LOTUS TYPE 49

amiya recently Treleased the latest version of one of their early 1:12 racing cars, the 1967 Lotus Type 4 9 , P o s s i b l y (actually?) the most attractive Formula One car ever to grace the starting grid, the little Lotus is the epitome of simplicity, purpose and beauty.

Designed by Colin Chapman and Maurice Phillippe and powered by the Ford Cosworth DFV engine, the 49 was one of the first F1 cars to use the engine a s a s t r e s s e d structural member, c o n n e c t i n g t h e monocoque body to the rear suspension.

This new release of Tamiya’s venerable 1968 kit (now with PE) is a classic - even I want one.

24 4 April 2015

A Community Group Proudly Supported by the City of Whitehorse

Volume Issue SUN BR UE

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Sbca ulle C M go nid lle

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Feb 3 Aug 4Mar 3 Sep 1Apr 7 Oct 6May 5 Nov 2*Jun 2 Dec 1Jul 7 Feb 2 (16)

Jan 27 Jul 28Feb 24 Aug 25Mar 24 Sep 29Apr 28 Oct 27May 26 Nov 24Jun 30 Jan 27 (16)

President:bigspin1@bigpond.net.au

Secretary: Michael Howe 9874-5702essmc@ozemail.com.au

Treasurer: Frank Spinosa 0418 555 324bigspin1@bigpond.net.au

Newsletter: Michael Howe 9874-5702essmc@ozemail.com.au

Frank Spinosa 0418 555 324

Editorial

s you may be aware by now, the club has Ataken possession of a considerable collection of (mostly) aircraft kits from a former modeller who’s decided to turn to Lego (yes, Lego).

The subjects are primarily jets with a heavy emphasis on types from the Korean war up to the 90's. Incredibly he purchased what must be every possible version of Fujimi and Hasegawa F-4 Phantoms (for example) and, not content with that, as many as five of some kits, apparently to obtain every variation supplied on the decal sheets, in addition to after-market decal options! Apply this to F-16's, F-18's, Su-27's etc. and you have some idea of the number of kits involved.

Unfortunately only a fraction of the kits are in presentable, i.e. saleable, condition. All have had their instructions and decal sheets separated and (mostly) filed into binders and only a small fraction still have their boxes. Much of the collection is in the form of loose sprues (we had about five bin-bags full) and loose parts - some part assembled, others part-painted. You can imagine the magnitude of the problem.

A few members gathered at Frank’s today to start sorting it all out but at least another day is required and it will help if as many people as possible can come to the next session, possibly next Saturday. Frank will have more info at the meeting.

Michael

EVENTS & INFORMATION

*Monday

12th April 2015Ballarat Regional Scale Model Showand Swap ‘n’ SellCaro Convention CentreFederation UniversityMt. Helen, Ballarat.Entry $5.00.Tables & Details; 0419 794 903

19th April 2015Southern Model Club Swap MeetPine Street HallPine StreetCheltenham11:30am - 2:00pmEntry $2.00Tables & Details; 0432 051 548

14th November 2015Bayonet Model Competition &Swap MeetLiberator HangarCnr. Farm Road & Princes Hwy.Werribee9:00am - 4:00pmEntry $5.00Tables & Details; 0425 860 472

Calendar

PresitorialWhat? Is the honeymoon over already?

Where did the luxury holiday go? Coconut palms on white beaches? Scantily clad women all around?

Nope!!! All I ended up with is old dusty boxes and bags and bags and bags of sprues.

For those not in the know, Michael and I came across a model collection. We couldn't fit it in the Landcruiser so we had to make two trips. Thanks to Peter Millar for donating us his collection but there is still a lot of work to organize the sprues back into model kits (Bits are everywhere!).

best sales in years! Looking forward to the Modelers of Ballarat show and Also would like to thank Group Captain Southern Model Club show this month.Antony Martin from Williamtown RAAF

Base for giving us a great speech. Like to see more members attend so as to Hopefully we'll get more from him later in keep our affliction moving forward!the year.

Thanks.Thanks to all members for an awesome The Model Fuhrerswap meet! We had the most tables ever Frankand a few of the traders said it was their

METAL EARTHLASER-CUT MODELS

New from Models & Hobbies 4U is a range of laser-cut stainless steel model ‘kits’ of a huge variety of subjects. Each pack consists of one or two 4" square sheets of polished metal parts, pre-cut and etched and ready to be folded up into such things as a Model T Ford, Starship Enterprise, Mustang Fighter, Golden Hind, Drum Set, Lunar Excursion Module, Wright Flyer, Big Ben, assorted Star Wars subjects and much, much more.

