Onboard race footage with Fangio

A few years ago, I posted the link to a short video showing footage of Fangio testing a Maserati 250F in 1957 at Modena. The video is really cool, showing El Chueco deftly handling that beautiful car. I’m bringing up this again because yesterday I found out how they made that footage. When I first saw that video I assumed that the camera had been fixed to the rear of the car, and remotely triggered by Fangio himself. However, I was mistaken, and as you can see above, it was not shot using a GoPro either 😂. Well, I therefor conclude that if pilots at that time had balls of steel, cameramen had balls of adamantium. Even though it was Fangio at the wheel, holy cow! 😲😲😲

And now I’m disappointed with Minichamps 😣

Well, being honest, it’s more like I’m mad at them. A couple of weeks ago I discovered that the brand released quite a few new Silberpfeile. Since models of the Silver Arrows are pretty rare, I was really happy. I even posted about them – though, at the time, I wasn’t aware about the Typ A “Langheck” #1 below. However, since then I had the time to look them over in more detail. And after some research, I was pretty upset with what I found.

Typ D Stromlinie #18 – 1935 French Grand Prix (R. Hasse) – #410382018

Above is one of the new models. Auto Union arrived at Reims in 1938 with two new D streamliners and two old Typ C. Unhappily, during practice two cars crashed. For race day the team decided to use the two remaining chassis without the streamliner body. Therefore, the two cars that raced were a mishmash of both Typ D and C with a somewhat open body. Here you can see the starting grid – the three Mercedes W154 in front and the two Auto Unions (#16 and #20) right behind. From the pic you can see that the Auto Unions did NOT have a streamliner body. Besides, Rudolf Hasse piloted car #20, and not #18. And as you see on the model’s plinth, Minichamps also got the year wrong 🙄.

Typ A Langheck #1 – 1934 ADAC Eiffelrennen (H. Stuck) – #410342001

The Typ A #1 above is the other model in the same boat. At the 1934 Eiffel race (June 3rd), all three Typ A were short tails (Kurzheck), and not long tails (Langheck). Not a perfect angle, yet you can see Stuck’s #1 Kurzheck in the Eiffelrennen here. The Typ A Langheck was only used at the AVUS-Rennen on May 27th, and the three cars were numbered #42, #44 and #46. Moreover, all three cars had “closed” front suspension. In summary, Minichamps royally botched the model.

So… Are these models worth having? HELL NO, they’re totally wrong 😤. I can’t believe it toke decades (!) for new Silberpfeile to come up and this is what we get. Yes, they do look very nice in terms of details and craftsmanship, yet they’re still wrong. In essence, “fantasy cars”. Nonetheless, I thought about moding them into something historically accurate. Though the Typ A Langheck is basically useless, maybe you could create a test car of the Typ D. A good and feasible idea, however Minichamps announced that they would release this car in the future (#410382000). Another idea would be to make the Reims practice car (before the crash), yet since there’s no photos of the cars before the race as a reference, that possibility is out.

So, in conclusion, Minichamps made a royal SNAFU. And yes, they really got my panties in a bunch here…

Donohue & Penske Documentary

Written by Brock Yates, I think “Four Hands on The Wheel” came out in 1970. The film is a 47 minutes look into the partnership between Mark Donohue and Roger Penske. Fantastic to see Penske’s blue and yellow Sunoco cars of the late 60s, from Camaros to Lolas. In other words, a must see for gearheads fans of vintage racing.

Disappointed with Spark

By now, it is more than obvious that I’m a H-U-G-E Spark fanboy. Well yes, the brand makes some friggentastic models in 1:43, for a (somewhat?) affordable price. In fact, I’m almost at the point where I buy the model first and only ask questions later. Earlier this week I found a very rare one that is a must buy for me. One of the 1973 911 Carrera RSR Martini cars.

Image courtesy of eBay.

If you look closely, you will see that there’s no wing mirror. And yes, the real car had a wing mirror on the left side. Well, sometimes manufacturers can make mistakes, I know that. However, how the blazes did Spark get the #46 car right and make such a gross a mistake on the #47 😣?

Both these models, the #46 and #47 cars, are nowadays VERY rare, and to me personally a must buy. One of those models that unless Spark reissues them, I probably would never have. And then, out of the blue, I find locally (!) a mint #47 for cheap! Of course I bought it on the spot. However, right after I bought it, while looking over the seller’s pictures, I noticed it didn’t have the mirror. Oh crap, I bought a defective model – I knew it was too good to be true! I then did some research and to my surprise Spark didn’t make it with the mirror. So just a few minutes after hitting the BIN button I canceled the purchase. Boogers.

I know I shouldn’t get my panties in a bunch for this, yet… Finding a sought after model for cheap and then learning it’s wrong is REALLY disappointing. Honestly, I expected MUCH better from Spark 🙄.

New Silver Arrows?

Oh yes! Minichamps released a few new ones:

- Typ B #1 - 1935 AVUSrennen (H.Stuck)
- Typ A Rennlimousine ("Typ Lucca") #4 - 1935 AVUSrennen (B. Rosemeyer) 
- Typ C/D #125 - 1939 Grossglockner Hill Climb (H. P. Muller)
- Typ D Stromlinie #18 - 1938 French Grand Prix (R. Hasse)

I first found out about these models in early 2020 (I talked about them here). At the time, however, I was really skeptical that Minichamps would ever release them. After all, Silberpfeile collectors are a rare breed. Yet, to my surprise, in March Minichamps did actually release some of the models from that list. I found the ones above on eBay, and few online retailers are also offering them. Nonetheless, Minichamps made only a limited quantity of each (200 or 300?). And what that means is that they are already hard to find online 😣. Therefore, DO NOT wait to get them.