1/12 Tamiya Kenny Roberts' Yamahas

Gallery Article by Greg Kerry on Feb 24 2012

 

Some of Tamiya's older bike kits these are still pretty worthwhile I reckon.  Of course, that might be because of my age and the fact that I can remember seeing Kenny Roberts race against riders like Barry Sheene back in the late 1970s.  With the rider figures, I tried to make these bikes look like they were really moving.  I cut away all but one of the wheel spokes for each wheel, and then smoothed everything else that would be moving in a blur of speed: brake disc detail, rear sprocket, drive chain and so on.  I think it worked to some extent, but if I were doing it again I would add something like clear plastic discs in the wheels (as aircraft modellers use to represent a spinning propellor).

 

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As with all my 1/12 models I replaced the supplied vinyl cabling with something thinner and more convincing.  I also added smaller details like the wire loops on the front mudguards of the older Yam holding the brake lines in place.

The figures are tricky - needing a lot of test fitting to the individual bike before a really convincing sit can be achieved. I think I hacked off at least one hand and one foot to reposition them in a more realistic attitude. Also, the paint finish needs to be something like semi-gloss to catch the sheen of leather. The figures' decals require some time, patience and decal softener too - to fit, for instance, the curve of the arms and the deep creases of the elbows.

Greg Kerry

      

Photos and text © by Greg Kerry