Sunday February 01, 2004

Fly BMW 3.5 CSL
Peter Gregg - Brian Redman
1st Place 24 Hours of Daytona 1976

This new release by Fly has been on the wish list of many enthusiasts for quite some time and finally it has appeared. I looked forward to this model not only because of the history of it but that it just adds a whole new series for us to choose from. However, from the first glance out of the box I was concerned on how well...or rather if... it would run. With that said I am taking a little different approach to this review and hopefully you still get the information you need.

For those just joining us in this hobby, Fly has a reputation for creating beautiful scale detailed models. However as attractive as these models can be, some of them have been plagued with quality control issues when it comes to what I feel is the most important part: How well they run.

When I first opened the box my eyes went straight to the rear wheels and fender flares to see how much tire rub there was going to be given that the rear of the body is so low around them. I didn't even take the time to look at the Tampo printing or markings for accuracy. After all, almost every one of my Capri models had this issue and the close tolerances seemed identical at first glance. To be point blank honest with you I thought this model was going to have major problems.

I was wrong. The clearance is VERY close yet testing revealed no tire or wheel rub. Now this isn't to say every model on the market will be free of it but mine certainly was and I was very pleased to say the least. Now that I was happy that it even ran out of the box I finally set it on the workbench to give it a closer look.

Some may not agree but I liked this livery and found it to be very striking on this particular body style. Tampo and paint work were again at Fly's high standards although I did notice some un-evenness on the rear flares where the strips come together. Sadly, it appears Fly hasn't managed to change anything in the clear-coat department as the markings were applied over it and are unprotected. I am sure someone smarter than me has a good answer for why they continue to do this but until then I will clear-coat it myself as we have grown accustomed to.

Interior detail is very well done with painted console and dashboard highlights that draw you closer to them. Overall mold lines and fit and finish of this BMW are very well done to my eyes and according to the prototype photos I have seen it appears Fly has captured nicely in 1/32nd scale. The rear wing appears to be missing a middle support according to some of these photos I have seen and also the window netting is missing. These are very minor issues for me really but you will of course have your own thoughts.

Underneath we see again where Fly is adding scale detail but it is missing the problems of the GT40 thankfully. This does make the car more appealing to fine scale enthusiasts and although some feel it is a waste I happen to think it adds a great overall effect to the model. Detail that is hidden doesn't make sense to many in our hobby, but as long as this added detail doesn't interfere with the running ability or makes it more difficult to perform maintenance it doesn't bother me at all.

After removing the 4 screws that hold the body to the chassis we see the standard Fly Mabuchi motor in the inline drive position. The drive shaft is equipped with a 9 tooth pinion that turns a 27 tooth crown gear. Here is where another positive side showed itself to me as both the axle bushings and drive shaft bushing were VERY snug in the chassis and did not spin or move under load. Gear mesh was very good and the rear axle was straight and true. The standard Fly bar magnet is present and was also held snugly in place. I still added a drop of adhesive on all 3 bushings and at the corners of the magnet as a preventive maintenance measure but I was pleased that I didn't HAVE to.

As I looked at the front of the chassis I noticed that there was a good amount of free-play in the front axle stubs. This has long been an issue with Fly front-motor configured models but there was something different on this one. They actually added washers to the front axles so that when you try and tighten them up, you can virtually get rid of all the free-play. However, make no mistake...these are not shims that are the correct size, these are just plain washers you can find in any hardware store. I still have to give Fly credit for making an effort to include them and even if they are a little too large they still worked as intended.

As I stated earlier, this model ran well right out of the box with just a little braid adjustment needed for our Artin and Carrera tracks. After adding a drop of oil on each end of the motor and on all 3 bushings it was time to start breaking this model in. I have to tell you that this model is fast becoming a favorite of mine and the more I drive it the more I like it. It was not as quiet as I would have liked but after it began to break in, it smoothed out and is now sounds much better. Compared to some Fly models that sound like a bag of nails in a blender...this model certainly pleased me.

The rear tires are going to need a decent amount of sanding to get them round and true, but once we finished that the performance was very pleasing. Acceleration and braking are crisp and should make most enthusiasts happy. We quickly found a good racing line with this model and lap times were good with an average of 4.5 and a best of time of 4.3. The thing about this car is that I felt it had an easier drive to it and having that kind of control is why this car is just so much fun for me.

Whether my model was luck of the draw or not, it does appear to me that Fly is making efforts to improve the overall running ability of their line and I for one am pleased that they are. The last few models we have tested from Fly have actually been better than we expected and such is the case here. If you are a fan of this series or you are looking to start one on your track, I have to say you should give this model a closer look.

- Harry

As always feel free to contact me about this article or just the hobby in general at harry@homeracingworld.com, or better yet drop into our Message Forum and share your thoughts with other enthusiasts!

Thanks go to Scalextric-USA for providing us with this model.