1:35 SOVIET ROAD SIGNS WW2

MiniArt 1:35 Soviet road signs of the Second World War

A set of injection-molded plastic accessories in 1:35 scale from MiniArt. It is not a vehicle model: the contents are elements of period road and direction signage, that is boards, signposts and their posts, which fill in the setting around a main model. Small things like these are exactly what give a diorama scale and a story, because a vehicle on its own on a bare base looks empty.

What the set is for

• Filling in a crossroads, a roadside or the entrance to a village in a diorama.
• Creating a landmark that tells the viewer where the scene takes place.
• Breaking up the empty area of a base on a display vignette with a single vehicle.
• A source of small elements for photographing models in a setting.

Building and painting tips

Cut the parts from the sprue with a sharp knife or nippers and sand the gate marks away, proceeding carefully on the thin posts so that they do not bend. Spray the boards and the posts separately and assemble them only after painting, or you make masking needlessly hard for yourself. Seat them into the base with a wire pin, as that holds the model more firmly than a post glued on flush. In terms of color, leave the signage slightly worn: a flat surface, fine dust at the foot of the post and gently rubbed edges read more convincingly than a fresh shine. Never set the posts perfectly upright; a slight lean looks natural.

Who the set is for

For builders of dioramas and vignettes in 1:35 scale who want to fill a scene in with period detail, and for modelers of vehicles who are missing an element to complete the surroundings of a vehicle.

The set is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and a base are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.