Tamiya 1/20 and 1/12 cars - how detailed are they?

[Rouleur]

I'm looking at getting back into building kits after not having touched one for maybe 20 years, but although I really like the idea of doing a Tamiya 1/12 car I think I'd be better off being sensible and getting my eye in with a cheaper and easier 1/20.

I'm just curious about how detailed the 1/20 kits are compared to the 1/24 cars and 1/12 bikes I made a few of in the past as the smaller cars were a bit basic for my liking, I'd like something more challenging. Also are the 1/12 Tamiya cars really tricky?

For reference this is the one I have in mind as it's an easy livery! Also has photo-etched parts, which I assume are worth having? http://www.hiroboy.com/catalog/product_info.php?pr...

Cheers

[dr_gn]

Rouleur said:

I'm looking at getting back into building kits after not having touched one for maybe 20 years, but although I really like the idea of doing a Tamiya 1/12 car I think I'd be better off being sensible and getting my eye in with a cheaper and easier 1/20.

I'm just curious about how detailed the 1/20 kits are compared to the 1/24 cars and 1/12 bikes I made a few of in the past as the smaller cars were a bit basic for my liking, I'd like something more challenging. Also are the 1/12 Tamiya cars really tricky?

For reference this is the one I have in mind as it's an easy livery! Also has photo-etched parts, which I assume are worth having? http://www.hiroboy.com/catalog/product_info.php?pr...

Cheers

If you want a 1:12 car, go for it. I built the 1:12 Tamiya McLaren MP4/6, and it is technically no more difficult to build than the 1:20 versions (easier if anything due to the larger size and partial nut & bolt assembly). Obviously it will take significantly longer to assemble since there are far more parts.

I also have 17 1:20 Tamiya F1 cars, which are all great kits.

The potential for super-detailling the 1:20 cars is enormous, and there are dedicated aftermarket detail kits for a few already, see here (there are some of my own detail photos of the Ferrari F-2000 and McLaren MP4/13 in this thread:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showt...

Of course, super-detailling potential on the 1:12 cars would be even greater.

Skii, who contributes here will hopefully be along shortly with pictures of his superb 1:20 McLaren, which is almost indistinguishable from the real thing!

ETA, to answer your question!

The 1:20 scale cars fairly well detailled in terms of engine/chassis/cockpit, but there is little or nothing in the way of pipework or wiring. Think of them as a blank canvas for adding detail to. When well painted, they do look great straight out of the box.

1:12 is better OOB, with some wiring and most plumbing, but again the potential for detail work is great.

Edited by dr_gn on Friday 24th December 22:31

[Rouleur]

That's a great reponse, you've given me more confidence. It sounds like I might as well get the one I really want then. Thanks very much!

[Nicholas Blair]

Still on the hunt for an MP4/6 1/12 McLaren. Will get one sometime...

Anyway, couple of links to some fab stuff...

http://www.wilchan.com/mp48/index.php

http://members.shaw.ca/bil_attridge/Gallery/Formul...

[dr_gn]

Rouleur said:

That's a great reponse, you've given me more confidence. It sounds like I might as well get the one I really want then. Thanks very much!

No probs, I hope you enjoy whatever you decide to build. I've taken a few pics of some of mine for you. first some 1:20 scale, built straight from box:





And the 1:12 scale McLaren, again, no extra detailling:



Excuse the dust, I'm waiting for a load of display cases to be delivered early next year!

[Rouleur]

Nicholas Blair said:

http://members.shaw.ca/bil_attridge/Gallery/Formul...

That's stunning, and it's pretty mind blowing that it took 1800 hours to put together! Scary, but not suprising looking at all the extras he added to it.

dr gn - yours look great, and as you say there's a fair difference in detail between the two scales. Thinking about it more I'll get a 1/20 asap and get my folks and brother to buy me a much more expensive 1/12 for my birthday in a few weeks . I'll have to buy loads of stuff to get me started so I could do without forking out ~£100 for the kit too.

I believe that you're best off using one of the glues that comes in a bottle and with a brush - which do you guys recommend?

[dr_gn]

Rouleur said:

Nicholas Blair said:

http://members.shaw.ca/bil_attridge/Gallery/Formul...

That's stunning, and it's pretty mind blowing that it took 1800 hours to put together! Scary, but not suprising looking at all the extras he added to it.

dr gn - yours look great, and as you say there's a fair difference in detail between the two scales. Thinking about it more I'll get a 1/20 asap and get my folks and brother to buy me a much more expensive 1/12 for my birthday in a few weeks . I'll have to buy loads of stuff to get me started so I could do without forking out ~£100 for the kit too.

I believe that you're best off using one of the glues that comes in a bottle and with a brush - which do you guys recommend?

Yes, that's exaxtly what I meant by the extra detailling possible on the 1:12 cars! Amazing work.

I use this glue:



Or this:



The stuff in the tube seems to dry quicker, but the liquid stuff in the bottle take ages to set, but is good becasue it capillaries along joints quite well.

I used the brush glue a lont time ago, but the brush seemed to stiffen quite quickly. Might be better these days.

That 1:20 Wolf looks a very nice model, and there's some photo-etch too, which will be good experience. FWIW I'd go for that and see what happens.

[chrisga]

Hoping the 1:20ths are going to be ok. I've just ordered a tamiya ferrari f1 car in 1:20 scale, as a change from doing my bikes. It'll be the 2nd car i've ever done, the other was a 1:24 206 rally car. I was amazed at the price though, after looking in my local model shop and seeing the latest 1:12 Yamaha YZR-M1 retailing for over £40, the £15 or so from ebay seems like a bargain! Will post pics as and when I get onto it. Currently in the middle of a Desmosedici build so need to get this out of the way first.