One of the projects on my bench at the moment is a little vignette of Denny Hulme giving his team mate (and boss) Jack Brabham a lift back to the pits after the latters car broke down – an “F1 Taxi” if you will.   The concept of the “F1 Taxi” was brought to the fore (in modelling terms) by Minichamps when they released two popular diecast sets some years ago.  One of the sets featured Jean Alesi hitching a lift on Schumachers Benetton and the other was Ayrton Senna atop Nigel Mansell’s Williams .  I’m drawn to this particular type of vignette as it gives me an opportunity to indulge my favourite aspect of the hobby by exploring the numerous possibilities for figure conversion.   These two “Taxi” situations became famous mainly because (a) they were  broadcast on TV when  they occurred and (b) they were forever immortalised in a miniature diecast model.   I quite fancy modelling one of these “taxi” situations, so in an effort to find a suitable image I did some on-line research and discovered that these situations happened more frequently than we might imagine.  I came across about 15 or so instances when this happened and they were all thankfully captured on film!  I’m mainly interested in the challenge of modelling the figures around the car and making them the centrepiece, with the car as a support.  So I’ve started on the Hulme / Brabham vignette by chopping two suitable Denizen figures and perched them on a cheap RBA diecast model of the BT24. In addition to Hulme and Brabham, I’ve lined up a number of others featuring; Mass & Ickx on an Arrows, Fabi & Boutsen on a Benetton, Innes Ireland & Jo Bonnier on Ginthers Honda (yes 3 up!), Siffert aboard Hills Lotus and finally the more recent occurrence of Webber with Alonso on the sidepod of an RB7 – more about what’s on the bench anon…in the meantime, enjoy some shots below of the “Taxi” situations mentioned above.

A sight which brought a smile to a lot of faces in the parking area in Silverstone at the Moto GP was the sight of a pink Ducati entitled “The Nurse” – what else!!  It gave me an idea for a 1/12 scale resin figure of a female bike rider produced by the Korean manufacturer under the name “Legend Productions”.  I’ve made some modifications by adding the  Nurses hat (from Miliput) and I’ve also given her raised platforms on the boots so the feet are nearer the ground.  A bit of imagination was employed in her colour scheme and the main blocking in has been done.  I’ll add a few suitable “Rossi” decals and if I have time I’ll make a decal for “The nurse” or I might just free-hand it in paint (on her rear end!).  More on this this one shortly – and while I’m at it, I have another Rossi (related) metal figure from Pegaso in a smaller (75mm) scale which is unfinished but is still very much on my “WIP” list!  I’ll keep popping updates on various items  to this post each day as I get back into painting mode,  Cheers for now..

 

This group of Ejan figures (which I have affectionately christened – “The Rascasse Corner boys”!) are still slowly taking shape – Chapman is finished bar the shirt decals; most have had a base coat applied and with a couple of hours painting the faces, the others would be completed in a fairly straightforward manner.  Of course that was before I decided on a couple of adjustments / minor conversions – some things never change!  The bare white figure (without the hand) started out as Fittipaldi.  I replaced the head with the team manager from the Tamiya pit set (I think it’s supposed to be Chapman?), and I now want to convert it to Jackie Stewart (Beatle hat et al!) holding his helmet bag.  I’ll add sunglasses and long har to bring the likeness along.   Next, I decided Fittipaldi would best be used if I portrayed him in his JPS garbe (as opposed to the GLTL livery which comes with the figure).  So I’ll have to modify his footwear and the leg bottoms of his firesuit in order to compliment that era – the same fate applies to Andretti – wearing the red version of his JPS firesuit – (at least I think the suits were somewhat fireproof by that time??)  – Cheers for now and many thanks for the supportive emails – all very much appreciated.

These are a few conversions I’ve done using some Denizen, Trackpass and Scalelink figures.  They are; Steve McQueens (giving the Le Mans fingers to the opposition in the movie of the same name), Mike Hawthorn (wearing his aviators sunglasses and trade mark flat cap – I have yet to add the visor to the helmet) and Pedro Rodriguez (sporting sunglasses and his orange Gulf Porsche jacket),  and finally, Jackie Stewart as team manager of Stewart Ford racing team – I will of course have him painted up with his trade-mark tartan trousers and hat!

