Displayability of the King & Country Building (1 Viewer)

[WesternOutlaw]

Hi all-
A few months ago, I stumbled upon the Ruined Spanish House by John Jenkins.

I said to myself, "wow! I love the open facade that would make a great desert building for placement of my K&C DAK or British 8th Army figures".
It got me looking at Build-A-Rama, and others who make more open buildings.
Now I own two desert buildings by K&C, one being the smaller Shop House. The building is pretty simple, four walls, painted doors, and a small rooftop for placement of a few figures.

With the release of K&C's new Wood Merchant's House, I can't help to think that a more open approach to their building design would be appreciated by collectors who enjoy creating scenes with buildings.

Is it just me?

As a kid, I had a number of Marx sets. What I always enjoyed was placing figures in and around their small buildings.

I think incorporating more "displayability" in K&C buildings would be a nice idea.
Open destroyed roof tops, more one-sided building design, accessible 2nd floors, open doors, and balconies for figure placement are some ideas to create more open buildings.

What are your thoughts? I'd be interested to know.

 

[Phantom Warrior]

K&C has a few open buildings and facades. The 3 storey Berlin Tenement is one of the most sought after.



Terry

 

[bearybones]

Interesting question. Personally, I think the Desert Village buildings are meant more for use in a full village diorama, than a small display that shows just a façade and a few figures, like your display of the old Marx figures. The Wood Merchant's House is another building that can be used in a display, along with the other building releases in this series, to present a more realistic village scene with full buildings, that have a front, both sides and a back to each. While I like some of the other Desert Village releases better than this one, I think the Wood Merchant's House is still a fine addition to the Desert Village series. I personally appreciate that the buildings in this series are so realistic and not just front facades. The John Jenkins building façade you show is certainly a very nice piece, but I personally don't feel that it would work very well in a large diorama where you could view that diorama from four sides. Where would the rest of that building be? Just a thought....the Desert Village Gateway is a nice piece with a more "open" design and might be the most appropriate of the Desert Village series for the type of use you prefer. Just my personal thoughts on the matter. Happy collecting. George

 

[Panzer ace]

IMHO the Berlin Tenement is the best scenic piece K&C has ever done.

 

[villagehorse]

I for one like the full building, still find plenty of surfaces to display figures. Robin.

 

[4737 Carlin]

As an Eastern Front collector I'd welcome the release of damaged open-sided buildings if K&C were to make them. Trying to source diorama accessories which complement these displays is difficult from outside the US. The best stuff out there seems to be by Hudson and Allen and Build-a-rama but these are not always readily available. Something along the lines of this excellent damaged factory building (by H&A) would be most welcome from K&C.

 

[AIDMAN]

Nice choice of building friend!!. I too have this building,don"t know if you are aware of the fact that J.Jenkins has an add-on ...a roofed gateway with double doors...Very nice!!, i got them both at the December London show. You can use this diorama piece for many theatres of WWII Italy, Southern France, Crete, and i it can be used in many different ways...ie. as a background, in the centre with a pile of rubble...(for the rest of the house!!) or even at the front with a tank or an artillery piece hiding behind it!!!....Just needs imagination. go for it.



Steve

 

[El Pippo]

@ villagehorse

wow, this is a nice arrangement of K&C buildings. Thx for sharing with us. I love them

 

[zulucollector]

I think this is a very interesting thread.... Personally I prefer the façade appeal as I like to put my toy soldiers under glass ie in cabinets thus I want the backdrop appeal but without the soaking up all my valuable display space. While I like the K&C buildings they are mixed bag on the façade front ranging from very good Berlin tenanent & Egyptain buildings to a pathetic reich chancellery display. I think JG Miniature mind set is the best out there followed by H&A... they limit space but allow max displayability for figures and AFVs. Now saying all that for my open display of rorke drift where space is no object I use hybrid buildings by wbritains which fall between a façade and a whole building for the storehouse and hospital. I think the debate will be whether people prefer cabinet or open display which will likely determine whole buildings or 3D facades.

 

[TomNT]

These 3D buildings look great and I think they work well with the Normandy Church façade.

Tom

 

[Normandy1944]

I like the K & C buildings very much!
but they take a lot of space in my dioramas.
that is the reason I make them almost always myself.
here are a few selfmake buildings Or Verlinden Production Kits.

regards Harrie

 

[Normandy1944]

Here another few:












Harrie

 

[villagehorse]

All different and all very useful to bring out the best in the figures, these are all very nice Harrie, ^&cool, Robin.

 

[Desertkiwi]

Tom, that's a great use of several K&C 3D Normandy buildings, plus the wonderful church façade and gives a your display tons of depth.

I think it all comes down to your imagination, personal preference, available space and of course your budget.

 

[Normandy1944]

Tom, that's a great use of several K&C 3D Normandy buildings, plus the wonderful church façade and gives a your display tons of depth.

I think it all comes down to your imagination, personal preference, available space and of course your budget.

Yes you are 100% right


harrie

 

[Normandy1944]

All different and all very useful to bring out the best in the figures, these are all very nice Harrie, ^&cool, Robin.

Thanks Mate ^&grin


Harrie

 

[Cyber Field Marshall]

For me I think the full size buildings look great but in the end I have limited space and tons of pieces to display so the soldiers and AFV's will always win out over displaying buildings. For me the fascades are the only way to go given space/shelf limitations and I'd like to see more of them done in the future. ^&cool

 

[PanzerAce1944]

Pics from a previous post using K&C Dio Buildings with the Bridge and Jetty's sets.

 

[Firebat]

My preference is Hobby Bunker buildings with a little work put into them at $40 to $50


You can buy them prepainted for a few bucks more, but I use $1.00 craft paints which work very well.

 

[waynepoo]

These K&C buildings display pretty well I think.
Wayne.