Tamiya 1:12 McLaren MP4/6 Rebuild/Upgrade

[vontrips]

Let's hope they can arrange a double flypast of Derwent dam! I went last year for the dambusters anniversary and it was awesome, even managed to get some pictures:

Lovely pics! Now, can anyone guess what these are?

[dr_gn]

Metal samples from something? A bomb? A Lancaster?

[vontrips]

Spot on! They're fragments from one of Barnes Wallis' prototype inert bouncing bombs...he would have been in the Wellington that this was dropped from!

I had them examined on a scanning electron microscope for their structural composition as part of my college work.

[dr_gn]

Onward:

I re-assembled the discs today after splitting them to remove the captive nuts and open up the axle holes:



I guess I'll give the bolts a dark wash and re-matt them before refitting. I'll not bother filling the circuferencial joins, nobody will ever see them again once complete. Not so for the next version of course...

I added the valve stems to the wheels and was about to cut some Bare Metal Foil to make some wheel weight tape. Then I remembered: This is a McLaren, so probably would have black tape to match the wheels! A quick look at my reference pics confirmed this was usually the case. I made some lead chocolate block weights by scribing some plastic card:



and cutting into strips:



Then PVA'd them to the wheels and covered them with some old black decals cut into tape widths. Microsol and Klear made the tape look like it had been roughly smoothed over the blocks, leaving a few wrinkles here and there:





Do they look realistic? I don't know. I'm always wary of modelling something that was imperfect on the prototype, becasue it makes my modelling look cack-handed. I'll leave them on, at least id adds interest to the wheels.

[F1Modlz]

They look good to me. But they will look even better with tyres

Paul

[dr_gn]

They look good to me. But they will look even better with tyres

Paul

Ta. Yes, tyres and wheel nuts. Then it's the problem of hand-writing the tyre wall scribbles and getting them to look realistic without them looking a mess.

I think the stems are a bit long too, but you live and learn.

[F1Modlz]

They look good to me. But they will look even better with tyres

Paul

Ta. Yes, tyres and wheel nuts. Then it's the problem of hand-writing the tyre wall scribbles and getting them to look realistic without them looking a mess.

I think the stems are a bit long too, but you live and learn.

It's going to look good matey, don't worry about it. Just think of it as an upgrade. Whatever you do is better than your last version. As you said before you've learnt a lot since doing the kit 15 years ago. It will bring a new dimension to the car.

Paul

[dr_gn]

They look good to me. But they will look even better with tyres

Paul

Ta. Yes, tyres and wheel nuts. Then it's the problem of hand-writing the tyre wall scribbles and getting them to look realistic without them looking a mess.

I think the stems are a bit long too, but you live and learn.

It's going to look good matey, don't worry about it. Just think of it as an upgrade. Whatever you do is better than your last version. As you said before you've learnt a lot since doing the kit 15 years ago. It will bring a new dimension to the car.

Paul

Thanks for the encouragement!

I noticed on the photo some of the 'tape' was a bit wide, so I trimmed it with a #11 Swann Morton (just down the road!) and now they look spot on.

You're right - they look much better with tyres - I just refitted them. The valve stems look smaller too somehow.

Cheers!

[F1Modlz]

Valves in my mind always look of scale on a kit until you put tyres on. Might be an optical illusion lol.

Paul

[dr_gn]

Stripped and repainted the radiators. I was never happy with the Calsonic decals. This time I've left them off altogether. I tried to find a spray stencil, but to no avail. I think the hose connectores should be anodised purple, but since they won't be seen, and they lack any real detail I decided to repaint them as original. I also re-applied the decals to what I assume are oil heat exchangers, just so it'll at least be complete under the body. Even these simple assemblies will become models in themselves when I build the bare chassis. Loads of detail and refinement to be added.



Also managed to remove the harness fittings without damaging the fabric straps:



I'll Alclad them and spray some Tamiya Clear Blue on them - make a better job this time hopefully: