NNL West 2021 Online Edition

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I sure do miss the NNL West show and swap. This year’s NNL West is online only, as many shows have been for the last year. Entries will close next week on March 31, so get your photos uploaded soon!

Click here to enter:

 

Facebook Modeling Groups

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Over the last few years, Facebook has emerged as the major platform for model builders to share their builds and for small manufacturers to sell their stuff. In most cases you will need to request to join, and note that some groups don’t allow any selling or trading, while others are only for that purpose.

Here are a few essential Facebook Groups to follow for the latest show and tell online.


Grand Prix Modelers Association – our Facebook Group


GT/GTP Racing Scale Models – amazing stuff here


F1 Models – also for diecast collectors, but some nice work too.


F1 Model & Memorabilia Sell, Swap or Buy


F1 Modelling Hub


High Detailed Modelcars And Car Diorama


ACME – Atlanta Car Model Enthusiasts


Sports Car, Racing and GT3 scale model builders


Porsche Racing & Porsche Racing Model Kits

 

Zooming with GPMA

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We had another Zoom meet on St Patrick’s Day, and this one was a hit. A lively discussion and show and tell we had, along with some adult beverages to fuel the meet. I’ll set up another one soon. Many thanks to everyone who showed-up for showing up 🙂


Top row: Charles Fox, Kevin J. Stewart, Martin Schultz,
Middle: George Schaeffer, Steve Sutherlin, Bill Bauer
Bottom: Mike Kendel, Tom Hiett

Summer 2020 Update

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So much has happened since our last update. Most of us are spending more time at home, and that creates more opportunities to work on modeling projects. So here is an update to let you know we’re staying busy.

  • Benetton B186 F1 by John Zweber
  • GPMA Club Meet
  • Summer 2020 Membership drive

I’ve fixed the PayPal button, so please use it to support your favorite online community!

GPMA Membership Drive

 

GPMA Club Meet

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John Roberts pulled-up in his shiny new Porsche Cayman S

On January 18, 2020, four of us met to hang out and build models. It was good timing, since soon after we were all sheltering in-place. Here’s a quick report on the festivities.


John Zweber came in from Phoenix, AZ to show us how to build models the right way. William (Bill) Bauer had a few things to say on that subject too.


JR deep in thought – what to build next?


Yours truly with proof that I do, indeed, build models.


Bill’s Profil24 Porsche 991 is just getting underway.


@#$%! diffuser . . .


JR showed us his Aoshima/Beemax 935 K3


Our group was excited to see the kit and consider all the possible build options.


Slow progress on my Fujimi BMW Z4 GT3 Red Bull

Looking forward to our next live meeting!

Kevin

 

Benetton B186 BMW

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1/24 Benetton B186 F1
By John Zweber

In 1994, Wave did a series of kits in 1/24 called “Legends of Formula 1”. I’ve always liked the livery on the Benetton B186 from 1986, and this can be built as raced by either Gerhard Berger or Teo Fabi.

I got an incredible deal on the kit, but then I had to build it. The kit is resin and white metal. Lots of hot water and clamps are needed to get the body into some semblance of straight.

The upper body is one piece and the lower is 2 parts, which became 3 when I sectioned the part under the cockpit to allow assembling the seat and ancillary parts. This also allowed the lower pieces to more or less fit the upper body.

The front and rear wings are white metal. Super glue and epoxy don’t come close to holding the parts together, so I now know how to solder white metal. Thank God for the internet! I never knew there was such a thing as low heat solder.

After trying to straighten the white metal suspension parts, I decided to replace 
some of them with brass and nickel silver rod from Albion Alloys. Fortunately, there were only a few tiny bubbles on the body to fill. I used Splash Paints 2K grey primer, Splash Brilliant White, Zero Benetton Green, and Splash 2K Clear. Then I applied the decals.

The colored decals were in amazingly good shape for being 25 years old. The white decals were not faded at all, but they were cracked. I finally applied some Microscale liquid decal film to hold them together. This was after trying to spell out Sisley on the side, in what turned out to be more like 40 pieces per side instead of 12.

After another couple coats of Splash 2K clear, I added some A/N fittings to the transmission, scratch-built the brake light from some leftover red sprue, epoxied the parts together, added a nice big bolt from RB motion to hold the rear wing on, and then I was done. Now it’s time for a Tamiya kit . . .