Tamiya Spitfire Mk. Vb 1/72 Stanisław Skalski mojo build.

[Beard]

I find Twitter useful when trying to resolve problems. A few tweets normally gets things done.

[TonyTiger66]

10 hours ago, TheBaron said:

Great to see you settled at Chez TT and getting stuck into a kit! I liked the scene- setting intro about the stash, like a curator at the Natural History Museum in S. Ken taking us round the storerooms, pulling open a drawer to reveal a stuffed marmoset or bandicoot and muttering 'Oh, that's where I put it.'

 

 

!

That's exactly what it's been like Tony! The old 'Drawer of Doom/unfinished WIP pile has turned into a teetering box of gibber. It's an organised box of gibber, at least there's that .

 

Good to have you along, there will be some kit building, really....

 

 

All best regards

TonyT

 

 

[TonyTiger66]

14 hours ago, 303sqn said:

Spitfire BM131 JH-Q in the summer of 1942. This aircraft was supplied brand new to 317 Squadron on 4th May 1942 serving until 5^th September 5. On that day the entire complement of 317 Squadron were transferred 315 Squadron. There it was coded PK-Q and remained until 315 squadron re-equipped with Spitfire Mk IXs in December 1942. Later, it served successively in squadrons: 501, 610, 611 and 234 until 1944. In 1947., converted to a LF.Vb, it was sold to Portugal.

 

Thank you 303sqn. This Spitfire had a varied and interesting life. This history adds a lot of interest to the build .

 

I wonder what its eventual fate was in Portugal? It suggest to me that not only could we as modellers build, e.g. all of the aircraft of a given pilot, but we could choose one aircraft and try to model its changing appearance throughout its service life.

 

All best regards

TonyT

[TonyTiger66]

10 hours ago, corsaircorp said:

Hello Tony,

Will follow you too, I became Spitfire addicted...

Sincerely.

Corsaircorp

 

Thanks Corsaircorp, great to have you here. I think there are far worse afflictions .

 

All the best

TonyT

[GrzeM]

On 7.03.2017 at 5:19 PM, JWM said:

Thanks for greetings. How is Canberra like? Is it desert city? I never been to Australia, but who knows what will be in future...

Have you seen this set of Skalski's airplanes decals ? (but in 1/48):

http://www.modelmaker.com.pl/D48057-Stanislaw-Skalski-planes/588/

Cheers

J-W

They make the 1/72 set too!

http://www.modelmaker.com.pl/D72057-Stanislaw-Skalski-planes/587/

 

[303sqn]

Spitfire International has the following:

 

Reid & Sigrist Desford, 4^th December 1946 – Dunsfold, en route for Portugal 22^nd October 1947. Arr OGMA (Oficinas Gerais de Material Aeronáutico – Aeronautical Equipment General Plants, a production, reception and maintenance unit at Alverca) 23^rd October 1947. BA.2 (Air Base) Ota 12^th January 1948. Spitfire Fighter Aviation Group from January 1948. Still at Ota in February 1952. SOC between February and April 1952. Merlin 45M, Portuguese serial number 78.

 

Modelmaker decals do not have the black letter 'Q' that was under the nose.

[TonyTiger66]

Hello everyone,

I'm going to post what I can while Mrs. T deals with the old broadband issue.

 

One of the aims of this build was to force me to clear the desk/modelling area.

 

It took around four days in the end. I'm going to use a few pictures on Post Image to keep us going. 'Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible'.

 

Here's the penultimate stage of tidying:

The main practical difference is the drawers of paints to the left of the desk, compressor and airbrush to the right. 

 

It 'feels' slightly organised, but a bit cramped as computer and model making used to occur on two different desks. I'm not complaining because we've all made do with a tray on the lap!

 

With the keyboard pushed forwards, I've more or less got a clear cutting mat:

 

 

I decided to choose some paints for this one, I don't have the Tamiya numbers required. I'm very much leaning towards this Hataka set; I very much enjoyed using their paints on a couple of LaGG 3's I had a go at last year. 

