A_M_W_2015_05_

Airfix Model World

{36}www.airfixmodelworld.com {37}

Airfix Model World

http://www.airfixmodelworld.com

INTERMEDIATE BUILD

MCLAREN MP4-12C GT3

INTERMEDIATE BUILD

MCLAREN MP4-12C GT3

Airfix Model World

{36}www.airfixmodelworld.com

 Body components for the radiator housings and side panels, seen removed from their

runners and labelled for painting.

 A Tamiya Spray Works painting stand supported the smaller primed and painted parts

for the duration of the drying process.

 Vallejo Grey Primer was airbrushed on the main body parts.  The bonnet lamp pod had its front glazing fitted and masked during the painting stages.

sheet of racing decals, for the

interior and exterior logos of #60,

completed the collection. All of the

aforementioned came in a large,

standard-style cardboard box with

lid, handy for storage of all the

work-in-progress parts.

Race preparation

Modern GT cars (as with

the majority of competition

machinery) employ carbon-

composite materials. The build

began initially with laborious

cutting of templates for several

parts of the kit, which were to

receive this finish. Soon after the

project reached this stage, the

builder stumbled across another

useful after-market addition;

Studio 27 Carbon Template Decals

for the MP4-12C (ST27-CD24011).

Again, this added more cost,

but the investment was sound

because it allowed the builder to

skip this initial step and dive in to

preparation of the body, although

since not every item was included

on the set, some home-made

templates were retained.

First, it was necessary to deviate

from the kit’s instructions. The

final phase was Stage G, where the

additional lamp pod was fixed to

the bonnet; the instructions failed

to point out that the builder must

cut out a panel in the bonnet for

the pod to fit in place properly. Not

a task for post-paint application!

Upon inspection of the underside

of the body, a defined cut-out had

been moulded to aid removal of

the panel. After much cutting,

filing and fettling, the lamp pod

was suitably located, and a smear

of Gunze Mr. Surfacer 1000 was

applied around the join to help it

blend in properly. The large side

panels, C1 and C2, were fitted to

the body, and then the smaller

components for the complex

radiator shrouds were removed

from their runners and supported

with cocktail sticks and clips on

a Tamiya Spray Works painting

stand. All main body parts were

airbrushed with Vallejo Grey

Primer and set aside to dry,

while the chassis and interior

components received Vallejo Black

Primer. Areas of the PE fret were

then masked and coated with the

black primer.

Vivid orange

With the body components

prepared, they could all be

painted with an airbrushed coat

34-41_McLaren.CC.indd 36 17/03/2015 14:39