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Bryan W. Bernart
40 articles

Hasegawa 1/20 1976 Ferrari 312T2

August 8, 2013 · in Automotive · · 13 · 2.7K

My first car model in nearly 40 years. I had been waiting for decals for my Trumpeter Wimpy Mk.1c, and happened to see this at my LHS, which was sadly going out of business. It still has wings, however.

I have a new-found respect for car guys, as this thing was a labor. Many opportunities to add wiring, plumbing and the like. The decals weren't bad, but the pinstripes gave me fits. Next time (?) they get painted.

This was Niki Lauda's car. He won four GP's in 1976 before nearly burning to death in this same car during the German Grand Prix. He came back to race again, and has an airline that bears his name.

Reader reactions:
4  Awesome

4 additional images. Click to enlarge.


13 responses

  1. Being a car builder I can appreciate what you experienced. Building is building no matter what the kit but your finishing approach is 180 degrees from most military subjects. You made that jump very well. Extremely well done.

  2. Niki Lauda. Wow...haven't heard that name in years - didn't know about the airline thing, though. Your LHS have a "going out of business" sale? You may be able to get a few more 'deals', regardless of the subject matter - as AL said, "..modeling is modeling..". Nice build..and good photos to boot.

  3. Bryan...Beautiful model, nice work all around. You must be looking forward to the new movie coming out soon called "Rush". It is all about the race when Lauda got injured, and a lot of great open wheel racing scenes. I think it is directed by Ron Howard, so it should be good.

  4. Wow... I remember Nicki Lauda's crash in 1976, I was a schoolboy then. His subsequent recovery was widely followed by the media, got many boys in my class (including myself) interested in F1 racing. A twist to his story is that prior to the crash at Nürnburgring, Lauda had been fiercely criticising the safety arrangements at the curcuit, even to the point of urging the driver community to boycott the race entirely. In the end, the race went ahead, and the rest... is now history.

    Lauda's getting back to racing already the same season, his scarred head still bandaged with bood-soaked bandages, must rank as one of the most heroic feats in motor racing.

    Thanks for raising these memories.

    Lauda Air, long based in Vienna was officially merged into Austrian Airlines in 2012.

  5. Bryan,
    Again, I am in awe of folks who do cars and m/c's with the results you have here. This is a true piece of art. I can't compliment you enough on this magnificent model.

    • I'm flattered. This was practice, of sorts, but honestly I could have taken this to a higher level in several areas. I followed the directions (if you don't it's curtains) and tried to be careful. All of the shiny is different.

  6. gorgeous...i can just see that thing doing about 250 mph

  7. Lovely car, lovely model, well done, Bryan, a real Ferrari, just love those exhausts, and, what a hero, got beaten to the world championship by another of my heroes, James Hunt!

  8. I'am impressed by this Ferrari, i remember well the N Lauda period with the crash in Nurburgring ! I like F1 and this 1/20 gives me tempts e to rebuild cars.

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