REVIEW: Fly March 761

Ref 88279 FLY MARCH 761
GP USA WEST 1976, ARTURO MERZARIO

The USA West 1976 March 761 is the forth March livery release by Fly in the last 6 months. As with most new Fly model releases, Fly has release successive liveries very quickly and I believe the livery count as of December is up to five, two of which are LE box cars.

The first thing you'll notice about any of the new March models is the different colour of the standard Fly box base. There is also the addition of start grid line work at the front of the model. These are only small things, but it's the small detail that has always set Fly apart from other slot manufactures.

Being a huge F1 and Fly fan, I have acquired the first 4 of the March releases. What made the March extra special for me was that this was the first time Fly had ventured into open-wheel slots. I particularly like this USA GP version due to the huge air intake mounted behind the driver and the striking livery.

QUALITY & DETAIL

Fly have really come out swinging with this release, the attention to detail on this model even surpasses Fly own benchmark standards. What makes for a pleasant change is that some of the detail on this model is functional. I have always like the way SCX F1 cars have had steering and Fly have incorporated the steering feature in the March. Not only have Fly incorporate steering in the front end but they have also added suspension, real suspension, (you can see the small spring in the below image). As you might expect, the spring is very light allowing quite a high degree of travel in the front wheels.

This might alarm some you with respect to home much damage could this model sustain before the front wheels fell off. Well I've been running several of these cars for several months now and have had several serious offs. To date, none of my Marches have sustained any real damage - touch wood. I think the March has two things going for it in the damage stakes. Firstly, the front wing is huge and protects the front end quite a bit. Secondly, because the car has steering there is a degree of movement in the front wheels if they are to hit something.

One element you will want to fix straight away is the front brake air cooling vents. For some reason Fly have attached these quite lightly and they will even rattle off after a dozen laps without an off. I simply put a few small dabs of super glue on them and the potential problem is fixed.

Let's have a quick look at the rear end. No surprise that the level of detail here is consistent with the front end. Details such as the extractors, exhausts, radiators, tow hook, diff and piston covers are all done so well. This slot really looks like it belongs on your desk as a static model not flying around your track! Other details such as front brake air vents, drive harness, (separate to figure) and fuel caps really finish this slot off extremely well. Wheel detail is also excellent and the decals are very nicely done, especially the extra detail on the driver's helmet.

The body comes away quite easily from the chassis via four screws. Detail is pretty basic under the chassis. Although it doesn't do the model justice, you can see the fantastic exhaust detail in the above image.

PERFORMANCE

Being a visually impressive slot you could be forgiven for thinking Fly might have note spent enough time in the performance department. Well I'm very happy to tell you that the March goes as well on the track as it looks off the track. That big fat rear rubber really helps this model while not making it a boring 'fire and forget' rocket! You will have to drive this slot to get the best from it, the chassis/body is obviously very well weighted. I typically add a small amount up front in most of my Fly slots but not this time.

One small issue I did have with the March was the rear rubber. The rubber is FAR from true and as a result I'd estimate there is approx 50% of the rear tires contacting the track. I inspected the plastic rimes and found very little excess mold flashing. Fly tires can be difficult to true but the March's rubber compound is pretty easy to true with a little sand paper. You can get a 80% truing result in about 5 minutes. Because this car is so much fun to drive, I doubt I'll be looking for after-market rubber to correct the problem.

Overall, the March is absolutely excellent and in my opinion Flys best new model for 2007. I strongly recommend you get at least one if your a fan of the era.

Manic Score Breakdown

• Sex Appeal: 7th Gear
• Collectibility: 6th Gear
• Build Quality: 6th Gear
• Attention to Detail: 7th Gear
• 'RTR' Performance: 6th Gear

Overall Manic Score: 6.4 Gears