Revell 1/25 Corvette C5R "Compuware"
By John D. Dutze
The Car
The Corvette C5-R was built for one purpose, racing. It was built by Pratt & Miller for the Le Mans Race. Le Mans is a 24 hour endurance race and is world famous for its history with past races featuring some of the fastest and meanest sports/racing cars with incredible amounts of horsepower. The Corvette model contained within the model box is a replica of the 2003 version which finished 2nd in its class. In 2003 the C5-R also won the Manufacturer's Championship. The Corvette C5-R racing program has reestablished the rich history of Corvette racing that goes all the way back to the originalCorvette back in 1953.
The Model
The model states that there are 97 parts within the box. I counted 101parts. The difference in parts is for the optional parts not utilized for the finished model. The model sprue/trees have some flash, however, not much. There is virtually no flash on the parts. The model body has minimal mold seam lines which shouldn't be difficult to remove. The body is molded very cleanly and is solid with limited flexibility. There are 13 pieces for the body including the spoiler, mirrors, headlights, center headlamp clear cover (optional) or Corvette engraved center body headlamp cover. The engine and transmission/drivetrain consists of 21 pieces that show good detail.
The chassis/interior consists of 39 separate, well detailed pieces. The wheels and tires have a total of 11 parts, including 2 axle pins for each front wheel and a metal axle for the rear wheels. There are 4 taillights molded in transparent red for the famous rear end. There are 9 clear parts including the windshield, rear window, side windows, center headlamps, and regular headlight covers. The center headlamp cover is an optional part. There are no chrome plated parts included in this kit.
The model instructions are a twelve page list of details which include a list of parts, paint letter code guide, decal placement, assembly sequence andicon key. First and foremost I need to address Revell's new instructions format The instructions have been changed significantly and are in my opinion more difficult and bothersome to follow. The old instructions listed both the part number and its name; there was no fumbling through the instruction sheet other than determining the color to paint each part. The assembly sequence is easy to follow, but there are some areas that require careful scrutiny because some of the parts look similar, especially some of the radiator hoses.
Also, some assembly steps include instructions for sequential construction that need to be addressed in the correct order. you must follow these sequences exactly for the best results. The chassis has many injection marks that need attention-I counted 20 injection marks on the chassis alone! If not addressed, some injection marks will show up on the interior and cannot easily be hidden if the interior is being viewed. The chassis also has the Revell logo engraved on the underside. This is peculiar, considering that there is a secondary copyright mark on the other side of the chassis with all of those injector marks. There is the chance for a ghost image if the chassis isn't sanded and primed properly.
The tires within this kit are as generic as generic gets and look very toy-like and are without markings. There are slight molding seams to remove. The tires will need a lot of work to look convincing. They look more vinyl than rubber. I know cost is an issue, but really? An aftermarket set of wheels might save you time in the realism department. Oddly enough there are no decals to be placed on the tires, although the real car pictured on the box has yellow logos on them. There is also a faint resemblance of tire markings on the first picture of the built version printed on the box, though I am not 100% sure what I'm seeing.
Conclusion
The model details overall are really good, with the exception of the racing net which could have been improved with a small piece of real mesh netting. The net is a little on the heavy side and has some minor flash. The decal sheet is excellent and very colorful. The body is the best thing about the kit; it is solid and has crisp detail. I would recommend this kit if you really enjoy the subject matter. I also recommend this to a seasoned modeler. On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the best; I would give it a 7 for different subject matter and being molded in white for easier painting. I would like to thank Revell for providing the review sample.
