My endless Spitfire build - ready for 2019

[Beard]

Both the MkVI and MkIX have had their canopy installed, they now need painting.

 

 

I need to find a suitable styrene aerial mast, AZ give you a photo-etch one.

 

 

I still have to paint the aerial mast and find some suitable wheels. All it needs then is a varnish, I think I'll give it a satin coat.

 

I've also made a start on the MkVbs, no photographs because I've only given the interior a splash of grey-green and done a black undercoat for the bits that need one.

 

In the meantime, I've made a trip to the loft (to get some transfers for a BM member) and selected the next victims (a clue: they haven't got Merlin engines).

 

Thanks for looking.

 

[Cookenbacher]

On 1/15/2018 at 1:52 PM, amblypygid said:

I just acquired Wojtek Matusiak's three volume history of 303 Squadron

I love that set, it's among my prize possessions.

 

4 hours ago, Beard said:

I've also made a start on the MkVbs

Yes! Glad to see the Spitfire momentum continue.

 

The VI and IX are looking fantastic. Your 'early early' IX has directly led to the purchase of the AZ kit.

[Beard]

2 hours ago, Cookenbacher said:

The VI and IX are looking fantastic. Your 'early early' IX has directly led to the purchase of the AZ kit.

 

Thanks Cookie.

Be careful with the resin bits that come with the kit, the pouring stub is in an awkward place and they don't fit to the fuselage particularly well. If my one looks good it's because I've taken the photograph from an angle that hides the mess I made of attaching them.

 

[Beard]

A bit of early morning modelling... I've painted the canopies of the MkVI and MkIX (after filling the gaps that the photographs in Post 276 revealed) and painted the interiors (and other bits and bobs) on the MkVbs.

 

 

 

I'll give the cockpits a dry-brush with some light grey and a black poster paint wash before joining the fuselage halves.

 

Thanks for looking.

Edited January 17, 2018 by Beard

[Valkyrie]

I love the smell of Tamiya paints in the mornings. This is an inspiring venture Beard. I’m pressing on with my first ever Spit as you have encouraged me to retrieve it from the box. Eduard? Felt it was a touch complicated to put together and very brittle. Canopy snapped and one of the cannons snapped off and consumed by the carpet monster. Is there a fix for that or should I just break the one from other side off? Anyway, please keep this up as I think I might be getting a spitfire bug watching this. I’ve also now got the daily mail Spit to do.....

[Oldone]

Looking good, like the paint work. Comming along nicely by the look of it.Looking forward to seeing more.

[Beard]

On 17/01/2018 at 9:26 AM, Valkyrie said:

I love the smell of Tamiya paints in the mornings. This is an inspiring venture Beard. I’m pressing on with my first ever Spit as you have encouraged me to retrieve it from the box. Eduard? Felt it was a touch complicated to put together and very brittle. Canopy snapped and one of the cannons snapped off and consumed by the carpet monster. Is there a fix for that or should I just break the one from other side off? Anyway, please keep this up as I think I might be getting a spitfire bug watching this. I’ve also now got the daily mail Spit to do.....

 

I'm honoured that my efforts have inspired you to complete your first Spitfire (I've had a peak at your WiP and it's very good) bit I can't help with what to do about the missing cannon.

PS. We don't mmention the Daily Mail in these parts.

 

On 17/01/2018 at 3:51 PM, Oldone said:

Looking good, like the paint work. Comming along nicely by the look of it.Looking forward to seeing more.

 

Thanks and there are a lot more Spitfires to come (the last stick check revealed 90-odd in the stash.

 

Thanks to everyone who has commented and liked so far. I've been eating around with a Matchbox Tempest on the Matchbox Group Build but have made some progress on Spitfires.

 

The MkVI needs a pitot to be made and the MkIX awaiting a Matt or satin coat (I can't decide which) and the MkVbs have had are gouache wash:

 

 

which is then (no sniggering at the back) rubbed off:

 

 

I've also made some seatbelts. Firstly, I got some Tamiya tape:

 

then cut it into thin strips:

 

(Yes, I do use my scalpel to spread putty. That's the way I roll.)

 

painted it with Tamiya Buff:

 

 

cut the strips in to shorter lengths and stuck them together:

 

and using an Edding pen:

 

a very fine Edding pen:

 

made some marks to represent holes in the harness:

 

(with some Tamiya Chrome Silver for buckles.)

 

Not perfect or accurate but they'll do for me.

 

Because the KP kit is used for the MkIb, MkIIb and MkVb, there are some holes to drill to fit the lower cannon feed bulge:

 

That's all for tonight. Thanks for looking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Oldone]

I'm liking and learning with all of this. Now I know how to make the harness: .Its looking the part already.

[Valkyrie]

Yeah this is fab stuff! I’m enjoying this venture so much I might just crack open that free spitfire from the newspaper tomorrow while I start my Gripen in the 10 year anniversary GB. Beard, I can see why you love Spitfires and we are loving your posts

[keefr22]

20 hours ago, Beard said:

 

PS. We don't mmention the Daily Mail in these parts.

I swallowed my pride and bought two £1 Spitfires as I needed some floor covering for when I decorate the spare bedroom. The free Daily Fails will do nicely!

 

More interesting Spitfire progress Simon, neat harnesses!

 

Keith

 

 

[celt]

2 minutes ago, keefr22 said:

I swallowed my pride and bought two £1 Spitfires as I needed some floor covering for when I decorate the spare bedroom. The free Daily Fails will do nicely!

 

More interesting Spitfire progress Simon, neat harnesses!

 

Keith

 

 

And you said you wont buy any more kits,and then you go and buy two SpitfiresCan't trust anybody these days

[Beard]

20 hours ago, Oldone said:

I'm liking and learning with all of this. Now I know how to make the harness: .Its looking the part already.

