Jump to content

A Trio Too Far (2 x Mk XII's, Mk 21 - 1/72)


Recommended Posts

EDIT: I've re-added as many pics as I could find to this thread after the 'Great Photobucket Debacle' of 2017. But many didn't make it in the transfer process, but I hope the thread is now at least readable.

 

Like all Britmodellers, I'm saddened by the loss of Edgar Brooks, but grateful that there is a way to honor him with this Group Build.

Biggles87 (John) built a wonderful 1/48 41 Sqn Spitfire XII with codes 'EB' as a tribute to Edgar, and I would like to follow suit with a pair 41 Sqn XII's in 1/72. The Mk XII is a little hard to come by in that scale, and I'm taking two approaches, again inspired by builds by fellow Britmodellers.

Approach one involves some cross kitting inspired by ModelGlue's start to some kit bashed Mk XII's last year, and Bedder's very nice hybrids on the go as well.

It involves a Brigade Spitfire XII conversion set mated to a Sword Mk VC.

.

For a little practice, I began my own Spitfire XIV's based on various Airfix and AZ kits earlier this year.

Approach two is inspired by Procopius' resin Seafire from the Korean War GB. I managed to acquire a CMR Mk XII.

.

I've never built a resin kit before, but now is the time. We'll see how it goes.

Stew Dapple has shown us that Spitfires are best built in threes, so I need to add another one to this. I think it will be a Mk 21 cross-kitted from the Airfix Mk 22 and a Special Hobby Mk 21.

  • Like 10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks PC, I hope I manage the resin as well as you did.

I got the Brigade/Sword cross-kit started today. The Brigade set is designed to be attached to Italeri Mk VB wings, but I've decided to remove the Griffon nose and attach it to a Sword VC.

Here's the Brigade fuselage half.

.

The nose removed, and the Sword kit prepared for a new engine.

.

The left half is just taped on, in order to help guide the Griffon attachment. Easy, easy....OK.

 

PIC LOST TO PHOTOBUCKET

 

I compared the finished right half with the CMR kit, and it matches nicely. Phew, so far so good.

.

 

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Brigade conversion is always one I've wanted to see before I bought it, and now that I have, I'm a little surprised at how crude it is. I guess I thought that since the Italeri Spitfires all share the same fuselage, that it would just be the engine mount. I also would have expected separate exhaust stacks. That said, looks like you've made the cut nose match up with the Sword nicely.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

PC, I'll post more pics of the Brigade conversion for your inspection with the next update. I spent a long time planning that one out, but it wasn't until recently that I decided that it would be easier to simply chop off the nose than try and work the entire fuselage to an Italeri or Sword kit.

Ced, you're one to talk! I think your Valom builds are several degrees of difficulty above any of this.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great choice for Spitfire Marks and good luck! I might as well get this out of the way now - why don't Airfix downscale their 1/48th scale Mk.XII?

Regards,

Jason

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great stuff Cookie - I've wanted to do a decent XII for ages, but since the disappearance of the Xtrakit version, I've been at a bit of a loss as to how. So I'll be following your builds with interest.

Justin

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did you know that you can buy kits that don't need chopping about? Just a thought... :)

I built this Spitfire straight from the box. Except that somewhere along the line I opened another box... and then a package arrived in the post...

(I have heard rumours of such things- often with the code-name 'Tamiya'- but where's the pleasure in that?)

"Are we not men? No, we are modellers!"

bob

Edited by gingerbob
  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh the Brigade fuselage is rather crude isn't it :blink: Seems to me you'll have three rather interesting projects going on here Cookie :coolio:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

(I have heard rumours of such things- often with the code-name 'Tamiya'- but where's the pleasure in that?)

The 1/72 Tamiya Spitties are not great, though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not much to report yet, but here's the promised pic of the Brigade set. It is a little rough around the edges.

 

PIC LOST TO PHOTOBUCKET

 

The wings may come in handy someday. Perhaps to convert an AZ MK.VB to a VC?

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I removed the nose from the other half of the Sword kit. The next step will be to get the interior together so the halves can be mated and then the second Griffon half attached.

 

PIC LOST TO PHOTOBUCKET

 

I also did a little comparison between the Brigade/Sword fuselage and the CMR, for what it's worth.

.

 

Then nose, firewall and rear cockpit bulkhead line up really well. The Sword cockpit opening is little longer - taking away from the panel over the fuel tank.

But the CMR kit is quite a bit shorter than the Sword Mk V behind the cockpit.

.

I was under the impression that the Sword and AZ Spitfires heavily influenced by the CMR. I don't know which is correct, but I think they both will end up looking like Spitfires, unlike the Special Hobby Mk 21 - more on that below.

I set up a mass production paint line for the interiors.

.

The Special Hobby Mk 21 is quite a bit shorter than the Airfix Mk 22, and it looks kind of 'tubby'. It reminds me of how the Academy P-40 just ends up looking kind of funny next other P-40's. Forgive me if it seems like I'm complaining, I'm glad Academy make a P-40, and I enjoyed building it, and the SH Mk 21 has really nice detail and I did buy it with eyes open - it's just that it's mostly going to be a donor kit for me.

The first thing the SH kit is donating is its fuselage spine - here it is attached to the Airfix Mk 22.

 

PIC LOST TO PHOTOBUCKET

 

I used the spare Airfix Mk IX canopy to act as a guide for spacing the cuts and attachments.

The SH kit is also donating its tail - too wide for the Airfix kit (a bit tubby alright), the halves had to be filed down to fit.

 

PIC LOST TO PHOTOBUCKET

 

I'm glad the SH kit pieces worked out, I had an Airfix Mk XIX ready to chop up just in case, and I do have an AZ Mk 21 that could be done OOB if worse comes to worse, but this is way more fun.

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Special Hobby Mk 21 is quite a bit shorter than the Airfix Mk 22, and it looks kind of 'tubby'. It reminds me of how the Academy P-40 just ends up looking kind of funny next other P-40's.

This is exactly how I feel, too. The SH Spitfire 21 reminds me a bit of Academy's Spitfire XIVd[oughnuts].

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some nice butchery surgery going on there Cookie! If the SH F.21 is too tubby, I'm glad I've held on to my old Aeroteam (remember them?) kit. Stubborn-headed s** that I am, I've retrieved my M News Mk.XII to give it another go. I've yet to have a kit defeat me because it was too difficult to beat into submission, and I'm not going to let this one win. Mind you, I've given up on a fair number of kits out of sheer laziness, but never because I just couldn't beat them into shape. I will not be defeated! Ни шагу назад! Ni Shagu Nazad! Not One Step Back! Oh, ahem, this was your thread, Cookie. Sorry... I tend to go a little over the top at times. Time to go back on the medication.

Best Regards,

Jason

Edited by Learstang
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm glad the SH kit pieces worked out, I had an Airfix Mk XIX ready to chop up just in case, and I do have an AZ Mk 21 that could be done OOB if worse comes to worse, but this is way more fun.

Well, one can certainly tell you are having a lot of fun, Doctor Frankenstein Cookenbacher! :winkgrin::coolio:

Ciao

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...