 

 

I don't know if these are good matches, but I may give them a try. Alternatively, I put together a little WWII British fighter set by Lifecolor too:

 

 

Lifecolor.. I can't find it but I was recently on a thread with @stevehnz where Hataka paints for brush painting were discussed. I don't have any and funds are a little tight, but I do have these Lifecolor paints. My experience of Lifecolor is that it is lovely for brush painting. It sometimes takes many coats, up to five, but that's the nature of the beast and part of the way a beautiful level finish can be obtained.

 

Why am I discussing brush painting? Because it may be necessary due to a little problem.

 

I've been a convert to airbrushes for around 10 months, after I finally got a decent one (decent for me anyway). 

 

This is where I now face a little challenge. I cleaned it *fairly well* before we moved home almost four  months ago. Since then it has been packed away. I unpacked it and....it has seized up :

 

 

My apologies for the blurred picture. I'm re-learning how to take close up pics ,

 

I seek some advice here. All I can do is depress the trigger. It won't pull back. The cap on the paint chamber won't unscrew, it's locked on with paint solvent. The needle won't move .

 

I went on the Iwata website and it says not to soak the whole airbrush in anything. Could anyone suggest a good solvent (or more) and approach to dismantling my seized up airbrush for a thorough cleaning, without breaking anything in the dismantling process?

 

Ideally I don't want to ruin any seals, force/bend the needle and so on.

 

Anyway, we do have plan B; hand paint with Lifecolor; I don't need to rush the airbrush.

 

"Get on with it they cried"!!! 

 

It feels so long since I made a model, I felt a bit intimidated, even by a Tamiya. Moreover, there is so much knowledge on Britmodeller about Spitfires, so many builds taking place, I don't want to make a complete pikelet of myself and make silly errors.

 

I've been trying to learn from other's builds. This little knowledge that I have taken on board leads me to question Tamiya's instructions on a number of points. Even the very first stage, painting the interior, I felt a uncomfortable.

 

They would have me paint nearly all of it interior green/grey. The 'all' there concerns me, as on other people's builds I see sections in an aluminium colour. Moreover the nature of this grey/green is clearly the matter of much debate.

 

I don't have the Tamiya colours required in the mix recipe suggested, even if I did, I'd much prefer an OOOB (out of one bottle) solution:

 

Moreover, could the assembled BM Borg hive mind please advise; should I be including some aluminium coloured (or other) cockpit wall colours here and if so, where are the demarcation lines?

 

Should part A19, the cylinders (oxygen?) be green? I thought they might be a copper colour.

 

Let's make this a proper thread and have a 'what's in the box':

 

Box with a picture of, to me, a nice result;

 

 

Nice instructions once one understands that all the 'x' numbers apply to Tamiya paints (not secret US government files) and 'A', 'B', 'C' etc to sprue /runners/sprunners/prunes. 

 

 

The sprunners/prunes are safely in a sealed bag:

 

 

Decals also sealed in a bag with protective paper layer:

 

 

Leading edge yellow stripes and fuselage sky band are provided as decals. What do we think about that? It leads me to considering a dose of Slippery Elm Food, but maybe they work?

 

Transparencies: many. Clear, fine, rather nice. I'm a little confused over which one to use:

 

 

Now this really is a nice idea. A nylon captive bush for the propellor:

 

 

Now that's a civilised approach to modelling. 

 

 

Finally, regarding those prunes/ sprinnigs/sprues I like the quite restrained panel lines and fair representation of a gull wing:

 

 

This looks like a nice quality kit. Some thought has gone into it. Do we get German kits? If we did, this would be at least AUDI. In Japanese terms, it's definitely a good mid range Toyota, maybe the LC series, aspring to be a Lexus.  

