PHIL B

I had sit down when I read this thread! I've been waiting for a kit of this car since 1983 when I first got into F1. Thanks Beemax. Their upcoming MP4/2B is also very welcome. I wonder whether they'll do both early and late season BT52s? What price Keke's Championship winning FW08 now? Ebbro are doing a Lotus 91 so it's time for an Austria '82 finish line pairing. Phil

Heritage now have the T8C & T8M conversions back in stock. Phil

Good on yer John. This is quite a bit more complicated than the 126C2 but it should be very detailed and pretty accurate. Judging by your last build, I reckon you'll be fine with spraying the tub. I see you have the Monaco version with the smaller front wing & wide rear wing. I've got a few pics from contemporary magazines if you get stuck for 'em. Who's car will you builds it as? Phil

I have a copy of Scale Models magazine from 1973 which has an article on using photoetch made by Fotocut. IIRC it comprised of large scale WWI spoked wheel rims, machine gun barrels and the like. To put its cage in context, the other articles included a build of the new Revell 1/32 Harrier GR1. Phil

Cracking result John and you enjoyed it so everyone wins! I'm glad to have been able to help in a small way. How about another top F1 car next? Phil

Hannants have 2, 3 & 5mm sizes in stock at £3.50 a time. https://www.hannants.co.uk/search/index.php?adv=1&product_category_id=&product_division_id=&manufacturer_id=8229&product_type_id=&code=&scale_id=&keyword_search=Tape&setPerPage=25&sort=0&search_direction=0&save_search_name=&save_search= Phil

Slightly OT I'm afraid but those Pantone colours are the ones approved by the Flag Institute for the Union Flag:http://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/british-flags/union-flag-bill-2008/ Phil

He looks spot-on to me John.May I just say that the above pic looks very realistic and I think it captures the feel of Gilles in his 126C2 superbly. The only thing which I reckon would help is, as you say, to trim the visor a bit. I wouldn't worry John. The tub being bonded aluminium honeycomb rather than riveted gave it an extremely clean finish for an ali tub.Time to finish it off! Phil

Nice set Ian. Thanks for those. I visited NNAM for the second time this past Christmas period and took the flightline bus for the first time. The aircraft collection outside is impressive but as Sammy said, many are looking far past their best. The flightline tour guide was hilarious & very knowledgeable. I love the way the museum uses veterans as volunteers. Phil

Nice one Shaun, Great decalling work, especially those big red bulls. Phil

Looking good John. I can't help thinking Gilles wants to sit a bit lower though. As for the windscreen, I guess they were bound by moulding limitations on the thickness of the clear part. The real thing is recessed but not as much as the kit part. http://motorsportsunplugged.com/f1/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/gilles-villeneuveFerrari-126-C2.jpg Phil

Fantastic article Malc. Thanks for the heads-up. I must have missed that one on F1m. Phil

Or this Heritage conversion mastered by Nick Greenall:http://www.kitsforcash.com/harrier-t1012-back-in-stock-53-p.asp Phil

Jason, I've only today discovered your build. Great detailing and excellent finishing. If you have any of your engine sets left, I'd be interested in one please. Regards, Phil

Glad to be able to help even a little bit John. I really like the shadowing & decal work on Gilles overalls. I know what you mean about eyesight. I'm 50 later this year & the best modelling item I bought in the last 10 years was a magnifying lamp from Maplin. Phil

