Formula Perfect Manual

The early 1990s are definitely somehow pre-historical. No internet with Imageshack or Flicker or any image bank, no digital photography, merely magazines and VHS tapes to get visual references. At that time Tamiya was in full swing with their 1/20 F1 models and they published a few books full of close up pictures for some of their kits. I recently got this one, 5th in the series, to help me with my new kits.
Those books are today somewhat hard to find, except at Mac's, on-line shop which I have just discovered and now heartedly recommend for modelling supplies. So here's to you and your great sense of customer care Ian!

References for HMS Victory

There is a model of the HMS Victory sitting in the attic and waiting for me to start building it. It is the Heller 1/100 plastic kit. Given the size of the model and the detail level, it is worth looking for some good reliable starting point. Obviously the two main challenges will be painting and of course rigging the ship.


McKay's book is a nice one to have close to the work in progress. It offers lots of drawings of the outside and of the inside of the ship, allowing someone with too much time at hand to add many details to his model. There are also sketches for running and standing rigging. This book must be the result of a hard and passionate work and is available here.
















Longridge's masterful opus is what some would dare to call the bible for tall ship modellers. It has every bit of information for anyone tackling the task of building a model ship from scratch. It is that thorough... From the construction of the keel to the diameter of any rope on board, Longridge gives it all. It is consequently a very technical read, but written in the style of someone who went himself through every step of the building. It is available here.













The internet is still the best source of information for the choice of colours and for pictures of any detail outside or on board the ship. The official site is of course the first stage of a larger search and even offers pages dedicated to model makers. Finally, my favourite one is Pete Coleman's forum and is the best place to share advice and ask questions about the Heller kit.

Some references about the Lotus 49

Web-based research was satisfying, as I have found these links:

First thing first, I will need English instructions, as I expect mine to be in Japanese, given that the kit comes directly from Japan. This site has them.

It may be 1/43 in scale, but the result is outstanding. Here is a step-by-step report of the painting and assembling.

Some piece of advice, in French.

The Formula 1 Modeling Website has a forum that can be useful.

Of course, the wonderful book by Michael Oliver: Lotus 49 The Story of a Legend. It is great for the history of the car, and has many backstage pictures of some details. However, the best ones are in black and white.

Some useful links about painting

That is where I sweat the most: painting a full body. Applying paint with a brush, even down to a tiny level of detail has never been a problem. I have made lots of figurines and that makes me able to get some good results. However, regarding cars, my first experience has been a nightmare. It was a Tamiya F360, yellow, with Tamiya paint in a can. Trying to get what was referred to as a "wet coat", I finally ended with lots of runs, and clogged details. And it was neither smooth nor glossy... I am currently trying again on a Lotus Europa body this time, with a proper primer and more hopes. Pictures should follow, if I can get something out of it. If not, then I am in trouble!

Here are some links that could prove useful:
Basics of spray painting, by Ray.
How to lay down a perfect paint job, by Alex. This one is about a F360 and was my reference at the time I tried to make mine. However, I never got as far as described!
Those links were picked from Brian's Model Cars, where many more tutorials are present and a forum seems very active.
The Modeler Site showcases many wonderful pieces of art, but archives are not free. However, they are not really expensive either, and I am considering buying their article about the Lotus 49.