Embarking on my second ever model build, and my first foray into the world of airbrushing, I chose a subject that truly inspires: the Sauber Mercedes C9. This wasn’t the easiest choice for a novice, but the C9’s sheer beauty and racing pedigree made it irresistible. Two weeks into this challenging yet rewarding project, here’s a glimpse into my progress, setbacks, and learning experiences as I attempt to bring this legendary car to life in scale.
My initial attempt at the bodywork was, to put it mildly, a disaster. Using Plasti-kote proved to be a poor decision, resulting in an unsightly finish that simply wasn’t salvageable. Rather than getting bogged down in sanding and stripping, I opted for a fresh start, sourcing a new body shell. For just £7, it was a worthwhile investment to keep the momentum going. To add a touch of detail, I decided to cut out the door, envisioning a way to display the interior later on – a challenge for future me to figure out!
The discarded first body shell serves as a stark reminder of the learning curve involved in model building.
My second attempt at the bodywork yielded far more satisfying results. The smoother finish and even coats provided a much better foundation to work with. While clear coating is still on the horizon, for now, these pieces are carefully stored in dust-free bags, awaiting their next stage of refinement.
These images showcase the progress made in achieving a satisfactory base coat on the Sauber Mercedes C9 model.
Venturing into the realm of airbrushing has been a steep but fascinating learning curve. Grasping the nuances of technique, cleaning, paint mixing, and thinning, along with understanding various paint types, is an ongoing process. My initial attempts were far from perfect, but with each session, I feel a tangible improvement in my control and results.
Masking, oh masking! The sheer amount of masking required for this project has been substantial. Yet, the crisp lines and defined details achieved through meticulous masking make it undeniably worthwhile.
This image emphasizes the importance of masking in achieving sharp and precise paint separation in scale modeling.
The payoff for all that masking is evident in the engine components. I opted for Alclad paints to bring the engine block to life, using white aluminum and dark aluminum shades. For the gearbox and exhaust manifold, I experimented with colors that appealed to me, prioritizing visual interest over strict historical accuracy. This build is about personal enjoyment and exploration, not necessarily replicating every detail perfectly.
The Alclad paints provide a realistic metallic sheen to the engine block and components of the Sauber Mercedes C9 model.
The turbos and intercoolers, along with other intricate engine details, were also given careful attention. Each small part contributes to the overall complexity and realism of the engine bay.
A collection of meticulously painted turbo and intercooler parts, ready to be installed in the Sauber Mercedes C9 engine bay.
A closer look at the turbo highlights the level of detail achievable with airbrushing, even on small components.
Detailed painting on the turbocharger exemplifies the precision achievable with airbrush techniques in scale modeling.
Moving to the brake system, the brake ducts and calipers received similar attention to detail, adding to the visual complexity of the chassis.
These brake ducts, painted in a dark metallic shade, are essential components for the Sauber Mercedes C9’s braking system.
The brake calipers, painted in a contrasting color, provide a pop of visual interest and further enhance the realism of the brake assembly.
The brightly colored brake calipers add a touch of visual flair and realism to the Sauber Mercedes C9 model.
Finally, the rear suspension arms, painted and ready for assembly, demonstrate the commitment to detailing even the less visible parts of the model.
These meticulously painted rear suspension arms demonstrate the dedication to detail that goes into building a realistic Sauber Mercedes C9 model.
Having spent considerable time painting these smaller components, I decided to tackle the photo-etched parts I had acquired. Working with photo-etch has been a new level of intricacy. The scale is incredibly small, demanding a level of precision I’m not accustomed to. My day job as a live sound engineer typically involves working with much larger equipment.
This image highlights the stark contrast between the large-scale equipment the modeler works with professionally and the minute scale of model car parts.
Now, I’m dealing with components that feel like they belong under a microscope! Bending and manipulating these tiny pieces has been an exercise in patience and steady hands.
The extreme close-up reveals the incredibly small and intricate nature of photo-etched parts in scale modeling.
My first foray into photo-etch was the brake discs. Each disc is composed of around 15 individual layers! Simply aligning them was a significant challenge. Despite the initial struggle, the final result is quite satisfying, although a bit of stray glue needs cleaning up.
These intricate photo-etched brake discs showcase the level of detail achievable with aftermarket parts for the Sauber Mercedes C9 model.
Next came the wing struts and rear space frame. The provided pins for assembly proved too small and fiddly to handle effectively with my current skill level and eyesight. Instead of wrestling with them, I opted for trusty super glue. However, the photo-etched space frame itself seems to be inaccurately sized and doesn’t fit properly. I’ll likely revert to the plastic Tamiya part for this section, but will still utilize the photo-etched wing struts. Photo-etch parts certainly present a unique set of challenges and rewards. The racing harness is the next photo-etch hurdle I anticipate facing!
These photo-etched wing struts and space frame components demonstrate the intricate detail and potential fitment challenges of aftermarket parts.
Moving beyond the kit components, I decided to replace the plastic springs and shocks with my own handmade versions. As a vaper who builds their own coils, working with fine wire is already a familiar skill. This allowed me to create more realistic and visually appealing suspension components.
These custom-made springs and shocks demonstrate the modeler’s ingenuity and ability to enhance the kit with scratch-built details.
The model is gradually coming together, piece by piece. I also experimented with carbon and Kevlar decals, applying them to the cockpit sidepods. The result is quite convincing, adding a layer of textural realism.
The carbon and kevlar decals add a realistic textural element to the cockpit sidepods of the Sauber Mercedes C9 model.
The sidepods started as plain plastic, demonstrating the transformative effect of the decals.
This image shows the plain plastic sidepod before decals are applied, highlighting the impact of detailing techniques.
One of the most satisfying parts so far has been detailing the engine cover. It began as a simple plastic piece.
The engine cover in its initial plastic state, awaiting the transformative effects of detailing and decal application.
But with careful application of decals and detailing, it transformed into something far more visually striking. This process of wrapping the decals feels akin to wrapping a Christmas present – careful cutting, folding, and the magic of Microset solution to shrink and conform the decal to the complex curves.
The finished engine cover, adorned with carbon fiber decals, demonstrates a remarkable visual transformation through skillful detailing.
I’m also particularly proud of this tiny component, meticulously detailed and painted.
This close-up highlights the dedication to detail, even on the smallest components of the Sauber Mercedes C9 model.
The rear bodywork serves as a reminder for future builds about the critical importance of sanding away every imperfection from the injection molding process. These imperfections become far more noticeable after painting.
This image serves as a reminder of the importance of thorough surface preparation to eliminate injection molding imperfections before painting.
For the wheels, I plan to recreate the locking pins using tiny fishing hooks, snipping off the barbs and utilizing the eyes. This project is increasingly becoming about exploring creative solutions and utilizing materials beyond the confines of the model kit itself.
The wheels of the Sauber Mercedes C9 model, awaiting further detailing and the addition of custom locking pins using repurposed fishing hooks.
Finally, I pre-silvered some connectors in anticipation of tackling the plumbing – a daunting but exciting prospect for the next stage of the build.
These pre-silvered connectors are ready for the intricate plumbing work that will add another layer of realism to the Sauber Mercedes C9 model.
And that brings us to the current point in my two-week Sauber Mercedes C9 model building journey. It’s been a relentless but joyous process of learning, problem-solving, and pushing my modeling skills. Updates will follow as I progress further. Thank you for following along with my beginner’s attempt!
