More Airfix Beetles

At long last the second Beetle prototype is finished. Much messing around as usual to get the correct ride height, but I can now leave it to dry, and wait for an opportunity to paint everything. Fools at the Met Office predict wet and mild weather from Thursday, which is, of course, as useful as a one legged man at a backside kicking contest, so patience required.

Meanwhile, there are more cars to build but first, I'm awf to my scratcher for a brief sleep with an improving book. Herge's Adventures of Tintin is as good as any.

Whodathought? Beetle projects are building up. Plenty more where those came from, too. Tut.

Today's false start. A frosty preamble to another cold day across Herefordshire and beyond. Again painting bodyshells remains out of the question. Ne'er mind.

Frank's excellent model of Herbie shown on the last page got me into my version of thinking. An old scratching of similar. This car was actually raced in a German saloon series with great success. Can't recall the driver's name, though.

The 1/32 diecasts can be nice masters if they are close to correct.
In decades past, I used the Maisto 550 Spyder to master the mold. Horrible finish work, but that's what I had available back then in the early 90s.


I have another, I should probably try to do a better job the next time.
As a great man once said....ne'er mind.

The red 550 that competed on the '56 Mille Miglia took four gallons of water on board during the event. Not a lot of fun for the driver.

Ken

I doubt in rainfall like that that anyone would have noticed even the most desperate chap emptying his bladder whilst driving. Vic Elford once stopped his car during the Belgian GP so he could relieve his discomfort. When you've got to go...

1937 VW30 prototypes undergoing initial testing over several thousands of kilometres. Most of the driving was undertaken by soldiers.

A couple more pics of the early prototypes.

Not on the prototypes. Running boards were fitted from 1939.

Prof Porsche (back to the camera) casting an eye over the three cars that appeared at the ceremony in 1938 that saw the laying of the Wolfsburg factory's foundation stone. The Austrian corporal and his goose-stepping morons have left the scene to stir up trouble elsewhere.