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Progress has been slow recently but the wings are now on and some little bits of filler done. As this is going to be an early Spit I wanted to show the flat canopy and so decided not to go with the vac form one but to use the kit part, especially as it was such a good fit. So, of course I lost it. After several days searching I have given up and gone back to the vac form one. I have never used anything like this before so I bought two just in case. Three evenings of careful trimming, sanding, trimming, fitting, sanding, trimming, etc. later I have the canopy on and it looks pretty good. Actually, no, I have the front and the back sections on, the middle section has come off again. It would be so easy just to leave it open and be done with it. It looks really good, though, much thinner and clearer than the original.

Yes, so did I!

The Mk II looks great with the Rotol prop. I fancy making a few of these kits and would definately make the Mk II

Can I vote for the early canopy, they look meaner and more aggressive than the later one.

Since I had so much paint left after making the previous model and encouraged by everyone's comments I thought I would have another go. I knew it would have to be another Spitfire so, after much deliberation, I have decided on this as my next project. I decided not to go crazy with the after market parts so have limited them to a sutton harness and a vacform canopy. It's going to be built up as the Mark I version with the flat canopy and two bladed Watts propellor. Everything appears to be present so on with the build. Not surprisingly, it starts with the cockpit which all goes together easily enough. The instrument panel has a reflector gunsight moulded onto it so I trimmed it off and made up a ring and bead sight with some wire and superglue. I used Humbrol 90 as the base colour and lightened it for the highlights. Behind the seat was painted aluminium and everything given a wash of dark grey. Finally the harness was glued down firmly to avoid the "anti-gravity" effect on the last one. Fuselage fitted together with prop and canopy test fitted. The fit is generally good but requires some careful handling and there is a bit of a gap in front of the canopy which will need a little filler. This is the kit canopy and the fit is very tight. I haven't yet decided whether to use this or the Rob Taurus vac-form canopy. The kit one fits well but obscures what cockpit detail there is. The gun sight also had to be adjusted so the canopy would go on. The wire came out again to make this little actuating rod for the rudder.

Does that mean you'll be wanting more money for them now?

I saw the Pavla cockpit set but haven't seen an eduard zoom photoetched set. I was wondering if one of the Mk V kits could be used.

Hi everyone I have just acquired an Airfix Spitfire Mk IXc in 1/72 scale. I'm wondering if anyone can recommend some after market parts for it, especially cockpit detailing or other general bits to give it a bit more life? Cheers.

Hi all, thank you for your kind words. I really enjoyed building this kit despite some setbacks which, if you saw the WIP thread you will know about. Being a returnee, as it were, I had to buy all the materials and tools from scratch which means that I now have enough green, brown and sky to paint a whole squadron of spitfires. So that it doesn't all go to waste, I shall have to build a few more. Only problem is I can't make up my mind which one to go for next. I don't want to go buying a load of new colours so I'm thinking early Mk I or a Mk II this time, probably the Airfix. I have some nice decals for Mk IIs so that might be the one but who knows? Or build another Tamiya Mk I but with the Ultracast Rotol conversion or, on the other hand...

I tried following that Camouflage and Markings link but it didn't work. I did manage to successfully download from here, though. http://www.pdfmagazines.org/books/20487-camouflage-markings-number-1-supermarine-spitfire-raf-northern-europe-1936-45.html

I certainly have got the bug again and have a long list of ideas going round my brain

Mottlemaster, I think the real choice here is either go mad trying to get an answer out of these guys or slap on a coat of Humbrol 90 and be done with it. I'll be interested to see how your Lock Spit progresses as I have the decals tucked away for a future project.

Very nice, I particularly like the way you have accented the panel lines without over doing them. How did you do the exhaust ports?

The seat belts have become stiff with dirt and no longer lie flat on the seat. It was a common problem with those belts. Honest.

Here it is, finally finished. My first kit in over 30 years. A Tamiya 1/48 Mk I Spitfire No 92 SQN 1940-41. I added an Eduard Zoom PE detailing set, mainly to the cockpit but on the undercarriage as well and an Ultracast hatch. Overall I'm fairly happy with the results, I know what went well and what didn't and there are a few things that I will do differently on the next one. By the way, I know that the pilot's mirror is missing but of all the pieces that I broke or dropped on the floor this was the only one that I wasn't able to repair or find so rather than bodge something together I have left the slot open and will replace it in the future.

OK, I'm calling this one done. Just taking a few photos and it will be ready for inspection.

No updates for a while but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy. All decals now on and painting finished. Cockpit door done. Aerial mast done. Jobs left to do are fit the pitot tube and rear wheel, fit and finish the canopy, fit aerial and IFF wires and glue all the bits together. There is a tiny bit of PE from the starboard leg which came off and I thought it was gone but I found it today so that will be done too.

There is a Mk I spitfire at the RAF museum Cosford which is just down the road from me. Although it is a bit later than yours, the area behind the bulkhead is definately silver/aluminium. Not saying they all were, mind you but it is something to consider.

I'll be watching this one with interest, my next project will be an early Mk I spitfire. Where did you get the decals from? I have found them in 1/72 easily enough but 1/48 is proving to be harder.

Production on the Spitfire MK II started at the Castle Bromwich factory in June 1940 and the first ones were delivered to 611 Squadron in August that year. "In August 1940 the first Spitfire IIs went to No 611 Sqn at Digby, and during the following month Nos 19, 74 and 266 Sqns received the new variant. From then on the Mark II replaced the Mark I in several units, the sqadrons equipped with the former being concentrated in south-east England where the fighting was heaviest." The Legendary Spitfire MkI/II 1939-41 Osprey Aviation p21 If you are interested in the early Spits this book is very useful. There are dozens on EBay. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spitfire-Mk-I-1939-41-Osprey-Aircraft/dp/1855326272 Hope this helps

Undercarriage and propeller built and dry fitted, exhaust pipes painted and dry fitted. I may yet replace the pipes with some ultracast pieces that I have on order. It would be nice if I can get the gloss on as I am going to be away so won't be able to do anymore for a week.

I used to live next door to Heathrow for many years. The planes were so low you could feel the turbulence as they came over. A year ago I moved to Shropshire and there are no planes overhead. None. Not a single one. At the risk of being thrown off the forum as a dangerous heretic, I love it.

Thanks, I was pleased with the way the camo turned out to be honest. I don't know how well it comes across in the photos but the lines have a very slight softness to the edge which is the effect I wanted. Have been putting some small parts together tonight and getting it ready for a few coats of gloss varnish.

I knew someone would ask me this sooner or later. I bought a chinese airbrush very cheaply off ebay (snipers are wonderful tools and times are hard) after reading some rave reviews on another forum. It is one of these and I have to say it behaves very well. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Veda-Spray-Gun-Airbrush-180-Air-Brush-quick-release-UK-/140824505083?pt=UK_Crafts_DrawingSupplies_EH&hash=item20c9cb6afb I'm not using a compressor yet, am still saving.

Well, you know how it is, you take a load of stuff down to the dump and on the way back you accidently turn left at the roundabout instead of right and you end up at your local model shop Returning home with a can of gloss varnish I decided I would have another go at that black wing. So I repainted it a much lighter grey and added a couple more coats, each darker than the previous one. It is now quite a bit lighter than before but hopefully after a wash or two it will darken up but lose some of the uniformity. Anyway here it is.