Miniatures news, July 1963

This month this feature appears on a vintage page, because it concerns vintage miniatures. The picture above is of a fine 1/5th-scale working model of a 1913 A-type Gnome Monosoupape rotary aero engine built by F. Boler of Leatherhead. He made every part, except the plugs, even to screws, nuts and washers, a 2 1/2 years’ spare-time task. The engine has a bore and stroke of 0.718 in. x 1.000 in., an overall diameter of 7 1/2 in. and is 8 in. long.

The only commercial models that have come along for review are two more from Italy, by Dugu. Based on cars in the Biscaretti Museum in Turin, No. 1 is a 1/43rd-scale 1911 Tipo 4 Fiat tourer, No.2 is a fine Michelin-shod 5th-series Lancia Lambda saloon to the same scale. Beautifully detailed, if somewhat frail, these models, of which only a small supply will be imported, cost 33s. each. They are available from Motor Books, Automodels of Finsbury Pavement, etc.—W. B.