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Aston Martin DBR9 by Airfix, glad it's done!


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I started this build in August last year but my enthusiasm started to wane due to difficulties with the build.  But I felt I ought to complete this build as I don't like to give up.

 

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Why this kit?  This was chosen because I wanted to see what a new Airfix car kit was like and to try something outside of my comfort zone, i.e. a racing car with lots of decals.

 

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Why the loss of enthusiasm? Unfortunately this was the flip-side of choosing a subject outside my normal sphere of interest; I'm not that into racing cars and definitely not relatively recent cars like this.

 

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Is it any good? On the whole, yes.  It's reasonably well moulded, not too much flash and nicely detailed.

 

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What's wrong with it?  The biggest issue is the front bumper and the way the body attaches to the chassis.  It doesn't help that the instructions call for the bumper to be glued to the chassis before the body goes on.  It would probably work better to glue the bumper to the body first, that way you could do most of the decals and clear coat the body before it goes on to the chassis.

 

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How were the decals?  A nightmare, the one for the front grille is particularly tricky.  It's taken a lot of setting solution to try and get it to conform to the shape of the body.

 

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Getting the two parts of the stripe to join up and lie flat nearly broke me.

 

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The rear stripe isn't great either.

 

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What do you like?  This is probably my favourite view.

 

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Anything else?  I've not even mentioned the fun I had with the wheels, which are moulded integrally with the tyres and are a pain to mask.

 

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Despite all the moaning above, it is still a model I'm pleased to put on display.  from a distance it doesn't look too bad and it is now part of my modelling journey.

 

If you've not seen it, the build thread is here:

 

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Glad you didn't give up on it John, I think it looks great! 

 

Another problem with the decals is a few on the real car are missing - probably those licensing issues again!

 

Whatever I think that's a cracking little Aston!

 

Keith

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The Gulf colours are great,some make them too dark- this is just right. They won't give now include the all important Le Mans stickers,Le Mans have got uppity about it and you have have to get them separately now. Chris.

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Hi John despite any issues you may have had with the kit you've turned out a great looking Aston i think it looks excellent...well done mate 👍 👏

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This kit fought you all the way John, but you turned it into a real beautie. Congratz !

 

Sincerely

 

Pascal

 

 

Edited by Pascal
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It did look as though this was quite a fight, so well done for keeping at it and getting it finished in the end. For all that you've pointed out the flaws,it still looks pretty good in the display cabinet.

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1 hour ago, Spiny said:

It did look as though this was quite a fight, so well done for keeping at it and getting it finished in the end. For all that you've pointed out the flaws,it still looks pretty good in the display cabinet.

Thanks.

 

It's easy for me to get bogged down by all the details that aren't quite as good as I'd have wished, but you're right.  Usually I just look at my models from a few feet away in the display cabinet; from that vantage point, it is quite satisfying.  And it isn't just the satisfaction of knowing that I got the better of the kit, it is a good-looking car and for all my negative comments I am pleased with it.

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Looks fine to me , John . I find when building a kit you are constantly looking at it right under your nose and any errors or shaky hand painting are always there , but once completed and on display, well , those errors are not so visible . Friends looking in my cabinet are just happy to see the time and effort I have put in . Usual comments are “ I don’t know now you have the patience ! “

 You’ve done a good job . Nice one . 
 Gary . 

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18 hours ago, wellsprop said:

Stunning! The DBR9 in Gulf Oil colours was my favourite Le Man's racer as a child :)

 

That goes to show the age range on BM - as a child mine was the Porsche 917 in Gulf colours! :)

 

Keith

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 3/15/2021 at 7:45 AM, keefr22 said:

 

That goes to show the age range on BM - as a child mine was the Porsche 917 in Gulf colours! :)

 

Keith

I'll see your bet and raise...:D

Mine was the 1968 LeMans winner Ford GT40...the very first to appear in the powder-blue Gulf colors.

 

Beautiful DBR9, by the way. When I built my early-version 'louvered' Sebring winner a few years back, I had the same issue with the @$!# bumper, and attached it to the body as you suggested. Made much more sense, and easier to cope with

 

Cheers

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