Model Kit | Faller Country Chapel with Scenic Accents

This is the Country Chapel model kit by Faller.

The kit comes pre-colored but I decided to give it a go over anyway with similar colored paints. I guess I can't get over the plasticy sheen of an unpainted kit. Interestingly enough, Model Color's Field Blue matched the original colored plastic of the roof of the chapel exactly! The white walls were painted with MC's Ivory White.

Country Chapel model kit by Faller

The bronzed plastic of the bell tower looked pretty good so I left it alone.

For a couple of weeks, that is, before I decided to give it a once over with Humbrol 171 Antique Bronze. Ah, much better..
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Bell steeple painted with Humbrol Antique Bronze

I did some simple weathering to this structure which involved using black and brown crayons on the white walls. Black crayon is also great for crisping up some of the details -- I use it on corners and for structural accents. The exposed brick effect was accomplished by dry-brushing matt dark red paint.

I created the vine effect on the side walls by drawing thin lines of PVA glue with a toothpick and then sprinkling light-green Woodland Scenics Fine Turf over the area. The glue lines catch the turf while the excess falls away, creating the 'vine' effect.

Vine on the chapel walls created with PVA glue and Woodland Scenics Fine Turf

I spent a good part of my pre-adolescence building model planes, tanks and ships by the likes of Airfix, Revell and Tamiya. I found the quality, fit and detail pretty good overall.

Airfix and Revell were in my opinion the best as far as fit -- the parts all went seamlessley together 99% of the time. Tamiya led the pack (back then in the late 70s) as far as detail but the parts at times did not fit together perfectly and a certain amount of modification with an X-acto blade and glue was required.

Having come into model railroading and finding myself once again working with model kits, I can say for a fact that the scenic models that I've worked with so far do not even come close as far as detail or quality of fit to the brands I mentioned earlier. A lot of times, parts to be have to be glued together 'freehand' -- no alignment guides are molded on the plastic to align the pieces together.

On the bell tower on this model for example, it would have been the industry standard to provide guide 'nibs and holes' to align the steeple on top of the wooden framework. Instead one has to slap on a liberal amount of glue and align the steeple to the frame by eye, making fine adjustments before the glue has a chance to completely dry.


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The Country Chapel as it appears on the layout. Don't ask how the congregation is supposed to get up that hill.. 

Instructions are also often unclear, or completely lacking, and one has to reference the picture on the box for clues. Oh well, these manufacturers must give us model railwaymen too much credit as far as our kit-building skills. If only Tamiya were to enter the model railroad market..

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Distant view of the Country Chapel

Post afterthought:
Having said all that, I do find that the LifeLike Trains and Atlas plastic kits that I've recently worked on to be of good quality, with precision fit and detail an experienced kit modeller would come to expect.

More model kit buildings on The Sunny Model Railroad:

Western Homestead Shanty by Life-Like models

Country Chapel by Faller

Sanding Tower Model Kit by Faller

Atlas Picket Fence and Gate Kit

Constance Signal Tower Model Kit by Faller