vppelt68 Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 Time to (finally) leave the chilly Ostfront behind and, like a migratory bird, head to the warmth of the Mediterranean. Gustavs, what Gustavs? Later... Now it´s time to build a pair of Spitfires with decent chins (Vokes filter, that is). This is actually my long, long overdue "For Edgar" build, but it´s never too late for that. I´ll probably begin building later this weekend but here´s the opener. I plan to build two not that nice kits side by side, the Tamiya and Italeri versions in 1:72 scale (of course). I had already dumped the huge Italeri box in order to save space, as the almost equally large Tamiya box easily swallows both kits in it! The Italeri kit is their starter set edition, with a paintbrush, glue and two (2!) small cans of acrylic paint included. The paints are for the desert scheme dark earth and sand, with the kit molded in "azure blue" plastic so one doesn´t need to paint its lower surfaces. Still leaves a lot to be desired in detail painting... But some mandatory pics first: Just the Tamiya boxtop :-( Here are the instructions, if you need more pics of the, please ask :-) Grey sprues by Tamiya, blue sprues by Italeri. Neither is even near perfect but I need to build them. These two kits give me four MTO options, but I hate even the idea of spoiling a Spitfire by clipping its phenomenal wing tips, so that lessens my choices. I do have SAAF roundels and would like to use them but am short of appropriate codes, maybe I have to go shopping for them? I do have Airfix arresting gear pieces too, so a 885 NAS Seafire 1b rings my bells too. Choices, choices! Then of course "we´ll always have Paris Malta" and a lot of options, how to correctly paint a Malta Spitfire So, finally your GB host gets his act together and joins the builds! Though the FW 190 STGB and the Blitzbuild 109 would´ve both been eligible in here too, so it hasn´t been just laziness on my behalf ;-) Regards, V-P 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beard Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 I'll be tagging along, if I may. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob85 Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 Excellent opening post V-P! Your right the kits are not perfect, but they can be built! Looking forward to the options you choose *cough*Malta*cough* Rob 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 Nice choices V-P. Be great to see one built in one of the interesting Malta based schemes. Craig. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyZ Posted October 1, 2016 Share Posted October 1, 2016 Hi V-P, I'm waiting (im)patiently to see what schemes you end up choosing. Cheers Jimmy 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted October 1, 2016 Share Posted October 1, 2016 Did you say Seafire? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted October 1, 2016 Author Share Posted October 1, 2016 (edited) A judging question for my host buddy Jon! I have a started Revell Spitfire Vb kit. It's been in my scrap box for the last three years... The pit is assembled, and the wing parts too. There's some paint here and there but everything needs to be at least repainted, if not stripped and repainted. The wings have the short tips, that need to be removed, and proper tips added. I'm considering crafting on new lower wing from Airfix Vc kit and using the Revell uppers, if I manage to get them separated. I'll try adding a Vokes cowl from Tamiya or Italeri kit, and then finish it with an arresting gear from Airfix Vc kit. So that'd give me a Seafire Ib 👌 Am I below the 25% rule? Cheers and regards, V-P Edited October 1, 2016 by vppelt68 Hey, I just learned to add photos from my mobile phone! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepureness Posted October 1, 2016 Share Posted October 1, 2016 I'm good with that Vp. Happy to permit 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted October 1, 2016 Author Share Posted October 1, 2016 Thanks! Unfortunately some moron (me) had really glued the Revell wings together, no chance of separating them so that anything would remain usable. So much for the gullwings, then. The wingtips can be sawn off, if nothing else, and the correct long tips added. Maybe I should use the Aboukir filter with this and do the Seafire from the other two kits? Hmmm... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEMPESTMK5 Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 Good afternoon Vppelt68 I hope you will enjoy these builds and good luck for building the Italeri and Revell ones .. Patrice 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnd Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 @vppelt68 ... I recently dismantled a Revell Vb and have the upper wings reasonably intact. There's some damage to one trailing edge and I've used the surfaces as a tester for paint but they should scrub up ok. If you want them they're yours. John. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted October 3, 2016 Author Share Posted October 3, 2016 Thanks John for your generous offer! I have since decided to just bash together the Revell kit as I have it, with or without clipped wingtips as I won´t spend too long time with these builds (I hope). That´s why I also dropped the idea of converting the Seafire from any of these, they are just not worth it! I managed to start assembling the Italeri kit last night. I decided to add the cowlings to fuselage halves first, before assembling the halves. We´ll see if I did this the right way or not. The fuselage halves are the flimsiest I have ever met! The cockpit parts were also assembled, I´ll probably attack the Tamiya interior next so I can paint all three at the same time. Kovozavody P... etc. has promised us a new Spitfire Vc in November. I´ll get back to topic Seafire when that´s available, there´s still a month left in this GB but what about my Gustavs, then Regards, V-P 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted October 18, 2016 Author Share Posted October 18, 2016 Italeri Spitfire progressed a bit, no bigger harms yet, but the biggest update is the decision I´ve made concerning my choices: 1) Vb, from the Cauchi book in Gibraltar with early roundels, no plane codes and single upper surface colour (Italeri) 2) Vb, the IRoG from Italeri set, desert scheme with mutilated wingtips (Revell) 3) Ib, the "G" from IWM pics