Revell AG 1/24 Panasonic Toyota F1 TF102
Kit # 07224

While most Formula One kits are either 1/12 or 1/20 scale, Revell of Germany has produced several in the more common scale of 1/24. The latest addition to their line is the Toyota that made its racing debut during the 2002 season.

New to Formula One racing, Toyota has made great strides in its effort. In 2002, which is the car this kit represents, they had moderate success at best. While they had chassis problems and driver problems, they are one of the few teams that produce their own chassis, engine, and gearbox in F1 racing. They are in a level of development that equals the effort of Ferrari! Name another top team that does all of that in house. So, for a first year team, they did quite well. Their choice of drivers left a lot to be desired, however. Rookie Alan McNish has never been a real contender in F1, while Mika Salo may have been past his prime. So, in a bold move this year, they have hired CART driver (and 2002 CART champion) Christiano DiMatta to drive for them, along with veteran Olivier Panis. They may be taking a chance on DiMatta, an F1 rookie, but he has had some quite surprising drives this year already. The season has just started, so stay tuned. Doing everything in house is NOT easy, and it remains to be seen how it will pan out. Anyway, on to the kit.

This is a pretty nice kit for the most part. The body part molds are crisp, beautifully curved, with little or no sinkholes. The fastener points (dzus fasteners) are little out of scale, but correctible. While not complete, the engine representation is passable, and with some proper painting, can make a nice showing. Forget about the gearbox. It is nothing more than a smooth sided blob. Also the rear axle shafts are way too big for this scale. The underside of the tub is nice, with the proper wood grain skid board, but why did Revell put their logo and part number on the exposed bottom? It requires some shaving to remove it. The upper side would have been a better choice.

The front suspension is not poseable, with the tie rod molded to the upper control arms. However, the carbon fiber style control arms look to scale, and with some decaling, would look very realistic. Brake details are minimal, but again with detail painting, would look good. The front uprights have brake duct details on them, but need to be hollowed out. The BBS wheels are quite well done and to scale. Tires are the same grooved F1 items from the previous Williams, etc. kits. This kit reminds me of Revell's last several kits, and I think it's a Protar mold.

The decal sheet is a work of art. It is very well detailed, perfect color registry, and makes this whole kit come together. It is silk screened, and includes a color reference patch to get the red right. I can live with the plastic shortcomings, but if it doesn't look good, what's the point? This kit will build up as a stunning rendition of this car, thanks to the graphics. Are you a Formula One fan? If so, buy this kit! You will like it; it looks like an easy build, and will look great when finished. I recommend this kit.