Lotus 78 ‘Wing car’- Mario Andretti (Flyslot)

22/09/2017 / alexhdezarias / Leave a comment

Lotus 78 Wing Car – Mario Andretti

Welcome again! I’m showing you today one of the most aerodynamically innovative cars of Formula 1 history. The Lotus 78 from 1977 and 1978 designed by the laureated F1 engineer Colin Chapman, and drove by the american F1 World Champion Mario Andretti.

With the wing car he was able to win the world title in 1978, powered by the famous Ford Cosworth DFV V8 engine.

Lotus 78 Wing Car – Mario Andretti

The underside of both sidepods has an inverted wing profile design so the air is forced to pass through a smaller section being accelerated and therefore decreasing its pressure. That low pressure is maintained beneath the car thanks to a pair of skirts, acting like an endplate of the sidepods, and running almost skidding on the tarmac in order to not let the outside air be absorbed by the low pressure under the car.

Lotus 78 Wing Car – Mario Andretti

This pressure difference between the underside and the upperside of the car is what pushes the car strongly against the road, allowing better cornering speed, harder braking, and more traction, all due to higher grip level because of downforce.

Lotus 78 Wing Car – Mario Andretti

Not much to say about the model. Flyslot top level of details as usual, a poor steering effect, bad traction due to barrel tires (the only brand actually using them, which is a valuable point) and some details added like the helmet colours, and a dark green for the bottle on the suspension.

An incredible collectable but not a fast model to race. Anyway, I absolutely like this car and, as engineer, an unforgettable master piece in Formula 1 technical history.

Benetton B195 – Michael Schumacher (Scalextric) Part 2

08/05/2017 / alexhdezarias / Leave a comment

Hello and welcome again to a new post about the Benetton B195 driven by the seven times Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher in 1995. In this car the German was able to achieve his second F1 crown, in which is considered one of the paceful and relaxing walks along the season GPs of the legendary driver.

Benetton 195 – Michael Schumacher

The car which raised the curtain of the V10 engines era also represented a deep change in technical regulations to improve safety after dramatical facts occurred during 1994 season.

Benetton 195 – Michael Schumacher

Higher nose cone and ride height, stepped floor, smaller rear diffuser and wings, more hidden driver with raised side protections, less power and downforce… That year in the 90s began the Formula 1 as we know nowdays and would keep almost intact until 2006, more than 10 years.

Benetton 195 – Michael Schumacher

But let’s talk about the model. It’s quality, as it usually was in the 90s, is quite poor. I have updated some livery parts all over the car, added some details to the driver and his helmet, and as you have probably notice, a pair of rear-view mirrors, made on metal from a clip and a glued sheet. The most attractive aspect of the model, in my opinion, is the Bitburger yellow-green advertisement on the sidepods, which was missing in the Scalextric original.

Benetton 195 – Michael Schumacher

I hope you like it and see you soon, here!

‘Six-Wheeler’ Tyrrell P34 – Jody Scheckter (Scalextric SCX) Part 2

25/01/2017 / alexhdezarias / Leave a comment

Tyrrell P34 Six Wheeler

Welcome to the second release of Tyrrell P34 ‘Six Wheeler’. We have previously talk about the history of this amazing single seater in the first part. It’s time to see more cool pics of this beautiful model and know some details about it.

Tyrrell P34 Six Wheeler

When I bought this Scalextric (SCX) car, which is a Scalextric re-release in the 90s, exhaust pipes, roll structure and rear wing were missing. I drilled again two holes to fit a steel wire for the roll structure and also built from an ear stick both two exhaust pipes. The rear wing endplates are made on hard paper, as the top flap of the wing. The main plane is built on wood with the wing support beam seat scratched in the lower surface.

Tyrrell P34 Six Wheeler

As the wing was missing I had to design and print new decals. The original SCX livery didn’t have the two yellow lines on the endplate but I’ve seen some different pictures of the Tyrrell with them. And also the two stripes around the cockpit, which the SCX missed from factory. By the way, the Jody Scheckter helmet design has been made by me, as the model originally has only a red stripe painted on it, and Jody weared an orange center surrounded by two dark blue stripes.

Tyrrell P34 Six Wheeler

Honestly it’s not a fast car but really fun to drive as it drifts so easily but under control with resembles quite accurately the performance of 70s cars.

I hope you like it and enjoy the photos. See you next post!

Ferrari F2004 – Michael Schumacher (Scalextric SCX)

20/11/201620/11/2016 / alexhdezarias / Leave a comment

Ferrari F2004 Michael Schumacher

Two absolute numbers one. Five Driver Championship Titles and five Constructor Championship Titles in a row. Twelve track records still unbeatable nowdays which include most iconic F1 racetracks worldwide like Monaco, Monza, A1, Imola, Nurburgring or Montreal among other.

The letters of Formula 1 are written in red and german. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Ferrari F2004 driven by seven times F1 champion, Michael Schumacher.

This single-seater led 2004 F1 circus as a grateful triumphal parade, presaging the 5 years domination end of two legend: the Ferrari Team with Ross Brawn leaving the Scuderia, and the german legend bending in front of a rookie.

Ferrari F2004 Michael Schumacher

13 wins out of 18 races in 2004 season say almost everything about de F2004. A lap-record breaker, it’s the fastest F1 car ever designed. Its Ferrari V10 engine, reving over 18000rpm and powering The Kaiser over 950 horsepower remains as the 2000’s F1 era soundtrack.

With this car, the most laureate driver in Formula 1 history secured his seventh and last crown and came the F1 Schumacher era to an end.

Ferrari F2004 Michael Schumacher

About my slot model, it’s a Scalextric – SCX almost unmodified car. I consider this model as my first work when I was 13 years old. It’s well known that ‘toys’ are not allowed to show tobacco ads, that means rear wing and engine air intake in white. So I cut from a few cigarette packets the Marlboro logos and pasted them in their places. A short tale.