Modern Street Cafe

MiniArt, 1/35 scale

Reviewed by Al Bowie

Summary

FirstLook

MiniArt is known for an imaginative and highly useable range of diorama accessories and buildings with this new set sure to be popular among modern diorama builders, civil and military.

It represents the basis of a street café including umbrellas, plastic chairs, a chest refrigerator and bottles and cups etc. This is an almost universal set and examples of just such items could be found in almost any country making this immensely appealing to many creative people.

The detail and moulding are the usual MiniArt quality and construction is simple with one piece mould chairs in a very well protected sprue to prevent breakage. Most of the set comes in the usual light grey styrene but the cups / saucers  are presented in white plastic, the bottles are in green translucent plastic and the glasses and sliding doors for the chest fridge are clear and may be posed open.

What you get in the set are parts for the following:

• 2 tables (circular moulded plastic type)

• 6 chairs (moulded plastic type)

• Two large sun umbrellas and weighted bases

• An upright fridge

• 3 white mugs, 3 white cups & saucers

• 3 clear mugs/steins, 3 clear wine flutes, 3 clear wine glasses

• 10 plastic soft drink cans

• 7 printed colour paper product boxes

• 3 coloured printed paper umbrellas

• 4 printed ice cream boxes

• A sheet of suitable decals including well know global soft drink brands

The only thing I am wary about is the fitting of the paper umbrellas but tests show they do work although I did mine with a scanned reprint in case of problems (I would recommend this).

In summary, this will make a great addition to a street diorama of the modern era and it is pretty much suitable for any country. Parts of this set may be combined with other MiniArt products or even used with AFV models etc. The versatility is amazing and the umbrellas really do look the part.

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I can see these appearing on tank models in the future and they are strong enough to be constructed without too many tears.

Well done again to MinArt for this imaginative and useful set.

Thanks to Creative Models Australia for the sample.