1:35 Model Fire Hydrant

A hydrant as a fixed point of a street scene

An above-ground hydrant is one of the few elements of a street that rises above the sidewalk and yet does not block the view. That is precisely why it suits the foreground of a scene: it gives the composition a vertical, a sense of scale and evidence that this is built-up ground. Next to an armored vehicle at a crossroads it acts as a small reminder that a scene of trench fighting is taking place in an ordinary city.

A size you will not overlook

Real above-ground hydrants tend to be around ninety centimeters tall, which after conversion into 1:35 comes out at roughly twenty-five millimeters. Compared with a figure that is about waist high, so the fitting has to be right to the millimeter: a piece sunk in too far looks like a stump, one set too high like a fence post.

Painting according to the surroundings

The shade follows the country and the period. American hydrants are strikingly red, yellow or silver, while the European form tends to be restrained and often blends into its surroundings. Whatever you choose, the finish should be scuffed where hoses and boots rub against it, that is on the edges of the flanges and around the outlet ports. A stain of dried water and a deposit at the foot will complete the impression that the hydrant has stood in place for years.

In a scene it is well complemented by manhole covers and lamps from the same numbered line, with which it shares the scale.

The fitting calls for almost no preparation. A hole is drilled into the base, the piece is glued into it and fine dust is sprinkled around it, so that the transition between the foot and the paving does not stay sharp.

In a composition it works as a point of support too. If a wheel track runs past it or a figure leans against it, the scene gains a natural center to which the eye slides before it reaches the equipment.