1:35 ZIL-130 floor mat (Zvezda)

The real subject

The ZIL-130 is a Soviet medium-class truck which was built in Moscow from the 1960s and spread throughout the Eastern Bloc. You recognize it by its roomy cab with a wide windshield and a rounded front grille. It served in the economy and with the army and became one of the commonest vehicles of its day, so it appears on dioramas with civilian and military subjects alike.

What the accessory is for

The set brings a color floor mat for the cab. In a kit the floor tends to be a smooth surface without structure, yet it is clearly visible in an open door or under the glazing. A mat with a surface pattern of its own brings this area to life, and painting a small pattern with a brush drops away in the process. According to the name the element is prepared for a kit of the Zvezda brand, so the shape matches the floor of its cab; try the seating dry all the same.

Installation tips

• Fit the mat before you close the cab up and put the glazing on, otherwise you will not get into the interior.
• Leave the surface under it clean, degreased and flat; unevenness shows through a thin element.
• Take hold of the element with tweezers by the edge, so that no fingerprints are left on the colored surface.
• The sheet is soaked like an ordinary decal: soak it briefly in lukewarm water and slide the mat off the carrier paper onto a glossy base.

Who it is for

For modelers who build the ZIL-130 with open doors or with the cab taken off and want the interior finished without lengthy painting. The model, the paints and the glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.