For modellers, diorama bases are an effective way of displaying figures, artillery and vehicles in their historical context.  Careful selection and positioning of the figures can also add interest by providing a sense of animation.

Contents

The base from Monroe Perdu depicts a street corner at the junction of two cobble stone roads.  The kerbside is raised and features a metal grate that goes around the base of a tree.   The patterns of the cobblestones, and the stone kerbing are typical of those I found in WWII photos from France and the Lowlands.  Having two different styles of cobblestones adds interest and an extra degree of realism.

The one piece casting measures approximately 7 inches x 7 inches (170 x 170mm) and the road and footpath are each large enough to take a feature item and a couple of figures.  The footpath is sufficiently large that it can comfortably accommodate items such as Tamiya’s German field kitchen or a well with a couple of figures.  The roadway is well suited to smaller vehicles such as a Bren gun carrier, jeep or kubelwagen, but is a tight fit for larger vehicles such as the Sd. Kfz 250.  I was also pleased that the cobblestones are cambered so that a tracked vehicle can sit flat.

What particularly impressed me about this base is the high quality of workmanship, that I noted when I compared it to similar products from two other manufacturers.  Monroe Perdu’s base had very clean casting and the cobblestones were clearly but finely defined, and it sat flat.  One minor point is that the base’s lower corners were rounded and may need some filler, although this won’t matter if the edges are dressed with a veneer or wooden beading.

The base came with a one-page colour sheet featuring a completed example used in a diorama and some colour photos of real cobblestones and a tree grate which act as a painting guide. The item was well packaged in a sturdy box with plenty of bubble wrap.

Recommendation

This Cobblestone Corner from Monroe Perdu’s provides a high quality base that captures the character of a 1940s European street intersection.   The base is well suited for displaying figures and a range of small vehicles.   Well recommended.

Thanks to Mike Bishop of Monroe Perdu Studios for the review sample. Monroe Perdu (www.monroeperdu.com) also make several designs of Western European wells and a storm water grate (part of the tree grates set) that can be used with this display base.