Airfix 1/32 Bentley

[ElectricLightAndy]

Hello, 

 

As I'm sure many of you have done, I have been able to build a little more during furlough (after I have completed any tasks set by m'lady) 

 

I decided to build a couple of kits I built as a kid and dragged out this and the Airfix DB5 (soon to be in RFI) I wanted to see how nice they could come out with 20 years more experience!

 

 

Andy.

[ElectricLightAndy]

I started with a dry run, and found that the front cross member was to narrow, so I trimmed a little out of the exhaust and used that as a crossmember instead.

 

 

Once I was satisfied with the fit I airbrushed the body Humbrol No3 green and the other bits their respective enamel colours.

 

 

I detailed the chassis and body with various enamels acrylics and oil washes, then sealed them with Humbrol Gloss cote and Matt cote,

I painted the radiator shroud Humbrol Gloss Black then Allclad chrome followed by Gloss cote. I used the kit decals on the body which are slightly out of register. I painted the interior panel matt black followed by Brown and green oil paints to tint them.

 

 

 

 

I wanted to add a little detail to the dash, so I made a 2 part decal on clear decal paper, airbrushed the panel silver and white for the dials then added the transfers.

 

 

 

And that's where I am at the moment, I just have the wheels to paint and a couple of details to paint 

 

 

 

I hope you enjoy seeing this seemingly rarely built kit.

 

Andy.

[klubman01]

Blimey, that's a blast from the past!

 

Looking good so far.  Keep up the good work.

[ElectricLightAndy]

1 hour ago, klubman01 said:

Blimey, that's a blast from the past!

 

Looking good so far.  Keep up the good work.

 

Thanks

[Homerlovesbeer]

Cracking job! Brilliant!

[Bengalensis]

It's quite impressive that such a good looking model can be squeezed out of that old kit. Good work.

[dbostream]

Very nice, should look great once completed.

[ElectricLightAndy]

Thanks, more progress pics soon! 😀

 

Andy.

[ElectricLightAndy]

Small amount of progress, I have painted and added the petrol tank back plate, added 2 little gems painted red for the lights and added a home made number plate, I thought this might be square, but looking at pictures they seem to be rectangular 🤔

 

 

I have been thinking about the fold down windscreen, Airfix provide you with this.

 

 

I think I'll have to do something a little better, as the kit has come out quite nice, this will sort of ruin the illusion!

 

Andy.

[ElectricLightAndy]

Hello all,

 

I have caught a couple of minutes at the bench (in-between painting the lounge) I have masked and painted the centre of the wheels green just need to fill in-between the spokes with black

 

 

I also finished painting the headlights, and cut a piece of styrene to replace the piece of exhaust I pinched for the front chassis brace, they supply you with a straight tube exhaust, but I will put the commonly seen fish-tail end on it.

 

 

Andy.

[Noel Smith]

That Bentley was one of Airfix's very VERY early kits released way back in the late 50's.    I can remember it being sold in Woolworths as a bagged kit for 2 shillings (10P) in the old money.

Funny thing is that Airfix got the radiator badge in the right place on this old kit, but cocked up badly on the 1/12th scale one despite having access to the real vehicle to research.

Fairly recently they changed the number plate moulding in the 1/12th scale kit but did not sort out the badge that looks glaringly wrong.

I have thought about making this old 1/32 scale  kit again and using the 1.24th scale photo etched wires from South Eastern Finecast to simulate the larger diameter wheels of the Bentley.

[ElectricLightAndy]

1 hour ago, Noel Smith said:

I have thought about making this old 1/32 scale  kit again

Go for it, it's actually a real gem of a kit, I also have the Bugatti in the stash which I may give another look at, it's really finely detailed

 

I thought I'd go cross-eyed this evening  and made a set of bonnet straps using tamiya tape for curves, fuse wire and alot of holding my breath, I've never tried anything like this and I'm really chuffed with how they have turned out, painted with some brown enamel and burnt umber oil paint, they are still wet in the pics hence the gleam

 

 

 

 

Andy.