 

To veer OT for a moment, I had a 4 litre V8 Soarer in the UK for a while. A truly gorgeous automotive creation. Sometimes the Japanese get it very, very right. I have taken on board that this kit may not have the right overall outline, but still give them 8/10 for thought and presentation. Not a review, just a personal view of the first Tamiya 1/72 aircraft kit I've had a go with .

 

Well, next I dropped my 'Magic Mouse', accidentally trod on it, and broke a slide off the bottom. I fixed that with a few layers of vinyl tape, reshaped the warped alloy by eye/hand bending followed by superglue:

 

 

These are AUD $79 each, expense worries averted.

 

Back to the Spitfire, I had a look through my paints for suitable interior colours and assembled this group of Humbrol enamel culprits:

 

 Top right was chosen, although I rather like top centre (120). I think that I have read that @Miggersrecommends top left (80) with a little white. I can definitely see how that would work.

 

Due to rust caused by humidity in QLD, I was glad to see Humbrol put paint colours on the bases of their tins too; I couldn't tell what it was. Good old 78:

 

 

 

As as previously written, I washed my parts first. Details of this are on another thread:

 

 

I then applied the Humbrol 78, although I feel some aluminium will be required.

 

I also applied it to seat and cockpit floor members. I know Spitfires have no real floor, but I'm going OOB here. 

 

 

Much stirring took place in the rusty old tin.

I painted with a '0' grade sable brush, using a little Humbrol enamel thinners and just drops of paint from the upturned lid.

 

That's all I have to show for now, not much .

 

Another question. Tamiya want me to paint the wheel wells, undercarriage legs and inside of the gear doors in a mix of two greys:

 

 

Looking at other people's builds, I don't think this is correct. I've seen Sky and Aluminium suggested. Could I seek some advice here?

 

Finally, I wonder if a contribution to the penguin stance of this kit is the small 'covered' wheels suggested? I've seen photos of these on Vokes Vb's in desert operations, but would a Vb in France have the covered wheels? I have 3 and four spoke and an Aeroclub after market set too.

 

Oh, I'll be using russet on the seat, I don't have any actual russet, but we do have some fresh red spuds, so I'll be mixing a shade to match them  .

 

Hm. That was meant to be finally. It isn't. I've found a species of resin Spitfire in the stash I can't identify, never taken it out of its bags, but definitely short shot to the fuselage rear. It looks Griffon. I've found four blade top, cowl, tailplanes but notvtaken photographs yet. Any ideas what Mark it is?

 

 

Thanks for stopping by folks. Little baby steps. All advice very gratefully received.

All best regards

TonyT

[giemme]

Tony, this helped me a lot when I did my Tamiya 1/48 Spitfire MkVB:

 

http://spitfiresite.com/2010/07/anatomy-of-spitfire-cockpit.html

 

There are a couple of pics in which you can quite clearly see the demarcation line between aluminium and cockpit green, just aft of the seat.

Also, if you fancy about it, here's the link to my build:

 

same aircraft, different scale, but basically the same kit. @PlaStix built that as well (probably both scales), and I can't remember who else here on BM

 

As for wheel wells, etc, I painted them the same underside color...

 

Ciao

[PlaStix]

2 hours ago, giemme said:

@PlaStix built that as well (probably both scales),

 

Hi Tony. As Giemme mentioned: I built one of these and thoroughly enjoyed it. I made it in the Edgar Brookes Memorial GB and the WIP can be found here if you are interested:

Kind regards,

Stix

[Procopius]

3 hours ago, TonyTiger66 said:

Why am I discussing brush painting? Because it may be necessary due to a little problem.

 

I've been a convert to airbrushes for around 10 months, after I finally got a decent one (decent for me anyway). 

