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dadgaddad

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Posts posted by dadgaddad

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

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    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.

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    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.

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    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.

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    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.

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    The wire came out again to make this little actuating rod for the rudder.

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    • Like 1
  3. 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...

  4. 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.

    • Like 1
  5. 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.

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  6. 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.

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  7. 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

  8. 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.

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    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.

  9. 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. :pilot:

  10. 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.

  11. I knew someone would ask me this sooner or later. I bought a chinese airbrush very cheaply off ebay (snipers are wonderful tools :shutup: 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.

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