 

Thanks. There are other, better, methods to make harnesses; for instance, you can use lead foil and use fuse wire to make buckles. I've since changed the harness slightly.

 

19 hours ago, Valkyrie said:

Yeah this is fab stuff! I’m enjoying this venture so much I might just crack open that free spitfire from the newspaper tomorrow while I start my Gripen in the 10 year anniversary GB. Beard, I can see why you love Spitfires and we are loving your posts

 

Thanks. Crack open that Spitfire.

 

6 minutes ago, keefr22 said:

I swallowed my pride and bought two £1 Spitfires as I needed some floor covering for when I decorate the spare bedroom. The free Daily Fails will do nicely!

 

More interesting Spitfire progress Simon, neat harnesses!

 

Keith

 

 

 

I'm waiting for the Morning Star to give away a Yak-9.

 

2 minutes ago, celt said:

And you said you wont buy any more kits,and then you go and buy two SpitfiresCan't trust anybody these days

 

We've all said that and done the opposite.

[Beard]

A rainy day here so an excuse to do some modelling.

 

The MkVI is finished:

 

 

 

and the MkIX is nearly there:

 

Slow progress on the MkVbs but their fuselage halves are ready for glue:

 

Thanks for looking.

 

 

 

 

[Cookenbacher]

Great to see the Vb's coming along.

 

The VI looks fantastic - it's from the AZ Mk V multi-pack?

 

But I'm most taken with the early early IX, the paint scheme and the early two-stage nose really set it apart.

 

Have you seen what Freightdog have just come out with?

[johnd]

15 minutes ago, Cookenbacher said:

Have you seen what Freightdog have just come out with?

I've had one of these for a while, it's intended for the Airfix kit. Is this just a reissue or redone for AZ, Eduard or similar?

 

John.

[Cookenbacher]

5 minutes ago, johnd said:

I've had one of these for a while, it's intended for the Airfix kit. Is this just a reissue or redone for AZ, Eduard or similar?

It must be a re-issue as the description says it's for the Airfix kit. I must have missed it the first time around.

[Chillidragon]

The Israeli Kheyl haAvir list one of their Spitfires used during the War of Independence as 'Mark ?' having built it from parts retrieved from a scrap yard.  Regrettably, I've never seen a photo, but if references do exist, I'd nominate that.

[Beard]

35 minutes ago, Cookenbacher said:

Great to see the Vb's coming along.

 

The VI looks fantastic - it's from the AZ Mk V multi-pack?

 

But I'm most taken with the early early IX, the paint scheme and the early two-stage nose really set it apart.

 

Thanks Cookie. I can't remember if the MkVI comes from a Joypack or is a MkV, all the bits are in both boxings.

 

37 minutes ago, Cookenbacher said:

Have you seen what Freightdog have just come out with?

 

I have, I have a couple of Airfix MkIX but don't think I'll bother with it as I have another AZ converted MkIX in the stash. Never say never though.

 

4 minutes ago, Chillidragon said:

The Israeli Kheyl haAvir list one of their Spitfires used during the War of Independence as 'Mark ?' having built it from parts retrieved from a scrap yard.  Regrettably, I've never seen a photo, but if references do exist, I'd nominate that.

 

Although I'd never say no to other Spitfires used by other Air Forces, I haven't got plans to do any or do another vote (the vote on MkVbs was because the DK Decals sheet had so many options that I couldn't choose which ones to do).

 

 

[johnd]

1 hour ago, Cookenbacher said:

It must be a re-issue as the description says it's for the Airfix kit. I must have missed it the first time around.

Freightdog removes items from their listing rather than mark them as out of stock so it's easily done. It's a great casting but I've done nothing with mine as I've no idea where to source markings.

 

John.

[Beard]

19 minutes ago, johnd said:

 [...] I've done nothing with mine as I've no idea where to source markings.

 

John.

 

I have a spare set of decals from this AZ boxing:

 

 

 

PM me, if you're interested.

 

[Stathis]

Never stop building Spits!  

When my daughter was born, I built a pink PR.MkIG. Then I built a Mk.IX flown by John A. Plagis and in my stash there are a Mk.Vb of Steve Pisanos and a Mk.Vc of a Greek pilot, George Plionis! 

[Stathis]

Oh I forgot! 

In about 5 months a second baby will come! If it is a boy, then a PRU Blue Spitfire will take its place on the shelf! 

[CedB]

Nice work Simon - you're making me want to review my (small) Spitfire collection now and fill in the gaps

[Beard]

On 22/01/2018 at 8:03 AM, Stathis said:

Never stop building Spits!  

When my daughter was born, I built a pink PR.MkIG. Then I built a Mk.IX flown by John A. Plagis and in my stash there are a Mk.Vb of Steve Pisanos and a Mk.Vc of a Greek pilot, George Plionis! 

 

On 22/01/2018 at 8:37 AM, Stathis said:

Oh I forgot! 

In about 5 months a second baby will come! If it is a boy, then a PRU Blue Spitfire will take its place on the shelf! 

'Never stop building Spitfires' is great advice. Hope your second child arrives safely and I look forward to the PR Spitfire.

 

On 23/01/2018 at 11:01 AM, CedB said:

Nice work Simon - you're making me want to review my (small) Spitfire collection now and fill in the gaps

My advice would be: buy (and build) more Spitfires.

 

While the interior paint dries on the MkVbs, I've given the MkIX a goauch wash:

 

I will start to assemble the MkVbs tomorrow (Friday) and might make a start on something else.

 

Thanks for looking.

[CedB]

Nice wash Simon I might give this oil / gouach stuff a go again after watching Will Patterson's oil rendering tutorial (he was recommended to me by PC).  Looks, er, fun?