Tamiya 12639 - 1:20 Lotus 79 1979 PE Parts

Photo-etched parts set for the Lotus 79 "Martini" 1979 model (Tamiya 20061) in 1:20 scale

Tamiya 12639 is a detail-up set for the Tamiya 1:20 model of the Lotus 79 Formula 1 car in its 1979 season configuration (20061). It provides photo-etched parts for the details that a plastic moulding always renders too heavily: brake discs, the radiator, wing panels, body catches and small fittings.

The seatbelts form a separate part of the set: the supplied metal buckles, belt tape and stickers allow you to build belts with a realistic thickness and lay them out naturally - something a moulded part cannot do. Please note: for the 1978 version (Tamiya kit 20060) there is a separate set, number 12635. The base model is sold separately - this box contains the accessory parts only.

What's in the box:

• Photo-etched parts: brake discs
• Photo-etched parts: radiator
• Photo-etched parts: front and rear wing panels
• Photo-etched parts: body catches
• Photo-etched parts: kill switch
• Photo-etched parts: fuel filler
• Photo-etched parts: tow hook
• Metal seatbelt buckles
• Seatbelt tape
• Seatbelt stickers

Specifications:

• Scale: 1:20
• Product number: 12639
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Dedicated model: Tamiya Lotus 79 "Martini" 1979 (20061)
• Type: photo-etched parts set with seatbelt components
• Material: photo-etched parts, metal buckles, belt tape, stickers
• Set for the 1978 version: separate product number 12635 (Tamiya kit 20060)

Photo-etched parts - fine, delicate detailing components

Photo-etched parts are chemically etched from thin metal sheet. On Formula 1 models the difference is immediately visible: drilled brake discs, open-worked wing panels and small body catches are always simplified and too bulky in plastic, because an injection mould has its limits.

The parts are cut from the fret with a sharp knife or fine cutters and the remaining tabs smoothed with a file. Cyanoacrylate glue works well for bonding metal to plastic, and before painting we suggest degreasing the parts and using a primer intended for metal. The seatbelts are assembled from tape, metal buckles and stickers - the tape can be draped naturally over the seat, an effect no moulded part can match.

About the car - Lotus 79:

The Lotus 79 was the first fully realised ground-effect Formula 1 car - a design that pressed the car onto the track using the airflow beneath the body and redirected the development of the whole sport.

In the 1978 season the Lotus 79 took Mario Andretti to the drivers' title and Team Lotus to the constructors' championship. In 1979 the car ran in Martini Racing colours - and it is that version this photo-etched set is designed for.

Original car specifications (Lotus 79):

• Category: Formula 1 car
• Key feature: the first fully realised ground-effect design
• 1978 season: drivers' title for Mario Andretti and the constructors' championship for Team Lotus
• 1979 season: raced in Martini Racing colours

About the manufacturer - Tamiya:

Tamiya is a Japanese company based in Shizuoka, active in the modelling industry since 1946. Alongside its plastic kits it offers detail-up accessories for its own models: turned metal barrels, photo-etched frets, detail sets and display stands. These accessories are designed for specific Tamiya kit numbers, so they fit without modification. The range is completed by Tamiya paints, glues and modelling tools.