WIP 1958 Porsche RSK

[Fooesboy]

Hi all,

I have been around for a while but have never gotten around to doing a WIP so here goes!

The kit I have chosen to do is the 1:24 Fisher Model and Pattern Porsche RSK/718 driven by Jean Behra in the 1958 Formula 2 race at Reims, which he won by a margin of 21 seconds over the Ferrari of Peter Collins, and thereby paving the way for Porsche to develop an open wheeler and ultmately compete as a works team in Formula 1 in 1961 and 1962.

Back when I started making models again some 6 years ago I saw as photo of 2 1:43 Porsche RSK's in the 4 small wheels magazine and I was compelled to make one myself, I looked around at the time but was put off by the quality of the kit that was available feeling that my skill level just wouldn't produce a nice replica.

Fast foward to August 2006, I am browsing eBay with intent........ and I stumble apon a RSK, I couldn't believe my eyes and I knew that I just HAD TO have this kit!

Enough background, lets take a look at the kit!

A very simple kit, only 23 parts just shake the box and it will be finnished!



The instructions are basic but more than adequate to do the job!



2 sets of decals and a very clear and thin vac formed windshield.



A close up of all the small parts.



The body with some small imperfections filled.



A quick dry fit, I just couldn't resist!





All I have to do now is chuck a bit of paint at it and it will be finished!

Thanks for looking!

Chris

[Fooesboy]

A quick update:

Seat covered with MFH adhesive leather. I originally wanted to use a whine colour, but the one from MFH is more of a suede effect and looks way out of scale (there is some debate as to the correct colour covering, I've seen photos with RSKs using whine, black or beige colour). It may look OK on a 1:12 model, but 1:24 is just wrong!
So I chose to use black, this was a pain to get to stay stuck down around the corners, does anyone have a suggestion on how to work with this stuff? I really do like the effect that it gives, even in this small scale it looks just right.



Some parts ready to be painted.




The cockpit frame bonded together.





A wheel in the process of being painted.




A finnished wheel, I have used Alclad II Dark Aluminium for the wheel and Tamiya TS-6 Matt Black for the tire, then applied a thin wash of Tamiya smoke finished off with Tamiya X-11 (that you can hardly see) on the wheel nuts.



Exhaust painted with Alclad II Steel highlighted with Alclad II Jet exhaust, Pale Burnt Metal and Tamiya X-23 Clear Blue.



Thanks for looking!

Chris

[bhop73]

That seat and the wheel especially look awesome.

[proosen]

Amazing!
This will be very nice to follow and see finished.

Niclas

[davesans]

Very nice start the wheels do look great

Regards
Dave

[quadzero]

Very interesting subject, I love those fins. You sure did a great job on the wheels. This will turn out very nice.

[AmazonSprite]

Never seen this kit before. However, although it's simple, looks like it will build to a very nice model!

[Fooesboy]

Thanks for the feedback,
I'm glad you all like how it is going, yes it is a simple kit but the proportions look just right and the body is very nicely molded, it's going to look great when finished.
It is only through finding this kit by chance on eBay that I found out about Fisher Model and Pattern http://fishermodels.com/ They have a very interesting range of subjects. I already have the McLaren M6A (which is far more detailed, having turned metal and photo etch) and I also want to get the Porsche 917/20 Pink Pig and others. The prices are very reasonable as well!

OK enough talking, time for another quick update:

The only extra parts that I'm going to add to this kit is the switches that are missing from the dashboard and some nice clear pre coloured resin tail lights (more about those later).



They are really, really, really small!



I have added a drop of flat white to the ends to simulate the plastic caps on the actual car. Sorry about the blurry photo, it is quite hard to hold the parts and use the macro function on the camera!



The body is painted with Tamiya TS-30 Silver Leaf as is the dash. I wanted a nice bright silver colour that had a very small metalic flake, and I was just too lazy to use Alclad II. I also added Bare Metal Foil "Matt Aluminum" to the bulk head behind the seat to give a contrast and add some interest.



Thanks for looking.

Chris

[Chinamalc]

Absolutely wonderful. This is one of my all time favourite cars, so much so I have a 1:1 version based on a VW beetle (can't afford the real thing!!). Looking good so far, keep it up and show us plenty of pics on the way!! I am particularly impressed with the wheels, they look spot on.

Malc.

[Fooesboy]

Originally Posted by Chinamalc

I have a 1:1 version based on a VW beetle
Malc.

This I have to see........ Please post some photos!

Glad that you like my work, I'm no master model maker but I try. The most important thing for me in this build is to finish it! I already have enough started kits!

Lookout for an update soon!

Chris

[ScaleCentral]

Several of his kits are going OOP for a while. Read his newsletter below.

Dear customers and friends,

This will be the first in what I hope will be a regular series of newsletters to keep you informed of things here at Fisher Models.

