Looking for a Central American Church in 15mm for AK47 - Any Ideas?

[joekano]

Hi All,

  I am looking for a village church for my Central American AK47 village.  Does anyone have an ideas?

I'm hoping for something along these lines:








I see that Miniature Building Authority used to offer an Italian church that was similar in style, but that it's now out of production. Everything else I've seen seems to be northern European in style.

Thanks in advance for the help!

Chris

[Malamute]

Village Green Models in the UK used to do a 20mm church/mission set that woudl be perfect for your needs. I am not sure whether it is still available or not though.

[von Lucky]

Nothing pops up after a quick look. I think searching for "Spanish colonial church" or similar might be helpful. And in model railway scales too.

Best match was the Italeri 1/72 church:

[carlos marighela]

I have the Italeri church. It's massive and not especially typical of Latin America, even when you replace the weird roof with pantiles. Still a very nice model none the less.

[Rob_bresnen]

After a good look round I only found this one by Miniature Building Authority. it is very expensive and out of stock- I say make your own!

http://www.miniaturebuildingauthority.com/proddetail.asp?prod=15120

[Brummie]

Wasn't there a pre-painted 15mm Italian/Spanish church made for Flames of War?? Sort of like a co-op with Gale force nine or something?

[Rob_bresnen]

Good point brummie

They do ruined Italian monastery.
 

http://www.flamesofwar.com/gf9online_store.aspx?CategoryID=13339

[84 Sqdrn]

Hovels do a Spanish church in their 15mm range that might be suitable?

http://www.hovelsltd.co.uk/spanish_15mm.htm

[joroas]

There must be a Mexican range somewhere.  An Alamo building, at least.....

http://www.miniatureworldmaker.com.au/products/id-6436/productlist/

[joekano]

Thanks for the ideas everyone. It looks like my issue with finding a church is more do the lack of availability rather than poor Google skills.  I tired both Spanish church and mission church in 15mm and HO without really any luck.

The MBA and Village Green churches seem to be out of production (I actually checked them earlier), and though the Italeri kit is nice, I think the style is not quite a match.  The Hovel or MWM churches might work, though I get the impression they might be on the smaller size.

I was also poking around late last night and came across a paper kit for a church in Spain:
http://blogtobarra.blogspot.com/2009/09/recortable-de-la-iglesia-de-la-asuncion.html

Though nicely designed, the texture quality is poor for the table and I'm not sure how strong it would be.  However, I'm thinking it could work as the start of a scratchbuild.

I'll have to do some thinking, but I'll be sure to loop back in on this thread with my final choice in case someone else finds themselves in the same spot.

Thanks again!

Chris

[84 Sqdrn]

There is another option Empress Miniatures make a "Spanish Style Church".

Third item down on this page http://www.empressminiatures.com/userimages/procart16.htm

[joroas]

There is another option Empress Miniatures make a "Spanish Style Church".

Third item down on this page http://www.empressminiatures.com/userimages/procart16.htm

Which is, of course, 28mm! 

[84 Sqdrn]

Which is, of course, 28mm! 

Well, we're not all perfect.

[joekano]

That Empress one would have been perfect of it was only 15mm. Too bad!

Thanks!

[carlos marighela]

I suppose it depends on what level of accuracy you are after. Churches across Latin America come in all shapes and sizes from tin sheds, through simple adobe structures to Baroque masterpieces and even the occasional Gothic style cathedral in larger cities. Then you have the proliferation of the auditorium cum shopping centre style mega churches so popular with the various evangelical sects. You can even find examples of Anglican and Presbyterian churches, that wouldn't look out of place in the UK.

That said if you are looking at the stereotypical style for a small town, then Spanish or Italian churches don't really look the part. The most popular style, like the ones in your photos, is usually described as Baroque. You will see similar churches across the region. More often than not they don't feature a single bell tower but are balanced with two smaller towers. Most of the miniature 'Ítalian style' churches are of a style more common through the late middle ages through to the 15th C.

Almost invariably these churches are stuccoed or plastered and for good reason, they are generally made using simple clay bricks or adobe. Dressed stone is uncommon except for the largest and grander examples. Two reasons, cost and availability of both materials and the necessary artisans. So the dressed or bare stone items in miniature ranges doesn't look right.  I was married in a church of this style and lived in a city crammed with examples, in fact the legend is that there's a church for every day of the year.  Ok, in truth there's nowhere near that many examples but of the 100 or more that do exist, I can only think of three examples in dressed stone and these are incredibly opulent examples in what used to be the capital of the country. Actually, the most famous, the Church and Convent of São Francisco, which internally is covered in gold leaf has a series of beautiful stone carvings on its exterior, that were executed by black artisans. These offended the church authorities and were covered over in plaster and were only been rediscovered and uncovered last century.

The church I was married in, Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos, is a far simpler but none the less beautiful and also quite famous structure that dates to the early 18th C. It was the first church in Brazil built by freed slaves. This is a fine example of baroque style. I have had the chance to examine the structure and like most of the buildings that surround it it's largely built using flattish compressed clay bricks. Plaster serves to hide the structure.

I have long looked for suitable items myself in 28mm. They don't exist in any scale, unless you count the crude plaster examples you can get in gift shops. My advice would be to build your own. If you go for a simple example like the one in your third photo it should be a simple enough build.