Hi John, Great build and excellent painting. I got into F1 in 1982 so the 126C2 is a real favourite of mine. I didn't realise until now that Gilles' front brake ducts were different for Imola from the translucent downward facing ones normally associated with this car. After trolling through Grand Prix International mags, Google & a few books, I've found only poor quality pics in books which don't show the Imola ducts well at all. I think though that the same ducts were used by Didier Pironi at Monaco: http://sharonov.tumblr.com/image/71175921927 I'm sure you're right about the tan side panels though: http://s237.photobucket.com/user/philabrown/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1982-126C2-Imola-1-Villeneuve_Piron.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3 You probably don't want to know this but it looks like Fujimi should have given us 15 inch diameter rear wheel rims instead of the 13s in the kit: http://s237.photobucket.com/user/philabrown/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160322_1727272.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1 Not much can be done about this though! Your driver didn't have much chance of keeping his legs since the front suspension rockers have been moulded in one piece with a fictional middle section. The pedals seem too far back though. They want to be level with the rearmost one of the two oval openings on top of the tub. Drivers' legs were very vulnerable in those days weren't they? I'm looking forward to seeing your completed car & driver. Phil

Welsh Models do sell engines and props for this one. Their website doesn't give it a kit number but its between CV20 & CV22 on their list! http://www.welshmodels.co.uk/conversion.html

Superb work Shaun. Especially the decalling.

Great news about the Transit! I remember we had a big pile of ESCI ones on clearance sale for months in Beatties at Southgate and still I didn't buy one then. That'll change when Italeri do what they should have done years ago. The 1/48 MB339 is good news too. A very nice kit and great for aerobatic team modellers like me.

Having lived in north London all of my 49 years, I've been visiting RAFM Hendon since my grandad used to take me there in mid '70s. Some developments have been excellent like the BoB Hall and the Grahame-White Factory. Others like the Milestones Of Flight hall left me cold. Overall though, much of the main hall looks little different now than 40 years ago & the main building feels very cramped & cluttered. I appreciate that some of the aircraft are sole survivors of their type but the mamagement's approach over years has been a bit too precious for my liking. almost as though they've resented visitors getting in the way of them running their museum. Having visited the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola twice in the last two years and experienced their open & welcoming approach, RAFM feels very stuffy and staid. Its such a shame as I love visiting Hendon & there's always more to learn. My hope is that the changes won't erode the tribute the museum pays to the men & women who gave their service & for some their lives to this country. As has been said, the side galleries did this as much as the aircraft exhibits and that aspect needs to be addressed for my money. Speaking of money, free admission is a wonderful thing. Every time I'm there on a weekend, the many families there reinforce that message and, hopefully, their visits make an impression on the young 'uns to broaden their horizons. I don't pretend to know what should be done but I do believe we still need an RAF museum in the south of England to tell the story of the service's contribution to our nation's recent history.

I'm in! Time to finally build that 1/48 Tamiya BIV with a bulged bomb and a Cookie on a trolley. Phil

Even if this series of stills did show XH558 being rolled, who's to say it wasn't taken while the aircraft was being flown by the RAF Vulcan Display Flight?

Afternoon all. For those who haven't seen it, there's a fascinating interview on F1 Modeling Corner with Masato Kiya of Ebbro in which he talks about his days as a designer at Tamiya and how Ebbro was formed and has progressed. Its translated from Model Graphix magazine. The page I have linked talks about how the Lotus 88 & 91 kits came about: http://f1modelingcorner.blogspot.co.uk/p/ebbro-interview-part-12.html For my money, the '88B looks great and I did have plans to scratch-build one using bits of a Lotus 78 kit but I'd rather spend my hard-earned cash on some of Ebbro's other cars than the '88s or MP4/30 but I'll definitely have a 91 when it arrives. I'm with you Tony on the '08B. I'd also love a 4 wheeled '08 cos I got into F1 in 1982 , I've been a big Williams fan ever since, Keke Rosberg was my favourite driver of his time and it would go well with the Lotus 91 for an Austria '82 finish line pairing with Chunky and his cap in the air! Phil

Following on from Pete's florists idea, Hobbycraft stores in the UK sell florists' wire in a variety of not only diameters but colours too. They also stock rolls of fine wire in their bead-making section and probably some other departments I may have missed. Phil

Yes please! One of my half dozen 1/48 Mossies or a Heritage 1/48 Comet might finally get built or perhaps that Air Craft Models 1/72 Albatross.