1:24 Mercedes Benz McLaren SLR

Photo-etched detail set for the Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR, 1:24

This is an extensive accessory set, not a model of the car. The photo-etched parts replace those sections of a kit where an injection mold has to be thicker than the real thing allows: radiator and vent grilles, trim strips, pedals, screens, covers, hinges and small fittings. On a car with such a prominent front end, it is the grillework that decides whether the model looks like a model or like a shrunken automobile. The maker is Aber, the Polish brand that is among the most respected producers of photo-etched accessories.

The real subject

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren was a sports car that came out of a collaboration between the German manufacturer and a British team from the world of Formula racing. It had a long nose with the engine set far back, upward-opening doors and a body of carbon composites. The exhausts exited unusually at the sides behind the front wheels, which is one of its recognizable marks.

Usage tips

• Cut the parts from the fret with photo-etch scissors or a sharp knife on a hard surface.
• Make the bends over the edge of a ruler or in a bending tool, not in your fingers.
• Cut away the original plastic grilles and level the surface carefully, and only then fit the photo-etched part.
• Glue with a minute amount of cyanoacrylate glue; any excess clogs the detail of the grille.
• Prime the metal parts before painting, otherwise the coat comes off during handling.

Who it is for

The set is for experienced car modelers who want to bring a model up to exhibition standard. Working with photo-etched parts is slow and calls for fine tweezers, a bending tool, good light and above all patience.

It is not a model of the vehicle. The base kit, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.