Eduard's 1/72
PSP Display Base

By Chris Banyai-Riepl

Perforated Steel Plates, or PSP, was used extensively in wartime to make temporary air bases just about anywhere. Once the ground was cleared away, PSP was laid down, with sections linked together, forming a sturdy base for planes to taxi over without having to worry about getting stuck in the dirt and mud underneath.

Eduard has recently released a base of PSP in both 1/72 and 1/48. The 1/72 base is roughly 6" x 9" and is injection molded. The plates are all molded in place, running the length of the base. This should be a blast to paint up, as PSP quickly rusted and got very dirty. This is something you can practice all those different weathering techniques you've been wanting to try out, and no matter how much you do it will never look like too much.

The only complaint that I have is that this base will be difficult to incorporate into a diorama due to the shape of it, and it will be difficult to piece several together to display something like a B-50 or C-97. But for a small plane, up to a mid-sized twin-engined bomber, this will make for a simple and effective display base.