Introduction:

Foliage camouflage is a very popular method of concealing military combat vehicles by covering them with tree branches and readily available local vegetation. This practice helps the vehicle to blend into its surroundings and avoid detection by enemy forces.

Foliage camouflage is not the easiest thing to realistically recreate in scale modeling with modelers usually opting for preserved natural products or photo-etched offerings. Recently, RT Diorama offered a completely new and innovative solution to tackling foliage camouflage… 3D printed branches!

Review:

This review covers Coniferous Branches (Camo Foliage) from RT Diorama. The set is available in both 1/35 and 1/16 scale. The sets come in sturdy cardboard boxes (18,5 x 13,5 x 5 cm) featuring nicely designed box art images.

1/35 scale:

First, this review will focus on the 1/35 scale set (Art.No.:35472).

Opening the box reveals 3D printed pieces additionally secured using bubble wrap and a leaflet with instructions on how to work with 3D printed parts.

The pieces are printed in grey resin and are located on a large printing plate, which features raised side supports for extra protection. The printing attachments are all located on the bottom side of each piece and should be removed using sharp pointed side cutters. This is not as hard as it may seem at first… patience is advised as the pieces do not tolerate manhandling. Also, the instructions on working with 3D printed pieces can help in the process.

Upon closer inspection under magnification, I can confirm the pieces are superbly printed, with no visible defects whatsoever. The level of detail in 1/35 scale is very impressive, and the magnified image shows individual needle-like leaves characteristic of conifers. Wow!

The 1/35 scale set consists of 16 branches, all designed in slightly different shapes and various forms, so no two pieces are identical. Moreover, the plates include not only branches, but also a number of conifer cones in various sizes and shapes… a welcomed addition to each set. These can be glued to the branches or used as miniature groundwork focal points.

For this review I removed some of the branches from their carrier plate and compared them to the Asparagus plumosus branches. Asparagus plumosus branches are thin and feature small leaves similar to pine needles, and are usually considered the best option to simulate pine-like foliage in 1/35 scale.

I think the difference between the two shows really well. Although cheap and overall offer a good representation of coniferous branch, the Asparagus cannot compete with 3D printed branches from RT Diorama which are far superior in every possible way… more detailed, more realistic and more to the scale.

Finally, I tried applying the 3D printed branches to one of my models. The branches are remarkably flexible and can be slightly bent to conform to the vehicle. I’m impressed! A single 1/35 scale set should be enough to camouflage a smaller vehicle, while those opting to provide more greenery to their models could always get additional sets.

1/16 scale:

Now for the 1/16 scale set (Art.No.:16210).

As with its smaller scale counterpart, this set also consists of 3D printed pieces and an instruction leaflet.

The set consists of 12 branches. Again, the branches are designed in slightly different forms and the cones in several sizes.

The details on these branches are even more impressive, which is to be expected due to the larger scale.

Conclusion:

The Coniferous Branches (Camo Foliage) sets from RT Diorama deliver 3D designed and printed branches to be used as camo foliage on vehicle models or as groundwork accessories. The 1/35 scale set consists of 16 perfectly printed branches with impressively defined details and a large number of conifer cones. Both the branches and cones are delivered in different shapes and forms and no two branches look identical. Additionally, the branches are flexible enough to use as foliage draped on the military vehicles.

After using the sets, I can definitely confirm RT Diorama 3D printed branches are far superior to any other camo foliage product available on the market today.  

EDIT: Check out the how-to videos showing the application of the branches to the vehicle models!