1:12 MP4/6 Engine Super Detail-up Set

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

An extensive accessory from the Japanese brand Top Studio to a plastic kit of the McLaren MP4/6 Formula 1 car in 1:12 scale. It is not a model of the car or a model of the engine in its own right, but a set for working the engine section of the kit up. It is the most demanding assembly of the whole model, because the runs, the engine accessories and the mounting to the rear part of the car all meet in it.

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. In the large 1:12 scale the model is usually built with the rear section exposed, so the engine stays permanently in view and is the main focus of the whole build.

Building and painting tips

First draw up a plan of the procedure: whatever can be painted separately is assembled only at the end. Deburr the photo-etched parts after nipping and bend them along the engraved grooves step by step. Wash the mold release agent off the resin parts in lukewarm soapy water, cut the casting blocks off with a saw and level the surface; sand with respiratory protection. Degrease the metal parts and apply a primer for metal. It is bonded with super glue in minimal doses. For a credible result it helps to set the surfaces apart: aluminum castings more matte, machined surfaces glossier, pipes darker. Choose the patina on the engine sparingly, as it must not overwhelm the fine detail.

Who the set is for

• Experienced builders of large Formula 1 models in 1:12 scale
• Modelers who want to take the engine section to the maximum
• Anyone interested in Formula 1 cars from the beginning of the 1990s
• Builders used to working with photo-etch, resin and metal at the same time

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