Miniatures News, July 1981

The big news this month is that Grand Prix Models of Radlett have released their long-awaited miniature of the John Cobb Napier-Railton aero-engined racing and record-breaking giant, in their “Classic Models” series. The standard of the die-casting is high, so the finish is very good, and this impressive model reproduces the twin cantilever rear springs, the massive 1/2-elliptic front springs, and the complex triple Brooklands exhaust piping of the real car extremely well. The off-set cockpit and aeroscreen, in and behind which the drivers of this great car spent so much time, at very high speeds, is also exactly right. The car is in 1933 form, with one petrol filler cap.

Thus Brooklands enthusiasts can now own yet another 1:43rd-scale replica of a car raced at that Track, putting it alongside the Grand Prix models of the Birkin blower-4 1/2 Bentley single-seater, Count Zborowski’s Chitty Bang Bang, TT Vauxhall, GP Salmson, Bugatti, Tipo B Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin and other denizens of the old Motor Course, which GP Models have reproduced so well in miniature. The Napier-Railton model costs £7.45 in kit form (postage 50p extra, from 173-174, Watling Street, Radlett, Herts.) or £29.50, postage the same, for a carefully hand-built model on a presentation plinth. On the more modern scene GP Models have also recently released a kit of the Talbot Lotus Sunbeam RAC Rally winner, and Talbot are so pleased with the model that their Special Tuning Department is selling it. That kit costs £7.95, as does the one that is GP Models’ current “best seller”, of the Rothmans Escort, built up examples of which were by Rothmans as quiz awards on the rally circuit. The kit models come complete with history and building instructions. On the aeroplane-miniatures front, Revell have introduced plastic-kits for building 1:48th-scale Cessna 150/A150L, Piper Super Cub PA-18, and Beech Bonanza miniatures, which need no recommendation from us. — W.B.