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Post by mikael on Dec 29, 2023 17:57:51 GMT
Yes, indeed. Apparently, Jackie Stewart also had them (the side pods) removed at some point. Shown below is Stewart at the German GP of 1970.
Apparently, they were supposed to create down-force. It might just have been realized that that effect was negligibly small ...
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Post by René on Dec 29, 2023 18:57:36 GMT
Not only the absence of the rear wing but also the front wings. A configuration that Jochen wasn't too happy about if I recall correctly. Yes, of course. Someone at Lotus clearly believed an absence of wings would improve top speed and thereby lap times. But failure is always an orphan claimed by no-one. When all goes wrong, the compass of blame spins wildly.
I still seeth at the craven failure of McLaren team manager Alastair Caldwell to accept responsibility for the structural failure of the rear-wing supports at Goodwood, the direct cause of Bruce McLaren's fatal accident. He immediately portrayed himself as heroic for being first on the scene and carrying Bruce's lifeless body away, and quick to blame the mechanics, forgetting that he was there and in charge. Tragic, Carl. I didn’t know that about Caldwell. Not what you would expect from a leader. Almost like real life… |
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Post by René on Dec 29, 2023 19:02:00 GMT
Yes, indeed. Apparently, Jackie Stewart also had them (the side pods) removed at some point. Shown below is Stewart at the German GP of 1970.
Apparently, they were supposed to create down-force. It might just have been realized that that effect was negligibly small ...
Almost forgot but I showed this model 3 years ago with this comment  : March 701, South African Grand Prix 1971 - John Love (by Policar). Note the absence of the wing-shaped sidepods.  |
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Post by mikael on Dec 29, 2023 21:17:21 GMT
While all the models are, again, just mind-blowing, the BRM is particularly beautiful (as noticed also by Carl).
I "always" found BRM interesting, and often had the thought that they were like a "British Ferrari" team (except for the fact that they didn't make road cars). It's my impression also, from some reading, that Louis Stanley and Enzo Ferrari has similar personalities. A shame, really, that their story ended; that they didn't become an "F1 fixture" in the way Ferrari did.
Beltoise's day of glory
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Post by robmarsh on Dec 30, 2023 18:21:44 GMT
Very nice additions Rene.
The side pods on the March 701 were designed to carry fuel as well so on the not so thirsty races they could be dispensed with. As John Love frequently ran in races of slightly over 100 miles he didn't need them. Although designed with downforce in mind the benefit was negligible and as the March was already overweight the Tyrrell team especially, didn't always run them.
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Post by chrisb on Dec 30, 2023 21:07:38 GMT
Indeed Mikael the BRM story is a fascinating tale of ineptitude and incompetence linked to sheer hard work and industry, when Tony Rudd took over from Peter Berthon so did the success come. In a way I always thought Graham was the perfect fit for BRM and their 1500 cc v8 was probably the best engine of that era.
i recently watched the BRM story and Tony was saying how they got it wrong in 1966 and if they did it again would have built the V12 first and used that then design the H16,
incidentally has anyone heard the H16, I did of course in the Lotus 43at Oulton Park a few years ago and it is magnificent
with regards the lack of wings on Jochen’s car at Monza from what I remember it was jochen’s idea, the terrible tragedy of it all was that Jochen didn’t need to go out again
as did Bruce, the testing team were supposed to break for lunch and Bruce just wanted to go out and quickly check something and of course the Marshall’s post was due to be demolished the next day another terrible accident, yes Carl I share your sentiments about Alistair
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Post by René on Dec 31, 2023 16:47:42 GMT
As promised, slot car update part II to end the year.  For a change, a few touring cars by Scalextric. John Charles would have appreciated this too, especially the Rover.  A little kart by Ninco. Very nicely made and fun to drive!  A beautiful Ferrari 312P by Racer. This one is for Mikael.. The 1967 Le Mans winning Ford by MRRC.  And then the 'Swedish Grand Prix set' from Scalextric. Beautiful models where the Brabham in particular has come out very well. The Lotus is also beautiful, but the driving characteristics are not very good and Mario sits too high. I have already adjusted this a bit, but more work is needed. But still, a great looking set.  The Brabham turned out very beautiful and it's wonderful that the fan also works!  Another great detail is that they actually recreated the fan cover! Who comes up with something like that!   And they also made the 'normal' version of the BT46.  The fan car on track...  Happy New Year! |
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Post by mikael on Dec 31, 2023 21:03:45 GMT
Fantastic, René !!