I’ve built the two illustrated here - all that’s needed is a pair of good quality snips, strong tweezers and pliers, though a PE folding tool and rolling set are helpful (an ultrasonic cleaner is useful too, to remove the inevitable fingerprints). Not easy, very fiddly, but quite impressive little models when completed. See www.fascinations.com/metalearth for more information and the full range.

Gary Zimmerthat Germany could Postcard from Finlandeasily defeat the USSR. It also showed the R u s s i a n s h o w first started watching Formula 1 when they unprepared they were for Ireally started pushing live coverage, this was fighting in the winter. If 1982. In that season what was supposed to the Winter War had not happen was that that the turbocharged Ferraris happened, Hitler would and Renaults were going to wipe the floor, while

the Cosworth teams were just going to make up the numbers. Those who hadn't read the script were Williams and their new driver, Keke Rosberg. The turbo cars seemed to either win or blow up, and almost unnoticed by everyone Rosberg was steadily picking up points. He didn't actually win a race until the second last of the season, and a two points in the last race was all he needed. Rosberg drove the wheels off his cars, and said exactly what he thought, especially when it came to the bad behavior of his fellow drivers. From then on, I took a liking to the Finnish attitude.

Before or after, I am not sure, I had heard about have initiated Barbarossa anyway, however the the Winter War. In 1939 Stalin decided on a real Red Army would have been even less prepared.estate acquisition, in the form of the Baltic States and a good chunk of Finland. The Fins said no Resuming my travels, I ended up late at night in thanks, and in December 1939 the Soviets Helsinki airport, with no real plan. There was a invaded. This too was supposed to be a bus service to downtown, which was chock full of walkover, as the Red Army sent more men into travellers and suitcases. I learnt then why Finland that the Allies landed in Normandy o D Finland had produced three F1 champions, and Day. Again, the Fins had not read the script. For many top rally drivers as Keke, the bus-driver, more than 3 months they held the Soviets at bay, was on a qualifying lap. I didn't even have a seat,

I was just hanging on. Keke stopped at the central railway station at about 1130 pm. It was Wednesday night, which was party night. Every bar was full, and Fins do seem to enjoy a drink. I found the Holiday Inn, next to the station, and the door was locked. This is not looking good, I thought, and then I noticed the intercom. Hello I said, can I come n please? I would like a room. The doors opened. I got a room, and it had a well-stocked bar fridge. Fins like a drink. Most speak perfect English too. Just after 9am the next day I was on a train to Tampere, about 200km up the line. An hour or so later its 8th stop was Parola. The station building looked as if it closed in 1956 and hadn't been used since. I set off up some stairs to the overpass and followed the road west along a bike path. The path crossed the Helsinki-eventually agreeing to be on the rough end of an Tampere motorway, and perched on a plinth on armistice. In 1941 when Barbarossa began, the the side of the motorway was a Leopard 2. A few Fins took up where they had left off in the k further on, I was wondering if I was on the right Continuation War, 1941-44. Now the Winter War track, when I noticed an armoured train on the is remarkable because it is relatively unknown to e m b a n k m e n t a b o v e . T h i s w a s us, and yet it had the greatest influence on the Panssarimuseum, Parola.20th Century. The Winter War convinced Hitler

POSTCARD

FROM

EUROPE

From tanks to Molotov cocktails, Parola reeks of the system crashed. Next morning Mika history of the Winter and Continuation Wars. Hakkinen drove to the airport in record time and Many vehicles used by the Fins were unique and all I saw in the terminal was a mile long queue that was just incredible to see these up close. Eleven wasn't moving at all. I joined the back for a while, out of ten. If you are a tankhead you must go and eventually someone said this was Lufthansa. there. There I met a fellow modeler called Valeri, I didn't want Lufthansa, I had booked with SAS. It he was from Ekaterinberg in Russia. He had turned out that Minister of Aviation, Hermann come to Parola to measure up an armored car, Goring, had cancelled a flight. Not funny for us, because Parola was where the last example not funny for any German people. Don't mention resided and he was building a 1:1 scale one. It the war. So I wandered down the line of check-ins was a 3 day train ride home for him. Valeri knew and at the first one that was manned, asked about 30 words of English, and I knew about 15 of where SAS was. I was there, no queue, instant Russian. The conversation was interesting. service. The Germans were still not moving and Parola has a shed containing various tank still not happy. engines. One was a Meteor engine from a Comet that according to its stencil had been rebuilt in The flight from Helsinki went to Copenhagen, and 1955 by Jaguar. I spent five hours wandering it was a yawning five and a half hours until the through the museum. I then had to call it quits, flight to Newcastle. Nowhere in Copenhagen because while trains on the Tampere line are airport is quiet, or comfortable. The aeroplanes frequent, most go straight through Parola station. were getting smaller too. By 6pm I was aboard a Missing the 3:20 meant a four hour wait to the next fifty-seater in which the headroom of the aisle was one. about two inches less than my height. It had two

