Another trip down memory lane, exploring how I managed to get this mid-90s Tamiya model kit into a finished state. The Tamiya Tyrrell 023 is a solid, straightforward kit, but it isn’t all plain sailing as I found out.
The kit was a purchase from Scale ModelWorld in Telford some years back. The trader, who will remain nameless but does still exist, shrink-wrapped the box, so there was no chance to inspect the contents. Naturally, when I got it home I discovered the decals were knackered! Not to worry, I wanted to include the Mild Seven tobacco logos on the finished model anyway. I ordered a replacement decal sheet from Shunko, and I was off and running.
Getting the blue on
After completing the simple task of getting the white paint on the bodywork, it was onto the masking job. Unlike the Tyrrell 020 livery, the blue on the Tyrrell 023 is fairly complex and is in two shades: a large area of mid-blue and a light blue section around the cockpit. I tried out some very thin red masking tape to help mask the mid-blue section, but it didn’t work. There was a lot of bleeding, and it took a lot of cleaning up to achieve an acceptable result.
The light blue area went far better. The Shunko decal sheet contains a piece to do the light blue, but I wanted to spray it. Getting the decal to sit right on that complex surface would be a nightmare! So I scanned the decal and printed it out to make a template, which I then used to mask the body. The result was very good, and I highly recommend using the decal shapes as templates if you choose to spray the colours instead. The blues I used were Tamiya spray cans, TS15 and TS23.
Decals and details
After a week or two to let the paint fully dry out, the decals started to go on. In doing so, I discovered the blue paint on the nose was a little narrow – my masking was a bit off. To have such minor defects as the only issues at this stage was more than welcome though.
Once I’d added the rest of the decals to the body, my attention turned to other areas of the car. I put minimal effort into the engine and gearbox as they wouldn’t be visible with the car closed up. Unless fixed down, the fitment of the engine cover of the Tamiya Tyrrell 023 isn’t the best because of its shape. After I completed the wheels and tyres, I turned my attention to the black areas of bodywork.
Although the rear wing comes largely complete in a single piece of plastic, it is complex, made up of five elements. The lowest element incorporates the rear light and attaches to mounting points on the gearbox. On spraying the black I wasn’t happy with the finish, so I sanded it back and went again. Second time around the results were far better. The remaining decals followed soon after, and then the clear coat for the whole car. Tamiya TS13 spray, straight out of the can! I don’t just hold my breath for the fumes when I spray that stuff – it’s nerve-wracking!
Finishing touches
With the clear on, it was down to the final parts – the cockpit and suspension. I ground out the moulded seatbelts and added a set of fabric ones with photo-etch details – the only additional detail added to the kit aside from the replacement decals. The front suspension in particular on the Tyrrell 023 is a bit tricky. It incorporates the barge boards which have to be threaded through during assembly. This was completed without any problems, and final assembly proved to be straightforward, resulting in a great finished model.
Murray Walker once described Ukyo Katayama as “undoubtedly the best Formula One driver that Grand Prix racing has ever produced”. Unfortunately it’s fair to say that most people now would not recognise the name, and similarly the Tamiya Tyrrell 023 kit is not one often seen completed. Nevertheless, because of its rarity and interesting subject, it was a high priority for me to build, and I’m glad I was able to complete it without any real problems.
This build diary was originally published in stages on f1m.com in 2015.
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