modelbautony

brilliant Rob, can't wait for you to produce these. Very keen indeed.

Vesa, Andrea R and Rob. I'm still very interested in any of the model canopy improvements you produce and also anything for the front wheel arch vents. I am looking forward to your continued progress.

I think your photos are pretty good actually and a very useful resource. Personally, I thank you for posting them.

Useful information Rob, as always. Thank you.

Thank you NFR, that's the greatest compliment to say you are inspired. Good luck with your 197, post progress on here.

Ok, It's such a small thing but I took Camo Viking's advice and have added a retaining lip to the battery shelf. It is the only thing I can find in all the reference I have that shows any evidence that the battery is held in place.

You are absolutely correct Dave. I can't count the different 'silvers' I've been through for this model. I'm still not convinced I've got it right.

Thank you again. That's very useful

I can only add my admiration for your build to the other comments already here. I bought this 1/8 Heller recently with a view to future proofing and the probability that my eyesight will continue to degenerate - the bigger the bits the better the build (probably not!) May I ask how you determined the RAL colours that you state. I'm at the paint stage of a Citroen DS19 body and having trouble matching a light blue.

Thanks Camo Viking. Hmm, interesting. I have to admit that with all the reference material I have there is no evidence of a restraining strap or any other mechanism. There should be a small lip on the bottom plate actually. You are right I should adjust for that, although I can't see that that would hold the battery firmly. Mind you if the real thing is anything like the model the fairing is extremely tight to get on and off, perhaps that would prevent any sliding out?

I'm very interested in this Andreas. I'm watching carefully. Can you tell me if if the side windows will also be 'vacuformed'?

Hello Andreas. I'm very interested in your proposal. as I said previously in this thread, I have designed 'Totip' decals for this car. If you decide to go in to production for a cockpit and body please consider selling one to me. One question, and I'm not sure if you already considered it as you mention vac-forming, is how you would produce the glass/ windscreen, windows?

Kiitos

Hello Vesa. I too have this model, the plastic Protar version you mentioned. The moulding is awful, to be honest, as you say, the body has a scale thickness of a tank! There is something fundamentally wrong with the shape of the cockpit windscreen and the clear plastic looks like the glass used in those 'joke' glasses you used to be able to get. I'm sure these issues have been documented before, not necessarily on this forum. I know that KMP were at one time going to produce a transkit body but there has not been any progress on that for a few years now. Perhaps they too realised the difficulty of the task/shape. The decal sheet in my box are past their 'sell by' so I've re-designed and had some 'TOTIP' printed. Looking forward to see your progress.

Than you Cliff.

Here's another from my pen of excruciatingly long builds. This one is so long that I can't actually remember when it was started - 5, 6 years? It's almost been finished once only for me to realise the body colour wasn't accurate. So, stripped and resprayed with Tamiya TS-17 Gloss Aluminium and a clear coat of Tamiya TS-13 Clear. Buffed with Micro Mesh polishing cloths (4000 up to 12000) and finished with all three grades of Tamiya polishing compounds. Some very light weathering, mostly with AK Interactive 'Dark'. This model is boxed as a Protar 'SWIFT' model and it was only the other day that I discovered that Protar released these as 'easier' for construction and less amount of parts. The moulding is good... although the engine block suffers perhaps with the usual Protar softness. I have done a good deal of super detailing, wiring, plumbing and more scratch building on this model than i've ever done before. Carbon decals from both Model Factory Hiro (exhausts) and Studio 27 (front mudguard) replace the Protar efforts which, by the way, are HUGE in pattern. As I destroyed the original 'Senna' markings I had some others made, more about them in another post of mine. I know, the senna markings are missing on this side. I'm waiting for some further bespoke ones to arrive.

