1:35 Old Mansion

An RT-Diorama old mansion in 1:35 scale

The item 1:35 Old Mansion is a diorama accessory from RT-Diorama. It is not a model of a vehicle or an aircraft but an architectural element of a view: an older mansion that in a diorama works as the main building of the scene and sets its period and social position.

What the house brings to a scene

A grand building is rewarding in a modeling diorama because it carries more meaning than ordinary housing. A broad frontage creates a background against which the silhouette of a vehicle stands out, and at the same time it gives the view a clear hierarchy: the house is the master of the scene, the vehicles and figures are visitors. In military subjects it suits views of a requisitioned seat, a headquarters or a column passing through a village, while in civilian compositions it works as a historical or rural landmark.

Tips for placing it in the scene

• Set the house away from the center of the board; a central position reads as an architectural model rather than a view.
• Leave clear space in front of the frontage so that the building has distance and can be taken in.
• Complete the scene with a low element to one side - a fence, a wall or greenery - so that the house does not float in a void.
• Deal with the terrain at the foot of the walls before the details; the join between the building and the groundwork shows the most.
• Check the composition as you go from the eye level of a figure.

Who the element is for

It is meant for modelers who put together views with vehicles and figures in 1:35 and are looking for a striking main building, and for collectors who want to complete a single model with a dignified background. It comes into its own in subjects from the Second World War, in postwar scenes and in purely civilian historical compositions.