keefr22 Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 Yup, I agree, looking really good John! Keith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 Its looking real good glad to see your back at this. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 Nice looking tub, John Ciao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles87 Posted August 22, 2018 Author Share Posted August 22, 2018 Thanks guys, the Aires resin is very well moulded but it's been fighting me all the way as far as fitting it is concerned. I know I'm not following the recommended sequence, but that wouldn't work anyway because I'm using the Aeroclub fuselage and the plastic is thicker then Hasegawa's although I've thinned it as mich as I dare. I should have some pictures for you tomorrow. John 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamden Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 MH434 is a favourite of mine to I think the last time I saw Ray display her was at Chailey Airshow in 2004 where they closed the show. Ray threw her around disappearing and reappearing behind the trees that lined the back of the airfield, a memorable display. Your tribute is off to a fine start, I'll follow along if you don't mind Roger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbudde Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 52 minutes ago, Biggles87 said: the Aires resin is very well moulded but it's been fighting me all the way as far as fitting it is concerned. Hello John. Yes indeed, Aires is very famous for their excellent castings, but sadly also for their misfits even with the recommended kits. So test fits at every stage is absolutely neccessary, but time consuming. The result is well worth it in the end, imho. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles87 Posted August 23, 2018 Author Share Posted August 23, 2018 Hi Roger, welcome aboard. Thanks for posting the video, although I probably have hundreds of photos of MH434 I have little in the way of video. Hi Benedikt, yes it's very time consuming fitting Aires cockpits. Fortunately most of my other 1/48 Spitfires are recent release Airfix or Eduard and don't need any enhancement and for the couple that aren't I have Barracuda upgrade sets and Yahu instrument panels. Cheer John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles87 Posted August 26, 2018 Author Share Posted August 26, 2018 Fuselage halves finally joined and I have inserted the instrument panel from below and will do the same with the seat and frame when I have added a seat harness. Pictures of MH434 show a blue harness which looks to me like a GQ type Z and I have used one by Eduard, which looks a little bright and will be toned down with a coat of Tamiya "Smoke " The fit of the tailplanes was a little problematical, and a lot of trimming was required as the slots in the Aeroclub fuselage are considerably narrower than those in the original Hasegawa item and I also decided to remove most of the tabs on the tailplanes, which were designed to lock inside the fuselage. In my attempt to get the top of the fin flat I removed a little too much plastic and have glued a piece of thin plasticard on top of it to reduce the gap between the fin and rudder mass balance. Seat/frame now fitted and wings on and the fit is pretty good, almost equal to that with the Hasegawa fuselage. I have also done some work on the leading edges as '434 did not have the stubs outboard of the cannon fitted as in the kit wing, so I carved off the mounts and filled the resulting hole with some Plastruct rod which has been sanded to the correct profile. With the airframe mostly structurally compelete and now looking like a Spitfire, the next stage will be filling ( not too much hopefully) and sanding, I'm sure we all enjoy that part, then a coat of primer. That's it for now folks, feel free to comment. Cheers John 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted August 26, 2018 Share Posted August 26, 2018 Solid progress there, John Seat and belts look very propre! Ciao 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamden Posted August 26, 2018 Share Posted August 26, 2018 Turning into a fine tribute to both the Hannah's and 434 Roger 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted August 28, 2018 Share Posted August 28, 2018 Very nice John. Good luck with the filling 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles87 Posted January 31, 2019 Author Share Posted January 31, 2019 Just realised that it's 5 months since the last update, so just a little note to keep it on the WIP thread. The airframe is 90% complete, filled and sanded and waiting for priming with Halfords grey acrylic from a rattle can when ,the humidity in my cave drops sufficiently. I will probably brush paint it alongside the Tr9 eventually. John. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted January 31, 2019 Share Posted January 31, 2019 Good to hear things are proceeding with this build, John I just hope you don't have to wait till spring for a better "cave weather"... Ciao 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles87 Posted February 16, 2019 Author Share Posted February 16, 2019 A couple of days ago at 1600 the temperature here was 18C in the sun, and the humidity in my man cave had dropped to 60% so I decided to break out the Halfords acrylic grey primer, and here is the result. I'm relatively happy with the underside, except the wing/rear fuselage join which is often problematical, and I just need to refine the join in the carburettor intake. The upper surface is another story, the main problems being with the nose cowlings. I need to work on the centre seam on the upper cowling and the joins between the lower cowlings and side panels are trenches, which don't show up on the photos, but are definitely there. I also find separate wingtips can be a problem , but apart from the port upper joint these have worked quite well. I also have a couple of scrapes and assorted marks to attend to so it's out with the filler and sandpaper for me, then more primer to cover the remedial work. That's it for now, comments welcome John 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 That's looking very neat John! Keith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 Agreed! Should be easy to fix those small issues Ciao 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 Thirded! Nice work John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christer A Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 Fourded! 😇 That's a nice smooth finish! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles87 Posted February 19, 2019 Author Share Posted February 19, 2019 Thanks for the comments chaps, I was hoping that I could now get on with the painting as the weather is going to be warm and dry for the next 10 days but I've now been struck down by the flu. Actually it's only 1/2 flu as there is a strain going around that this winter's vaccination is not totally effective against, bur it's been enough to keep me in bed for most of the last 48 hours. ☹️ John 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 Been there, John. This 1/2 flu would just knock you out for a couple of days without fever (in my case, at least) and then a few more days to recover completely - but no way to focus on modelling whatsoever... Get well soon Ciao 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 Dunno if it's the same bug I've got, but been laid low with it for over a week now, but a knackered immune system doesn't aid rapid recovery! Did manage to get an hour in at the bench today, so hopefully over the worst - granddaughter sitting tomorrow though, so that'll probably cause a relapse....!! Hope you get over it quickly John! Keith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob85 Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 Hope you feel better soon! spitfire is looking brilliant, very nice work Rob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 Aha! Now I know why I've been feeling so crock! I'd put it down to some sort of post puppy savaging sepsis but now I know "it's going around" I can puppy sit with impunity (and gauntlets) 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles87 Posted February 20, 2019 Author Share Posted February 20, 2019 Thanks all for your good wishes. I started feeling better yesterday, but after a bad night last night feeling a bit feeble again this morning and SWMBO is starting to show the signs now. The most annoying part is that the weather is beautiful at the moment, but I'm in no mood to enjoy it. John. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbudde Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 15 hours ago, Biggles87 said: but I'm in no mood to enjoy it. Sorry to see that, but maybe that make you feel more comfortable: 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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