Another one I'm afraid!



I promised myself not to tackle another kit before I'd finished the Defiant, or made headway on the Hurricane, but as I'm building this for a friend, I thought I can't keep him waiting for it forever, so I made a start on it tonight.

Not much of a start though. I placed the two fuselage halves on the desk, with a view to rescribing them tomorrow.

Bring on the Spitfire!

Nick

Well Nick, I 've got one of these in my stash, and I'll be taking note of how you tackle it. I have no idea of how good it's supposed to be, but I got it for a tenner so I can't complain. It seems pretty nice to me. Look forward to the updates matey.
Regards
Andy

Looks interesting Nick!

Cheers,

Azgaron

Just spent the last hour rescribing the fuselage, and despite what I read about it being a horrible process, and it being my first time at trying it, it wasn't too bad. Quite enjoyable really. Sad git that I am!

I used Dymo tape, levelled them up against the raised panel lines, and scribed away with a sewing needle in a pin vice.

I'll take on the curved lines tomorrow (too tired tonight) and once I've done them, and put pin marks in all the raised rivets, I'll sand the lot flush, leaving the scribed panels and rivets. Da dahhhhh!

Whole new possibilities have now opened up for the Airfix kits in my stash with this technique!

Contrary to what everybody said in another of the Revell 1/32nd Spit build threads about the lack of panel lines all over, I decided to do the lot anyway.

All the Tamiya and Hassy builds on the net have panel lines all over, and so shall this one.

Not sure how well the scribing will show up in photos, but I'll post some up when I've finished the whole process.

Cheers,

Nick

Here's a few shots of the rescribed fuselage.

I just sanded off the panel lines, and am going over my scribed lines to remove any crap that filled them.

Once the fuselage is joined, I'll tart them up.









Cheers,

Nick

D. Rabbit: More "scratch" building...very nice impression... ..I suppose you give that line to all your models...
Actually I think "raised lines" are under rated...

Cheers,
ggc

Cheers mate.

I agree they are under rated, but I much prefer to see some highlighted panel lines on a kit this big. All other 1/32nd Spits I've seen unscribed just seem a little, how to say, lacking.

Anyway. Onto the cockpit this evening!

Great job on the re scribing, it is a bit of work but worth it in the end, with the curved lines I either follow the raised lines, or do them in sections with cut Dymo tape, pushing instead of pulling the scriber to get started also helps if you are following the raised panel lines. Any mistakes can soon be corrected with CA, accelerator and sanding.

Cheers

Den

Cheers Den.

I followed the panel lines for the curves. Seemed the easiest thing to to really, and pulled the pin towards me, which felt most natural, at first very lightly, and once the groove was there, with more pressure.

Nick

Hi Nick,

Check this out: http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.ph...st&p=154953

It's a great way of replicating cowl fastners.

Keep up the good work.

Dave

Thanks for that Dave. Looks a little complicated for me this time round, but maybe I'll do it when I do my own build of this kit.

Cockpit painting started yesterday. Needs a little tarting up, black parts and seat spraying and then I'll fit it all.



Dryfitting seems ok..



Cheers,

Nick

Looking good Nick

It's a nice little kit this one Nick.

You'll enjoy building it. I did.

Looking good Nick!

Strange it looks just like the one I'm building!

Cheers,

Azgaron

It's been a struggle to get any modelling done recently, but I've made some progress on the Spit.

The IP's done. Sprayed with Chaos black, drybrushed, and the dials were filled in with Klear. It's quite austere, as I don't like putting any red switches on BoB planes, as I don't think red plastic was available then.



I did give in on the red fire button, as the build's not for me, and I suppose that's what people expect from a fire button..

The spade grip was remade, as the kit one was lousy. The grip and middle part are guitar string, and the firing button housing's sprue/glue gloop.



The seat was painted a custom red/brown/yellow mix.

I've got some etch belts which I still have to anneal and paint, and once that's all done, I'll assemble it all.

Cheers,

Nick

Wonderful! That IP looks great!

What did you use to thin the Chaos black? and how much? I have Citadel colors for figure painting but never tried air brushing them!



Azgaron

Thanks Azgaron.

Thin it with water, 50/50. Works a treat.

Cheers,

Nick

Hi Azgaron,

I just use tap water to thin it. Great stuff Citadel paints.

Dave.

Thanks Nick and Dave! I'll try that!



Azgaron

Like it Nick

Going back to rivets, MDC make a riveting tool that is essentially a bradawl with a hollow point. You twist it round on the plastic and it makes a circular "scribed" line, leaving the plastic in the centre untouched. A quick way of getting the outer circle, and if you were feeling really anal, you could then drill a shallow hole in the centre of each one.

Nick, very nice the pit looks excellent. Good to see you tried something new with the re-scribing, if it's not too late give it all a swipe with some fine steel wool and then brush the panel lines with a toothbrush dipped in plastic prep or alcohol it cleans them up very nicely. And if you plan on tackling re-scribing those old Airfix kits I would invest in a set of templates, Verlinden and I believe Tamiya or Hasegawa make some in various scales (though 48th) will pretty much cover everything invaluable for circles and access hatches etc. Also the set of radii are perfect for curved lines, find the correct template to match the line then use it to cut a curved piece of dymo to scribe against. Nose cones are no longer a problem. Old pieces of sprue from P.E. sets and the brass strip pulled from a cheap wooden ruler are great edges to use as well and you can bend them round stuff.

Cheers fella, and thanks for the comments from everyone else too.

I hear you there on the rescribing templates. I just bought two Hasegawa sets (one for circles, lines, squares etc, and one set of radii for fuselage etc) and tested them out on this 'ere rescribed Spitfire. They work a treat, and I'm looking forward to tackling Airfix raised panel line kits whenever I get round to digging them out. In fact, a Tonka's on the cards after this one.

