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1/48 Bandai BMW R75 Motorcycle w/sidecar


mustang1989

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Last year I got the "hankerin" to build a kit that I used to have in my stash and in all the moves that my wife and I have been through over the years I lost some kits to damage and this was one of those. That's been about 13 years ago and I always wanted to build it, so I acquired one around the early August time frame and went right to work on it. This is my first ever "all out " attempt on a military vehicle and wanted to build it in the same scale as my aircraft builds. There are some things I need to improve on here and there but am still learning.

The kit build was fairly straight forward and very detailed in this scale. One of the only things I really didn't care for was the size of the wheel spokes but hey, you gotta remember that this was the ONLY BMW R75 availabe for a LONG time, so allowances were made. I scratch built the spark plug wires from a GM fuel pump relay coil winding that I had laying around in my "spares" drawer of the toolbox (you know , that drawer that's got all the "good stuff" in it when youre looking for something last minute repairing cars) . I also scratchbuilt the reverse/ low gear shifter rods on the right hand side of the solo bike from stretched sprue. I robbed the main machine gun, MP40 machine gun,(placed on the sidecar seat) sleeping bag(in the sidecar floor) and the tent ( on the spare tire) from the brand new Tamiya BMW R75 kit that I just recently acquired. The Bandai machine gun just sucked and the rest of the items were needed just to keep the motorcycle/ sidecar from looking too bare. I added two PE items from Hauler in the form of the machine gun ammo belt that's draped over the main gun and a sling for the MP40 in the seat.

Paints were all Model Master to include the gloss coat for the original decals( how these didn't crumble is still a mystery given how old the kit is) and the flat coat with a couple of drops of light grey for a "sun faded " look. Finally I dry brushed some ground up tan pastel for a "dusty/ dirty" look. This build was far apart from my usual aircraft subjects and was really fun to build for the most part. I do know need to work on my seam removal with wheeled vehicles because there are so much more surface variations than with aircraft. My one true regret is not doing this thing real justice by the lack of PE wheels and a retaining nut over the side car wheel. I may end up fixing the retaining nut problem though.

 

The pics:

 

 

Completedbike002_zps70fb185e.jpg

 

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Completedbike004_zpsb853b830.jpg

 

Completedbike005_zps6ea53ef5.jpg

 

Completedbike001_zpsa6fbceaa.jpg

 

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Completedbike007_zpsac6e1eaf.jpg

 

and that last pic just to reference it to scale.........................

 

Completedmotorcycle_zps21a59a68.jpg

 

Edited by mustang1989
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Nice work. I see Tamiya has also released a sidecar motorcycle kit in 1:48 scale. Wonder how it compares....

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Thanks Dennis! I have the Tamiya R75 w sidecar in my stash. It's one helluva big improvement!!! And that's putting it mildly! ;)

Edited by mustang1989
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Glad to hear it. If I had that Bandai kit, the first thing I'd do is replace those wagon wheel stakes with wire or p/e versions!

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Yeah I hear you on that!! lol. It really needs them a lot. The Tamiya bike is a lot more true to scale in the wheel area.

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