Cast 48

1/48 Brick Wall Section

Kit Number: none

Reviewed by  Chris Bryan, IPMS #39182

MSRP: $10.00 Website: www.cast48.com (under construction) Email: click here In the world of scale modeling, 1/35 and 1/72 scales have dominated the industry. If one so chooses, he or she can purchase diorama supplies to compliment their latest build. Now, that is changing with the introduction of 1/48 scale models and their related accessories. I have recently received several pieces of 1/48 scale diorama supplies from Cast 48 in Madrid, Spain. The first of these with which I have worked is the brick wall section. The resin brick wall set from Cast 48 is an example of beauty in detail. This kit comes in a sturdy cardboard box separated with layers of soft foam. There are no prep or assembly instructions because none are required. The set is comprised of two wall sections and two column sections. The first thing I noticed was the clarity of the casting and the exceptional detail. This set requires very little clean up and is ready to use with little effort. There is a small molding lip along the bottom edge. I did remove this. Another detail that got my attention was the balsa reinforcing rods made into the casting.

The pieces themselves measure approximately 100 mm in length and 50 mm in height. Because of this, the set will easily translate into 1/48 and 1/35 scales. This makes it a very attractive addition to modelers of multiple types and scales. The prep time for these pieces was about five minutes total. I primed the parts with Krylon ruddy brown and applied acrylic paints. This was followed by an oil wash. The casting accepted all of these with ease. When applying the finish on the set, the bricks were dry-brushed with red acrylics. Varying tones were achieved by using multiple coats of dry-brushing. This was followed by a wash of burnt umber and finished off with a light filter-wash of titanium white. In my opinion, this set is a must have for diorama builders.

To demonstrate the versatility of this set, only a column was used with the addition of some "iron" fence bent from aluminum tube. These leaves the rest of the set for a future project with gives more bang for the modeling buck. In addition, this set can cross over to 1/35 scale with no effort. Also, the European style power line pole is from Cast 48, but more on that to come.

This set and others from Cast 48 are destined to become a staple on 1/48 or 1/35 scale diorama builders' benches. I highly recommend this kit.