You may already have this one Nick: from this book: Let me know if you want it at higher res, I will message you directly

In total agreement with all you say, Dave. CrazyCrank, I'm working on this too. I have re-drawn the racing numbers in case you are interested and can let you have artwork for you to get printed yourself, if it helps (ignore 3s and YARDLEY, and stripes, they are of course for other subjects): T

Hmmm - "I know , i'll print my own decals! Not impressed with what's available on the aftermarket. How hard can it be?" I really don't know if it's the same with aircraft or military or any other 'subject', but automotive, especially sporting, where the vehicle is little more than a "moving billboard" and the true depiction of company logos is essential (isn't it?), I find it alarming that so many aftermarket producers seem to go for the "it's near enough". Perhaps it's my background in graphic design and specialism in typography for 50 years or more, or maybe the almost OCD attention to detail that I personally think my 'hobby' deserves. I know, I know; it's each to their own. I gain my own personal satisfaction from absolute truth to the subject and a determination to strive for perfection in depicting a subject as it was at a certain place and time, and nothing less will do. It's disappointing then to find on most aftermarket decal sheets the incorrect use of a typeface or the wrong colour for a company logo. I appreciate that comprehensive research is difficult and time consuming, identifying a typeface is sometimes impossible and colour is also problematic with historic photographs (manipulated for viewing on differently calibrated screens, etc) can send the researcher in completely the wrong direction, but it's not that hard to get nearer than some of the producers achieve. Take this for example: A period photograph showing the 'ESSO' company logo/aftermarket company attempt/my attempt - downloaded vector file from brandsoftheworld.com or seeklogo.com. NOTE the 's' and the 'o', just not correct on the aftermarket depiction. Anyway, that isn't the point of this article, merely some background and the spur which lead me to my 'adventure in decal land' and hopefully a guide to anyone who might consider following me down the same hole. Like every good story I'll deliver it in chapters so prepare yourself for a lengthy campaign. ChapterOne You can print your own decals at home or the office. I have an old Epson PHOTOSTYLUS PHOTO R1900, always used Epson genuine inks, prints up to A3 and can handle good thick card as well as the usual paper weights. I'm producing my artwork on a 16" MacBook Pro using Affinity Designer (a vector based programme - VERY similar to photoshop in it's tools if not it's layout, but not too difficult to master and costs £47.99 for ever - free trial, as opposed to Photoshop subscribe for £19.97/month, Try for Free), this programme will be more relevant a bit later on in this saga. I've found this mr decal paper (on ebay - £14.99 for 10 sheets Inkjet/clear, free delivery) to be excellent quality although the above pieces were actually printed on - As you can see - £3 per sheet (I've had it for a while) a quick internet search has it at Amazon £10.99 for 3 sheets A4(ish) (or !!£19.99 at 1001 Hobbies!!). I find, with my printer etc, that the mr decal paper is just a little sharper. In either case you do have to give the paper a couple of coats of varnish/decalcote (I use TESTORS decal bonder because i have some old stock of it) Mr decal paper recommend 'Keen Crystal Clear Spray' but I can't comment on that as yet. The inkjet prints main drawback is how 'thin' they are, the colour isn't strong, anything other than over white... You can get the same paper for both inkjet and Laser printers and also with white background which is great if the background of your decal item is a regular shape, square, rectangle etc but anything curved and especially circular becomes almost an impossibility for trimming, well it does for me, and I'm fairly adept with a scalpel. The prints also seem good at careful application of various setting solutions although I have found overworking with brush or sponge in to awkward overhangs or excessive rivets will rub away the inkjet print. I have also found with laser printing that there seems to be a very slight adjustment of sizing during printing and I have never got to the bottom of that - it may be MY software, both design and print. NOW, it's fairly obvious but I do need to point out that MY printer will not print WHITE which is of course a major obstacle. No domestic printers will print white, it just isn't possible as I'm sure most, if not all of you, are fully aware, and of course why we rely on the aftermarket producers printing in volume with the silkscreen process or specialist one offs with ALPS/OKI printers which are like colour photocopiers, but much more complex, and use specialist inks - including white. There is a very good article by Rob DeBie which can be found at https://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/decals.htm I hope this is useful to some of you, I'll be back with more, later with more about designing the artwork and my experiences with print providers. Tony

ah, a panel riveter?

a tool for making mesh for the various bloody awful clear plastic parts that Airfix seemed to think would be 'acceptable'?

stunning Nick.

Ha, goes with that solid brass you've used Nick! Actually that chrome you've done is very impressive, what did you use? T

Hello David. Yes, that's great. I'm working on a set of decals at the moment for the 'Blower' instrument dials - and anything else - are you aware of any other items on the Bentley with graphic details? Tony

The Shock absorber adjuster? I did, it's on my list too