Scale Auto

During the ensuing months, I had the absolute pleasure of planning and editing eight issues, including this one, each with a unique flavor and flair. I told you in the October 2019 “Starting Line” that I wanted Scale Auto to be a hub where modelers went to learn from fellow modelers, get news about the scale-modeling world, and be entertained. And I think we succeeded. Of course, whenever we see something end, naturally we feel a sense of loss, particularly when it’s a long-standing, integral part of our lives. Though I have been part of the Scale Auto family for 18 months, it feels to have been much longer, and the magazine and you have become an important part of my life. I would go to bed nightly thinking about…

Hello from Europe I live in France and have been a subscriber to Scale Auto for nearly 30 years. I am a lifelong Ford fan and an avid builder and collector of Ford Motor Co. models. I read Tim Boyd’s “Classic Kits” column about the AMT Capri II (April 2020) with great interest. He wrote that he did not find more-recent reissues than the final T224 café racer. Of course, I own all the models that he describes, but I think that there is one package that he didn’t mention: the AMT/Matchbox kit, which is probably identical to the T224 inside. Thank you for this great magazine and take care! Bertrand JosephChaligny, France Ed: Bertrand, thank you so much for writing and supporting Scale Auto. We reached out to Tim…

When modelers critique new kits, they often note exterior appearance comes up short even with excellent parts fit and far more complete underbody details. While compromised in many ways, AMT’s 1969 Mustang Mach 1 annual rates among the most desirable of all collectible Mustang kits, and you’ll have to pay handsomely to acquire it. Why? Because modelers will always prioritize a kit with a correct exterior despite other shortcomings. Following AMT’s highly detailed 1967 and 1968 Mustang annuals, the 1969 Mustang annual was a step backwards: a single-piece promo-style chassis (not the prior kits’ complete front and rear suspensions and separate factory exhausts); a simple and simplistic five-part interior; and a change from a multiple-kit build with engine options to a very basic 2-in-1. The box art mentions “Super Stock”…

1/24 Scale • Coca-Cola® VW Camper Van (Quickbuild), No. J6047, $21.99. From Airfix • Coca-Cola® VW Beetle (Quickbuild), No. J6048, $17.99. From Airfix • LB Lamborghini Aventador V2, No. HD03-0550, $200. Kit contains resin, photoetch, decals, metal wheels, parts and logo. From HobbyDesign • Artisan Spirits FT86 (wide body kit), No. HD03-0561, $100. Kit contains photoetch, decals and metal parts. From HobbyDesign • Aston Martin DBS, No. AM02-0015, $150. Kit contains photoetch detail parts, decals, wheels and glass parts. From Alpha Model • Ferrari 488 Pista, $150. Kit contains photoetch detail parts, decals and wheels. From Alpha Model • Mclaren 720S, $150. Kit contains photoetch detail parts, decals and wheels. From Alpha Model • Porsche 935 Baby, No. 3639, $54.50. From Italeri • RWB Porsche 964, No. HD03-0537, $190. Kit…

LESS-DENSE METALLIC Q I am planning metallic and pearl paint jobs. I want to avoid the “metallic look.” I want a sparse/random spacing of particles in the finish. Can this be done with premixed metallic and pearl hobby paints, or should the particles be applied in separate layers of clear coats underneath a final clear coat to achieve a dusted effect? Could this effect be achieved by spraying from very far away in glancing passes? Do you have any suggestions for metallic or pearl combinations to tint clear coats? Also, are there any airbrush nozzle size requirements for particle clearance versus hobby paint spray cans? – Fred Richardson, via email A All good questions, Fred. I contacted master modeler Mark Jones for some definitive answers. Here’s what Mark had to…

Unusual racing subjects spark my imagination. Driven by memories of significant cars, races, and drivers from my youth, I enjoy modeling cars that you won’t find in most modelers’ collections. Quite often, this leads me down a tortuous path to build something that hasn’t been kitted, but I can get to the end by kitbashing or starting with a slot-car body or even a die-cast car. But what to do when there is absolutely no place to start? This is where I found myself when I realized I simply had to build a Lotus 18. This car, the first rear-engine Formula One (F1) Lotus, launched Colin Chapman’s meteoric rise. No Lotus collection would be complete without it, and all I could find was a scale drawing online. The boxy, rather…