jet engines at the fuselage rear, which sounded Back in Helsinki I returned to the hotel for a and vibrated more like piston engines. The short second night. I wish I had learnt the Finnish word flight over the North Sea was like the Bomber for launderette, because that evening I walked all Command experience, on the way home from over town and failed to find one. There is an bombing Peenemunde. I happened to be seated Australia Bar, though. Later that evening I next to a Pom who was a Python fan. One of us attempted to book a flight to Newcastle using the mentioned the war. hotel's business center (two PCs in an open top office). The problem was the five Amigos, who Next stop: Back in England. were hogging both terminals checking on the price of every flight since the Wright Brothers. GaryEventually they got the hint and I had my first attempt at buying a flight ticket on line. I pressed “pay now” and got a six digit code number before

Gary Zimmer

The Kit Collectorand even this early on Otaki 1:36 Santa Monicat he i r k i t s f ea tu red

recessed panel lines.67' Ocean Cruiser

Otaki’s range of subjects any model manufacturers have come and gone over was staggering; armour, Mthe years; some disappear almost unnoticed, while WWII aircraft, cars, others are keenly missed even decades later. One of the s h i p s , s t e a m latter is Imai, my favourite source of collectible kits, but locomotives, bicycles, another is Otaki, who went bust in the mid-80's, about the airliners, motor scooters - same time as Imai.you name it. The 1:16

car range included the The company was founded by Masaru Otaki in 1960 and, at Lamborghini Miura, my first, specialised in producing kits of WWII Japanese f a v o u r i t e 6 0 / 7 0 ' s aircraft - kits that are extremely rare and sought-after now. supercar (well, after the Iso Grifo anyway). Admittedly Much of their early output featured motorization like every everyone back then did a Miura, just like everyone did a

Lotus Europa and Jaguar E-Type, but the Otaki was as

good as any.

Another of their subjects, less well-known, was a range of

ketch-rigged 1:36 ocean-going yachts. A modern ketch is a

two-masted vessel, fore and aft rigged, with the mainmast

taller than the mizzen and usually fitted with an inboard

auxiliary engine. There were at least eight kits in the series,

though I suspect some were basically the same mouldings

released in different colours and names or even the same

names. Those I have identified so far are; “Long Beach”,

“Blue Hawaii”, “Dolphin”, “Palawan IV”, “Santa Monica”,

“Purple Queen”, “Eagle” and “Miss Tahiti”. Arii also did a

small range of similar kits in the same scale.

I only have the kit at present. Palawan is

usually easy to find as it was also released under the Entex

label. Santa Monica was available in two schemes;

basically blue and red. The red version includes a stern-

mounted davit supporting a dinghy while the blue one does

not. In fact Otaki appear to play mix-and -match because,

where the davit and dinghy appeared, they were always the

same ones.

In addition to the red hull and upperworks, and white deck,

my kit is moulded in silver (masts and spars), black (fitted

stand) and clear, for the large number of ports and

windows. There is also a large chrome-plated sprue with

innumerable fittings, three vac-formed sails and two spools

of thread for rigging. These were big kits at over 560mm in

length, 140mm beam and 750mm height (including the

stand) and finding room for the whole series would require

some serious shelf space! However, I class these as

‘trophy’ kits, decorative items for the home or study, where

only perhaps one or two might be displayed. In any case,

they’re all too much alike - seen one and you’ve seen ‘em

all. Such vessels have evolved over the decades since

these were the latest thing, but if you want a model of a other Japanese manufacturer at the time. In the 1970's yacht for your home or office they’re about the only option.they produced a new range of WWII aircraft of various

Michaelnationalities in 1:48 while most other makers stuck to 1:72,

Santa Monica

presented including the Ford coupe utility, or 'ute'. It was in Shi f t ing Gear : Des ign , 1934 that Lewis Bandt designed the great Aussie ute following a request from a Victorian farmer's wife for a Innovation and the Australian vehicle suitable for attending church on Sunday and carrying livestock around the farm on Monday. The ute was Car - A reviewan immediate success and soon copied by car makers in Australia and overseas.

Exceptionally rare concept vehicles, never put into production, will be exhibited in Shifting Gear including the futuristic Holden Hurricane (1969), a ground-breaking concept car designed by Don Daharsh which opens up like a piece of kinetic sculpture; the stunning Holden Efijy (2005), designed by Richard Ferlazzo as a stylistic homage to the Holden FJ; and the Brian Tanti-designed FR-1, a 21st century hotrod produced by the AutoHorizon Foundation to showcase the future of motoring in Australia.

