Matt Bacon

...well, I bought it anyway, so I'll post up some pics of what you get when it arrives! Looking at the instructions on the ebay listing, there are some 47 white metal parts, including a complete engine, wheels, exhausts, brake disks, roll cage and assorted doo-dads that I can't figure out from the drawings. There are also photo etch parts for the jacking points (as Greg said) and seat belt hardware, plus a small sheet of fabric from which to cut the belts themselves. Not having the Monogram kit myself, I don't know how many of the white metal parts are replacements/duplicates of existing pieces, and especially whether the engine is new/different/better detailed than the plastic one. ...awaiting the post man. bestest, M.

Does anyone have one of these kits, and know what the additional detailing parts in white metal and etch that come with it actually are? bestest, M.

Nice overview from Tom, as always. Mine should be in my hands on Wednesday! I think the small drop-in body panels he mentions are to account for the differences in the "Weissach Sport Pack" version that's coming a bit later in the year. Looking at the instructions, I think this is going to be one where you can't fit the front and rear bumpers before cleaning up and painting the body. The interior just won't go in with them in place. However, there are real panel lines at the joins, so at least you're not trying to eliminate a visible seam there. bestest, M.

Indeed they did. Just re-released, in fact... http://www.airfix.com/uk-en/ford-3-litre-gt.html bestest, M.

Well, don't forget this from a few years back: I still have hopes that one day it'll see the light of day from Academy.... bestest, M.

That's got to be one of, if not the most, "generic" box we've been faced with so far! Ken, you're fiendish. bestest, M.

The best you'll find online... by John Adams, founder of Aeroclub Models http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234983173-building-vacformed-models HTH, bestest, M.

Got my shipping notice from Hobbysearch this AM... bestest, M.

Here's a couple of examples of the technique Tom's talking about. If you look around, there are any number of "blacks" that you can use for different parts, which, coupled with surface finishes from dead flat to super shiny give you loads of options to "busy up" an "all-black" interior. Look for Tamiya Semi-Gloss Black, Rubber Black and NATO Black, Vallejo German Grey, Black Grey and Basalt Grey, Revell Anthracite, Testors (?) Tire Black, Citadel (Games Workshop) Adeptus Battlegrey and Charadon Granite... bestest, M.

Still testing ...so it seems to work if you manually type the IMG tags at either end. Still wish "insert Image from URL" worked -- it's a pretty big screw-up on Invision's part to miss that they've broken such a basic function while testing an "upgrade"... bestest, M.

Thank you very much, one and all! Sorry there's not more to see and read, but it's a condition of doing the article, sadly. Allan... yours looks excellent, and I can see we're very much "on the same page". I think Heller did the wheel spat components in different colours to give the two tone effect, but I chickened out of masking them. You didn't! Skip... you're too kind... Charlie -- it's Tamiya TS-23 Light Blue and TS-55 Dark Blue, mostly out of the can (I had to touch up the front right spat with the airbrush after the darn thing split as I was trying to get it to fit...) Geoff -- it'll be in Airfix Model World, not sure what issue yet. ..and yes, I do wish someone did a Saoutchik or Figoni and Falaschi bodied version... bestest, M.

...and if you want to build one in 1/24 to go alongside your Heller T50, head over to Fisher Model and Pattern: http://www.fishermodels.com/product/bugatti-100p-record-plane-124-scale Mine arrived a couple of weeks ago and it looks like a FANTASTIC kit in the box... bestest, M.

Thanks, Bruce! The good news is that Heller is back in production, and a lot of these classics are now being re-popped. Should be available at Squadron or other imported kit stores now -- it's already at HLJ, and that's the other side of the world from France! bestest, M.

No WIP for this one, since it's destined for a magazine over here. Very nicely, if over-ambitiously, engineered kit. I added some wires under the hood, but that's about all. bestest, M.

I can't say I find any difficulty in sourcing all the kits I want, via UK retailers, eBay UK and 1999.co.jp (still cheaper for most Japanese kits than official UK imports, even with postage and customs ransom when it gets applied). But I'm no great fan of Detroit iron, hot rods or customs. There's definitely at least one trader at Huddersfield Model Show every year who has NOTHING BUT boxes and boxes of US import kits available, and I think he has an online store. I'm struggling to find him at the moment, but a post on forum.spc.org.uk (or in the Model Cars discsussion on Britmodeller -- I know he's buddies with a couple of regulars over there) might track him down... And try the IPMS UK Hot Rod and Custom SIG: http://rodcustomsig.proboards.com. Lee Croden is the SIG leader: E-Mail: lee.croden@hotmail.com bestest, M.

