1:20 McLaren MP4/5B - Brake Set (for Tamiya Kits)

The real subject

The McLaren MP4/5B is the Formula 1 car of the 1990 season. After turbocharging was banned it was powered by a naturally aspirated Honda engine and, with Ayrton Senna behind the wheel, it brought a drivers' title; the team's second driver that season was Gerhard Berger. Cars from the beginning of the nineties have slimmer proportions than their turbocharged predecessors and are among the popular subjects with modelers.

What the set contains

A brake set for a model of the MP4/5B in 1:20 scale, shaped for Tamiya kits. It replaces the parts from the box with a version that is more finely detailed. The exact range of parts and the sequence of assembly are given in the manufacturer's instructions.

Building and painting tips

Plan the work so that the brakes come up before the suspension is closed up and the wheels fitted; later it becomes hard to reach them. Check dry how the disc seats on the hub and whether a gap remains between the disc and the rim. Wash and degrease the parts before painting. A dark graphite base for the disc with a different metallic shade for the caliper works well; a thin dark wash into the recesses will deepen the detail and a light highlighting of the edges will lift the part. Apply the paint thinly so that it does not flood the small details.

Who it is for

The set belongs to modelers who build the MP4/5B in 1:20 scale and want to bring the wheels up to the level of the rest of the car. In this scale you can see well into the wheels, so work on the brakes shows. It will also be appreciated by those who build several cars of the same era and want them rendered uniformly.

This is an addition intended for a kit from another maker; the paints and the glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.