 

This is where I now face a little challenge. I cleaned it *fairly well* before we moved home almost four  months ago. Since then it has been packed away. I unpacked it and....it has seized up :

 

My apologies for the blurred picture. I'm re-learning how to take close up pics ,

 

I seek some advice here. All I can do is depress the trigger. It won't pull back. The cap on the paint chamber won't unscrew, it's locked on with paint solvent. The needle won't move .

 

I went on the Iwata website and it says not to soak the whole airbrush in anything. Could anyone suggest a good solvent (or more) and approach to dismantling my seized up airbrush for a thorough cleaning, without breaking anything in the dismantling process?

 

Ideally I don't want to ruin any seals, force/bend the needle and so on.

 

Hmmm, Tony old boy. I'm hardly an expert on cleaning Iwata airbrushes -- all of my many airbrushes (I have an absurdly large number, eight or something, for no good reason at all) are from lesser brands. I might try using a cotton bud with the end soaked in some lacquer/cellulose thinner, first on the trigger and then on the paint chamber lid, and maybe along the needle if there's a cut-out in the back. What kind of paint were you using?

 

Alternately, you could always ring up Iwata Oz and ask for some advice. This no doubt betrays the limits of the American mind, but I confess I can't imagine two Australians talking about anything less dynamic than, at the very least, rappelling. 

 

Re: the resin kit, it looks like a remarkably crude Spitfire XII. 

 

Photos of other 317 Squadron Spitfires seem to show the five-spoke wheels. IMHO, the problems with the Tamiya kit are more fundamental than that, but I'm just one man.

[Beard]

An alternative to russet,  as a colour for Spitfire seats, is Humbrol's German Camouflage Red-brown (160). Stew Dapple uses a Sovereign Hobbies paint that's meant for the anti-fouling paint on the hulls of RN ships and it looks pretty good.

The actual seats weren't one colour but in 1/72 I doubt anyone would notice.

Also the leather bit at the back of the seat was,  I think, a black-green. There'll be a close Humbrol match but I don't know what the number is.

[Procopius]

3 minutes ago, Beard said:

An alternative to russet,  as a colour for Spitfire seats, is Humbrol's German Camouflage Red-brown (160). Stew Dapple uses a Sovereign Hobbies paint that's meant for the anti-fouling paint on the hulls of RN ships and it looks pretty good.

The actual seats weren't one colour but in 1/72 I doubt anyone would notice.

 

Yes, it looks a bit like badly worn belt leather:

 

[Beard]

This is what badly worn leather looks like:

[CedB]

Great start Tony and the experts have already said it all (I think).  

[TonyTiger66]

3 hours ago, giemme said:

Tony, this helped me a lot when I did my Tamiya 1/48 Spitfire MkVB:

 

http://spitfiresite.com/2010/07/anatomy-of-spitfire-cockpit.html

 

There are a couple of pics in which you can quite clearly see the demarcation line between aluminium and cockpit green, just aft of the seat.

Also, if you fancy about it, here's the link to my build:

 

same aircraft, different scale, but basically the same kit. @PlaStix built that as well (probably both scales), and I can't remember who else here on BM

 

As for wheel wells, etc, I painted them the same underside color...

 

Ciao

 

Thanks Giorgio , very kind indeed. That spitfiresite.com is superb!

 

Your model is gorgeous. It's interesting to note that a it's been mentioned that the Tamiya 1/72 kit has a bit of a penguin stance. I can see it. I don't see that so much in the 1/48. I tried hard to see what makes the difference, but so far I can't identify it.

 

I have just read both yours and Stix builds, then went into the Spitfire site. It is now 4.04 am !

 

It's fascinating. I may have to resort to extreme measures to stop my brain whirring and go to sleep  .

 

1 hour ago, PlaStix said:

Hi Tony. As Giemme mentioned: I built one of these and thoroughly enjoyed it. I made it in the Edgar Brookes Memorial GB and the WIP can be found here if you are interested:

Kind regards,

Stix

 

Thank you Stix . I just read the entire build. I ran out of 'likes' on page three, but as the county court bailiff always says with a smile and doff of the hat:

 

"I'll be back". 

