<AF Tribute Build>
My years on this forum have been a great experience for me. The inspiration I've gotten here has contributed hugely to my interest in building cars (I originally built planes and helicopters), and has consistently kept me building. I've tried techniques and media I've seen used here that I would never have thought of, and I've learned and mastered skills I doubt I could have picked up anywhere else. I've
really learned to paint (but of course, I'm
still learning). And I've gotten alot of satisfaction out of it all.
But more than that, this has been a great community to be part of. There's an incredible amount of experience, helpfulness, and enthusiasm to be found here. And there are a number of really terrific individuals here that I'm happy to consider friends.
Recently, two such individuals have provided me with two kits that I've been searching for for some time- simply because they wanted to see what I could do with them. One is of course this 850, contributed to my stash by none other than Klutz_100. (The other I will hopefully get a chance to post soon as well.)
I'd been hoping to find the Revell Germany 850i on and off since just about the turn of the century.
I've spent plenty of time on Ebay, but on the rare occasion one would show someone always seemed to want it more than me. A trip to Germany spent scouring hobby shops (among other things) didn't turn one up. But Stevenski came across one a year or so ago, and rather promptly sent it to me- in exchange for some somewhat complicated little bits of aluminum. (It took me nearly a year to make them.
Thankfully, he's very patient.
) But we also agreed, I still owed him this build. So here goes. Cheers mate, this one's for you- and all the rest of you who have inspired me, taught me, encouraged me, learned from me, endured me, and even occasionally annoyed me.
Hope you enjoy.
All right, enough with the sentimentallity already- on with the building.
This is one of the only kits in my stash that I would say I've been intimidated by. The parts breakdown is very similar to a Fujimi Enthu kit- anything that could be done in two parts has in fact been done in seven. It contains the most wicked collection of sinkholes I've ever seen in one box. And then of course there's the fit. Tamiya's Enzo or FW24 have nothing on this beast- at the end of they day, you know they will fit together. I have no such confidence with this one.
It's rare to see one built up, either here or anywhere else I've looked. But one of the few things I've heard about it is that the fit leaves alot to be desired. Looking over the bodyparts, this became immediately evident.
Most of what I build are Tamiya kits- the sort of thing where you can take the body out of the box, give it a quick overall sanding and a wash, and be ready to prime and paint in little over an hour. I've never really had to do much in the way of 'bodywork' (tuner style bodykits aren't really my thing). Modifying and correcting body parts isn't something I've really done- it's actually a skill I've avoided having to mess with. Time to change that, as there's no getting away from it here.
The nose/bumper/airdam assembly is four separate parts, and each joint takes filling, or filling and rescribing. Once this nose is installed on the body, it becomes clear that the bonnet simply does not fit. The gap on the front edge is nearly a 1/16 of an inch. (The pic above already shows some filling work.)
I chose to deal with this by building up the edge of the bonnet with CA glue and accelerator, and sanding it to shape. This took a number of repititions. Build it up,
sand it down,
reprime it, inspect it, and do it again. Managing at most one or two repetitions a day, it feels like it takes forever.
But progress is (slowly) made.
Revell did a very nice relief
850i emblem on the boot lid- much too nice not to use. (I really don't understand why they also included it as a decal.
) So, out comes the BMF.
I like to put it on before primer and paint, and then gently remove the paint/primer to reveal it.
But strangely for the BMW roundels, Revell left flat spots instead of domes. Someone enthusiasticly pointed out to me
that this was a perfect opportunity to use a self ahdesive emblem like in MSM's set- but to my eye a good decal on a suitably shaped dome is by far the best way to replicate a BMW roundel.
So the flat spots got drilled out,
and a set of turned aluminum domes were installed.
As for the decals- well, the kit decals have obviously seen better days.
Don't know what the brown staining is, but it doesn't look good. I really don't have much confidence that any of them will work at all.
Fortunately Revell Germany has a very good parts replacement service. The 850 decals are long out of print, but the decals for Revell's Z1 (another very odd little kit) are excellent and easily availible.
It's not a perfect match, but it gives be something to work with. Fortunately I now have plenty of license plates, which Revell seems to believe is a crucial element.
More work on the nose-
I noticed in the pics above a gap I hadn't managed to fill (which might or might not have been covered with one of the copious license plates).
Onto the boot lid. It's not nearly so bad as the bonnet, but needed some work too.
Must remember to removal that cross piece.
There. Ready. I couldn't guess now how many applications of primer I've sprayed (and resprayed, and
resprayed) onto the body. But finally it's done, sanded smooooth, inspected, and ready for paint.
It's going to be metallic dark red- just as soon as the weather cooperates. Actually I've been waiting for three weeks now for decent painting weather- but the whole time here temps have been in the mid 90's (upper 30's C), with 70ish % humidity. The forecast is more of the same for the next week plus. So meanwhile, I wait.
Maybe it's time to have a look at that engine....