1:12 MP4/6 Cockpit Detail-up Set

Detailing set of the cockpit for the McLaren MP4/6, 1:12 scale

An accessory from the Japanese brand Top Studio to a plastic kit of the McLaren MP4/6 Formula 1 car in the large 1:12 scale. It is not a model of the car, but a set for fitting one assembly: the cockpit, with the space around the seat, the instrument panel, the steering wheel and the controls. In the one-twelfth scale practically the whole interior of an open car is visible, so detailing pays off the most.

The real subject

The McLaren MP4/6 was the Formula 1 car of the McLaren team for the 1991 season, powered by a Honda twelve-cylinder engine. The cockpit of the cars of that generation was very tight, with a seat shaped to fit the driver, with safety belts and with an instrument panel fitted with gauges and switches.

Building and painting tips

Proceed from the back forward and finish the cockpit before you close the bodywork up. Nip the photo-etched parts out against a hard base, deburr the remainders of the tabs and bend them along the engraved grooves in small stages. First wash the resin parts in lukewarm soapy water, so that the mold release agent comes off, and cut the casting blocks off with a saw; do the sanding with respiratory protection. It is bonded with super glue in small doses. Before painting, apply a primer suitable for metal or resin. At the end, even the interior out with a fine dark wash and bring the edges out with a dry brush.

Who the set is for

• Builders of large Formula 1 models in 1:12 scale
• Modelers who want the cockpit taken down to the detail
• Anyone interested in Formula 1 cars from the beginning of the 1990s
• More experienced builders working with photo-etch and resin alike

This is an accessory to a plastic kit. The kit, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.