Photos by the author

Last month we covered the main subassemblies of the model, as it had already reached this stage during a building phase abandoned eight years ago. This month the subassemblies have been cleaned, repaired where possible and assembled. Not ideal circumstances for a review, so some allowances will be made!

Model shown here with a 6" marker for scale.

Here we see the model's "north" end, including gardens and arcading along the north hall outer wall. This arcading is very nicely represented in 3d on most wall surfaces. This requires a lot of work as previously noted. It's a lot of fun also, however, the results being very satisfying.

Here we see the north-east tower. This has suffered some damage during moves, unfortunately. The arch visible at the lower left is provided with an interior surface, however, this has been poorly fitted and should look better. Other arches i.e. the belltower also have these interior surfaces but it is possible to miss this during construction as most items are assembled in numerical sequence rather than diagrammed. Take care!

A closeup of the east range. Gardens along this side are simply but attractively represented. Joints between 'landscape' sections are one of the kit's weak points - many are tab joints but not connected to a former, hence can be weak and liable to catch and tear during construction. They also require serious clamping during gluing.

This is an overall view of the model's 'east' side. The model is over 50 cm or 20" long.

The southeast corner in closeup.

A view into the main courtyard. All care should be taken to avoid warps in this area, as it is critical to the overall straightness of the model.

The main courtyard looking 'north'. The author's model has some serious warps, partly owing to the long delay in completion, partly to the author's lack of experience as this was my first serious paper model. It's possible there are some outright parts fit issues too! However it would not be fair to state this as fact, owing to the above factors.

A pair of views of the northern courtyard or cloister. The artwork of this kit, as with most L'Instant Durable models, is extremely detailed and subtle and incorporates beautiful weathering and ivy overgrowth etc.

The outer wall of the model from the 'south'. (A few small parts have gone missing. There's nothing for it - I have to build this kit again!)

An overall view from the same angle.

Here's the underside of the model, showing why it's not recommended for beginners!
Well, there's still a few jobs to do - some tears and poor joints still need fixing, a few small parts have to be tracked down, and the model requires a coat of varnish of some sort to protect it for 'posterity', ahem ahem. But all in all, it's done - perhaps my slowest build ever! All in all, this is a kit for serious fans of mediaeval architecture and not one I would recommend to a beginner. I completed most of it as my first effort at 'real' paper modelling and this was probably the reason that I took eight years to finish it! However, as mentioned last month, there's no real reason it could not be completed by anyone with a modicum of skill and patience. It would pay to examine the parts and numbering sequence more carefully than I did - I ended up with several 'extra' parts and had to find where they went! The lack of diagrams is a factor here - some items are non-obvious and I'd really like a few more drawings.

The structure is a complex series of interconnecting boxes with many small details, and some areas could use some extra structure - since the card is fairly thin and some areas are not well reinforced, it is easy to build some serious warps into the model, which I duly did - some extra formers would have been welcome. Also, the use of white areas to indicate the attachment points for parts could be improved - use of a paler shade of the surrounding colour would improve the appearance resulting from poorly-fitted parts and is something more and more designers are doing these days. Still, the artwork is absolutely beautiful and despite my poor construction the final model is a really attractive item. If you have yuppie tendencies, it's the sort of thing that tempts you to build a glass coffee table around it! If you attempt this kit, I would recommend reinforcing many of the outer 'landscape' section joints and using some extra formers here and there. Build in smaller subassemblies ensuring that they are ABSOLUTELY straight in all details. Assemble the subassemblies around the courtyards, and you should find all is well. In summary, a fabulous kit of a fabulous building and a kit which will attract dust like few others - well worth the money though! As previously noted, your friends will go "oooh!". Trust me on this.

Summary: