Newsletter 687: 95October 30^th, 2025

Third issue of Komakai's new Original Race Pictures book series. A publication packed with exquisite photographs covering the spectacular Honda RA273 at the South African, Monaco, Dutch, Belgian and German Grand Prix during the 1967 season. The volume, featuring a total of 126 B&W and full-color pages, includes some previously unpublished photographs. It is undoubtedly an absolutely essential reference for Honda RA273 enthusiasts and the Tamiya 1/12 scale model builders.

Second issue of Komakai's new Original Race Pictures book series. A publication packed with exquisite photographs covering the spectacular Subaru Impreza WRX Group A in minute detail at the Test session and the Catalunya Costa Dorada RACC Rally during the 1995 season. The volume, featuring a total of 92 full-color pages, includes some previously unpublished photographs. It is undoubtedly an absolutely essential reference for Subaru Impreza WRC and Carlos Sainz enthusiasts.

One of the last and most spectacular versions of the Renault Alpine was developed under Group 4 regulations, which allowed for wider front and rear tracks and even accommodated larger 1,800 cc engines. The wheel arches were bulkier, and the front apron was also modified, incorporating a small spoiler. This transkit, developed by Scale Production, allows the Tamiya scale model kit of the Alpine A110 to be modified, incorporating 3D-printed new front and rear fenders, a new front apron, and the final section of the exhaust line. Also included in the transkit are the beautiful 13-inch Gotti wheels mounted on slick tires, with the advantage that the rims come with the core as a separate piece, making it easier to paint the center section of the rim.

Introduced in 2002 as a replacement for the Diablo, the Lamborghini Murciélago became a benchmark among supercars. This new Italeri reference will allow you to assemble this model again in 1/24 scale, using the molds from the Fujimi scale model kit. Once assembled, the model has a length of 19.1 cm.

Set of three pieces of black rubber tubing, ideal for reproducing hydraulic lines in your models. Each piece has a different diameter, 1 mm, 1.5 mm, and 1.9 mm, and is 1 meter long.

Photo-etched resin kit for replacing the lights on the Italeri and Revell Man F90 scale model kits. The set includes two new, more realistic headlight lenses with their corresponding frames, four smaller lenses for the fog lights in the lower part of the bumper, and the more modern Hella-style taillights.

Detail up set for the Italeri and Revell Man F90 scale model kits, with photo-etched parts and 3D-printed cab access steps. Among the photo-etched parts, you'll find emblems for the most common versions, the grille with the MAN and ÖAF lettering, other small grille details such as the Commander badges and horseshoes, as well as the windshield wipers, spare wheel carrier, and fenders.

3D printed parts set for the Italeri and Revell Man F90 scale model kits, reproducing the battery box and exhaust assembly in great detail.

This set contains the hydraulic fittings in the three most common sizes used in hydraulic systems that are mounted on trucks, hydraulic cranes, gondolas, bulldozers, excavators and any similar machinery. All fittings and all hoses are included in a complete set in three different diameters, of 1, 1.5 and 2 mm. Each piece of hose is 1 meter long.

Photo-etched parts reproduce the detailed interior of the tractor cab of the Italeri or Revell Man F90 scale model kits. The set includes engraved and painted dashboard details, with a two-tone main instrument panel, air vents, defroster vents, speakers, and seatbelt buckles and latches.

Decal sheet for the version of the Ford Focus that Janusz Kulig and Jaroslaw Baran drove to compete in the 2000 TAP Rally of Portugal, where they were forced to retire due to an accident on the eighth stage. The tobacco logos are included on the decal sheet.

For a flawless paint finish, the condition of your tools is essential, and your brushes are no exception. This new brush conditioner from Tamiya helps keep your brush tips in optimal condition. This brush maintenance should not only be performed before storing your brushes for a long period of time, but also for daily maintenance. The conditioner's formula prevents the brush tip from fraying, while its adhesive ingredients harden it to prevent it from warping during storage. It's very simple to use. After washing and drying your brush, apply the conditioner and spread it well over the brush hairs. Then, wipe it well with a tissue or similar to remove excess adhesive and shape the tip. Your brush is now ready for storage. Before using the brush again, gently massage the tip.

We all remember Hans Heyer's blue Lancia Beta Monte Carlo on his way to winning the German DRM title, equivalent to today's DTM, in 1980. But the car wasn't always painted in the classic blue of the Fruit of the Loom livery... and sometimes it was painted white, as in the season opener at Zolder. This is precisely the livery chosen for this new Reji Models entry, which finished second in Division II.

It hasn't been released yet, but in the fifth (and final?) season of "Stranger Things", this vehicle plays a key role, appearing frequently in the first six episodes. Don't worry, there are no more spoilers. The scale model kit is a complete new tool and includes a decal sheet to reproduce the version of the classic GMC van as it appears in the series. Both the side and two rear doors can be opened once the model is completed, revealing the entire cargo area where a table and various pieces of furniture have been mounted, serving as a mobile office.

Spring-type hood latch set for all types of racing cars. The set includes 10 latches. The design replicates those of spring-type latches where the fixed end, bolted to the body, is hidden, as only the spring and buckle portions of the latch that anchor the hood or trunk lid are shown.

It's rare for a team these days to not have access to and mount cameras in the most unexpected places on a car to capture the most spectacular shots. Some of these cameras can be mounted directly on the body with different types of mounts. This reference includes up to seven GoPro-style cameras of different designs and with different bases so you can mount your own on your model.

Cockpit tub conversion set to replace part B2 on the Ebbro Lotus 33 kit. The new part reproduces the shapes, size, and details of the real car much more faithfully, as the part used in the kit is the same part Tamiya used on its Lotus 25 kit. In addition to the new tub, new parts are also included to replace parts B23, A33, B3, and B6 on the kit, and a new oil tank.

Scale model kit that will allow you to reproduce one of the most famous versions of the BMW 3.0 CSL E9, the one prepared by the Luigi team that competed in many European Touring Car Championship events, achieving victories such as the 4 Hours of Nürburgring.

Assembled collector's model that reproduces the version of the Toyota Yaris GR Hybrid Rally1 with which Kalle Rovanperä, accompanied on his right by Jonne Halttunen, achieved a resounding victory in the inaugural Canary Islands Rally as a qualifying round for the World Rally Championship. Kalle Rovanperä's dominance was such that he achieved the best time on 15 of the 18 stages contested.

ssembled collector's model that reproduces the version of the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 with which driver Oliver Solberg, who was crowned World Champion in the Rally2 category in 2025, participated in the Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo, although the event was used as a test bench and was not included among those nominated to score points for the championship.

Complete decal sheet to renew the ones corresponding to the Tamiya kit of the Williams FW13B, used during the 1990 season. As with the original decals, the Goodyear decals for the tires are included, as well as the decorations for the helmets of both drivers.

Do you want to build the test version of the Jordan Ford J191? Or perhaps the brazillian decoration? Maybe San Marino? Or even Monaco? All of these (plus some more!) are included in this spectacular decal sheet from Studio27. Forget that incomplete and yellowish decals of your old kit and treat yourself building your Jordan with the level of detail it deserves. New re-edition!!!

Spectacular 1/24 scale reproduction of the 3.3-liter Ferrari V12 engine powered by 6 carburetors designed by engineer Gioacchino Colombo, from which the engine's nickname comes. Manufactured using 3D printing with high-quality resin, the engine was initially designed to be mounted in the MFH scale model kit of the Ferrari 250 GT Lusso Competizione at 1/24 scale (where the modeler could mount it), but since not everyone has that kit, it has been adapted to be displayed externally mounted on a support trolley included among the parts you will find in the box. A true work of art to display an engine with a lot of history, since Ferrari used it with different evolutions in its models for more than 40 years.

The new 1/12 scale kit of the McLaren MP4/4 recently released by Beemax doesn't include the tobacco advertising decals or some other Goodyear or Boss logos. But don't worry, Tabu Design has designed a complementary decal sheet with all the logos missing from the original decal sheet, so your model will be totally complete.

Assembled collector's model that reproduces the version of the Saab 99 EMS with which Stig Blomqvist, accompanied on his right by Hans Sylvan, achieved victory in the 1977 Swedish Rally.

Assembled collector's model reproducing the version of the Saab 99 EMS with which Per Eklund, accompanied on his right by Björn Cederberg, participated in the 1977 Swedish Rally. Although they started well, with the best time in the first stage, engine problems forced them to retire just three stages later.

New Italeri reference of the Volvo FH-16 scale model kit, this time of the 750 version equipped with the medium roof. As is typical for Italeri, the kit includes a fully detailed cab, which can be assembled with the driver's door open or closed, chassis and engine, as well as rubber tires and a complete decal set. A photo-etched sheet is also included, reproducing elements such as the large front grille, along with chrome decals.

Guaranteed quality when painting the windows of Heller's Peugeot 205 GTI kit with the pre-cut masks from Decalcas.

Assembled collector's model that reproduces the Group A version of the Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD with which Jari-Matti Latvala, accompanied on his right by Janni Hussi, participated and won the 2025 KH-7 Costa Brava Historic Rally, an event valid for the European Rally Championship for historic vehicles. This was Latvala's first victory with the ST185 version of the Group A Celica, as he had used the previous version of the Celica, the ST165, as a historic vehicle until the 2024 season.

Replacement seat for the Tamiya kit of the Lotus Ford 107 and 107B. The new seat has been reproduced in great detail, including the holes for the various harness sections, replacing the kit part that has the belts preformed in the plastic of the piece itself. A set of harness buckles is also included to build a detailed replica of the original seat belts.

Set of 5 3D-printed resin rims featuring the design of the Fondmetal Evo Corse rims used on asphalt by several WRC models, including the Citroën C4 WRC. The rims are designed to be used with the tires featured on the Heller scale model kit, and to fit the wheel hubs of this kit.

Cloth-backed sandpaper designed to be easy to use on complex 3D curved surfaces such as model car bodies. In addition to having uniformly sized abrasive particles, this cloth sandpaper is also highly flexible, reducing the likelihood of wrinkles or grain detachment that can cause scratches or uneven finishes during sanding, and all this accompanied by excellent durability. It can be used for both dry and wet sanding and can be easily cut with scissors. For better differentiation, each of the grits has a different color. In the case of this reference, grit #600, the color is light blue. A sanding sheet with a size of 170 mm x 130 mm is included.

Cloth-backed sandpaper designed to be easy to use on complex 3D curved surfaces such as model car bodies. In addition to having uniformly sized abrasive particles, this cloth sandpaper is also highly flexible, reducing the likelihood of wrinkles or grain detachment that can cause scratches or uneven finishes during sanding, and all this accompanied by excellent durability. It can be used for both dry and wet sanding and can be easily cut with scissors. For better differentiation, each of the grits has a different color. In the case of this reference, grit #1000, the color is light green. A sanding sheet with a size of 170 mm x 130 mm is included.

Cloth-backed sandpaper designed to be easy to use on complex 3D curved surfaces such as model car bodies. In addition to having uniformly sized abrasive particles, this cloth sandpaper is also highly flexible, reducing the likelihood of wrinkles or grain detachment that can cause scratches or uneven finishes during sanding, and all this accompanied by excellent durability. It can be used for both dry and wet sanding and can be easily cut with scissors. For better differentiation, each of the grits has a different color. In the case of this reference, grit #1500, the color is pink. A sanding sheet with a size of 170 mm x 130 mm is included.

Renzo Zorzi was an Italian racing driver who competed in seven Formula One Grands Prix between 1975 and 1977, driving single-seaters for Williams and Shadow. One of his last races was the 1977 Formula One USA West Grand Prix held in Long Beach, where he had to retire due to gearbox problems. This same reason also led to the retirement of the team's second car, driven by someone much more famous, Alan Jones. This scale model kit is designed as a curbside model, with the complete bodywork made of resin, accompanied by numerous white metal parts for the rims, cockpit, suspension, gearbox, and other mechanical elements. Added to this is the complete decal sheet and a sheet of photo-etched parts. The Cosworth engine is fully reproduced, and once the model is assembled, its finished appearance can be enjoyed by removing the upper part of the intake manifold.

Shadow debuted its new model, the DN8, at the 1976 Dutch Grand Prix, with a very promising result, as driven by Tom Pryce, it achieved third place on the starting grid, which transformed into fourth place at the end of the race. This scale model kit is designed as a curbside model, with the complete bodywork made of resin, accompanied by numerous white metal parts for the rims, cockpit, suspension, gearbox, and other mechanical elements. Added to this is the complete decal sheet and a sheet of photo-etched parts. The Cosworth engine is fully reproduced, and once the model is assembled, its finished appearance can be enjoyed by removing the upper part of the intake manifold. This version of the Shadow DN8 is characterized by its short, triangular sidepods.

Driving in Monaco is never easy, and if it's the circuit chosen for your debut, it should be even more so. But this didn't stop Riccardo Patrese, competing in his first race, from shining, taking his Shadow Ford DN8 to the finish line in ninth place, not far behind his teammate, Alan Jones, who, with his sixth place, secured the last point at stake. This scale model kit is designed as a curbside model, with the complete bodywork made of resin, accompanied by numerous white metal parts for the rims, cockpit, suspension, gearbox, and other mechanical elements. Added to this is the complete decal sheet and a sheet of photo-etched parts. The Cosworth engine is fully reproduced, and once the model is assembled, its finished appearance can be enjoyed by removing the upper part of the intake manifold.

The final race of the 1979 season took place in New York at Watkins Glen. With an M28 that didn't perform as expected (in fact, his McLaren teammate Patrick Tambay failed to score at all), John Watson took the last points-earning place, sixth, which at least secured McLaren seventh place in the Constructors' Championship. This scale model kit is designed as a curbside model, with the complete bodywork made of resin, accompanied by numerous white metal parts for the rims, cockpit, suspension, gearbox, and other mechanical elements. Added to this is the complete decal sheet and a sheet of photo-etched parts.