UK British Desert Rats - Round Plaque 25mm

The real subject

Desert Rats is a nickname associated above all with the British 7th Armoured Division, which fought in North Africa. It refers to a small desert rodent, and during the war it became one of the best known British military designations of all; in time it grew beyond one division and began to be used more widely for the British units of the desert campaign. For a modeler it is a shorthand that assigns a desert scene both its country of origin and its theater at once.

What the plaque is for

A round plaque 25 mm in diameter carries the badge of a unit and is used to label finished work. It can be placed on the base of a model, on the front edge of the base of a diorama or on a shelf beside a display case. It pays off above all in desert scenes, where the terrain tends to be monotonous in color and where a small striking element at the edge of the base will do the scene good.

Placement tips

First try dry on the base where the plaque falls best, and only then settle it; instructions for fixing come from the manufacturer. Clean and degrease the surface beforehand. On a sand-colored base the plaque will merge in, so rather place it on a darker frame or on a vertical edge where it stands apart from the surrounding shade. If you are building a whole desert series, keep the plaques on all the pieces at the same height and position, so that the display case reads as a unit.

Who it is for

For builders of dioramas from the fighting in North Africa, for collectors of British vehicles and for anyone who wants uniform descriptive plaques on their models. Paints, glue and varnish are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.