Take a look at this little gem that Postman Steve has just delivered to me!
it’s a 1:43 scale model of the 1954 Renault Etoile Filante (if your French is only of the Derek Trotter standard, it means shooting star) which was a gas turbine speed record car which hit 191 mph at Bonneville in 1956.
This one was made by French firm CIJ which was making very good quality 1:43 scale models in the 50s and 60s and they have a definite edge in quality over contemporary Dinky models, with a little more weight to them and slightly finer casting detail.
The company stopped producing diecast models around 1965 but some of its models were reintroduced by Norev in the mid-2000s
The real car is in Renault’s historical collection and has been restored to running condition.
Nice!
What’s your latest purchase? Have you got any models from CIJ in your collection? Tell us more! Leave a reply in the box at the bottom of the page – we’d love to hear from you!
