What scale should a beginner start with?

For armor, 1/35 is the de facto standard and has the widest aftermarket support. For aircraft, 1/48 is usually recommended as the sweet spot between detail and shelf space, while 1/72 is cheaper and smaller. For ships, 1/350 is far more beginner-friendly than 1/700 because the parts are large enough to handle without tweezers-and-magnifier setups.