1:72 PSP

Peewit 1:72 PSP — a printed display base for a model

This item is a printed display base for a model in 1:72 scale, not a kit and not an accessory part. The abbreviation PSP stands for pierced steel planking, commonly also called Marsden matting — a prefabricated surface used during the Second World War and afterward to firm up field airfield surfaces, taxiways and parking areas. The base is laid under a finished model and gives it believable surroundings at once, with no need to build a whole diorama. The dimensions, the material and the number of sheets in the package are stated on the box of the base.

Use

• as a surface under a finished model when displayed in a case or on a shelf
• as a quick background for photographing a model, replacing a complicated scene
• as the foundation of a simple diorama — you need only add a few figures or ground equipment
• for modeling competitions and shows, where a base helps a model stand out

Usage tips

Stretch the base onto a flat, rigid board so that it does not curl — a cardboard or wooden board serves well, fixed with double-sided tape or a thin layer of PVA glue. You can hide the transition at the edge with a low frame or a strip. The effect is helped a great deal by light dusting with pigment around the perimeter and in the places where soil would collect, and by a few blades of static grass in the joints between the planks. Watch out for moisture — printed bases do not take wet techniques, so fix pigments only very carefully.

Who it is for

It suits modelers who want to present a finished model in context but do not want to take on the building of a whole scene. It proves itself with aircraft of the Second World War and the postwar period in 1:72 scale, with field airfields and with ground equipment placed on a firmed-up surface.

This is a display base for a model, not a kit. The model, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.