taken at HMS Formidable (Tamiya/Airfix) Regards, V-P 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 All interesting choices, looking forward to the pics ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted November 16, 2016 Author Share Posted November 16, 2016 Cheers all. The title change simply means "Spitfires For Edgar". I didn´t have time to participate in the dedicated GB this spring, I´ll try to make it up this way. Time to finally get going should I wish to finish all of these. I dumped the idea of building the 109 Gustav quartet in this GB, as there´s the decidated STGB coming next year. So on with the Spitfires! There have been some spectacular builds here so I´ll balance that with one less so. Looking at stevehnz:s Mk VI trop build I had no other choice but to buy a fourth kit to build one too - the combination of a Vokes filter and extended wing tips was just too tempting! I found an Italeri Mk. VII kit at a local toystore (yes, not a hobby shop!) and took it home with me. I´ll use the wingtips with the Italeri Vb kit and as I believe can finish what´s rest of the other kit as a Mk. IX? I know the Italeri Spits aren´t perfect but they´ll do me fine, as I´m far from perfect myself too. I managed to paint a lot yesterday, but after taking this picture, and forgot to take another later... Well that suits my modelling and photographic skills . Now I just need to search decal options for the Mk. VI and the Mk. IX. The Vb:s advance as planned except that Gibraltar- plane will be using the Tamiya kit. See, I´m building something again! Regards, V-P 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob85 Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 I have some mk ix transfers if one requires them?? Rob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted November 17, 2016 Author Share Posted November 17, 2016 Thanks Rob, I´ll see if I need some more decals or not. Here´s a pictorial essay of what went on yesterday: At 19:37 it looked like this... ...and this. Pieces to be painted, pieces to be assembled. Something was already assembled. Italeri Mk. V in front, Mk. VII -> Mk. IX at the back. At 20.31 the radiator pieces were inside the Italeri wings, and they all looked like this. Oh looks like a pair of Matchbox wings, doesn´t it? A good idea to play something with... At 21.00 I had fixed the rudders, deliberately in a Matchbox way :-) This is what an Italeri Mk. Vc in 1:72 scale might look like, but not in this case. At 23.49 almost three hours had gone without taking any pictures, but what else had happened... All four fuselages buttoned up and wings attached! Italeri Mk. VI trop Italeri Mk. IX Revell Mk. Vb with Italeri Aboukir filter Tamiya Mk. Vb trop. One can´t compare the joy of assembling this kit to the Italeri ones... All four together again. Not bad for a one night effort! Regards, V-P 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted November 17, 2016 Author Share Posted November 17, 2016 Spent some time filling seams and then smoothing them. No reason or will to go all out on these, just fancy a quartet of quick builds. I believe the next step will be adding the small stuff like aerials, pitot tubes and such. I started converting the Italeri Vb prop for a fourblader. Never expect getting a closer look at the result! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted December 16, 2016 Author Share Posted December 16, 2016 Monthly (!) progress report, and not too glamorous one, I´m afraid... But still planning to finish these by Christmas! Anyway, here´s a few lousy pics to hurt your eyes. A pot of Xtracolor Azure Blue stirred and ready to dip a brush in! That´s my 30+ years old Mk. 1 Paint Stirrer, btw. 75% done, at that point I wasn´t sure yet as how to paint the Italeri Mk. IX. Later, I decided to go all-desert with the quartet. Plain Hu225 looks kinda... well, those of us who have changed diapers may understand what I mean! "All Spitfires look the same" - not! Hu29 ready, and the canopies got attached too. Never mind the accuracy - I painted the reverse schemes on the Italeri kits and thought that two was enough for one night! Regards, V-P 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob85 Posted December 16, 2016 Share Posted December 16, 2016 That's a lot of painting V-P, they are really coming together now and looking good Rob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted December 25, 2016 Author Share Posted December 25, 2016 To finish one or DNF four, that was my problem. I took the easy way out, finishing just one Spitfire out of my four builds, but finishing it anyway! Here´s where they have advanced so far: Tamiya Vb Trop finished, Italeri VI and IX nearly there, Revell Vb on the way, but... Some more pics of the finished one in the Gallery . Regards, V-P 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted January 4, 2017 Author Share Posted January 4, 2017 With the pressure of the F-16 STGB getting near, I wanted to clear my desk from the not yet finished builds. Mostly the four Spitfires in this MTO theme GB. Yes, it´s still Christmas time. Spitfires, tea and some Ju 88:s too. In 1:72 scale, a desert Spitfire really needs the wing walkway markings. Ok, here´s a pair of Vb:s I became happy with: Revell on the left, Tamiya on the right. The Revell Vb was painted using Italeri instructions, in reverse of course and has Italeri decals too. Now we´re going WHIF or non-prototypical, or whatever... I had no energy left with the Italeri kits, so decided to just stick on some decals and say they´re done. The IXc has Tamiya clipped wing Vb codes on. But I won´t touch these Italeri Spitfires ever again... More WHIF comes in the shape of a SAAF Spitfire VI Trop. I used leftover Airfix and Encore decals for the roundels. Airfix ones wouldn´t like to come off the backing paper and the Encore upper wing roundels deteriorated in my hands. Like the white code letters I had intended to use too. Whatever, that´s done and now shall now rot in peace. Italeri Spitfire kit with Encore decals. Can´t go wrong with that combination, or ... Best regards, V-P 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Well despite the issues you ended up with a nice looking collection. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Lovely Spit`s,........they all look great, Cheers Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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