Brabham BT45 - Model Factory Hiro - 1/12

[DocRob]

My next project after the sweet Honda RC166 build will be a bit more demanding and time consuming. I picked the red Brabham BT45 "Press Version 1975" out of the stash and started to get a bit familiar with it´s content.



Press Version meant, it was the car, how it was presented to the press before the 1975 season started, the car in this configuration actually never raced. The press version has a white paintjob with Martini branding, where the BT45´s used during the 1976 season was painted red and had some alterations, mostly around the nose section. The #7 car was piloted by Carlos Reutemann, the #8 car by Carlos Pace. Bothe Carlos´s didn´t had any success with the car, but I found the design absolutely cool.
I the seasons before, Brabham had their very successful BT44 (b) on the track, but decided to switch from the 8 cylinder Cosworth DFV engines to the Alfa Romeo flat 12 cylinder engine for economical reasons. The design from the BT44 to the BT45 changed a lot and the latter was ultra flat with the Alfa engine. Unfortunately the engines were not very reliable.



Some pictures to show the car a bit better were borrowed from the net.





MFH kits are not easy to build and you need to be organized. Starting a build requires some preparations, the first being cleaning the white metal parts in a magnetic tumbler filled with soapy water and 0,3 mm stainless steel needles.



Drying time



This is followed by a very eye straining task, checking if every part is there with printouts from the part list and then, all whit metal parts are sorted into boxes, according to the steps in the manual.





I generally like MFH kits for design, engineering, lots of labor and love, which went into issuing their kits, but there are some points of critique as well and I think, I will communicate that to MFH, because, these issues are easy to solve.

The parts list are only shown on the MFH web page as pictures, you have to print out, in my case in relatively bad quality. These part lists are immensely important throughout the whole build. I would appreciate, MFH including these into the manuals.
As we speak about manuals. You get a printed version, but it helps to have a second set for notes. For some of the MFH kits, there are PDF versions available, but not for all. I would like MFH to issue the manuals on their web site, which is not the case.
Tamiya always shows the wire or tube length, which needed to be cut in their manuals. MFH only mentions in which step of the manual the other end of the tube / wire leads. This causes endless page turning.

Cheers Rob

[Martinnfb]

Another magic in the making. 

[Count0]

Watching this one. I don't like their kits too much myself, as the two I have both have some worrying flaws. So I won't spend $600+ (US)on one of these big ones. That won't stop me from cheering you on though. Not my Favorite Brabham, but it's an F1 car, so how bad can it be? 

[DocRob]

2 hours ago, Count0 said:

Watching this one. I don't like their kits too much myself, as the two I have both have some worrying flaws. So I won't spend $600+ (US)on one of these big ones. That won't stop me from cheering you on though. Not my Favorite Brabham, but it's an F1 car, so how bad can it be? 

Hehe, just preordered the next one, the may release of the Aston Martin DB4 GTZ. I love their kits and they build up to a unmatched result, if everything goes well. They are demanding, complex and truly multi media, but also lots of fun to build. The big challenge with the Cobra Coupe was to fit the doors and foremost the bonnet, after all the previous steps, where even the slightest tolerances can add up. I think, there was a design error with the funnels, not fitting under the hood, something that not happened only during my build, but another one.
Other than that, I cannot think of many flaws with the kits. 
The Crocker motorcycle was my first MFH build and it was completely doable, with the chain being the worst part of the build, but apart from that, it was pure joy.

What are your observations on your kits, Count? I think older kits made by MFH were less refined, but I have the impression, the quality improved over time.

The BT45 is definitely not the first Brabham coming to mind, when you think about the brand. What I like about it are the cool looks, especially in white and what was possible technically and design wise in that golden era of F1. There is a completely new designed car from one year to the next, impossible in todays boring times, where cars look like a piece of soap and F1 cars look like a piece of soap with wings.

I thought about starting the Tamiya 1/12 Brabham BT44b, but saw all the parting lines, which needed cleanup and thought no.

Cheers Rob  

[Landlubber Mike]

Looking forward to this one Rob.  Thanks for showing how you approach the beginning of the build.  I have a few MFH kits in the stash and need to get one of those magnetic tumblers apparently.

