22 replies to this topic

[f1steveuk]

http://www.henribaig...i...op of index


Superb site for anyone who isn't familiar with Mon. Baigent, I wondered if anyone knew of the location of any of these models today?

[kayemod]

http://www.henribaig...i...op of index


Superb site for anyone who isn't familiar with Mon. Baigent, I wondered if anyone knew of the location of any of these models today?

Sir Stirling still has every one of those that Henri made for him, all still on display in his Mayfair home, though I only know this from having seen them in the background at various times in photos taken in that domicile over the years, most recently following his unfortunate lift mishap last year. As a teenager, I can remember seeing several newspaper and magazine articles showing the construction of these models and others like them over the years, the Lotus 18, Cooper, and especially that lovely Ferrari 250GT. Henri's work also featured quite often in one or two modelling magazines in the US, and these were much more lavishly produced than the few we had in the UK. I was fortunate enough to have a modelling enthusiast friend over there, and he sometimes sent copies of these American publications to me. I was in awe of Henri Baigent's many skills, though I only found out about his other many and varied creations/inventions many years after his quite early death at only 61, he looked a lot older than that in photos I've seen.

[macoran]

Awesome !!!

[T54]

Jack Brabham still has the BT24 that Henri Baigent built for him, commissioned by Esso.
Lord Portman no longer has the fantastic 250GT SWB, but it was recently repaired from what I understand.
There is a part chapter about Henri and his great rail-racing cars in my upcoming book about the history of electric model car racing, that will come out in time for Christmas 2011.

[baigent]

Jack Brabham still has the BT24 that Henri Baigent built for him, commissioned by Esso.
Lord Portman no longer has the fantastic 250GT SWB, but it was recently repaired from what I understand.
There is a part chapter about Henri and his great rail-racing cars in my upcoming book about the history of electric model car racing, that will come out in time for Christmas 2011.

I am the author of the above-mentioned website. As you will see in the story, I was trained by Henri (my father) from my early days to make models.I learnt so much from him and it set me up to solve problems of all sorts. I am always trying to achieve excellence and I taught my two sons to do the same. They are both very successful and rigorus in their work, so it has paid off well.
I would like to point out a couple of facts. Lord Portman died along way back, and, with respect he should be refered to as the Late Lord Portman. I went to the same school as he did in Dorset, and he became a good friend of my father. Henri made the Berlinetta for him as Eddie had the full-sized car made for him by Ferrari as a special order. The Ferrari was in Henri's workshop for quite a while because the gearbox, diff-unit and steering-box were dismantled as every thing had to be mad of the same materials and true facsimiles of the real car. Ferrari supplies the suitable materials including the unique seat leather and lining trims, the paint and tyre rubber was supplied by the tyre manufacturers. I know where the model and the car were a few months ago. I hope to see the owners as soon as I recover from a serious illness. A dear friend of mine has dug out some more old mags and reports, so I will be augmenting the site very soon. Following that, I will be seeing Sir Stirling, and the wives of two of Henri's customer/friends to do some more research.
The Berlinetta was damaged and consequently sent to the top jewellers. They did some repairs but they were not able to do the fine silver work around the window surrounds. I am going to see what can be done as I would not expect it to any more difficult than the parts I made so many times. Note: You wont see much about my work in the site as the article was to celebrate Henri's work, not mine.
I will try to remember to notify you with each new revision via this forum, I am contactable via my email address for this subject. ray(at)henribaigent.org should be correct on a button on the site, but use an ampersand, of course. This is a security matter!
If you are writing about our history in your book, I suggest that you are careful not to use any of my photos ar ane quotes from the site as I have made it clear that it is my copyright material, and I spent a lot of time and money on research so I am quite fed up with other sites pinching my material without offering to pay a small contribution to my charity. No offence meant, and I will help if I can. Make sure that you bhave the true facts please as so many versions are erroneous.
I have received loads of good comments about my work from all over the world, but NOT ONE reader has pledged any donations to my Oxford charity. I could not have written this work if it had not been for the Oxford Hospitals.
Thanks, Kind regards, and sincerely, Ray Baigent

[baigent]

http://www.henribaig...i...op of index


Superb site for anyone who isn't familiar with Mon. Baigent, I wondered if anyone knew of the location of any of these models today?

My Father (and Business Partner) was not French, see that web-site. His had some french genes as his forefathers came to England as Hugenots to escape persecution. A load of wags in our club, including me, called him Henri and it stuck and gave the right tang to our business name. So he was not Mon.!, but Mr. I guess you have not read the whole site? No offence meant!