The development of the high-performance production car is also an important part of the story of Australian car design and engineering. From the late 1960s until the early 1970s Australia produced some of the world's fastest production vehicles, with styling to match. These included cars such as

n Thursday 2/4/15 i went to the display at Fed the stunning Chrysler Valiant Charger E49, which at the

square showcasing car design in Australia. I manly time of its release in 1971 was the fastest accelerating car Owent along to see Jack Brabham's championship in the world. The Chrysler Charger, Holden Monaro and

winning car, the BT19, but there was much more to see. As Holden Torana have also come to be regarded as uniquely

well as racing cars there were concept cars and a collection Australian performance vehicles and will be represented in

of road cars from many different manufacturers. Two of the Shifting Gear.

cars there, both Holden's, were the GTR-X concept and the wondrous Holden Hurricane. There was also a Ford XA

Shifting Gear also explores the ongoing role of the Royal Falcon GT Coupe with the RPO 83 option (the closest thing

Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) and Australia's early to a Phase 4 you will ever see) as well as a Valiant Charger

history of niche automobile production, which involved and a Purvis road car. If you are interested at all in cars I

dozens of small companies who produced fully-encourage you to go and see this display. You'll see cars

manufactured cars and original body styles. One such there you will never see again in your life time. The display

Melbourne-made example, the Bolwell Nagari, a limited runs until July.

production two-seater sports car, is now regarded as an Australian automotive icon.

Karen

The following is an excerpt from the Press Release;

Shifting Gear: Design, Innovation and the Australian CarFrom steam-powered 'horseless carriages' and the classic Aussie ute to muscle cars, racy V8s and dazzling concept vehicles, Australia has a rich legacy of innovative car design. In a first for an Australian art gallery, the National Gallery of Victoria celebrates this history with an exhibition of cars from 6 March 2015, Shifting Gear: Design, Innovation and the Australian Car.

Shifting Gear presents 23 of Australia's most iconic vehicles alongside ephemera including design sketches, illustrations, photos, car engines, racing trophies and the original 'Holden Lion' plaster maquette, exploring this

An exciting series of public programs will accompany the country's important and proud history of automobile design exhibition along with a landmark publication which will trace and engineering. The exhibition also looks to the future of the history of Australian car design.the Australian automobile industry and its shift from

manufacturing to being a global contributor through Shifting Gear: Design, Innovation and the Australian specialist design knowledge.

Car at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia Federation Square from 6 March to 12 July.Through a vibrant exhibition display Shifting Gear will

Open 10am-5pm, closed Mondays.present the stories behind the development of some of the Tickets on sale now from ngv.vic.gov.au. Adult $15 | great Australian vehicles and reveal the designers who

Concession $12 | Child $7 | Family $41styled them. Many iconic Australian designs will be

News

©to publication (i.e. committee meeting). Submitted material is accepted in good faith and whilst every effort will be made to ensure accurate reproduction, no responsibility can be accepted for unintentional

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ESSMC Inc. 2015. SeamLines Editorial Policy. SeamLines is published on the first Tuesday of every month except January. Deadline for inclusion of material in each issue is the Tuesday prior

The Kit CollectorI t a le r i 1 :12 F IAT Mefistofele - The Build

he chassis of the car is now Tcomplete but was not without problems. As previously noted, the instruction book shows the front spring assembly being fitted to the front axle back-to-front. What wasn’t apparent was that there’s an error with the rear springs as well. I had everything nicely assembled and cemented (to reinforce the screws’ dubious grip) when an acquaintance on the FSM web-site forum told me how he was modifying the springs to represent the covering applied to the real thing. I’d never noticed it but on closer examination of photos I can see that the springs are indeed covered with some sort of fabric - I don’t know why.

However, while looking at the pictures I did notice something else; the rear springs are mounted above the shackle attachment, not hanging below as the book shows! Photos of completed models on the ‘Net show the model built both ways and were inconclusive.

S o I c a r e f u l l y d i s m a n t l e d everything, including the four eight-piece dampers, then re-erected it both ways and checked the ‘sit’ of the chassis. No doubt about it, the rails sit dead level with the springs in the ‘correct’ position and the rear is some 12mm higher if built by the

screw-holes out to the same. The heads were book (see top image).formed by softening the end of the rod near a flame and pressing it onto a cold surface to form a With that issue resolved, another became sort of nail-head which I then shaped in my motor-apparent - the screws holding the shackles to the tool to represent rivet heads. Ideally the heads chassis are 8mm long and the shackles are 7mm should be hexagonal to represent bolts but I’m wide, leaving just 1mm of screw to hold them into not that clever. In any case they’ll look no worse the plastic bushes - it was never going to work, than the screws.even in metal I suspect. My solution was to make

Michael some pins out of 1.6mm plastic rod and drill all the