AND DIORAMAS
The summer period is always a bit of a slow season for us model builders. Vacation, good weather, the garden, and many other activities mean that model building often takes a back seat compared to the darker days that follow. This is more or less true for me as well, but I’m always on the lookout for new ideas and subjects.
A while ago, I came across a photo on Facebook where someone had made a diorama of a UNIFIL checkpoint in Lebanon (DUTCHBAT), based on a photo and his own experiences. I really liked the idea because I still have a YP408 on the shelf, a set of plastic barrels from AMMO MIG, and there are now UNIFIL figures available from Sylly’s Mini Models. What remains is the checkpoint with accessories. Of course, you could make it all yourself, but I didn’t want to make it too difficult, so I started exploring the market. There is quite a bit available. Initially, I hadn’t considered Juweela because I only knew the company from railway modeling, but it turns out they have significantly expanded into almost all common scales. I found everything I needed on their website to complete my diorama, including a checkpoint/roadblock. Being able to get everything from one manufacturer had clear advantages, so I made a list, all in 1/35 scale.
• 23445 Checkpoint - €27.00
• 23422 Rubble in the box – city – €17.00
• 23436 Rubble in the box – big box – €10.00
• 23446 Perforated concrete panels – €15.00
• 20013 Sandbags – €10.00
Click on the images below for original format
23445 Checkpoint
With article number 23445, Juweela offers the Checkpoint/Shelter set in 1:35 scale. This is a complete kit that can be used to create a checkpoint, position, or shelter in a variety of situations. The components are made of plastic, ceramic, and wood. What’s in the package?
• 4 ceramic concrete blocks
• 4 plastic corrugated sheets
• 4 ceramic Hesco barriers
• 8 sandbags
• 3 ceramic concrete slabs
• 15 wooden sticks/poles
There are no assembly instructions, nor are they needed. You can use the image on the colored cover of the packaging as a guide for construction, but other configurations are certainly possible. This allows the modeler to let their imagination run free or to refer to reference photos from the internet. The individual components make a very good impression and are very well detailed. The only downside, at least from my point of view, is that three of the four Hesco barriers are exactly the same design. This is clearly visible in the detail photos. Some inventiveness and creativity may be needed here to modify the barriers a bit, or not if you prefer.
The concrete blocks are interlocking, similar to Lego bricks. This provides some stability and prevents the blocks from sliding around. Due to the coloring of the ceramic, painting the concrete blocks and slabs is almost unnecessary. Of course, as you like it.
The 8 sandbags (see also “sandbags”) can be individually shaped. To do this, place them in a mixture of water and a bit of wood glue for about 1–2 minutes. You can also add some acrylic paint to this mixture, so the bags get a base color right away. After the bags have absorbed the liquid, let them drain and place them on the model while they are still wet. They can be perfectly adjusted and molded to the ground, making them look very realistic. I am really curious to see how this will turn out.
All in all, a nice package with many variations and design possibilities. Highly recommended; the price/performance ratio is also good.
20013 Sandbags
Creating sandbags in a 1:35 scale is a never-ending debate. Either you rely on ready-made plastic parts and make peace with their given shape, or you fill small paper bags with sand or painstakingly mold the bags from modeling clay.
Juweela's next product shows that there is an easier way.
When you open the packaging, you’ll find 25, 50, or 100 small bags filled with crystal wood, depending on the size of the package. The grains allow the small bags to conform to any surface, just like real sandbags would. For example, it is also possible to design your own sandbag armor for tanks. Of course, there are no limits to the imagination, and after staring at the small bags for a while, the next trench in Flanders or Vietnam, or this checkpoint, takes shape. Naturally, the bags still need to be painted.
On the back of the packaging, you will find instructions to guide you to success and an example of how to use it. Only the fairly wide ends need to be carefully trimmed under certain conditions, or at least not be visible..
As mentioned, I am very curious to see how this will work out.
23422 Rubble in the Box – City
Juweela makes this set with a bundle of wood and four individually packaged ceramic products:
• Dark bricks
• Brick wall rubble
• Random roof tiles and mortar
• Masonry pieces
The bricks are evenly cast in bright brick-red rectangles with a good masonry texture. The other three materials come in a variety of sizes and shapes of broken materials.
The rubble consists of small broken materials, as well as small segments that are partially intact. I see broken concrete, pulverized plaster, ceramic tiles, and broken masonry. It’s all cast in the same gray material.
The wood is hard. Not too hard to break with bare hands, but still harder than balsa or basswood. For wood intended to lie in a pile of rubble, it’s bright and clean. Fortunately, it can be roughened and stained/painted with, for example India Ink Wash.
Juweela has released a fantastic apocalyptic "starter set" with Rubble in the Box – City. It might be an oxymoron to describe rubble as beautifully cast, but I think you know what I mean. It certainly looks better than the toy-like, uniformly shaped, and sized products of the past, and undeniably easier than forming, mixing, casting, and preparing rubble from scratch. I have no complaints about any aspect of this set. It offers a quick and easy way to create a good-looking rubble field.
Click on the images below for original format
23436 Rubble in the Box – Big Box
In this set, the manufacturer offers various stones to represent building rubble. In the box, we find three types of red and three types of gray stones. Each color has large, medium, and very small to almost powdery stones. Unfortunately, two of the six bags may not be resealable, so they need to be carefully opened and stored again, for example, in a zip bag.
When creating a diorama, it makes sense to use it from small to large. But don't be fooled; to depict convincing chaos and destruction, you do need some talent. Once the stones are laid, they can only be fixed with the abundant use of fixative spray or diluted white glue.
Application: Simple, although it is more difficult than expected to depict chaos.
Click on the images below for original format
23446 Perforated Concrete Panels
These are thick concrete road plates, realistically represented in ceramic. The plates have missing corners and pieces along the edges. One of them is broken, which I assume wasn’t intentional, but it certainly makes it look more realistic.
Ten pieces are supplied in the package.
This packaging is very thin and fragile, likely the reason for the breakage of one of the plates. For me, this is something to keep in mind for Juweela, especially when combined packaging.
An example of a thin damaged box
Conclusion
There are certainly more suppliers than Juweela, but they often do not offer the complete set that I wanted to build my diorama in one go. As mentioned, being able to order all the ingredients at once is also appealing to me.
Juweela (Mikado) produces a range of high-quality modeling materials and miniature accessories, ideal for model railways and dioramas. These products are known for their realism, fine details, and durable materials, such as miniature wooden planks, stones, and bricks. They are available in various scales (such as HO and N up to 1/24) and are easy to use, often requiring no additional processing. The items are often handmade, ensuring unique and lifelike results. Juweela Mikado is an excellent choice for hobbyists looking for authenticity and quality in their model-building projects. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Juweela for making the products available for reviewing.
