introduction
If I were to purchase a road bike (and I was 30 years younger!) the Ducati 1199 Panigale would be the one. This beautiful bike looks like a cross between a Praying Mantis and a Klingon bird of prey. I’m certain this bike would propel me from 0 to the emergency room in under 2 seconds! The 1:12 scale kit from
Tamiya will allow me to own a Panigale and still stay in one piece.
Reducing weight while increasing horsepower over the 1198, this high tech bike features a ride by wire system with ECU and three riding modes (race, sport and wet). Using Ducati Quick Shift technology, clutch-less up shifts result in quicker acceleration. The wet clutch features a progressive self-servo to increase friction on acceleration, while a slipper mechanism reduces friction during engine braking. The electronically controlled suspension dampers can be customized by the rider and the Thin Film Transistor instrument panel provides plenty of information. The 1199 Panigale is available in two colors, red (of course) and Dark Stealth (matte black).
contents
Packed in the typical slip top box adorned with images of the 1:1 bike are:
• 1 sprue molded in black
• 1 sprue molded in silver/gray
• 1 sprue molded in white
• Front cowl
• Clear sprue
• Decals
• Tires
• Misc. parts including tubing, spring, poly caps, driver & screws
The 21 easy to follow construction steps are contained in a 12 page booklet. A separate front fork “detail parts” set is available from Tamiya and is marked where to use in the instructions with the “DP” symbol. Paint callouts are for Tamiya paints, of course, and are sprinkled throughout the instructions.
the kit
As is expected from Tamiya, the individual styrene parts are molded beautifully and should clean up very easily. Construction appears to be straight forward and follows a logical course. Much detail painting will need to be performed, as expected, with some parts needing to be masked as multiple colors are used.
Tiny screws are used in areas where movement is required such as steering & rear damper, and also to allow for removal of body panels to view all the otherwise hidden details. The chain and sprockets are molded in one piece with good detail on the left (outer) side and muted detail on the right (inner) side. Brake rotors will benefit with the dimpled holes drilled out, as these are very visible. The front calipers have the Brembo logo molded in so these can be painted by those with a steady hand, for the rest of us decals are provided for this area.
The wheels are very well cast, with valve stems molded on. Decals are included for the red ring and Marchesini logo, which will really set these off. The tires have very good tread pattern and a directional arrow. Not surprising is the lack of the Pirelli name…good for Tamiya to honor trademarks and licensing. An odd bit about the tires is the inner groove, which fits on the wheels, is off-center. I test fit these together and they looked fine but will need closer examination to see if some modeling surgery is needed.
A nice inclusion with the kit is the racing stand, perfect for displaying the finished model. The front forks are fairly well done, and with proper painting will look the part. One way to achieve that anodized gold look might be to paint with silver or chrome, and then use clear orange over that. The front fender should have a carbon fiber look, so either painting or AM decals can be used to get the right effect. Tubing is included for the hydraulic lines, which is a nice touch and will add a lot to the model.
The body panels are sculpted very well showing the graceful curves and sharp edges of this bike. Again, these can be removed by using the screws, as well as the engine shroud pieces, to view all that work from early on. It looks like the fuel tank can be removed and/or flipped up to get a top down view. Clear parts are flawless and crystal clear.
conclusion
All in all, a stunning kit of a beautiful super bike. Assembly looks to be fairly simple, although a few areas can use some modeling work (such as the rotors). With careful painting this should build into a very well detailed model right out of the box.
For those that enjoy using aftermarket parts, the front fork detail set that is available separately will enhance that area and eliminate some difficult painting, and a Hobby Design detail up set is also available (an incredible set). Both of these will be reviewed soon.
A build of this kit will be started in the near future.
A review of the outstanding Hobby Design upgrade set can be found
here
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