I bought this kit back in May this year, and didn’t have any experience with resin or white metal, so during the year I practised building some other models from two different resin and white metal kits, learned a fair bit while I did so, and so I started building this kit in early December, hoping to make it as a Christmas present to myself. Just made it!
A what? A Panhard Dynavia. The company, Panhard, went bust in the 1960s, but they were noted for their quite advanced “out there” designs all through the 30s, 40s and 50s. This car was a concept car for the 1948 London Motor Show. It never went into production and only two were ever built, and one of them still survives, in the French National Motoring Museum in Mulhouse.
It IS a weirdo, but an interesting one. With its 610cc flat twin engine and a body with a sleek Coefficient of Drag of just 0.172, it could reach 130km/h (80mph) and sip just 3.5 L/100km (about 80mpg (UK) at 80km/h (50mph). Its body was super-light duralium, and the whole car weighed just 650kg.
As well as building model cars, bikes, planes and ships, I collect diecast cars (there’s over 400 in my collection, which covers all nationalities). I do like French cars, and I have about 20 Panhards, but models of the rare Dynavia are almost impossible to find, but I did come across this kit of the Dynavia from CCC Models in France. The only way I could have a 1/43 Dynavia was to build my own, so I have.
The kit itself went together well, most parts fitting nicely. The formed acetate window piece was the one exception to that rule, and it took me hours of whittling to get it to fit. All the metal parts are of nice quality and fitted on without much fuss. The rear seat unit, however, caught up against the rear wheels, leading to a lot more filing to get everything to fit.
My biggest problems were trying to find the right paints. In the end I didn’t want to buy automotive touch-up paints because I couldn’t find the exact, correct colours and the “nearest” ones simply cost too much. So I mixed up my own colours from the Humbrol enamel range. It certainly looks the part on my diecast shelves, even if it isn’t anywhere close to perfect.