Okay, so today I decided to dive into the world of Formula 1 and build a model of the Red Bull RB14. It’s the car that Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo drove back in 2018, and I’ve always thought it looked pretty awesome.
I started by gathering all my materials. I’d already bought a 1:24 scale model kit online, so that was the main thing. I also got out my:
- Exacto knife
- Plastic cement
- Various paints (mostly blue, red, and yellow, of course)
- Paintbrushes of different sizes
- Sandpaper (various grits)
- Masking tape
The Build Process
First, I carefully cut out all the pieces from the plastic sprues using the Exacto knife. This part always takes a while because you have to be super careful not to break anything. And, i always remember to take it very slowly.
Next, I sanded down the edges of each piece to get rid of any little bumps or imperfections. This is important to make sure everything fits together smoothly later on.
Then came the fun part – assembly! I started with the chassis and gradually added on the other parts, following the instructions in the kit. I use the plastic cement sparingly, because you don’t want it oozing out everywhere, which is something I’ve learned from past mistakes.
Once the main body was together, I masked off the areas that I didn’t want to paint yet, like the yellow sections. Then, I sprayed on several thin coats of the dark blue paint, letting each coat dry completely before adding the next. Patience is key here, which isn’t always my strong suit!
After the blue was done, I removed the masking tape and painted the red and yellow sections. For the smaller details, like the logos and the driver’s helmet, I used the tiny paintbrushes. It was tricky, and my hands got a bit shaky at times, but I think it turned out alright.
The Final Touches
Finally, I added the wheels and the rear wing, and the RB14 was complete! It’s not perfect, of course, but I’m pretty happy with how it looks. I also added all of the sponsor stickers, which was very time-consuming but makes it looks that much better.
It’s now sitting proudly on my shelf, a reminder of a pretty cool F1 car and a satisfying afternoon of model building.
