Heller/Airfix Peugeot 905 review

I recently wrote a review of the Heller/Airfix Peugeot 905, largely because this model had such a bad reputation that I did not understand. I found out that there are good and bad examples of this model. Anyway, if you're interested:

http://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/905review.htm

If you have something to add or correct, please post it here.

Rob

Think it deeply depends from the hands building it.
There are modellers used to build up very well ugly resin kits,die cast, or even extreme hardcorers as our SB or the frenchman making the Talbot.
Today standards are very high,we all are used to incredibly nice and detailed models,forgetting the real spirit of true modelling.Nearly everything is not good enough (of it if is..is too easy).

For me the 905 is a good kit,meant to be mostly curbside.IMHO It only lacks in decals sheet, but there are spare better ones around.

Just my 2cents btw.

Robdebi - I also have picked up this kit a while back - not sure if I'll build it - it's in my pile with the Revell Germany Audi R-10 - John

Thanks for the review.

I have always heard this was/is not a good kit but I'm still looking forward to building mine one day.

You don't say in your review which release you had on hand to review. I have three of the Airfix release/boxing. What example did you use in your review.

Thanks

You don't say in your review which release you had on hand to review. I have three of the Airfix release/boxing. What example did you use in your review.
Mine is an Airfix example, as mentioned twice in the text :smile:

Rob

Thanks for the review Rob,

Have to agree, I built the Heller version back when it was first released and though I was disappointed with it, it wasn't because of terrible fit issues, mostly because of the lack of detail. Probably best left as a curbside.

Mike

Dante's rarely mentioned 10 circle of Hell consists of 1 tube of Testor's glue, a cheap paintbrush, 1 dull X-acto blade and a Heller/Arifix 905...

they are reissuing the kit by now
fingerscross for at least a BETTER decals should be

Thanks for the great review, very concise and the photos help a lot. The page is very well done with much of the information a person would want when building this kit, in my opinion. Your webpage is now my primary source for this model. Thanks again.

Thanks for the great review, very concise and the photos help a lot. The page is very well done with much of the information a person would want when building this kit, in my opinion. Your webpage is now my primary source for this model. Thanks again.
Thanks for your kind words! All that's left now is to build the kits :licka: May I ask whether your model is reasonably straight?

I just started work on a similar review of the Heller Porsche 917. It's difficult to build for sure, but Heller captured the shape *very* accurately as far as I can see now. Which cannot be said of the Fujimi 917, which is far too wide in the front. More later!

Rob

Mine is the Airfix release and, other than the section of the roof between the side windows being bent downwards too much, the kit is reasonably straight as far as I can tell from my own dry fitting of the parts. I have yet to build the kit.

isn't there around here a nice build model of this car? never saw one welldone for real.

isn't there around here a nice build model of this car? never saw one welldone for real.
Paolo,
In our greek forum we have a well-finished one...
http://scalewheels-gr.com/index.cgi?board=com1&action=display&thread=14

Vaggelis, the builder of this, is an excellent modeller (not only cars) and peugeot fun...
Hope you like it... :wink:

George,
Vaggelis is really skilled I see.Considering what he started from, he did a miracle. He only made the mistake on the front wheels brakes positioning,but this model is the nicest I've ever seen of this kit.

Absolute respect :)

Which cannot be said of the Fujimi 917, which is far too wide in the front.

Rob

Interesting comment. I've seen a number of comments regrading Fujimi's rear deck proportions (and I've modified a few Fujimi decks to represent various cars), but I've not picked up on this before (or even noticed, for that matter).

Can you be more specific? How did you spot this?

Interesting comment. I've seen a number of comments regrading Fujimi's rear deck proportions (and I've modified a few Fujimi decks to represent various cars), but I've not picked up on this before (or even noticed, for that matter).

Can you be more specific? How did you spot this?
I think it was Tom Tanner on the GPMA YahooGroups that first pointed it out. He compared the (then) new Fujimi 917 to a real 917, and found out that the whole front half of the car was too wide, some 4 mm. The windscreen was made far too wide, which made the problem unrepairable. And frankly, Fujimi has a bit of a reputation of messing up bodies! The old Heller model has a reputation for being accurate but very difficult to build.

I recently started measuring the old Heller kit for a review. I'm using factory drawings and the race-to-race details presented in the Naher 917 book, 917 dimensions published in various sources, plus my own analysis of the various wheels used to calculate 'width over wheels' dimensions, to see whether they fit inside the bodywork. So far, the Heller model's dimensions and shapes are all correct. You can see the difference between the Heller and Fujimi body widths here:

http://www.modelbrouwers.nl/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=28164#p578059

One last comment: from experience I know that most modelers go for details instead of the correct shape. So they are not bothered much by shape problems like this. I'm part of the minority, and rather start with a correct shape, adding the details myself.

Rob