Introduction

Recently news was released on some new badges/plaques for use with models as finishing details by FC Model Trend. These badges cover a wide scope with the two I have been sent coving an Iron Cross and a Royal Tank Regiment badge.

Product

These two products are supplied in a clear stiff plastic bubble pack; I like this packaging as it offers a good level of protection to the product when posted and while stored by the modeller while getting ready to us it.

Review

The Royal Tank Regiment Badge
The badge for the Royal Tank Regiment has a queen’s crown and so is suitable for the period from the mid 1950’s to the present day. It has been cast in a cream resin with very little in the way of excess resin on the rear face, a light sanding to even everything out should be all that is needed here. Some filling will be needed around the vacant areas to get a nice clean look to the badge. The badge is not overly thick and so if there is a desire to impart a curve to the casting some hot water and gentle pressure should be all that is needed. An examination of the detail present on the cap badge does match the detail on the real item; however I know some will say “my badge does not look like that!”, I say it needs to be remembered that these badges have been produced for nearly 70 years and this has resulted in some slight variation over time and the material used to make the original badges.

The Iron Cross
The Iron Cross unlike the badge above is an award and so will usually always be flat, that is lucky in this case as the resin is a lot thicker than the previous offering and so will be harder to alter. The detail on the Iron Cross is limited but everything present on the face of a World War 2 offering is present here; that details also includes the Swastika and so potential German customers need to be aware of this. It is my understanding that during the 1950’s a new Iron Cross was struck with an Oak Leaf cluster replacing the Swastika due to the emblem being banned in Germany and given to recipients of the Iron Cross as a replacement. There is some flash on the example I have here but this is nothing to be concerned about. On the rear of the award there are some minor air bubbles present, but these are not on the face and so again should not be of concern.

Conclusion

I like these offering from FC Model Trend due to how easy they will be to get hold of and utilise with a model. The badges/awards come in at a cost of €4.84 each and so in my opinion very affordable. They offer a nice finishing touch to a model diorama that I feel will be eye catching.