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Topic starter
07/07/2021 1:19 pm
Two more Jaguar D-Types, this time from Quartzo. These are to me, one of the more accurate diecast models.
First is the #12 Stirling Moss and Peter Walker car that went out with brake problems at the 12 hour mark.
Second is the 2nd place overall #14 Jaguar D-Type of Duncan Hamilton and Tony Rolt.
Tony Perrone reacted
07/07/2021 1:21 pm
Here's my contribution to David's post. I have six models of cars from that race - two each from Ixo, Quartzo, and Spark.
Ixo made both the winning Ferrari and the No. 5 car driven by Manson and Rosier (DNF, transmission). We see the beginning of the "blue corduroy" material on Ferrari seats, which would last until at least 1965.
I have two Quartzo D-Types, the 2nd [lace car and No. 14, the Moss/Walker car that DNF'd due to brake failure. (Jaguar would install disc brakes for1955, leading to their success.)
Finally, Spark made models of the Cunningham C-4Rs, which fared about as well as 1953. Car No. 2 (Spear/Johnston) was 3rd, and No.1 (Bennett and Briggs himself) placed 5th.
I wish I had a model of the No. 16 car, a C-Type entered by Belgian team Ecurie Francorchamps, which placed 4th. This would give me the first 5 finishers.
Topic starter
07/07/2021 2:05 pm
Thanks Harv.
I love those Spark Cunningham C-4Rs. I'm missing them in my Cunningham collection. I also don't have the Ecurie Francorchamps #16 Jaguar C-Type that came in 4th. Here is a picture from the race.
In 1954 they finished fourth with Roger Laurent and team owner Jacques Swaters as the drivers.
Ecurie Francorchamps had their best Le Mans finish in 1955 coming home in third place in a Jaguar D-Type.
Topic starter
28/07/2021 9:59 am
1955 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 23rd 24 Hours of Le Mans and took place on 11 and 12 June 1955 on Circuit de la Sarthe.
Having conquered Formula 1, Mercedes-Benz had now turned its attention to sports car racing. Their 300SLRs were rated by many experts as the best sports cars in the world. The fuel-injected 3-litre straight-8 was the most advanced of the entire field, producing 300 bhp. The inboard drum brakes, however, were only questionably adequate for the heavier chassis, facing the tough braking demands of Le Mans. To compensate, a hand-operated air brake was added to the rear deck for high speed braking.Team manager Alfred Neubauer, in a remarkably diplomatic move (recalling the war had only ended 10 years earlier), assembled a multi-national team for the race, pairing his two best drivers Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss in the lead car, 1952 race-winner Karl Kling with Frenchman André Simon and American John Fitch with one of the elder statesmen of French motor-racing, Pierre Levegh.
Jaguar arrived with three works D-types. This year's model had engine power increased from 250 to 270 bhp (190 to 200 kW), for a top speed of almost 170 mph.The team consisted of 1953 winners Tony Rolt and Duncan Hamilton; English star Mike Hawthorn (stolen from Ferrari) paired with rookie Ivor Bueb; and Jaguar test driver Norman Dewis sharing the third car with Don Beauman. They were backed up by D-Types entered by Belgium's Ecurie Francorchamps and from American Briggs Cunningham's team.
At 6.20pm, at the end of lap 35 when the first pit-stops were due, the 1955 Le Mans disaster occurred. Having got the order from his Jaguar crew to pit, Hawthorn braked sharply in front of Lance Macklin's Austin-Healey. Macklin then braked hard, getting off the right-hand edge of the track and throwing up dust. Macklin's car then veered back to the centre of the track, into the path of Levegh's Mercedes-Benz, which was running 6th having just gone a lap down. Travelling at 150 mph, Levegh's right-front wheel rode up onto the left rear corner of Macklin's, launching the car into the air and rolling end over end for 80 metres over spectators.
The car slammed into a four-foot earthen embankment – the only barrier between the spectators and the track - and disintegrated. The momentum of the heaviest components of the car – the engine, radiator and front suspension - carried them into the crowd for almost 100 metres. Those who had climbed onto ladders and scaffolding to get a better view of the track found themselves in the direct path of the lethal debris. The remainder of the car, on the earth bank, exploded into flames, burning with extra heat from its magnesium-alloy body. Levegh was killed instantly in the impact.
The catastrophic crash, which came to be known as the 1955 Le Mans disaster, remains the deadliest accident in the history of motorsport. The actual death toll is uncertain, put at from 80 to 84, including Levegh, with many more than that number severely injured. The official report cites "Levegh" and 80 spectators were killed and 178 were injured. The race continued.
