When a plunging jet impinges into a pool of liquid, air bubble entrainment takes place if the inflow velocity exceeds a threshold velocity. This study investigates air entrainment and bubble dispersion in the developing flow region of vertical circular plunging jets. Three scale models were used and detailed air-water measurements (void fraction, bubble count rate, bubble sizes) were performed systematically for identical inflow Froude numbers. The results highlight that the modelling of plunging jet based upon a Froude similitude is affected by significant scale effects when the approach flow conditions satisfied We(1) < 1E + 3, while some lesser scale effect was noticed for V-1 /u(r) < 10 and We(1) > 1E + 3. Bubble chord time measurements showed pseudo-chord sizes of entrained bubbles ranging from less than 0.5 mm to more than 10 mm with an average pseudo-chord size were between 4 and 9 mm. However, bubble size data could not be scaled properly. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.