I know where a most of the scratch-built models are, but I have been asked to keep the locations and ownership to myself for security reasons, they are values in thousands.

Sincerely Ray Baigent (only son of Henri Baigent)

[10kDA]

Ray - Stunning work! Thanks for putting your father's work on line. Re: unknown car on "The Later Years" page - appears to be a 1962 BRM P57, as driven to that year's World Driving Championship by Graham Hill.

http://www.f1fanatic...hill_brmp57.jpg

Not sure about # 12, though.

Chris

[Bjorn Kjer]

Thanks for pointing to this , highly interesting.

[Allan Lupton]

My Father (and Business Partner) was not French, see that web-site. His had some french genes as his forefathers came to England as Hugenots to escape persecution. A load of wags in our club, including me, called him Henri and it stuck and gave the right tang to our business name. So he was not Mon.!, but Mr. I guess you have not read the whole site? No offence meant!

I know where a most of the scratch-built models are, but I have been asked to keep the locations and ownership to myself for security reasons, they are values in thousands.

Sincerely Ray Baigent (only son of Henri Baigent)

Quite apart from being shown your splendid site, I can now say that I know of another Engishman with what appears to have been a French name (the other being Henri Farman of course). Must ask the Ms. Baigent who lives near me if she's related in some way. (ETA: I did and she isn't but was interested in the site - and mentioned a father and son, both called Richard Baigent, who were moderately well known Victorian artists, at least in Winchester, so painting was around in the family)
I'm always full of admiration for you people who can work so well with such small pieces, as my skills and precision are barely accurate enough for the 12":1' scale of the cars I fettle.

Edited by Allan Lupton, 22 May 2011 - 13:04.

[Alan Cox]

Re: unknown car on "The Later Years" page - appears to be a 1962 BRM P57, as driven to that year's World Driving Championship by Graham Hill.
Not sure about # 12, though.

The only record which I can find of Graham Hill driving a "stackpipe" V8 BRM with the number 12 is the Grand Prix de Bruxelles of 1962.

Edited by Alan Cox, 22 May 2011 - 16:27.

[f1steveuk]

Many thanks to Ray for contributing, and for putting us right on some of the details. It's nice to know the work continues, it must be in the genes!

[jj2728]

Literally "Works of art" in minature. Staggering pieces.

[kayemod]

The only record which I can find of Graham Hill driving a "stackpipe" V8 BRM is the Grand Prix de Bruxelles of 1962.

No, Graham won at Zandvoort driving a stackpipe V8, and he took one to sixth in the following race at Monaco as well. He probably also drove one at Spa, as I think the low-level exhaust version appeared for the first time at Rouen. I remember seeing him drive a stack-pipe car in pre-season non-championship races as well, the Bruxelles race you mentioned, at Snetterton, and at Silverstone & Aintree. Graham also had one for that fateful 62 Glover Trophy race at Goodwood. That early version of the V8 exhaust had a habit of shedding pipes during races, though that didn't seem to affect the performance a great deal.

[Tim Murray]

Yes, but the Brussels race was the only one where Graham raced the 'stackpipe' and carried #12, which is what I think Alan meant.

Edit: but then again it could be Ginther at Aintree.

Edited by Tim Murray, 22 May 2011 - 16:20.

[Alan Cox]

Yes, but the Brussels race was the only one where Graham raced the 'stackpipe' and carried #12, which is what I think Alan meant.

Edit: but then again it could be Ginther at Aintree.

Sorry, Rob, I should have added "...with the number 12..." which was my intention. Well deduced, Tim
Original post now edited

[kayemod]

Sorry, Rob, I should have added "...with the number 12..." which was my intention. Well deduced, Tim
Original post now edited

All clear now, but I should have known better than to question the BRM knowledge of TNF regulars.

[Tony Matthews]

my skills and precision are barely accurate enough for the 12":1' scale of the cars I fettle.

Just double-up, Allan, the results are impressive!

[baigent]

Just double-up, Allan, the results are impressive!

Hello again folks,
Thank you for your comments re-the website, you are most generous. I am trying to edit it, and add to it, during the next month. This was the first web-site that I wrote so there were some errors. I had to learn to use HTML so it took quite a while. The intention was to leave the record straight as there was a lot of writers over the years who had there facts screwed up and hence wrong. I was very close to my father and I was witness to most of his work, some at first hand. I am going to add a forum to the site, if time and health permits.