 

I took note of a few things; you used (as PC suggests above) the 5 spoke wheels, not the ones with plain disks/covers as the instructions suggest.

 

I think I'll do that too following advice. I increasingly see with Spitfires that it's all about finding a photo of the exact machine and using that as the guide.

 

Inalso noted your much improved seat. I wanted to go very quick and OOB, but I was a little surprised and disappointed at the kit seat. It's a bit grim . I might have to have a twiddle with some thick paper and or very thin plastic card....  

 

I'm on a dimmed screen in the bedroom order to not wake up Mrs. T, I can't quite see, I wonder if you, too, used underside colour on the wheel wells?

 

I also note the canopy. I may have a look in my BoB; "Bag of ....." erm. Can't type it here.

 

Bag of frolics, well, spare bits and broken bits etc.,  for a thinner canopy. On my builds (as if there are many  ) if I refer to my "BoB", that's what I'm talking about, not a famous air battle!

 

Fabulous hand painting Stix. Yet another leading edge yellow strip method noted  

 

All the best and thanks chaps 

TonyT

[TonyTiger66]

1 hour ago, Procopius said:

 

Hmmm, Tony old boy. I'm hardly an expert on cleaning Iwata airbrushes -- all of my many airbrushes (I have an absurdly large number, eight or something, for no good reason at all) are from lesser brands. I might try using a cotton bud with the end soaked in some lacquer/cellulose thinner, first on the trigger and then on the paint chamber lid, and maybe along the needle if there's a cut-out in the back. What kind of paint were you using?

 

Alternately, you could always ring up Iwata Oz and ask for some advice. This no doubt betrays the limits of the American mind, but I confess I can't imagine two Australians talking about anything less dynamic than, at the very least, rappelling. 

 

Re: the resin kit, it looks like a remarkably crude Spitfire XII. 

 

Photos of other 317 Squadron Spitfires seem to show the five-spoke wheels. IMHO, the problems with the Tamiya kit are more fundamental than that, but I'm just one man.

 

Many thanks PC . I have been racking my brain trying to remember the last thing I used with it. I think it may have been Alclad. The manual for the airbrush says that it is safe to use lacquer paints with it, but not to soak it. I like your idea of just gently trying to permeate the crud with laquer or cellulose thinner. I have some of the former.

 

I'm rather glad that you suggested making a telephone call to the local agent! I so seldom make telephone calls these days, that my increasingly foggy brain had forgotten about this wonderful method of communicating with other human beings .

 

I think my brain may also block it by default, leaving me unaware, due to the bad experiences I have had with telephones recently. These involve, exclusively, doctor's surgery receptionists and telecommunications provider company help desks. Making a call to either of these, I'm certain, shortens my possible lifespan profoundly, due to increased stress, blood pressure and despair.

 

Nevertheless, I will call the local Iwata person. It surely can't be as harrowing as making a call to Telstra....

 

A very crude Spitfire XII? Thanks PC. Part of me thinks I should give it a first and only flight into the dustbin, another more masochistic streak suggests building it and trying to make it look half decent. I detect, from your choice of words that the latter course of action may prove to be an exercise in futility. I will ponder it. Time to take the parts out and have a good harsh look at them  .

 

I will go for the five spoke wheels. I know it's a bit like worrying about putting the right colour of silk neck tie on a mental patient, that insists on only wearing paisley pattern flanelette pajamas, outdoors, but at the end of the day, in both cases, one probably has to make the effort  .

 

Hoping I finish this one, I promise that I'll buy a better Spit kit next time  .

 

All the best and thanks again PC

TonyT 

[TonyTiger66]

1 hour ago, Beard said:

An alternative to russet,  as a colour for Spitfire seats, is Humbrol's German Camouflage Red-brown (160). Stew Dapple uses a Sovereign Hobbies paint that's meant for the anti-fouling paint on the hulls of RN ships and it looks pretty good.

