WILL XMAS BRING A NEW TYPE OF KIT? MODEL FACTORY HIRO RELEASES 1:20 SCALE 'MULTI-MEDIA HYBRID' FERRARI 312T4

SMN REPORT
Automotive model fans prepare to open your wallets for this 1:20 scale 1979 Ferrari 312T4. Produced by the excellent Japanese Model Factory Hiro, and due in December, the kit is proclaimed as ‘a hybrid injection’ kit. MFH reckons this is a new term to cover the massively multimedia nature of the production, containing components produced in white metal, photo-etch, spun-aluminium, and plastic injection. Sounds great to us, and as the pictures show, the results ought to be spectacular in the hands of a reasonably skilled model maker.

What’s in the box?
* The kit will have parts for 1979’s Belgian Grand Prix, when Scheckter clinched the championship, plus alternative parts to show the car as it raced in the Spanish, German and Austrian GPs.
* The body cowling and other outer parts are plastic, the main inner parts of white metal.

* Monocoque parts are die-cast aluminium - MFH says. “Just brush it and you can have the feel of real metal.”
* Intakes, exhaust end and wheels centres are made of aluminium alloy. Wheel rim and safety bolt are white metal, to be attached to the wheel.

* Metal mesh, for intakes, muffler spring, cords, pipes, seat belts are included.
* Cowl and side pontoons are removable, so that internal parts such as the Ferrari V12 engine can be seen. A neat touch - the body is attached by magnets for easy removal.
* Transparent blue-tinted windshield, provided in vacuum-formed plastic

About the Ferrari 312T4

The car dates back to 1979, when Ferrari introduced it to compete with the successful Lotus 79, making the 312T4 the first Ferrari ground-effect design. With a V-12 for power, the 312T4 first competed at the 1079 South African Grand Prix, where it was a huge success, scoring a 1-2 win with Gilles Villeneuve taking the podium, Jody Scheckter coming in second on his home turf.

Big win
That result was quite an achievement for the 312T4, and the first Formula One 1-2 debut since the legendary Mercedes-Benz W196 of 1954. The 1979 season ended in barnstorming style, with the Italians taking the Constructor Championship, and Jody Scheckter winning the Driver Championship, a double-top not repeated for another 21 years, in 2000.

Driver absent
Note that MFH has not included a driver figure, so you’ll have to go elsewhere for a miniature Jody Scheckter. We can find the Top Model one, though it’s moulded to the slightly larger 1:18 scale. Maybe buy that and fit Jody with platform heels...

Summation
Pictures here are provided courtesy Model Factory Hiro and are of test-shot assemblies, so minor changes and improvements can be expected. However, from the obvious quality seen here, the car looks like a must-have. As for price, the UK retail £137.95 GBP ($220 USD) seems fair value, bearing in mind the sheer quality and close attention to detail.

The Model Factory Hiro Ferrari 312T4 will be available from selected outlets, including the UK-based Hiroboy, not so far from SMN Towers.

We found a 1:18 scale Jody Scheckter figure on eBay here.

Other Ferrari car kits here.

Visit the Model Factory Hiro site here.

1:20 SCALE WOLF WR1 RACING CAR FROM TAMIYA

SMN report

Racing car enthusiasts are well catered for with this neat built-up 1:20 scale black-and-gold Wolf WR1, a racing car that the South African Jody Scheckter drove to victory in the 1977 Argentina Grand Prix. Experts of the time reckoned it was something of a lucky first outing for the car - Scheckter started in 10th place, but had to pass only three cars, as the other six retired during the race. But lucky or not that first time, the Wolf-Scheckter combo proved a winner, with victories at two other F1 races in 1977, Scheckter coming second in the World Championship, going on to be outright champ in 1979.

Detail parts

The Wolf WR1 model looks good, and has photo-etch parts for the fine details. It comes with a stand for display purposes and markings for one of 1977’s other victories, the Monaco Grand Prix. It’s good to have a well-finished model of a relatively little-known car - the Walter Wolf Racing team lasted only three seasons before being sold. 

Race team figures

If you like dioramas, then Tamiya’s 1:20 scale race team figures could fit the bill. The figures and equipment are designed to fit the period 1970 to 1985, so there are plenty of cars that could mix and match, including the Wolf WR1. The set of 90 mm (3.6 in) tall figures includes a driver, busy mechanics, a seated timekeeper, even a photographer, though at this scale, his camera is rather small for identification - we’re betting on a Canon, Nikon or Pentax! Useful team accessories include a tool box, impact wrench, driver pit board, flip-up car jack, there’s even a section of guard rail. It’s a neat, and useful, set to have, and of course you have total freedom to paint them in the colours of whichever team you wish.  

The 1:20 Tamiya Wolf WR1 is available here.

A bigger 1:12 scale Wolf WR1 is available here.

Pix courtesy Tamiya, SMN studio.