... 'cos the US one has pre-broken parts that have to be glued back together before you can use them? ;-P Seriously, I don't know WHY they are different, but you can see the instructions including sprue layouts for the Revell AG one here: http://www.revell.de/fileadmin/import/images/bau/67141_%23BAU_458_ITALIA.PDF and the Revell US equivalent here: http://manuals.hobbico.com/rmx/85-4912.pdf The stages of the instructions are identical, as are the diagrams. The US one doesn't have a sprue diagram, but has a named list of part numbers which only runs to Part 111 (the Cavallino for the front, in both cases, in case you were wondering...). Revell DE doesn't count the tyres in their 111 parts. I guess if you count the tyres, the decal sheet, the instructions, the warning sheet and the two box halves, you get to "118+" bestest, M.

The plastic is identical, so the etch will work equally well with either. I'd look for the box that's least likely to have broken parts in it -- or check inside before you leave the shop! Unfortunately, it's hard to know which one that is: my RoG box had a cracked main windscreen, and I've heard of other builders who found the same. But I've also heard lots of criticism on this board of the way some of those Revell Germany originated kits are stuffed/shoehorned into the standard US Revell box resulting in crushed and broken parts, especially fragile A-pillars. If you can possibly buy it in the real world, I would: remember, your retailer is the first port of call if there IS a problem, so it's in their interests to let you check the kit before you pay for it... bestest, M.

Another nicely detailed early 1960s kit of a big and impressive original! These beasties were the flagship steam locomotives of the SNCF (French Railways). Unfortunately, unbuilt complete kits are pretty rare, and command high prices on eBay, so to get this most unusual and impressive Kitmaster model on display, I had to resort to buying a built-up model. It was only missing one set of cab steps (and seeing how easily they are knocked off by the swinging rear bogie, I can understand why!), which I scratch built. It had been pretty reasonably painted, albeit in silver and olive green rather than the more prototypical steel and Brunswick Green: Anyway, aiming for an "in service" but not "uncared for" look, I weathered it as though someone took an oily rag to the green bits every now and then, as befits a locomotive hauling Blue Riband expresses. ... yes, it is a big so and so... This one really brings home the issues of OO/HO Gauge: the track suits 1/87 scale prototypes, but is really too narrow for 1/76 scale. On a big loco like this it's clearly noticeable that the body is really too wide for the chassis, and it would certainly look better with the wheels more outboard. The difference is 19mm in 1/76 versus 16.5mm in 1/87, which is pretty significant. Not much I can do about a pre-built model, but I have a few for which I have kits, and I might see if I can do them with a 3-4mm increase in track width... it's not as if they have to run on any layout! bestest, M.

Lovely job, Jurgen. It looks perfect, especially the interior. I have the kit, too, so I know you don't get a whole lot to work with! Have you got a Heller Bentley to convert to go with it, in memoriam Patrick Macnee? All the best, Matt

The going rate for fully running XJ6s with minor cosmetic issues (wheel arch rust, say, or damaged leather interiors) is around £1000 over here. You're going to spend SO much more on it than it's ever going to be worth that you might as well import a good car from Europe to start on! I've lost count of he number of "restored car" ads that I've seen that say something like "Fully restored and repainted over three years with bills for over £50,000. For sale: £20,000." If you really want a project that ends up as a runner, buy a cheap Mustang -- replacement parts for those are so much cheaper than for a Jag... bestest, M.

So good, in fact, that I liked it so much that I bought the company ;-P Or at least my own Johan 500K for £15 from eBay UK -- I hope I can do it such justice as Jay has. I'm sure I've got an Octane with one that has grey upholstery with a similar battleship grey exterior. It looked REALLY cool... bestest, M.

...or an E-Type Jag, preferably a lightweight, proudly supported by a resurgent Jaguar-Land Rover, who are building new 1:1s as well, providing all the prototype access and info anyone could possibly want! bestest, M.

Utterly brilliant, and perfect colour choices. Looks like you well and truly busted your slump! bestest, M.

I'm gonna go with real... bestest, M.

It does seem rather expensive. My two year overseas subscription to Hemmings Sports and Exotic Cars cost a bit less than $60. The US prices of the Hemmings magazines and MCM are about the same, but the overseas sub is twice as much for MCM.. bestest, M.