Introduction

West Garage Models (WGM) offers many unique scenery and diorama models. Item C72002 is a 1/72 European Building, a ceramic facade with a resin roof.

West Garage Models - formerly GEM - produces a variety of models and accessories.

Our history goes back to December 2nd of 2009 with GEM (Garage Exclusive Models).

It starts with a small and simple resin kit, then another and then the diorama material, and bit by bit, we end up with a solid catalogue. Now, a change, a new image, a new name. The catalogue still has the same products and will have a lot more.

European House

This kit is built with three ceramic walls, with roof halves and main door cast in resin. The parts are;

Ceramic facade X 1
Ceramic side wall X 2
Resin door X 1
Resin chimney X 1
Resin roof X 2
Resin roof peak trim X 1

The building is three stories high excluding the attic. The ground level features a large separate door and a store front. Three windows span each of the upper levels.

The parts will require some cleanup due to flash or excess material from the pour. Air pocks mar some places of the facade. Otherwise the casting of the components is good.

Detail

Architecturally, the walls are a smooth stucco veneer with quoins.

Each upper architrave (lintel) style window is framed by simple wide lintels, jambs, mullions and sills, with a deep reveal. Each window has very broad muntins. I don't know if those are accurate for some eras and regions yet, if the modeler does not like them, it should be no trouble to carve the windows out and replace those muntins with aftermarket or scratchbuilt ones.

I put a straightedge across the windows and verified that some of the sills are slightly off-kilter. Also, there are some air pocks on the facade.

The separate door features large panels, muntins, rail and stiles.

The shopfront features an aedicule with two display windows and a center door.

No window glazing is provided.

instructions and painting guide

Nothing more than the box art.

Modelers who have not worked with ceramic/hyrdocal castings should be aware that ceramic soaks up paint like a sponge! It is best to seal the material although that is not necessary.

To mate the edges one should sand them down on a hard, smooth surface. CA, epoxy, and even carpenter adhesives can be used to mate the parts together.

Conclusion

WGM has produced a nice building for 1/72 modelers who need an imposing building. The shopfront looks very good. I am not concerned with the pock marks or the angle of a couple of window sills as a casual inspection of older masonry buildings reveals settling and weathering of the masonry. Chunks pop off of masonry.

The big muntins may bother some modelers yet again, they should be little trouble to replace.

WGM's European House presents a fine model for European dioramaists. Recommended.

Please remember to tell vendors and retailers that you saw this model here - on ARMORAMA.