Item 10012 Rocky Mountain
What is in the compartmental plastic box?
- 7" x 6" hard foam base - Diorama Base "Rock"
- Tree, 12 cm PROFI Pine
- Ground foam, olive
- Ground foam, light green
- Grass tufts, 6mm X 6
- Scatter material
- Gravel
- Woodpile
- Hikers X 2
- Water Effects, 30 ml tube
- Uhu Glue, 20 g tube
- Toothpicks and stir sticks X 4
NOCH packs that in a flexible plastic carton with a printed label as the box art and instructions, and provides this description of their concept of this series:
Design your dream landscape and bring a piece of nature into your home. With a Diorama Kit, you present your favourite figure in a unique setting and develop your manual skills along the way.
This fantastic craft kit contains everything you need to get started straightaway. You don’t need anything other than a little time and leisure. You’ll discover your creative abilities and be amazed by the results of your handiwork.
Everything is included in a Diorama Kit for you to make a start on your creative handicrafts straightaway. Each Diorama Kit contains a high-quality, handpainted base made of the well-known NOCH Structured Hard Foam. In addition, Trees, Bushes, Scatter Material, Stones, Groundcover, Grass Tufts and other crafting material for landscaping and decoration are included. No additional tools are needed because some small work tools and glue are included in the set. Finally, depending on the kit, there are also accessories and figures in H0 gauge (1:87), but of course, the appeal of designing also lies in installing your favourite figures in any size and scale according to your own taste in the scene.
And for everyone who already has a clear idea of how their diorama should look and therefore want to customise it, the highly detailed bases can also be purchased separately.
Dioraram Kits
Dioramas come in all sizes and for all subjects. These sets piqued my interested. They look like a good starter for beginning modelers who do not have the material or experience to start a diorama They also look like a good base for more advanced modelers who seek a small diorama or vignette. While many model railroaders create sweeping scenes integral to their layouts, many create a scene and then incorporate it into the larger layout. This kit affords a great deal of versatility.
Being foam, the base can be cut and modified as desired. My previous experience with the material is that it takes paint (water-based) well. One need not accept the dark gray foam color.
Ground foam is a classic ground cover material. It still looks good even in these days of static grass. One again, there's no law to stop a modelers from adding the ground cover material of their choice, not mixing and n]matching products. In a few days when I "assemble" this set, I plan to first use the products as included in the set. Then I may add other types.
NOCH PROFI Trees are the top artificial offerings by NOCH, designed to be true to scale and as professional models. A tall pine is included with this set. One could substitute a NOCH Nature Tree if desired.
Those rock clefts have become channels for a stream. It is pre-colored blue. Once Water Effects are applied, it should look like a nice fresh runoff. While no paint s included, some dabs of greens and browns to simulate moss and other moist growth can be added.
Finally, the scene comes alive with two nicely detailed and painted hikers, and a cord of stacked wood offers fuel for their campfire.
Size and Scale
NOCH advertises this as HO/1:87. Obviously, you can add whatever scale you need. In a few common scales Seven by six inches is a footprint of:
- HO 50' x 43'
- 1/72 42' x 36
- O 28' x 24
- 1/35 20' x 17'
- 1/24 14' x 12'
Contents
Ground Covers
Hikers and Wood Cord
Base
PROFI Pine, 12 cm
Instructions
Tools
Glue and Water Medium
Conclusion
I am looking forward to creating a scene with NOCH's 'Rocky Mountain' Diorama Kit. I have many ideas for it and time will tell whether it becomes a stand-alone scene or part of a larger world.
These sets should be useful for modelers of any genre: civilian; military; model railroad; sci-fi; gaming. I think this is a clever kit of good products and recommend it.