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Dear Sir,
 Why do some of the
main kit manufacturers of rally cars insist on making us apply
double or even triple colour paint schemes? I was hoping to buy
a Citroen Xsara
from one of them but the idea of masking off a triple colour paint job has put
me off. Other kits that I have built have plenty of colour and this is done with
a main colour and decals. I wonder if this is putting other potential kit builders
off too?
Would it be possible for one of your top model builders to do a piece in FSW
with photos on how to do these paint jobs with confidence?
regards,
A.J. Kyle,
Inverness
We share your frustration with some of these colour schemes. We
don't feel that a two color finish is excessive, providing that
a decal 'idiot line' is provided to cover the masking line. In
the case of the Xsara, the white roof is not a problem in our eyes,
the blue rear panel very certainly is!
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Dear Sir,
For historical accuracy, may I point out that the M.A.P. Diesel which ran at
Le Mans in 1950 was not the first diesel to run in the 24-hour race (Wish List
FSW 5/2004). This was the Delettrez which ran in 1949 (and subsequently in 1950/51).
None of these entries finished - we have yet to see a diesel car cross the line
at 4pm on the Sunday!
Yours faithfully,
David Blumlein,
London
Thanks for correcting us David. Photographs of both of the cars in question can
be seen on the inside back cover, below David's article on HRGs at Le Mans.
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Dear GPM,
I just thought that you might like to see the Williams FW10 (TMKWCT87) that I
recently completed from the Tameo kit. It was an excellent build with few problems
even with the 300+ parts. The only real problem was that the rear cowlings did
not fit after the build, but then again why would you want to hide all that detail?
Another recently completed project was the Ferrari 2003-GA Spanish GP (TMK330)
which I decided to chop the nose off and put in a pit diorama. The figures used
are by Denizen (DEN069, DEN014 and DEN059).
Cheers,
Warren Monks,
Doncaster, S.Yorkshire
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Like many modellers
I tend to have themes in my collection. I have gone for certain
drivers (Piquet, Ickx), manufacturers (B.R.M) and I also have a theme based on
non-piston engined racers, examples being rotary-engined Mazdas and various gas-turbine
racers. As always there are gaps to be filled and these are a few.
British Racing Motors is a key part of our racing heritage but where are the
P48 (1960), P138/9 (1969 raced by Surtees - another theme?), P180 (1972) P201
and the very last BRM, the P207.
Then in the Ickx collection how about the Ligier JS11 (surely all Ligier F1s
should be modelled as another theme), the Wolf Williams FW05 (1976), which was
the previous year's Hesketh 308C (another good theme - the charismatic Hesketh
team). We tend to think of Ickx as a Ferrari and Porsche sports car driver but
he drove an Alfa 33TT12 in 1974/5, another gap. He also won the Can-Am series
in 1979 but there's no model of the Lola T333CS that I know of.
Keep up the good work,
Peter Watling,
Worcester Park, Surrey
The gaps in the BRM story are indeed glaring. We have seen most of the Ligier
F1 cars over the years, but very few are in current production. A good opportunity
for a few re-issues perhaps?
As for Jacky Ickx, what a great collecting theme. One of the greatest drivers
of all time and often sadly under rated. His Le Mans and sports car record is
well known, but he is still an accomplished driver and has performed at the highest
level on motorcycles, in single seaters, saloon cars, sports cars and rally cars.
How many other drivers can include victories at Le Mans, Grand Prix and the Paris-Dakar
in their CVs?
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