[Count0]

I don't understand how the tumbler "cleans " the parts without destroying the detail? Or, how that parts themselves tumbling doesn't  wreck them.

[DocRob]

On 4/27/2025 at 3:12 AM, Landlubber Mike said:

Looking forward to this one Rob.  Thanks for showing how you approach the beginning of the build.  I have a few MFH kits in the stash and need to get one of those magnetic tumblers apparently.

Preparation is everything with MFH kits, Mike. I still study the manual and toy with the parts, to see where needs to be drilled with what diameter. The start isa always a bit slow, but then starts the fun. I wouldn´t like to miss the magnetic tumbler polisher, as it prepares the white metal parts very good.

Cheers Rob

[DocRob]

12 hours ago, Count0 said:

I don't understand how the tumbler "cleans " the parts without destroying the detail? Or, how that parts themselves tumbling doesn't  wreck them.

Under a microscope, you might find loss of detail with the parts after cleaning them in a magnetic tumbler polisher, but what you gain in better surface appearance is worth the practically non existent loss of detail. You need the correct medium though. I experimented first with a simple tumble polisher, filled with steel balls and there was a great amount of detail missing afterwards and there was a unrefined ring around every protruding detail.
With the magnetic polisher shown above, it depends on the stainless steel needle´s diameter. I tested 0,5 mm and 0,3 mm which gave the best results.
The parts tumble only slowly through the water filled plastic jar, so the parts don´t tend to scratch each other. The needles move faster and hit the surfaces of the parts permanently. In metallurgy this equals hammering on a very low level, I guess, where the surfaces become more even and harder as well. 
You can also play with the time settings. I started with all the parts for one hour and then left only the larger parts with bigger surfaces for another half hour in the jar. Smaller parts polish easier and faster than the big ones.
It´s my third MFH build and the tumble polisher is one of the most important and time saving tools. Of course, you can clean the parts with other methods, but that is very time consuming and leads to having black hands permanently.

Cheers Rob

Cheers Rob

[DocRob]

I paused a little with modelling, using the time for long swimming session in the Atlantic, to regain some power and stamina, but now, back to the Brabham.
After about 150 or more holes drilled, most of the Alfa flat twelve engine is prepared for painting. Shown parts are only dry fitted, nothing is glued as of yet. There will be a ton of rivets been inserted into their holes after airbrushing.


 

Cheers Rob

[belugawhaleman]

Oh, you know I'll be following this! Incidentally, I used to tumble my rifle and pistol cases to clean them when

I used to do a lot of hand loading back in the 90's. My preferred medium was crushed walnut shells impregnated

with a type polish similar to jewellers rouge....worked very well. 

[DocRob]

17 hours ago, belugawhaleman said:

Oh, you know I'll be following this! Incidentally, I used to tumble my rifle and pistol cases to clean them when

I used to do a lot of hand loading back in the 90's. My preferred medium was crushed walnut shells impregnated

with a type polish similar to jewellers rouge....worked very well. 

Good to have you on board, Paul. The polishing method is very similar, but the tiny steel needles reach every little crevice, which is a must fot the delicate white metal parts.

Cheers Rob

[Landlubber Mike]

Great start Rob.  After seeing your work on these MFH kits, I'm looking at some of the plastic car models I have on the shelf and might sell them to make room for more MFH kits (I just picked up a 1/24 Ferrari F1 kit on eBay yesterday for under retail).  

What bugs me about the older plastic kits is that the engines are usually molded in halves, and it's very hard to make them look good (in my opinion).  So, I likely will just build them curbside and not bother trying to fix the engines or buy expensive printed engines.  The MFH kits seem to be a lot better about how their parts are designed so that you can show things off better.

[DocRob]

14 hours ago, Landlubber Mike said:

Great start Rob.  After seeing your work on these MFH kits, I'm looking at some of the plastic car models I have on the shelf and might sell them to make room for more MFH kits (I just picked up a 1/24 Ferrari F1 kit on eBay yesterday for under retail).  

What bugs me about the older plastic kits is that the engines are usually molded in halves, and it's very hard to make them look good (in my opinion).  So, I likely will just build them curbside and not bother trying to fix the engines or buy expensive printed engines.  The MFH kits seem to be a lot better about how their parts are designed so that you can show things off better.

