MFH 1:12 488 GTE - any direct experience?

I've been eyeing the 1:12 scale Model Factory Hiro kit of the Ferrari 488 GTE for so long it's starting to get a bit annoying. Has anyone here had any direct experience with this kit? I've seen several built examples on the web and they are really impressive. Of course one of them was Frederic Suber's build so perhaps impressive isn't strong enough. lol.
Any impressions of the general accuracy? Looks good to me but I'm not well versed in picking up on small errors in shapes. I'm not a rivet counter and I might even miss a difference in the number of vents or louvers.
Basically, does it build well and (fairly) easily? I'm not looking for any frustration, not looking to re-engineer anything major, not looking to add the $500 transkit to it (that you can't even get anymore). I'm a little put off by the lack of full engine detail but that's also a plus in a way - kit cost and time and effort to build it. Definitely don't want to end up with a $500 box of bits that will never end up as a nice looking model in the display case.
Thanks all!
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I only bought the 1/24th kit and it looks accurate and is a simple curbside like the 1/12th scale kit. Simple and not to hard to build. I understand the 1/24th kit is like a shrunk 1/12th version of the kit.

 

Thanks Tom. My post was sort of aimed at you and Marshall but the 488 is a bit too recent for his tastes. LOL.

As I said, I'm not a rivet counter and I'm unlikely to get out a caliper and start measuring the wheel base and overhang and whatever else. The body shape looks good to me and I love the look of this car and especially in the AF Corse livery.
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I'm afraid I haven't really examined either the 1:12th or 1:24th, but from what little I've seen, the 1:12th looks good, and if it's a curbside kit, then I would say go for it. Many less headaches with an MFH curbside.

 

Here is Suber's build.
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Looks good, but did Fred build it himself, or was this one built by one of the builders that do a lot of work for him?

 

That I have no way of knowing. It was displayed at Retromobile as his work.

 

Just to put this thread to bed so to speak - I got as far as finding out from MFH that the kit is available and they are delighted to sell me one - but Japan Post is currently not accepting air mail and so DHL is the only option - at $78 for one kit. I'm going to wait until things return to normal I guess. Whatever "normal" is.

A bit disappointed that the transkit for this came and went so quickly. In a way that's a good thing because the transkit is probably well beyond how much effort I want to put in to a model these days but it would have been nice to be able to add some of the boxes and wiring that's missing from the kit. I wish MWT had at least opted to sell the 3D printed parts separately - and continued to sell them since they use Shapeways and they wouldn't even have to be involved in packing and shipping.

 

Of course not, how can one builder can finished few 1/12 per year,and many 1/43.

 

I know the answer thank you. I wasn't really asking the question so much as politely making a statement indicating that the majority of the Suber models made are built by various model builders for him. BUT...with that said, and knowing how much Fred does put into building models himself, he could easily finish "...few 1/12 per year, and many 1/43." In fact....any really good full time builder can do that, but of course not the total volume per year claimed as built by Suber. I hope this is clear.

 

Back on track - for the AF Corse cars prior to 2019 when they went to the darker red what is the correct specific red and from which model paint maker? Splash Paints for instance don't list Ferrari race colors at all except for Scuderia Red and Zero Paint's site is cumbersome at best. Is it Rosso Corsa since Rosso Barchetta is the 2019 color or was that actually Rosso Monza despite many sites saying it is Barchetta?

 

I've built 2 HIRO kits - and have not been happy with any of them.

first was the F-1 87 - it was pretty straight forward build - but the fit was terrible ... the worst was the nuts that hold the wheel on... they were not machined right so when I went to put them on - it ripped out the suspension ... I hate using super glue for parts that have to hold weight. its just stupid.

2nd was Porsche 917K. great looking kit- again the fit was terrible. nothing fit right you have to re engineer the whole thing. all the parts are in cheap pot metal and you have to re do all of those just totally not worth the effort If you ask me. and to add insult to injury - no number roundels in my kit... Hiro customer service = 0.

for the life of me I don't see the attraction any more. the only thing is they make a lot of kits in 1/12 scale that you don't see anywhere else.. but they are terrible.

I'm a mid level modeler in the Hiro world... an advanced one for Tamiya etc.. plastic ones. Pocher kits are childs play compared to Hiro kits.

any who... just know what you are getting before going in.... if you have infinite time - why not give it a go. lots of them on Ebay.

if you do buy one- I used simple green to remove the oil on the resin parts - works great. that is usually the first thing I do is wash all the parts very well... then you have to flatten and polish the parts - take off flashing etc.. drill holes ... the fine parts are actually fun and pleasing to do.. its the final assembly that sucks.