I have known for some time that the image was of the Stack-pipe BRM, but my web editor software was damaged so I had to replace it, then I will alter the caption, but, thank you anyway. Henri would have numbered it to the customers requirements. As it was made for RRC (Rob) Walker for pylon racing, it would have been kosher. Rob was particular about his racers and authenticity.

Now, if I may spur you on to make some models Allan...
I went through the process from nailing 2 planks together and trying to throw it up to achieve flight! I was very young! One day, Henri called me over and asked if I wanted to know how to make a proper aeroplane. I was eager to try, so he gave me some cedar wood and told me to make a DeHavilland Mosquito to 1/72 scale, in the solid. He nurtured me in his workshop. He taught me to carve safely after doing the drawings from a weekly magazine called 'The Spotter' which gave silhoutte diagrams of the latests warplanes to enable identification. There was not much detail available so he taught me to cut templates for the fuselage so that the finished carving looked feasible. When the carving and shaping was finished he insisted on rubbing down and doping time and again until I had achieved a superb smooth matt finish ready for painting. % coats of undercoat and it was ready for the final coat of cellulose. It finished up in a model-shop window which made me very proud. This was the start of a really exciting time with him teaching me to make various projects. In short, you have a go at something with a low difficulty factor and perfect that, then, work your way up. Why not try making a Ferrari steering wheel?
Talents may be expressed in the genes, but skill comes from nurture, and that takes a lot of patience.
Go to it Allan, sincerely, Ray

[Tony Matthews]

Ah, the solid model! Many skills were lost or replaced when plastic kits appeared...

[Allan Lupton]

Ah, the solid model! Many skills were lost or replaced when plastic kits appeared...

I did some of that (solid 1:72 scale model aeroplane making) but that too was replaced by twelve inches to the foot when I became a de Havilland apprentice. As I say, the quality of my work is sometimes barely enough for work on cars at that (full) scale.

[baigent]

I did some of that (solid 1:72 scale model aeroplane making) but that too was replaced by twelve inches to the foot when I became a de Havilland apprentice. As I say, the quality of my work is sometimes barely enough for work on cars at that (full) scale.

Well Allan,
If you did a DeHaviland Apprenticeship I would have thought that you would be able to be very competent at any of that sort of work. Were you at Christchurch, I knew quite a lot of the fellows there? I was in the design office at Vickers Armstrong at Hurn for a while and we took on quite a few of DH lads. I reckon you are being too modest, but it better than bragging about it. I have not done much modelling for a while as I have been struggling with heart failure and an infection that is very difficult to erradicate. Also eyesight which has had to solve with an operation. I will be 80 this year so everything is dropping off it seems. Like a classis car, there is always something raizing its ugly head. Are you of the same generation?

I am in Hungerford, between Marlborough and Newbury near the M4/J14, if you are reasonably near I would like to meet you over a lemonade. What are your interests?
Sincerely, Ray

[Arjan de Roos]

Just a quick line. My first and foremost information on your father stems from 'The modelcar hand book' by Bob Cutter. In chapter 14 he introduces master modelers from Rex Hays to Geral Wingrove.
Most lines and pictures though are dedicated to Baigent!

[Allan Lupton]

Well Allan,
If you did a DeHaviland Apprenticeship I would have thought that you would be able to be very competent at any of that sort of work. Were you at Christchurch, I knew quite a lot of the fellows there? I was in the design office at Vickers Armstrong at Hurn for a while and we took on quite a few of DH lads. I reckon you are being too modest, but it better than bragging about it.

De Havilland at Hatfield was where I was - and remained for 37 years through various changes of ownership and name until they closed the place down! DH Christchurch, formerly Airspeed of course, closed down much earlier and a lot of its people (apprentices to senior design and production staff) came to Hatfield.
As I was an Engineering Apprentice I spent most of the five years doing academic and non-practical things after having been taught the rudiments of fitting, sheetmetal working and machining at the apprentice school and a year or so in the fuselage, wing and fitting shops helping proper workmen. What that taught me as well was to know what I can and cannot do when it comes to fine tolerance working - and I can also recognise real skill when I see it.
I'm in Letchworth, Herts, so while I'd like to meet you it's not that close. Much of my time is spent playing with my old motorcar(s) on VSCC Rallies and fixing them as I wear them out. With increasing age (although I'm 7 years behind you!) car parts are getting heavier so modelling has its appeal, but sight and dexterity would have to improve rather than decline for that to be possible.

Edited by Allan Lupton, 26 May 2011 - 08:42.