The actual seats weren't one colour but in 1/72 I doubt anyone would notice.

Also the leather bit at the back of the seat was,  I think, a black-green. There'll be a close Humbrol match but I don't know what the number is.

 

1 hour ago, Procopius said:

 

Yes, it looks a bit like badly worn belt leather:

 

 

Thanks Simon and PC. I do have Humbrol 160. It will therefore be getting a thoroughly good stirring tomorrow. I also have a gloss Humbrol brown that I feel, with some adjustments, could do the trick for the 'worn belt leather' shade.

 

As hinted at earlier, I'm a bit unhappy with the look of the kit seat. I may fettle something into shape ...

Best regards

TonyT

[TonyTiger66]

1 hour ago, Beard said:

This is what badly worn leather looks like:

 

OMG!! 

Maybe it's a new treatment for varicose veins  ?

 

That made me laugh out loud at 4.45 am Simon, superb .

T

[Rick Brown]

1 hour ago, Beard said:

This is what badly worn leather looks like:

I've got a mate that looks like that when he's in his Speedos.

Scary.

Rick.

[Miggers]

Now then,now then,Spit/Seaf. cockpit colour eh?

 

As has been mentioned,aft of the seat frame and for'rard of the instrument panel,do it in aloominum(as our chums across the water say).

 

Supermarine's(and Westland's under Supermarine's directive)used a different shade of paint for the 'pit itself than anyone else did.

 

I use a 50/50 mix of Humbrol 78 and 90(Interior grey green and Sky).Once dry,give 'er a wash of pure 78 in all the nooks and crannies

followed by a drybrush of pure 90 to pop things out a bit.

All yer quadrants(undiecart and throttle)along with the I/P are black.

Wheel wells/doors are usually underside colour by the time the Spit V was gracing the skies.

As to using pictures for reference to the particular trusty steed you wish to depict,make sure they're

originals if poss,there's a lot out there of "modern" Spits,some are great restorations very close to

original,some aren't.

 

As to cracking your stuck Eyewatta hairbrush,trot along to you local car respray/body shop and ask 'em for a pint of

spraygun cleaner,if that won't shift it,it's.............(insert your favorite word for "broken",a good one is "horsemucked").

Edited March 13, 2017 by Miggers

[TonyTiger66]

59 minutes ago, CedB said:

Great start Tony and the experts have already said it all (I think).  

 

Thank you Ced . Everyone has been very kind. I didn't trust the painting instructions and just got, well, stuck. Mental block. The chaps have cleared it and I'm ready to do some painting (and hopefully glueing) this afternoon.

 

If the BoB doesn't help, I may consider a vac-form canopy.......

 

All the best Ced

TonyT

[TheBaron]

2 hours ago, Beard said:

This is what badly worn leather looks like:

Are those studs on the sunglasses in his right hand as well?  'I'm too hip to see, I just navigate by cool alone....'

[Beard]

17 minutes ago, TheBaron said:

Are those studs on the sunglasses in his right hand as well? 

 

Of course they are, what else would a man who wears double leather have on his sunglasses?

[TheBaron]

8 minutes ago, Beard said:

 

Of course they are, what else would a man who wears double leather have on his sunglasses?

Oh thank God Beard! I thought you were going to reply: 'That's  actually a picture of me.' in outraged tones and I was going to to be forced to tender abject apologies...

[jean]

Hi Tony,

 

this build is getting really involved, and it has hardly started...

Anyway, there are some good tips to be picked up in all the posts as there is so much Spitfire knowledge on BM (it kind of makes a lot of sense).

For what it's worth, I use Humbrol 100 for the seat's bakelite. In 1/72, there is no point of worrying about small hue differences.

 

It is going to be good and educational, and we may even know more about Australia by the end of it!

Great show and have fun:!

 

JR