 

Yes, thanks, I'm active on several model forums and I'm well aware of some of the drawbacks including the difficulties, for example, with resin bodies and white metal doors. Not to mention all the bent and twisted white metal parts.
The 488 GTE is a simpler kit, no opening doors, no lift-off body clips, not much engine detail, basically an expensive curbside model.

As for infinite time... honestly the temptation to just buy a 1:18 BBR of last year's AF Corse Le Mans class winner is VERY strong. Open box, insert model in display case, admire daily. Done.
Thing is I'm not looking to spend a year building something so a Hiro with lots of detail or with an MWT transkit is out. Honestly my first preference would be a DeAgostini 1:8 "partswork" model but none of the current subjects really appeal except the MP4/4 and Model Space's customer service doesn't impress. After that a Hiro kit without problems appeals somewhat. I'll skip over 1/24 because that scale is of almost zero interest to me and that leaves 1/43 which does appeal - and I actually used to build those professionally.

PS: I recall reading with interest your accounts of your experiences with your 2 Hiro builds.

 

I have built 3 of the Model space kits - MP4/4 and the Porsche 911 RS and now the Countach.... but I'm missing one installment that is on back order for the Lamborghini so its frustrating... its almost done but its the critical front part... so its just in sections now.

the Hiro kits just are too rough for the Money.... My Porsche 917 was great until you have to fit it all together ... then that is when it just does not work.... and compared to some of the 1/12 curb side kits from Minichamps - the wheel base seems wrong and its a bit to high... trying to set up the suspension is also a PITA on these kits - the way they have you build the suspension is stupid.....

 

Tom, what did the wheel base measure out to for both the MFH and Minichamps 917's ?

 

Can we talk about the 488 GTE now? LOL. This is where a lot of original posters get annoyed and start telling people to start their own thread! I'm not doing that because it's the nature of these things that they wander - but I sure would appreciate more 488 and less bash MFH. I'm not at all a fan, hate the sentiment so often expressed on model forums that we should be grateful to them for what ever they offer us - but I really don't think their usual issues apply to the kit in question here. There's not been one mention of any issue anywhere that I've seen.
Now about that correct shade of Rosso...

 

Agreed.... and as far as the 488 GTE kit is concerned, I think you'll be fine with building it since it's a curbside, many less problems. As for the correct shade of Rosso... I don't know, would have to research it. But I would think that you should be able to get an answer in one or more of the other Fchat forums.

(I have four 1:12 MFH kits, and am happy to have them, warts and all. )

 

Ive just finished building the 488 GTE with the transkit from MWT.
The kit is very good, no issues in building it.
I'll post some pictures later when downloaded...
For the rosso colour I use the correct shade from Zero paints (the red was much darker this year than the usual rosso corsa, for the 70th birthday...)

 

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Thanks for posting - looks like an awesome build! I've been through Mike Chirivi's build - all 240 pictures but unfortunately not much in the way of descriptions or details. He also used the MWT transkit. I was looking at the transkit right from the start but it disappeared before I could build up the nerve to purchase it. Probably just as well - as I said early on in this thread I'm not really looking to spend a year on a model.

 

If you build it OOB it's already a great kit. Much easier than a Porsche 956 or the 330 P4!
You need some aluminium rivets for exterior detailing and some carbon decals, which add a lot more authenticity than just black paint at this scale!

 

Thanks - the carbon decals are already in my mental shopping cart but I didn't think of rivets. Do you have a suggestion for a source? What about other things like Dzus fasteners? Hose fittings? Electrical? For the carbon fiber what brand did you use? I know Matt from Scale Motorsports and was going to use his unless you think there is a better choice.
Also are there any other relatively simple ways to add detail to this model? I had contacted MWT about selling just the 3D printed stuff since that is on Shapeways and he doesn't have to actually do anything but he's not interested.

 

I used the dzus from the kit (not esay as there is one photo-etch part and one rivet for each...)
Hose fitting I use those from MWT but you can find other manufacturers like Top Studio. Also use several different size black wires i use for every models.
For the decals I used 2 different style:
Carbon fiber sparkling twill medium size from Decalcas
Carbon Decal Gradation Pattern Type 1 Medium from MFH

 

Thanks - your link to MFH carbon actually goes to the small version in 1/24 scale and they don't seem to have a medium on Spotmodel. Did you mean small or something else? And 1/24 scale not 1/12?

 

Maybe they don't have the medium size anymore
small is too small for 1/12