McLaren MP4/7 Honda 1992 "Ayrton Senna" (Tamiya 1/20 scale)

[TommyOneTwoFour]

Hi there,

 

this is my first kit with tobacco decals on it.

 

Decals are from Shunko. Paint is Tamiya spray and 1K clear.

 

I used carbon fibre decals for the monocoque and replaced the kit's air intake funnels with selfmade metal parts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Darwinism]

Lovely work Tommyonetwofour - looks perfect.

[kiseca]

The finish on that is superb. I also particularly like the colours and finish on the exhaust manifolds.

 

What Tamiya colour did you use for the red/orange?

[keefr22]

That's a beautiful model Thomas, superb paintwork and decalling - excellent work! Talking of decals how did you find the Shunko ones to use? I've only ever used one set of theirs and thet were the woerst decals I've ever used!

 

Keith

[klubman01]

Very nice indeed!

Trevor

[TommyOneTwoFour]

Many thanks gents for your kind words!

[TommyOneTwoFour]

21 hours ago, kiseca said:

The finish on that is superb. I also particularly like the colours and finish on the exhaust manifolds.

 

What Tamiya colour did you use for the red/orange?

Many thanks! I used Tamiya TS-101 Base White spray can  and TS-36 sprayed through the airbrush.

[TommyOneTwoFour]

12 hours ago, keefr22 said:

That's a beautiful model Thomas, superb paintwork and decalling - excellent work! Talking of decals how did you find the Shunko ones to use? I've only ever used one set of theirs and thet were the woerst decals I've ever used!

 

Thanks Keith. In fact, this is the second time I am using Shunko decals and both times they worked for me. Whereas the decals are pretty simple on the McLaren, they were much more challenging on the "striped" Rothmans 956. But they worked:

 

 

[Malc2]

Wow, thats nice, super finish!

 

Malc.

[keefr22]

5 hours ago, TommyOneTwoFour said:

But they worked:

 

Must have been user error on my part then!

 

I still have another set to use, hopefully with a better result!

 

Thanks Thomas

 

Keith

 

edit - sorry Thomas. I just followed your link to your lovely 956 rfi, and saw I'd asked you the same question when you posted that build - so apologies for the repetition - my memory isn't what it was!!

 

[Redstaff]

7 hours ago, TommyOneTwoFour said:

 

Thanks Keith. In fact, this is the second time I am using Shunko decals and both times they worked for me.

 

 

Lovely model, well finished  

I've used Shunko decals before as well ok, only trouble I have found is the white ones tend to show the colour from underneath as they are quite thin. 

I have found that you need to either use a white plain decal first, or mask off and paint white where the decal will sit.

The Marlboro red turns the white decals almost pink, especially on the rear wing sides.

 

Ian  

[TommyOneTwoFour]

Thanks guys, I appreciate it.

 

  

19 hours ago, Redstaff said:

Lovely model, well finished  

I've used Shunko decals before as well ok, only trouble I have found is the white ones tend to show the colour from underneath as they are quite thin. 

I have found that you need to either use a white plain decal first, or mask off and paint white where the decal will sit.

The Marlboro red turns the white decals almost pink, especially on the rear wing sides

 

Thanks Ian! I agree 100%, the red colour is bleeding through the white decals too much. Interestingly, this effect mainly showed only after the clearcoat was applied. Lesson learned, and I already ordered white decal sheets some days ago.  😉

[kapam]

Beautiful!

This is from an era when the cars looked great, without the thousand little winglets and protuberances they have today.

Great work

👏👏👍👍

[TommyOneTwoFour]

1 hour ago, kapam said:

Beautiful!

This is from an era when the cars looked great, without the thousand little winglets and protuberances they have today.

Great work

👏👏👍👍

Thank you! And I agree on the optics of the era's cars back then. The cars looked (and certainly were) so much "simpler" then, more like pure. And didn't the MP4/7 have mighty, extended "shuffles" for a front wing? 😉 

 

Edited December 1, 2023 by TommyOneTwoFour

[kiseca]

They're definitely simpler than more modern grand prix cars and that often surprises me when I see one without the bodywork on and can see it's basically tub, tank, engine, cooling and suspension, but it is always a surprise because I remember them when they were new, and when new they were as cutting edge as a current car is today.

 

It's just a lot harder to see where all that complexity and technology went. The engine for its era was a finely crafted jewel of such fine tolerance that it had to be warmed up before you could start it, because at ambient temperature it was basically seized. The aerodynamics, as simple as they look, are the result of millions spent on research. Similar for the materials used both in chassis and engine. And carbon fibre back then was truly exotic. Plus, the automated manuals which had only just made an appearance and allowed a narrower, more aerodynamic and stronger tub.

 

When I see a model like this opened up, I do find it really hard to see where the monster budgets of powerhouse teams like McLaren, Williams and Ferrari went.

 

But, technologically, as marvellous back then, relatively speaking, as a modern F1 car is now.

 

EDIT: oh and also, it's not obvious in isolation when viewing a model but that engine and gearbox are absolutely tiny and low for their era, something that at the time was in itself enough to show how exotic it was when the size was paired with the capability.

Edited December 1, 2023 by kiseca

[TommyOneTwoFour]

1 hour ago, kiseca said:

They're definitely simpler than more modern grand prix cars and that often surprises me when I see one without the bodywork on and can see it's basically tub, tank, engine, cooling and suspension, but it is always a surprise because I remember them when they were new, and when new they were as cutting edge as a current car is today.

 

It's just a lot harder to see where all that complexity and technology went. The engine for its era was a finely crafted jewel of such fine tolerance that it had to be warmed up before you could start it, because at ambient temperature it was basically seized. The aerodynamics, as simple as they look, are the result of millions spent on research. Similar for the materials used both in chassis and engine. And carbon fibre back then was truly exotic. Plus, the automated manuals which had only just made an appearance and allowed a narrower, more aerodynamic and stronger tub.

 

When I see a model like this opened up, I do find it really hard to see where the monster budgets of powerhouse teams like McLaren, Williams and Ferrari went.

 

But, technologically, as marvellous back then, relatively speaking, as a modern F1 car is now.

 

EDIT: oh and also, it's not obvious in isolation when viewing a model but that engine and gearbox are absolutely tiny and low for their era, something that at the time was in itself enough to show how exotic it was when the size was paired with the capability.

 

I fully agree. These cars were cutting edge. Note that I wrote they LOOK simpler, knowing that they WERE complex, but in a different way. 

[kiseca]

2 hours ago, TommyOneTwoFour said:

 

I fully agree. These cars were cutting edge. Note that I wrote they LOOK simpler, knowing that they WERE complex, but in a different way. 

Very good point and I had not picked up on that nuance!

[Roberto]

Magnificent!

[TommyOneTwoFour]

On 02/12/2023 at 11:42, Roberto said:

Magnificent!

Many thanks!

[Toftdale]

Very smooth paint,  top work - Andy 

[TommyOneTwoFour]

Thanks Andy!

[Finntrol5]

Great work. Definitely got this car on my list as it's one of my favourites with that classic grand prix car shape and of course the colours. 

[Vesa Jussila]

really nice one. You have done good job with this. I somehow missed this topic when you started it.

[TommyOneTwoFour]

Many thanks guys, never too late for a feedback. 😀