[cmatthewbacon]

That looks fantastic, and you should be well pleased with yourself with those straps! The Bugatti is one of the "third generation" Airfix 1/32 cars, dating from the mid-70s, along with the 1930 Alfa, MG K3 Magnette and Vauxhall Prince Henry. They are, as you've noticed, a step up in terms of detail, but depending on when your kit was moulded can be in a rather brittle plastic, which makes cutting out and cleaning up those finely detailed parts a bit of a lottery...

best,

M.

 

[ElectricLightAndy]

Thanks Matt, it really is a nice kit, it really helps with inspiration doesn't it, are the other car kits like the marina and maxi this good? I have an escort and viva in the stash and the details are phenomenal for the size and age I look forward to seeing more of your 1/43 Heller builds!

 

Andy.

[davecov]

Lovely build, Andy. 👍

 

The Airfix 1/32 Bentley was the first Airfix car I ever made - a long, long time ago! I have never made another one since but I do have one in my stash to build.

 

I have the Marina and Maxi in my stash and from a quick glance they look superior to the Escort. I will only know for sure when the day comes to build them.

 

Dave

[Bengalensis]

8 hours ago, ElectricLightAndy said:

I thought I'd go cross-eyed this evening  and made a set of bonnet straps using tamiya tape for curves, fuse wire and alot of holding my breath, I've never tried anything like this and I'm really chuffed with how they have turned out, painted with some brown enamel and burnt umber oil paint,

Very nice work, well done!

[ElectricLightAndy]

Thanks chaps, hopefully I'll get a little time on it today

 

[Noel Smith]

Nice strap work Andy.

I have built the Airfix Bugatti before. It is a nice kit....but if you look at yours you will find a fully detailed firewall under the bonnet, but no engine in the kit. It was as though Airfix intended to add an engine but decided not to.

[ElectricLightAndy]

2 hours ago, Noel Smith said:

you will find a fully detailed firewall under the bonnet

So it has, you do get the feeling whomever designed and tooled these kits really loved the cars

 

Andy.

[ElectricLightAndy]

Small update,

 

I have finished painting the wheels and all the small details, I have it 99% assembled, I have some fine mesh on order for the windscreen grill thing!

 

 

 

On the home stretch now, I will add the windscreen and little cockpit windows, maybe try printing a bentley badge for the radiator shell, hopefully soon to be a RFI

 

Andy.

[JeroenS]

You've done a great job with this and I like those straps! Well done, in this scale. 

[ElectricLightAndy]

Thanks @JeroenS I'm quite pleased with it, could do with some wire wheels but I think that would be going a bit to far, once again, this is a really nice kit, only lacking transparencies really

 

Andy.

[Bengalensis]

56 minutes ago, ElectricLightAndy said:

could do with some wire wheels but I think that would be going a bit to far, once again, this is a really nice kit, only lacking transparencies really

Yes, a set of real wire wheels would be nice, and your build would deserve them, but having said that the kit wheels do look much better here when painted than I could ever expect. I would just like to add a little bit of weight to the tyres so the model doesn't sit tip-toeing on the surface, but perhaps you just haven't reached that step of the build yet.

 

Good work👍

[Mr Mansfield]

I had no idea an old air fix 1/32 kit could look so good! I built their TR4 kit a while ago & they’re not easy to get a decent level of detail with

[ElectricLightAndy]

7 hours ago, Bengalensis said:

I would just like to add a little bit of weight to the tyres

Good idea, I think I may leave this one though as it's all quite fragile, next time definitely... if I remember!

 

7 hours ago, Mr Mansfield said:

I had no idea an old air fix 1/32 kit could look so good!

Thanks, it's really just because this particular kit is rather nice, I also try to add many different finishes/shades of colours, it does make things a little nicer.

 

Andy.