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In-Box Review
135
Ground Cover Spring
Ground Cover Shorter Blades Spring Grass Mat
  • combolowbrush

by: Scott Lodder [ SLODDER ]

In recent products, grasses have gone to the mat: literally. The newer products come not as loose grass or clumps of grass like 'stuff'. Now they are coming as a composite sheet of grass adhered to a thin layer making it like a carpet.

Model Scene is getting into this market with these two products. Military Miniatures Warehouse distributes these products.

In the box:

This is shipped in a large flat stiff clear styrene blister pack with a heavy card backing. It should arrive safe. Opening it is a bit of a question: should you slide or pry? Should you slide the backing up or pry the styrene back and lift off the card. I opted for the pry method. I didn't want to damage the product by catching it and pulling the grass backing. End note: after realizing that the grass matting is a foam based material and the card is smooth, you should not have to worry about damaging the product when opening it.

Upon first look at this grass product it's a very complete solution. It comes with a base covering (foam mat), grass cover, and flower(like) details - all this in a one cohesive cover.
This product is a nice spring/summer product that has nice flowers embedded in the matt. The color is bright and nicely accurate. The flowers and such are very mutted and similar in color. If you look really close you can see some synthetic looking color. I think a touch of buff color from an airbrush or a dusting of pastels will cover this and add a touch of realism. The scale of the bush detail is good. You can see from the photo a 1/35th scale figure on the mat gives a very good look at how this will support your project.

When you pull the mat out the first thing you notice is the soft supple nature of the whole thing. The mat will fold and roll very easily and the 'use factor' is high. No matter the ground level/elevation of your project these mats should conform very well. As I mentioned the matting material is a foam type of substance, in some of the thinner areas you can see through it a bit. I would highly recommend that you paint the base a complementary color (brownish) so there is no white showing through. I believe scissors will be all you need to cut this product into shape.

Size will be something to plan around. Both come in a mat measuring 7 x 11. These aren't hard measurements, mine came in at a bit over. That's a good thing, there is a bit of a size cushion for cutting and extra. A 1/35th scale Wirbelwind model would dominate this matt. You can get a nice small vignette with one vehicle and a couple of figures. If you plan well and add hedges or a road or something that won't need grass you'll be fine with one sheet. If you are doing a wide open field as in Kursk: plan ahead, you may need more sheets.

This is the first time I have used this type of product and it reminds me of the first time I used latex rubber road surface products. The ease of use, the uniform coverage, the quality and natural appearance really bring the diorama up a level.
These are project changing products. These are must have products.

I know a 98 rating is really high, I also know that this type of mat will change the way you cover your ground with grass. If you look at adding a $10 metal barrel to your tank on top of a $12 PE fret to update your tank, why not add $14 to ground to give it the attention it needs to stand up to the super detail of the vehicle.

Model Scene supplied the kit to their US distributor Military Miniatures Warehouse who graciously sent them to me for review.
SUMMARY
Highs: Complete product, great detail, good variety
Lows: A bit pricey but worth it.
Verdict: This is a must have type of product. This will change how you build dioramas.
  EASE OF USE:99%
  FINE DETAIL COLOR:97%
Percentage Rating
98%
  Scale: 1:35
  Mfg. ID: F507
  Suggested Retail: $14.99
  PUBLISHED: Mar 01, 2009
  NATIONALITY: Czech Republic
NETWORK-WIDE AVERAGE RATINGS
  THIS REVIEWER: 82.50%
  MAKER/PUBLISHER: 95.18%

Our Thanks to Model Scene!
This item was provided by them for the purpose of having it reviewed on this KitMaker Network site. If you would like your kit, book, or product reviewed, please contact us.

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About Scott Lodder (slodder)
FROM: NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES

I modeled when I was a teenager. College, family and work stopped me for a while. Then I picked it back up after about 12 years off. My main focus is dioramas. I like the complete artistic method of story telling. Dioramas involve so many aspects of modeling and I enjoy getting involved in the ...

Copyright ©2021 text by Scott Lodder [ SLODDER ]. All rights reserved.



Comments

Hi Scott, Thanks for the review. I was wondering how this might work over uneven ground and how you think it might mate together if used on a larger area? I would certainly seem to offer a very easy method for ground cover. Al
MAR 01, 2009 - 01:08 AM
Scott, thank you for this review. This does look like a product that will make doing a dio much easier...two things in modeling that "worry me;" figures and groundwork....this will probably help with the latter. Mike
MAR 01, 2009 - 02:13 AM
I've noted in the review that the mat should conform to whatever surface your diorama should have. The mat is a nice soft flexible foam that should glue down nicely to any suface. Build review to come..... Mike these will ease your fears of grasses and ground covering.
MAR 01, 2009 - 04:23 AM
Thanks for the review Scott. It indeed looks likes a nice product, but is it possible to make track marks in the field with this product? Jelger
MAR 01, 2009 - 04:41 AM
Tracks - hmmm - that is a good question. It won't be as easy as if you put down a bed of celluclay and add static grass around it. I guess you could put down a bit more celluclay or spackle to build up where the tracks would be. Then cut the mat to expose the ground underneth. Bascially do cut outs where the tracks would be - or add some resin or spackle for tracks above it.
MAR 01, 2009 - 09:27 AM
   
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