Medium Green 8" - 9"
Series: Ready Made Realistic Trees™
Item: TK 1519

Introduction

You’re at your LHS (local hobby shop) or a model show and you are simply bewildered by all of the tree models available. What might the trees look like with your masterpiece model? Let’s see in this presentation of Woodland Scenics Ready Made Realistic Trees™ Medium Green 8" - 9" Trees!

Woodland Scenics series of Ready Made Realistic Trees™ (RMRT) features dozens of choices, including this set of two 9-inch tall deciduous trees with medium green foliage. These plastic tree armatures are fully assembled with a height range of approximately 3/4" to 9”. Five types are available:

1. Conifer Green
2. Dark Green
3. Fall Mix
4. Light Green
5. Medium Green

RMRT Medium Green, 8" to 9"

First, these are not metal trees, although Woodland Scenics still offers metal tree kits. For a long time model trees were made of soft metal. Soft metal used to mean lead. Woodland Scenics notes on their website that their 7"- 7 ½" Big Old Trees kit are now made of lead-free metal (Please see the review of that set here: Big Old Trees). I do not know when they made the change from metal to plastic although the label this box is dated 1995. Also unknown is when Woodland Scenics transitioned from brown to dark gray plastic for the trunks. While todays offerings are gray, these review samples are brown. Also, the item number changed from TK 1019 (this set) to TK 1519 (Woodland Scenics' website).

These trees represent deciduous trees. Two trees are packed in a one-piece box that opens on the sides via tabs, with a cellophane window. The trees are glued to a piece of card. This keeps them from being jostled around in transit; the bases peel off the glue easily. Regardless, some clumps of foam fell off. The trees are packed in the box fully formed; you don’t have to bend the boughs. The branches are molded on several side, not just two like the metal models.

Fine bark detail is molded on the trunks. A seam line runs along the trunk but you really can’t see it unless you try to. Trees have planting pin and optional, detachable base for temporary placement.

Fibrous sheets with dyed bits of foam commonly represents foliage; the foliage on these trees are bunches of clump foam hot glued on the boughs. It looks good although the uniform color of the foliage is bland. It is easy to sprinkle on random pieces of different colored material to simulate young, or dead, leaves.

Tree scale-heights are:

• 1/32 (1 Gauge) = 21 – 24 ft
• 1/48 (O scale) = 32 – 36 ft
• 1/72 – 1/76 (OO scale) = 48 – 57 ft
• 1/87 (HO scale) = 58 – 65 ft
• 1/144 = 96 – 108 ft

So how do you visualize that? Review photos include the trees with a 1/72 P-40 Tomahawk, an O scale (1/48) railroad worker, and the trees planted on an HO (1/87) diorama.

Conclusion

These are pleasing models. They are far superior to the toy-like toilet brush trees by AHM, Tyco, et al., and many of the models available today. I think they actually look better than the metal trees because branches are on more than two sides. The foliage foam looks better than older foam, and looks good from a distance. Up close it does not authentically mimic individual leaves. Of course, nothing does except leaves. However, this foliage can be enhanced with different products. Also, while these models have old brown plastic trunks; fortunately Woodland Scenics now makes them with a gray color. These models are easy to use. They look good. Recommended.

Please remember, when contacting retailers or manufacturers, to mention that you saw their products highlighted here - on Aeroscale.

Woodland Scenics

A pioneer of realistic model scenery, Woodland Scenics expanded their product lines to include cast metal buildings and vehicles, man-made scenery (a.k.a., junk piles), hundreds of plastic figures, glues, water simulating resins, plastic vehicles, plastic trees, static grass and natural fiber grass, rock molds, talus, earth color paints, foam layout terrain systems, and a series of craft and hobby sets.