it would be a 5.8-meter female. It could effectively be almost any ecotype, though the most ideal would be either the resident ecotype of the ENP, one of the Icelandic/Norwegian Mackerel or Herring-feeding ecotypes of the North Atlantic, or the Northwest Atlantic ecotype. Most other ecotypes are either a bit too small (Offshore, Straight of Gibraltar Tuna feeders), too big (Transient/Bigg's, Type A's) or have eye-patch morphologies that don't match ( Most Antarctic ecotypes).

For a resident orca, a distinctive trait for their saddle patches is that they can be open (meaning a portion of it is black). The saddle patch rarely extends beyond the middle of their dorsal fins.

The Mackerel, Herring-feeding, and Northwest Atlantic ecotypes have very conspicuous/ off-white saddle patches.

[JimoAi]

Any ideas of what the saddle patch looks like for the orcas you recommend?

[callmejoe3]

Any ideas of what the saddle patch looks like for the orcas you recommend?

I already described them in the second half of the reply.

[JimoAi]

Any ideas of what the saddle patch looks like for the orcas you recommend?

I already described them in the second half of the reply.

The north atlantic off white ones have normal saddle patches but just an off white, similar to the offshore one I did?

[callmejoe3]

The north atlantic off white ones have normal saddle patches but just an off white, similar to the offshore one I did?

Yes. It's important that they're a very bright gray or off white that contrasts well with the black background. In other ecotypes, they're usually more faded. For example, the saddle patch on the Mojo Fun, the current paint job for the MBA killer whale, and the Wild Safari 2019 figures are fainter, which is what you would see on an offshore or Type A killer whale. Most of the North Atlantic generalists have much brighter saddle patches.

[JimoAi]

The north atlantic off white ones have normal saddle patches but just an off white, similar to the offshore one I did?

You're suggesting that I mix more white in gray? And how thick is the saddle patch?

Yes. It's important that they're a very bright gray or off white that contrasts well with the black background. In other ecotypes, they're usually more faded. For example, the saddle patch on the Mojo Fun, the current paint job for the MBA killer whale, and the Wild Safari 2019 figures are fainter, which is what you would see on an offshore or Type A killer whale. Most of the North Atlantic generalists have much brighter saddle patches.

[JimoAi]

IMO I prefer the 2018 Schleich. The Papo is slightly smaller in length but heavier. Got the Papo and I'm waiting for the schleich. How big do Offshore males get?

Offshore orcas are the smallest in the Eastern North Pacific. Offshore Males average at around 21.3 feet with a maximum of about 22 feet. By comparison, Resident males average at about 22.6 feet with a maximum of 23.6 feet, Bigg's males average at 23.9 feet with a maximum of 27.3 feet.

The herring and mackerel-feeding whales in the Northeast Atlantic are also a decent contender for the Papo orca. They're basically the same size as the Offshore killer whales at about 20.6 feet on average and 21.6 feet on average.

How big do Offshore females get?

[callmejoe3]

How big do Offshore females get?

About 5.5 meters on average . Largest female ever recorded was 5.7 meters.