In 1/18 scale I have this wonderful figure of Fangio nearly completed.  It’s a resin casting from Craft10 with plenty of fine detail and an excellent facial likeness.  The face is fully painted with the rest of the colours blocked-in, and once again if I could sit at the bench for a reasonable time period, I could get this one “done and dusted”.  I’m hoping to have the modifications to my workbench completed this week-end (to make it higher), so I’m hopeful the new seating position will help me get started once again on the painting!   I wanted to pose the figure with a suitable race car from the era in the same scale, so I dug out this old diecast Maserati from Polistil (which I was in the process of reconditioning some years ago) – so maybe I’ll get two projects for one if I get lucky! – more on this one again soon, Cheers for now,

From time to time over the last few weeks I’ve been tipping-away at the bench spending the odd 20mins doing some figure “prepping”, and from all my short stints I’ve accumulated this lot of figures, which I got priming today.  A mixed bag really; the large 1/18 scale figures are, Enzo, grid girl, and a nice Tazio Nuvolari.  In 1/20 scale there are two versions of the same figure with one being intended as John Surtees and the other Richie Ginther.  In 43rd scale there’s a Graham Hill, Alberto Ascari together with some fantasy figures and even a Han Solo from Star Trek!  Once again more on these guys later, Cheers for now,

This is a 1/43rd diecast World Champ’ podium set from Vitesse featuring Piquet and his Brabham BT 52 from 1983.  The idea of the scene is nice but I think a more detailed figure would make a useful addition.  So I’m going to use a suitable Denizen casting painted up as Piquet carrying  his helmet.  I thought I might use the little the trophy in a slightly better way, so I’ve inserted a pin in the trophy to attach it to the figures leg and I’ve replaced one of the handles with brass wire which I’ll wrap round his had as though he’s just completed his celebrations and is heading back to the motor home with the spoils – we shall see – more on this one later – Oh and by the way, I managed a couple of hours of painting earlier – so shots on what will (hopefully) be my first completed figure since my lay-off coming up! – Cheers for now,

I dismantled this 1/18 Minichamps Jordan many months ago in order to make it into the very first Jordan F1 car; the Jordan 911 (subsequently renamed the 191).   I removed all the paint, primed it and gave it a couple of coats of matt black.  It’s been waiting a while now for the decals, (carbon fibre together with the Jordan livery).   I have the templates for the carbon fibre panels already cut and I’ve sourced the Jordan decals via Ebay, so once I’ve completed this mammoth decalling job I’ll re-assemble it and hopefully end up with a really unique diecast.  Hopefully, I’ll also do a 1/18 figure (of John Watson) to go along with the car.   I originally spotted this project on the Macsmodelling website – so many thanks to them for the idea and all the very helpful information they provide in relation to how to undertake the conversion.  If I ever get this finished, I also have the decals for a 192 version sponsored by Sasol – but before I jump ahead of myself and start talking about that one, I’ll get this one completed first, Cheers for now,

I’m finally back in painting mode since the start of this week – so Alleluia!!!!  -and I’m celebrating Halloween by posting up pictures of the first figures since my enforced break – that’s not scary at all – doh!  Anyway back to the figures,  I have the main colours blocked in on these three; Jack Brabham, Colin Chapman (both Scalelink) and a nicely casted photographer from Trackpass.  I should have these finished in the next day or so – of course that was until I dug out an old Quartzo diecast Cooper and started trying to  breathe a bit of detail into it to compliment the “Black Jack” figure.  I’ve already removed the seated driver figure, so I’ll get rid of all that chrome and add some cockpit detail and the like, and it should start to “look the part”.  So more on all this stuff in the next day or so.  In fact, I’ll terminate this thread and get back to doing individual posts on a daily basis starting with the final painting of these guys.  Finally, the IPMS Nationals show in Telford is coming up in two weeks time and I’m really looking forward to it.  Two days of “wall to wall” modelling – trade stands, new releases, competition tables and of course the mouthwatering displays by the Special Interest Groups.  The atmosphere is always wonderful with everyone being in unbelievably good humour, and there’s no shortage of people who are just dying to “talk modelling” and impart all sorts of helpful advice and guidance,… can’t wait – Cheers for now.