Nice tip about the steel wool/toothbrush in alcohol combo. Will try that out.

Welcome back too Leigh. You've been conspicous by your absence!

Cheers,

Nick

Progress has been slow, but we have some movement! The cockpit's finished, and I'm ready to join the fuselage.



I added a photo etch seatbelt from MDC, which was painted with my home made doped linen colour, and the silver then picked out. I glued the belts on with white glue. Not the neatest on the side of the seats I agree, but then I want them to hold, and it won't be seen when finished. I added a harness attachment point to the fuselage from a piece of Aeroclub brass wire and some fuse wire, and painted them silver.







The oxygen hose was made from copper wire from an old flex wrapped around a tie from some dustbin bags, and then painted beige.

I added a few wires around the instrument panel, and tat's it really.

The shades of green all vary really in these shots, as I just took them quickly, but the match is the second photo down.

I've already glued the wings together, and the fuselage to wing join looks quite ropey already. The fuselage sits too high, and will need sanding down and rescribing..

Thanks for looking.

Cheers,

Nick

Looking great Nick!

Latest update.

The wings were glued on, but it all went Pete Tong, and the fuselage was out of whack. See here:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18948

So, the old girl's just come out of major surgery, and everything's ok. The wings are off, and she'll be fine after a bit of glueing, sanding and rescribing.

It's weird. It's almost as if the fuselage will have to be shimmed higher on one side in order to sit vertically in the wings. I'll then have to sand the buggery out of one side in order to get the wing root flush.

I must have bought a warped kit, as I've never come across this before.

Anyone got any smart ideas on how to set up a home made wing alignment jig to make sure I set it right this time?

Cheers,

Nick

Lego? Balsa wood? Trick I always do with Spitfires is glue the top wings to the fuselage at the correct angle let set, then glue the bottom wing on with a big rubber band around the wings from wing tip to wing tip, seems to avoid alot of problems later.

I couldn't agree more Leigh.

I invariably never have alignment or wing root gap problems following that routine. One more point is not to glue the bulkheads at the bottom to allow a bit of freedom of movement - allows for getting that 6 degrees dihedral. Not just Spitfires too.

Dave

Hi Nick.

Now I understand the problems you mentioned in the "Cursed Hunter" post. There really does seem to be something peculiar about the Spit wings. As I just posted a Revell 1/32 Mk 22/24 Spit here recently I'll now have to go back and check the wings.

Bugrittall!

Right. Hopefully this'll get the sodding thing cracked.



The wings were taped to the desk. 20mm measured on each side from desk to the mid point of the furthest out gun barrel.

Fuselage inserted in, and shimmed on the left side as you look at it. 36.5mm on each side from the desk to the lower part of the slot for the exhausts, and 40mm on each side from the desk to the forward point of the rear wing attachment.

Hell, I've even got a spirit level on the fuselage behind the pilot centred and level.

Wings then glued in with sprue/glue gloop.

If this doesn't look right afterwards, then you can call me a monkeys uncle.

Nick von Gibbon

Nice work Nick, looks all square to me.

Not too much progress on the Spit this week. Have had some work on, and Mum's visiting, so modelling's out the window!

I've added the rear wings, and have dropped the elevators.

Cheers,

Nick

Coming along a treat though, nice to see the major surgery was a success.

Looking rather good there Nick. Nice job.

You must be joking... After all that I wouldn't dare!

Well, here's a little progress on the Spitfire, mostly on correcting the alignment of the wing root, which needed shimming on one side to make the fuselage sit straight.

The offending article, shimmed on the left hand side as you look at it..



This produced a large step, which I didn't photograph.

Here it is, sanded to buggery with 200 grit paper..




The wing root join on the other side fitted flush, but still needed filler..



As did every other gap..







She looks like a plasterer's radio!

Still on the sanding phase at this stage.

Nick

Know how you feel Nick, but she is getting there.

Nice work Nick! Some sanding to look forward to then huh?



Azgaron

Still sanding.. Arm banging away like a fiddler...

I'm impressed again mate.

This would have been sitting in a very dark corner by now if it was mine... Or given to my son Kenny to play with.

The bugger will be beaten...

Today's update.

Rear wings on, elevators dropped, more sanding, filling, sanding..



Next step rescribe what got sanded off, and then, we may just be ready for the paintshop..

Cheers,

Nick

Getting there Nick

Well done Nick.

Real Spitfire builders always drop the elevators (or scratch build something to keep them leve).

Dave.

Afraid I'm pulling this one out of the GB too chaps. I've just had no time this month for modelling, and have done no work on it.

Sorry.

All the best,

Nick

Right!

My glacially slow modelling speed is quickening slightly as it's a quiet Dubai summer, massive economic downturn, and I've got very little work, so I can get a little bit of plastic tickling done whenever possible!

The undersides are now sprayed sky, and I've just fitted the first masked part of the canopy to her. On to masking the bubble and windshield, and then onto the camo spray!

Hoping to get this finished sometime this year!

Looking good dude, love a good spit.

All the best

Chris

Ahh! It's back. (The Spitfire I mean).

Got any pics???

Nothing worth posting yet.. I'm getting to grips with the glazing, which is almost masked, so I should be ready to get the topsides sprayed this week. Will post then.

Any tips on how to mask off a cockpit that will be posed with the canopy open?

Cheers,

Nick

Hi Nick,
I used bits of sponge to fill the cockpit when I am spraying an open cockpit, plus masking tape to plug the gaps, on Spitfires I sometimes use BluTac to fix the side hatch in place.

Cheers

Den