MiniArt 1/35 European Cart Kit First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | July 2011 | Manufacturer | MiniArt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | European Cart | Scale | 1/35 |
| Kit Number | 35553 | Primary Media | Styrene |
| Pros | Nice addition to a vignette or diorama | Cons | Nothing noted |
| Skill Level | Basic | MSRP (USD) | $17.99 |
First Look
MiniArt is a prolific kit manufacturer from Russia that produces an impressive array of armor kits, figures, and diorama accessories. One series that has been popular is their buildings and accessories series that provides a portion of a building (sometimes the whole thing) to serve as a backdrop in a diorama or vignette. MiniArt has produced a wide variety of building fronts representing a range of subjects from sheds to store fronts that were typical of European architecture during World War II. In addition, they produce a nice range of items that can be made part of a model or used as part of a background for a diorama or vignette.
In this release, MiniArt has replicated a typical European horse-drawn cargo wagon in very nice detail. The kit is molded in light gray styrene and presesnted on four parts trees. The kit replicates the wagon in detail and only lacks the tack and the horse to bring it 'under power'. You can leave the wagon in bare wood or painted, you can make it look relatively new or worn and weathered.
This wagon would look perfect parked near a barn or farmhouse with a German, Russian, or American combat vehicle in the foreground to set the stage for your diorama. You could also turn the wagon onto its side with soldiers using it for improvised cover in a firefight. Or you could put a horse, tack, driver and cargo in the wagon and tell a completely different story. The applications are only limited by the imagination.
This new release from MiniArt is nicely done and will find its way into one or more projects on my work bench.
My sincere thanks to MRC for this review sample!