Introduction
Humans have been navigating, fishing, trading along and living on the Mekong River since pre-history. For Vietnam and its people, the river has been a vital means of navigation and trade, and a wide range of river craft have grown up on its waters. Vietnam's Paracel Miniatures is well-known for the figures and animals it produces around the Vietnam War(s) and other conflicts, as well as civilian subjects, primarily Vietnamese in nature. Recently the company has released a largish boat similar to those still found on the river, in both 1/35th and 1/72nd scale.
Contents
Inside a brown cardboard box with the bright illustration on the front are:
- Eight major 3D-printed resin components of the hull and superstructure
- 16 assortments of minor parts, animals and figures
- One sheet of waterslide decal markings
- String for rigging
- A schematic for assembly
- A resin water base
The Review
The kit looks to be relatively easy to build, and has crisp lines and details. It includes humans and animals, most-notably a Siamese Crocodile, one of the world's most-endangered reptiles. The good news about the craft is its applicability for almost any scene or time period through even today. Anyone planning on doing a Mekong River diorama would be well-served to include at least one riverine craft. Verlinden used to make several Vietnam river craft, and some of these are still available on eBay or from copiers.
Paracel's river boat is readily available and is in both 1/35th and 1/72nd scales. The components are 3D-printed resin, which has the advantage of not requiring any soaking to remove mold release agent, though some modelers like to rinse 3D-printed parts in an alcohol bath. The pieces look like they will go together easily, and instructions are minimal, indicating an easy build. Painting is wide-open, since the real boats are often painted in bright pastels, and the climate conditions in tropical Vietnam mean lots of opportunities for severe weathering.
Conclusion
We seem to be in the midst of a modest boomlet in Vietnam War modeling, with Gecko Models in particular releasing a number of vehicles, both military and civilian. It's exciting to have a company dedicated to interesting and wide-ranging subjects connected to the Vietnam War(s). Although a bit pricey at $150, the set is beautifully-rendered and provides a small diorama in a box.