With the driver changes from Hawthorn to Bueb and Fangio to Moss, the Jaguar team's talent was outmatched and the Mercedes team was able to extend its lead. At midnight, the Mercedes of Fangio/Moss was leading Hawthorn/Bueb by two laps, themselves two laps ahead of the Kling/Simon Mercedes and the other two works Jaguars all scrapping between themselves. Further back were Musso's Maserati, Collins’ Aston Martin, the Belgian Jaguar and the remaining big Ferrari fighting its way up from the back of the field. The race remained competitive, however with Hawthorn behind the wheel, as the lead was whittled down to 1½ laps by 2am.The other Mercedes still trailed the Hawthorn/Bueb car by two laps. Race spotters' reports on the Mercedes' braking points led the Jaguar team to believe that their brakes were weakening.
Waiting until 1.45am, when many spectators had left, Mercedes, team leader Alfred Neubauer stepped onto the track and quietly called his cars into the pits, at the time running 1st and 3rd.
Mercedes retired leaving Jaguar to win the race.
The race finished in drizzle. Bueb, in his first event for the Coventry marque, handed over the leading Jaguar to Hawthorn for the final 15 minutes, and they coasted to a comfortable victory, completing a record-breaking 306 laps and finishing five laps ahead of the Aston Martin. The podium was completed by the Belgian pair of Johnny Claes and Jacques Swaters, in their yellow Ecurie Francorchamps Jaguar D-Type. The winning Jaguar No.6 was driven by Mike Hawthorn and Ivor Bueb.
Mercedes-Benz 300SLR #19 as driven by Stirling Moss and Jean Manuel Fangio (Leading when withdrawn). This is a Starter pro-built kit.
1955 Le Mans Winning Jaguar D-Type #6 as driven by Ivor Bueb and Mike Hawthorne
First is the IXO Diorama.
This is the Quartzo issue.
And the Spark issue.
28/07/2021 4:27 pm
Another great review David. The race wasn't halted, I read somewhere, so that all the exiting fans and traffic would not obstruct all the ambulances being called in. But it still puzzles me why Mercedes didn't withdraw immediately - perhaps to make a point that they would have won, or maybe the top brass at Daimler-Benz had to ponder the PR impact before making a decision. Anyway M-B did not officially race again for several decades.
Minichamps has made car No. 19 and 21, but, as can be expected, Spark will soon release all three Benzes, and I have them on order. Back in the late 1970s or early 1980s I had an MRF model of the No. 19 car. The air brake was a separate piece, and could be positioned open or closed. I can wish Spark will do this, but it's doubtful.
The most outstanding D-Type I have is the AUTOart model of the race winning long nose D-Type. Poseable front wheels, plus opening hood, door, passenger metal tonneau cover, and rear spare tyre access panel - but this last feature is a weak point in that no tire is depicted. I recall that some collectors have added a representation of this on their own.
The 2nd place Aston Martin DB3S (Collins/Frere) I have is by Spark, though many years ago Western made a white metal version that was nice for its time.
Ixo made the third place Ecurie Francorchamps D-Type, driven by Swaters/Claes:
Both Cunningham Team cars retired. The Walters/Spear D-Type in the 7th hour when a valve went bad, the Offy-engined C6-R (Briggs/Johnston) in the 19th hour when a piston gave up. Models by Spark and Bizarre, respectively.
MG fielded three cars for the race. The Ex182s (MG labelled their land speed cars and prototypes "Ex") that I have are all in resin by Bizarre, though earlier white metal versions appeared as Abingdon Classics. The No. 41 car (Ken Miles and John Lockett) finished 12th, behind a few Porsches and an OSCA in its class. No. 64 (Lund/Waeffler) was 17th. No. 42 (Jacobs/Flynn) was sidelined in an accident.
Not to be outdone by MG, Standard Triumph brought three TR2s as well. No. 29 (Richardson/Hadley) was 15th (Spark model)
Ferrari, after winning in 1954, saw their fortunes plummet with no cars finishing the race. I have two 750 Monzas, the No. 12 Lucas/Louis-Dreyfus car (Art Model) and the No. 14 of Masten Gregory and "Mike Sparken" (Best Model)
Topic starter
28/07/2021 6:50 pm
Hi Harv,
That is an excellent and comprehensive follow up to my 1955 Le Mans post. Lots of wonderful models of other participants. That AutoArt Jaguar is fantastic. I don't have it as yet but have a friend in England holding one for me, if I ever get back there after all these Covid delays. The #19 resin Mercedes 300SLR that I show above has a separate air brake similar to the MRF model that you had.