Happy New Year :-)
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Post by mikael on Jan 1, 2024 14:59:37 GMT
Regarding the Brabham BT46B "fan car", I don't find it easy to understand that such a concept actually worked - but of course, it was amply proved that it did.
Since the fan was running "with the engine" all the time, it must have "robbed" a good deal of horsepower from it (the engine) - especially down the straights, where the fan wasn't needed at all ... (Also, Lauda has told, in interviews, that it was difficult - and annoying - to have to keep up the revs all the time through corners, in order to make the fan work there.)
But of course, the Lotus 78/79 had a very similar problem: the induced drag from the wing-shaped side pods was at its largest down the straights, where a large downforce wasn't needed at all ...
Back to the fan concept, the original "proof of concept" - the Chaparral 2J - was quite different (from the Brabham) in that it had a separate engine (a relatively small two-cylinder, two-stroke engine) just to drive the fan. Hence that engine could run full throttle in the corners.
All in all, it was a good thing that the concept was shelved, I think. It would have been a "crazy" blind alley to go down by, for Formula One.
The Chaparral 2J. The small two-cylinder engine can be seen clearly in the lower photo.
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Post by René on Jan 1, 2024 20:57:27 GMT
Regarding the Brabham BT46B "fan car", I don't find it easy to understand that such a concept actually worked - but of course, it was amply proved that it did.
Since the fan was running "with the engine" all the time, it must have "robbed" a good deal of horsepower from it (the engine) - especially down the straights, where the fan wasn't needed at all ... (Also, Lauda has told, in interviews, that it was difficult - and annoying - to have to keep up the revs all the time through corners, in order to make the fan work there.) It’s actually funny that the slot car ‘suffers’ from the same problem regarding loss of power. The fan is, like on the real car, powered by the main motor via the gears which creates more friction. Therefore it’s slower on the straight compared to the Brabham without the fan. And of course, it can’t make up in the corners because there can never be a real vacuum while driving in a slot. But hey, the Lotus ground effect doesn’t work either on a slot track so all is equal… |
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Post by Carl on Jan 2, 2024 21:26:43 GMT
In contrast to the brutal exhaust of dust and debris from Chaparral and Brabham "fan cars", the ingenious owner of former RAF Airfield Hethel envisioned a peaceful purpose for propeller blades, one unfortunately subverted by...
The Société de Lotus de Jardin, founded in Giverny, France in 1894, which collects antique grails adorned with Lotus flowers and battles defamation, real or imagined, of their namesake flower. When a junior engineer at Hethel was assigned to develop a propulsion system for twill caps, the Société assaulted the airfield with barnyard animals and Gallic ridicule until a defeated Colin Chapman was forced to throw his own cap in the air.
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Post by René on Jan 3, 2024 19:03:53 GMT
Ha ha, brilliant Carl.  That Monty Python scene is a real classic. And I love the propeller hat, Adrian Newey couldn’t have thought of it better. |
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Post by René on Apr 27, 2024 10:10:21 GMT
Electric Dreams slot cars has managed to get another racing celebrity for an interview, this time Chip Ganassi. Always nice to hear how many people from the 'real' racing world have a soft spot for slot cars. |
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Post by René on Oct 15, 2024 15:36:24 GMT
I haven't done a slot car update for a while so thought it was about time. Inspired by Carl's post on the Can-Am BRM, I had to think of this golden oldie. Not a perfect model but still very nice. The slot car has a working differential.  Another Can-Am car, one from Maranello, the 1967 350 Can-Am.  Again a BRM, but a Formula 1 car from 1970, the P153 as raced at Kyalami.  A Ferrari again, the 1972 312B2, Brands Hatch.  Thierry Boutsen in the Williams FW13. Not a very accurate model but it's a high performance slot car so fun to drive. Very fast.  And last but not least, the Porsche 963 LMdh/Hypercar. Also a very fast slot car!  |
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Post by robmarsh on Oct 15, 2024 17:33:13 GMT
Lovely Rene, just looking at all your cars is great fun but to be able to drive them as well....bliss. The Ferrari c 350 Can-Am car was based on the P4 with modified bodywork. The 350 was the size of one cylinder which worked out at 4.2 litres. I think there were two cars made and Australian Paul Hawkins brought one and took it out to Sothern Africa at the end of 1968 for the Springbok series. He shared it with John Love and it was raced in Gunston colours. I saw him race it in Bulawayo on 3 December 1968. In the Gunston colours it is one of my all time favourite single cars.
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That Monty Python scene is a real classic. And I love the propeller hat, Adrian Newey couldn’t have thought of it better.