Heron Alfa Romeo South Africa 1961/Goodwood 2005

Heron Alfa Romeo South Africa 1961/Goodwood 2005 by Jade Miniatures

Heron Alfa Romeo RSA 1961/Goodwood 2005
Hand built available JAD4359MA Rand GP 61 & JAD4359MB Goodwood 2005
The Heron Formula Junior was designed and built by Les Redmond and ‘Dig’ Diggory who had previously worked on the Chequered Flag’s Gemini race cars and was originally designed around a Ford 105E engine. The first owner of the car was Tony Maggs who added a Climax motor and took the car to his native South Africa for the GP in 1960. He didn’t start due to mechanical issues and in the end sold the car to local racer Ernest Pieterse who fitted his favoured Alfa Romeo engine and won the Rand Trophy at Kyalami with the car. This is one option in the kit and the other is for the restored car which first reappeared at Goodwood in 2005 (after which the model was originally announced!). The instructions show the two versions to be physically the same but looking at the race photos also included, the roll-over bar is a modern addition and shouldn’t be included for the original car. The decal sheet includes the gold stripes and there are also several other alternative race numbers, presumably for other South African races? A unique subject and an unusual addition to any single seater or Alfa Romeo collection.