MiniArt 1/35 Shed with Wooden Fence Kit First Look

By Cookie Sewell

Images by Michael Benolkin

First Look

For many years modelers would marvel at the great work of true artists like Shep Paine with the intricate background buildings and details they would create to frame a vignette or diorama. Almost all their work was either from scratch or so well adapted it was impossible to tell where it came from.

Over the years model companies such as Tamiya, Heller, Italeri and ESCI released small sets of accessories for making dioramas, but usually their sets were small and mostly consisted of detail parts. It has only been relatively recently that full-blown building and setpiece scene sets have appeared, and currently MiniArt appears to be the leader in wide-market styrene kits.

This model builds into a typical northern European shed - by that I do mean “northern” as the style of architecture is suitable for northern Germany, Denmark, Poland, and the section of Russia in and around the Baltic republics. These are brick buildings built over a wooden framework with plaster over their outside, and while similar is not as prominent as the German “fachwerk” style. It includes a main shed and lean-to on its right side, and is complete with windows, doors, and the big doors to the main shed with an insert door. It also comes with about 20 inches (50 cm) of fences and gates as well as trestle tables and benches, downspouts and gutters, and chimneys plus a streetlight and signposts.

The building shell is formed from sections of vacuformed styrene sheet - this is quite heavy material to ensure rigidity so plan on taking your time to cut out the plates. Once the shell is completed, the rest of the parts are installed. The doors come with thresholds, jambs and frames as do the windows. The tile roof has an interior with joists and also a small floor on the second floor of the main shed. The modeler has a choice between windows or a loading door in front of the second floor of the shed.

The completed shed is about 10" wide and 8" deep (269 x 200 mm) but as noted above will have to be mounted on a separately obtained base. (Some kits come with what amounts to a base plate; this is not one of them.)

Finishing directions show a typical paint scheme for one of these sheds. Paint colors are called out in English and Russian with matches for ModelMaster, Tamiya Acrylic, Humbrol and Revell paints. While no decals are provided color signs are included on the direction sheet for use in finishing the model; they include Russian, German and Danish language text items. These will need to be cemented to a section of plastic or light wood and have their backs painted to achieve the desired effect.

Overall these are a brilliant idea and the cost of the kit is probably less than it would be to try and round up all of the bits separately.

My sincere thanks to MRC for this review sample!

Sprue Layout:

• 2 Roof and floor plate
• 3 Roof and ladder plate
• 2 Side wall plate
• 11 Gable, floor and trim plate
• 2 Entrance plate
• 3 Side wall and brace plate
• 2 Entrance plate
• 4 Gable and entrance plate
• 3 Roof and floor plate
• 29 Windows, door, shutters
• 38 Shed doors, gutters, downspots, chimneys
• A 16x4 Fence, ladder, table and bench
• E 8 Lights and electric pole