introduction

I’m guessing that just about everyone who has ever even dipped a toe into the realm of diorama building has, at one time or another, come up with the totally unique concept of a vehicle or small group of soldiers on a country lane. Sure, not really that unique but that doesn’t mean not worthy. If you think about the last time you saw an episode of Band of Brothers you’re probably picturing an award winning dio in your head right now. Well, MiniArt from Ukraine has done you a favor. They have taken the concept and translated it into plastic for us all.

country road

MiniArt, always expanding their many different lines of plastic pleasure, has released another in the “Diorama Series” of vacuformed ready-made diorama bases and structures. This one, kit number 36047, is “Country Road” with a broken down cut stone wall in the background and a small farm cart in the foreground. I was surprised to see that this kit was number 47; I didn’t think that many of this particular series had been done. A quick peek at their website reveals that they have 42 different “Diorama Series” kits available at this writing with another 6 in the planning stages. That only lends additional credence to something I have heard many times in the recent past but that bears repeating; this is a great time to be a modeler whether your particular bent is armor, figures, dioramas, ships, or even wingy things!

The kit comes packaged in the usual slip top box from MiniArt, sturdy bottom tray and very flimsy top cover. Inside you will find two vacuformed pieces and one injection molded sprue. The two vacuformed pieces make up the base of the diorama; one is the groundwork and comes almost ready to go. The groundwork base will need to be trimmed about 1/4 inch of the small flanges on three of the edges which should prove to be an easy task for anyone with a hobby knife. The other vacuformed section has the front and back of the broken down stone wall that will also need to be cut out, sanded flush, and glued together. Both the stone work and the large base piece have the small dimples that are part of the vacuforming process and will need to be sanded flush or cut off.

The one injection molded sprue is for the 19 piece small farm cart which is very well done. It is the same cart that MiniArt released as kit #35542 (Reviewed here). I was pleasantly surprised to find that ejector pin marks have been completely eliminated. Still a few pesky mold seams that need attention, but only on a few pieces.

I am not normally a fan of molded in wood grain, generally it is much too heavy, but the body of the cart has what may be the best rendition of wood grain that I have ever seen, and it is on both sides which is not always a given. One small drawback is no instructions (although this may be a pre-production review sample, production kits may include instructions) for the cart; however a careful study of the box art should give you a pretty good feel for where everything goes. If you want to show any of the traces you will need to add those as they are not provided.

conclusion

With the huge number of possible locales for this kit the possibilities are virtually endless. You will want to add a bit of vegetation most likely, the box art shows a scraggly tree which is not included which they state clearly on the box. All in all this should prove a popular item in hobby stores around the globe be they brick and mortar or internet stores and I’m guessing more than a few of these will end up on the table at a model contest near you. If you are not into the whole contest scene this makes a quick and easy way to display your next masterpiece, it sure beats just sitting a vehicle on a shelf.