JohnnyK, that is a fabulous looking model! Thanks for posting! Now I know how hight the bar goes, so I’d better step it up!
I built both the Tamiya F1 models here when they first offered both in 1/2th scale. The 1/20 scale versions are quite recent.
As a race and airfield marshal at the time watching these was incredible.
The March F1 team from Bicester about 12 miles away tried the same trick of having 6 wheels but 4 were at the back , so to keep the airstream clean the rears were small as were the fronts, but putting the power of V8 Cosworth engine through such small wheels/tyres was a disaster and quickly shelved the project.
Your build is looking very good, so keep up the good work!
PatW, that car looks amazing!
…and where can I fnd some common sense? I looked around and can’t seem to find any. [:P] I guess that’s normal for a guy who gravitates to oddball F-1 cars. BTW I also have a Brabham BT46B “suction fan” car in the stash. Banned after only one race! I like the oddballs.
Anyway, thanks for looking in and for the interesting pic!
You actually have a Brabham BT46B “suction fan” car in your stash. Is that the one with the big turbofan thing stuck on it’s butt? Man, that would be a really neat car kit.
Yes, that’s the one! Fujimi made it. It’s a recent kit, so it is pretty nice. The fan stators are kind of thick though.
So much eye candy in this thread! Great stuff.
That’s a crazy car! I can see how it was banned after one race.
HA! Wheel weights!!! Kinda humbling when ya know something should be there yet your brain seems to delete that file after first contact LOL LOL. Go for it Real G, “you can do it”!
Sweet work on a smaller scale. And if ya hadn’t figured I’m just teasing…cause I NEVER would have though about the wheel weights. More stuff to add to my 12th scale…sometime in the next 50yrs or so.
To me, Formula-1 is automotive eye candy! The exposed engines of the 1970 era cars must be the reason I fell in love with the Y-Wings from Star Wars.
Oh I’m right there with you, but maybe a bit older vintage 
I did these Tamiya kits
EBBRO has some great subjects (and they sure look like Tamiya kits). I have this one in the stash
It’s interesting to note that the erstwhile head of F1 Bernie Ecclestone was the owner of the Brabham F1 team at the time of the ‘Turbo Fan’ car, that as you say was banned after just one meeting.
As the head of the F1 circus, he always criticized F1 teams for breaking the rules!
Yeah back when the BT46B appeared, there was already a rule in place that prohibited any mechanical or moving aero devices. The excuse the Brabham team used was that the fan was to cure engine overheating problems, which the flat boxer engine actually did have. But once the car got on the track, it was clear the tremendous downforce the fan created was being used to advantage in turns. Driver Niki Lauda commented that the car took some getting used to, as the more power you used in a turn, the better the car cornered.
The Tyrrell kit has been a tremendous educational tool for me, as I knew nothing about F1 cars or the race itself before starting it.
Nice cars Keavdog!
I like the older F-1 model kits because the engines are exposed. The newer F-1 cars have their engines fully enclosed.
The rear wing has a spoiler strip, which is basically a 90 degree channel secured by rivets. Tamiya represented this as just an upturn of the wing trailing edge, so it was trimmed off and replaced with some strip plastic and punched fasteners.
https://flic.kr/p/v78w2m]
[/url]P34-036 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr
One aspect of modeling that I am absolutely incompetent in is attaining a high gloss finish. Seemingly to prove my point, the paint crinkled on the underside of the rear wing.
https://flic.kr/p/uGXJva]
[/url]P34-044 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr
But Tamiya rattle can paint is very forgiving, so I just let it dry then wet sanded the crinkles flat.
https://flic.kr/p/vDfvs7]
[/url]P34-045 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr
Then I used some polishing cloths to get back the shine.
https://flic.kr/p/vKeu3i]
[/url]P34-046 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr
That was good enough to start the decaling process.
https://flic.kr/p/zw69fY]
[/url]P34-069 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr
It’s not perfect, but perhaps a little more finesse with some fine polishing compound will make it right.
WOW, that’s a really nice save with the crinkles!!
Yes JohnnyK, Tamiya spray paint is very forgiving; it dries fast and sands well. Just have to remember to wait a bit after a paint diaster before hitting it with the sandpaper.
The Ford Cosworth V8 is pretty darned good considering the age of the kit, and still stands up well against 21st century competitors IMHO. (I know very little about the classic powerplant, but the kit engine sure looks like the real deal!) Test fitting the serpentine exhaust pipes revealed a snag - when all the pipes were in place, the collector piece did not sit correctly (it wanted to rotate the pipes) plus there didn’t seem to be enough space for the straight pipe in the back. So I fit each pipe separtately along with the straight rear run to see where the problem was. It turns out that the straight pipe was slightly too long on both sides. To figure out how much to cut, the first pipe on each side was dry fitted along with the straight run. After they were trimmed, the pipes on the left side all fit perfectly and the collector was in proper alignment. The last pipe on the right side needed a little shortening for everything to fall into place. It’s not a ding on Tamiya, as the kit came out in the 1970s.
https://flic.kr/p/wMTmJH]
[/url]P34-67 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr
https://flic.kr/p/x4Cueu]
[/url]P34-68 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr
The kit’s intake trumpets are chrome plated and while nice, they have sprue gates that will show scars. So the plating was stripped off with Purple Power and they were joined to their bases that had the fuel injector horns. Fit was not so great, so some tedious filling was in order. Alclad or Molotow chrome finish to follow.
https://flic.kr/p/v4usrQ]
[/url]P34-034 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr
I’m starting to run out of WIP pics, so I’d better get back to this stalled project (check the date of the pics - 2015 or so) and finish the clear coating before the weather turns hot again.
Still watching and enjoying every update. Keep up your great work…and good save on the rear spoiler.
Ben
Thank you for checking in Ben! Hope to make new progress soon!
To start the paint process, I used Floquil light blue and Tamiya white primer. I figured the flat colors would be easier to sand out dust and imperfections.
https://flic.kr/p/tSQTyU]
[/url]P34-023 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr
This was followed by Tamiya rattle can gloss pure white and blue.
https://flic.kr/p/vEaS5x]
[/url]P34-042 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr
https://flic.kr/p/vDeF6N]
[/url]P34-043 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr
The white went on well, but the blue was another story! Horrifying orange peel covered the model!
https://flic.kr/p/vGypVL]
[/url]P34-048 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr
https://flic.kr/p/vMKwJu]
[/url]P34-051 by N.T. Izumi, on Flickr
Sand, sand, sand, paint burn thru, @#$%&* , touch up, sand, sand, sand… Now I know why I have avoided car models in the past.
Stay with it as the blue body is one of the most important visuals. I am sure you will pull it out, especially with a nice gloss coat. I’ve seen your work and have 100% confidance in you on this one…
Ben