Thank you Mike, congratulations to your purchase of the Ferrari, I think, I have the same in 1/20. I have the may release on pre order, an Aston Martin DB4 GTZ from 1961, a beauty in 1/12 and I couldn´t resist.
I built some plastic bike and car kits over the last years and with some, I detailed the engine, like with the McLaren MP 4/6, but I think, I may never remove the body again, to show the engine. Most cars look best with closed bonnet and it only pays to show the interior or engine, when they are especially attractive. 
The MFH kits are extremely detailed under the hood and building the engines is always great fun. With you Ferrari, you have no option, as the engine is always visible .

Cheers Rob

[Landlubber Mike]

That Aston Martin is really nice looking!  Always good to show yourself some love and treat yourself  

I never quite understood why people spend all this time working on engines for regular street cars when 99% of the time the hood won't be open.  I agree that most look better closed, though some of the race cars where the engine cover is removed is a nice look.  I'm not a big race car person, but I do like the exposed engines on some of the cars.  

The one I just ordered arrived today - it's the Ferrari 312 F1 - 69 French GP.  It's 1/24 scale.  Got it for a pretty good price (under retail) and it seems like a fairly straightforward build.  Probably a good one to start with before I eventually try the Corvette C.1.

[DocRob]

19 hours ago, Landlubber Mike said:

The one I just ordered arrived today - it's the Ferrari 312 F1 - 69 French GP.  It's 1/24 scale.  Got it for a pretty good price (under retail) and it seems like a fairly straightforward build.  Probably a good one to start with before I eventually try the Corvette C.1.

When you start to venture into MFH kits, you will find, that building the engines is one of the most relaxing and rewarding parts of the experience, visible or not, it´s just fun to build them up.

Cheer Rob

[DocRob]

One bank of cylinders is prepared, still six to go on the other side. You have to love to apply tiny white metal rivets with this kit, as there are hundreds. The engine was sprayed with AK Extreme Metals dark aluminum, the covers, front and rear, were a bit more complicated. The manual calls for a mix of copper and gold and my first try was with AK´s jet exhaust, which felt to dark and to bronze, followed by pale jet exhaust, which lacked the slightly reddish tone. Finally, I choose Ak´s pale brass, which looks good to my, compared with photos. 
Afterwards, I painted all the casted nuts and boltheads silver and applied all the necessary rivets with fine tweezers into their pre drilled holes, always expecting the "ping" sound of a flying rivet.
Finally, I accentuated white metal with black panel liner and brass colored parts with brown panel liner.





Cheers Rob

[DocRob]

Cylinder bank number two is ready, again lots of riveting, always hoping that no rivets ping out of the tweezers. The rubber spark plug connectors got glued in and were drilled to accept the wiring. 
This time, I used Tamiya metal primer for the first time, brushed onto the parts and it seems, that the metallic paint adheres well on the white metal. 
BTW: Tamiya should use the MFH method for replicating belts. There are single cast belt wheels, the belt itself is made from self adhesive black tape.
One thing, I learned with MFH kits is the addition of springs. It´s always better to add the spring to the unmounted parts and glue these into place then.
I will bore you with more pictures, showing my progress with the engine, but you know, it´s easy to scroll .



Cheers Rob

[BlrwestSiR]

The engine looks amazing Rob. 

[Martinnfb]

x2

[Count0]

6 hours ago, DocRob said:

replicating belts.

I remember getting and building a Monogram funny car, Snake or Mongoose, I don't remember, and it had a rubber band for the blower belt. The height of super detailing! I was so thrilled by that I put it on before the glue was dry and it pulled the blower off the manifold... I was so impatient. Lmao.

[DocRob]

9 hours ago, Count0 said:

I remember getting and building a Monogram funny car, Snake or Mongoose, I don't remember, and it had a rubber band for the blower belt. The height of super detailing! I was so thrilled by that I put it on before the glue was dry and it pulled the blower off the manifold... I was so impatient. Lmao.

I absolutely don´t like the cast Tamiya belts, they look clunky and wrong. I wish, they would supply the wheels at least, that you can add the tape yourself. Cutting the plastic belts away destroys too much of the wheels.

Cheers Rob