Here is my Minichamps version of the #19 Mercedes. The air brake is fastened down on this issue.
I'm quite enjoying our cooperative approach to these Le Mans postings.
Topic starter
23/09/2021 9:27 am
1956 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans was a race for Sports Cars, and took place on 28 and 29 July 1956 on the Circuit de la Sarthe. The race was won by Ron Flockhart and Ninian Sanderson driving a Jaguar D-Type for the new Ecurie Ecosse team.
Following the events of 1955, the front stretch and pit lane were redesigned in order to enhance driver and spectator safety. This involved a change to the layout of the Dunlop curve, shortening the overall length of the track by 31 meters.
The race started in light drizzle, making the new track surface treacherously greasy. As usual, Moss was lightning-quick and first off the line in his Aston Martin. Hawthorn's more powerful Jaguar blasted past him on the back straight and led at the end of the first lap.
Late in the morning Moss and Collins lost their 2nd gear in their Aston Martin, limiting their chase and they gradually gave up ground. The other leading cars remained reliable and reached the finish, except the Aston Martin prototype which, having slipped to 7th with engine problems, broke its rear suspension in the final hour.
A mere 13 finishers were classified (the lowest ratio of the decade), and given the wet conditions it was no surprise that there were 16 major accidents.
The Ecosse Jaguar won by a lap from the Moss/Collins Aston Martin. The Ferraris were never able to compete with the leaders but Gendebien/Trintignant came home third a further six laps back.
1956 Le Mans Winning Ecurre Ecosse Jaguar D-Type #4 as driven by Ron Flockhart and Ninian Sanderson.
This was built my me from a Starter of France kit.
In 2nd place came the Aston Martin DB3S of Stirling Moss andPeter Collins. This is a Spark model.
In 3rd came the Ferrari 625 LM driven by Olivier Gendebien and Maurice Trintgnant
First a hand built by C-Scale
Next an Art Model.
I'll show some of the other finishers shortly.
Topic starter
23/09/2021 4:28 pm
1956 24 Hours of Le Mans Continued.
4th Place was taken by Equipe National Belge with the No. 5 Jaguar D-Type.
Drivers were Jacques Swaters and Freddy Russell.
This one is from Brumm.
5th Place was Porsche KGs No.25 Porsche 550A Coupe.
Drivers were Wolfgang von Trips and Richard von Frankenberg
Another Brumm.
6th was the expected winner from Jaguar, the No.1 Jaguar D-Type Fi driven by Mike Hawthorne and Ivor Bueb, the 1955 Winners.
Yet another Brumm.
7th was the No. 36 Lotus 11 of Lotus Engineering driven by Reg Bicknell and Peter Jopp.
This is a Provence Moulage built kit.
8th was Cooper Car Company's No.33 Cooper T39 driven by Ed Hugas and John Bentley.
This same car had competed in 1955. The model is by Bizarre.
Only 5 other cars finished the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans.
23/09/2021 10:00 pm
David, I want to thank you for this awesome series of posts about the cars of the Le Mans race. In my opinion, considering the extensive historical information and numerous model photos, this is the best series of posts I have seen.
Harv, thanks for your contribution of model photos.
Ed Davis
Inverness, Illinois, USA
23/09/2021 10:23 pm
Glad to see you are "back in the saddle" with Le Mans David. How nice to have final positions 1 through 8. I have a few of those (the Art Ferrari and the Spark 2nd place Aston). Here's my 1st place Jag, by Quartzo:
Spark also made the Aston DB3S driven by Walker/Salvadori which DNF'd in the 16th hour due to an accident.
24/09/2021 1:02 am
David, I want to thank you for this awesome series of posts about the cars of the Le Mans race. In my opinion, considering the extensive historical information and numerous model photos, this is the best series of posts I have seen.
Harv, thanks for your contribution of model photos.
I echo Eds sentiments. Wonderful post gentlemen, and thanks for introducing me to a number of great models.
Topic starter
24/09/2021 10:32 am
Here is the 1956 Le Mans Winning Ecurre Ecosse Jaguar D-Type #4 by Spark.
And and another few views of the Quartzo version:
Topic starter
24/09/2021 5:18 pm
Thank you Ed for the kind words. This Le Mans series is a labour of love for me. I have followed racing here since the early 1950s and enjoy sharing.
25/09/2021 8:45 pm
I love the old kits and the Quartzos, etc - Keep on postin', y'all! 😆