The new 1/32 Sea Fury kit has been a big hit, so much so that we have worn out the first sets of molds , and must stop production for a week or so to make new molds.We have been a bit caught by surprise at the response to the kit, and can't thank all of you enough for making it a great success.

We know this is inconvenient, and people are waiting for their models,but new molds are a must if we are to maintain the excellent casting quality you expect from us, so there we are.We will be back in production in a week or so, and will begin shipping kits again shortly thereafter. If you have not yet gotten yours , please be patient with us, Susy and I are working as hard as we can to get you a first rate kit, and we can only move as fast as careful workmanship allows.

I had hoped to come to the UK for the IPMS show at Telford, but with the large back-log of work here , I can't make the trip, it is better to keep after the mold making and casting to get the rest of the Sea Fury kits off to all of you who are waiting. Have no fear, though...we plan to have all of them delivered well in time for the Holidays, so you will have something nice to work on with the cold weather...unless of course you're Down Under, in wich case we will be jealous!

Due to numerous requests, we will make up a small batch of F9F-5 Panthers soon , for those who may have missed this lovely kit, you can order it from the list page for delivery in December and January

There are a few race car kits we are dropping, the molds have worn out and there is not time right now to retool them , so we can no longer make the following:

2403 Cunningham C4R

2416 72 Matra 670

2418 Porsche 917-30

2421 Porsche Pink Pig

2426 Porsche 908 Longtail

The Psychedelic 917 is very low on decals, only 8 or 9 remain, if you want one , best to order it now, we will not re-print , and the kit will go out of production.

The 1/48 Curtiss Page Racer will be out soon, not exactly sure what date, but soon, as well as a few other things we are working away on. Also, many thanks to those of you who are e-mailing suggestions for kits..there have been a few real zingers...and also a few that will very likely be kitted up in the near future. I can say though, the 1/32 B-52 is just not really likely.I am an optimist by nature, but that one might be a stretch!



Thanks again , and Happy Modelling,

Paul Fisher

[Chinamalc]

Fooseboy said:-
This I have to see........ Please post some photos!

Chris, OK, but your going to have to wait until after Feb next year!! This is when I next go home to UK where the photos are. All the photos of my car are pre digdital camera so I will have to dig them out and scan them in.

In the UK there was a company called GP who made the kit to go on a shortened VW beetle chassis. They also later produced an RS 60 rep with a windscreen as it was more practical to drive on the road. If you search google for 'Porsche RSK' you will turn up several pics of completed RSK kit cars. The body moulds still exist and someone is trying to start up production again.

Malc.

[cinqster]

There's one I built on my homepage in my profile!

Good looking model Chris - may have to get hold of one myself. The steering wheel is incorrect though. All the RSK's I've seen have 120 degree spokes and they were mounted with a spoke pointing upwards to be able to see the instruments.

Good luck with it,

John S.

[Icon Modeler]

Sorry for the late reply to your thread. I just found it and wanted to point something out. Having been involved with the restoration of three 1:1 RSK's I can tell you that the little depresion on the nose is not supossed to be there. You can see it in the photo below. It is between the head lights in front of the front deck lid. I was hoping to catch you before you applied any paint so that you could fill it. However it looks like I might be too late.

I love the wheels and exhaust, you have done a outstanding job capturing a worn look found so often on these old aluminume bodied Porsche cars from the 50's.

Icon Modeler

[Fooesboy]

"The steering wheel is incorrect though. All the RSK's I've seen have 120 degree spokes and they were mounted with a spoke pointing upwards to be able to see the instruments."
John S.


Hi John, thanks for your imput, the only period photo that I can find showing the cockpit and dashbord from a 718 in center seater configeration is in the book "Porsche Racing Cars a history of factory competition" by Bill Oursler ISBN 0-07603-0727-X on page 36 (great book and a must for anybody intrested in earley Porsche racing history). This photo clearly shows that the steering wheel is the same as Fisher supply with their kit, the only difference is that the hub has some detail and the spokes are made from a thin aluminium something that would be better reproduced with photo etch not resin. Also it shows the steering wheel to be mounted with the spoke pointing down, and as this was all the info I had I have based my model on this.

Thank you again for the feedback! Chris


Time for another update:

Here you can see the replacement tail lights that I have used because the ones that came with the kit are not round. The only ones I have are 1.5mm, 2.5mm would be better and I will change them when I find some.



Here is the dashboard fitted. The steering wheel is painted Tamiya XF-55 Deck Tan, then a coat of artist oil paint Yellow Ochre and finaly a coat of Tamiya X-24 Clear Yellow to give it a look of varnished wood. The overall look is ok, a nice contrast to the rest of the interior, but not great.



Here is the headrest covered with the same adheasive leather from MFH as the seat, but there is no way I could get it to stay stuck down around the edges, I tried warming it with a hair dryer with no luck so I unfortunately had to remove it and paint it matt black. I hope that it will look ok next to the seat....... only time will tell I guess!



That's it for now, almost finished!

thanks for looking and all the feedback!

Chris