Cloudman1961

Thanks John, very kind of you!

I’ve been following the WIP thread. Lovely job on the finished item!

Nice job. Lovely looking aircraft.

Hi Everyone, This weeks update on progress on my Airfix 1/24 scale Spitfire Mk1. The intention is to display the model being maintained, but I want to share some photos in 'complete' condition before I start removing the engine covers and access panels. There's a few little things to complete - for example I don't want to fix the antenna mast and cable until I've stopped messing about with the underside (which is why it looks a bit odd in the photos!). Hope you like it...

Excellent job

You’ve done a great job. The Tempest was a great aircraft and you’ve done justice to it.

Still need to add flaps and a coat of matt clear.

Gone a bit mad with weathering the underside... Hmm... Too much??

Suddenly I'm moving forward a bit more quickly with painting. Underside... Camouflage, using Mr Hobby acrylics and Pmask type A camouflage mask... Roundels and squadron markings using Montex masks

Finished Underwing Roundel

Next step was to place the middle circle masking the white ring. First I positioned the outer ring and then the middle ring inside it, then removed the outer ring again. Then I taped over the centre. Roundel Blue paint for the outer ring - 95% Tamiya XF8/5% Tamiya XF1 Then Roundel Red Centre - 75% Tamiya XF7/25% XF68

I painted the underside in Mr Hobby Sky H74. I left this to go off for several hours and then I get the Montex masks out - couldn't help myself - and painted the underwing roundels. The Mask consists of an outer circular template with three concentric rings. First I positioned the outer circle and painted the whole area white so that I'd have a white undercoat for the other rings.

Suddenly I'm making progress! I have the wings attached, and I'm ready to start painting. Step 1 Matt Black pre-shading.

Many Thanks.

Hi caterhamnut, would you mind telling me what you did for the fuel filler cap? As you know there isn’t one included with the kit. Dave

And the Merlin III installation seen from the starboard side with the coolant pipe...

Be careful what you wish for, etc. I've now got the fuselage together.

That's looking fantastic Lawzer. Love the gun bays in particular. Watching with interest.

The engine bulkhead needed some work. The early mark Ia didn't have the header tank on the bulkhead so that needed to be removed. I also added three ribs.

Hi All, Painfully aware that I've been a bit quiet over the last few weeks, here is my latest update. The cockpit is complete now. I've used the Grey Matters composite seat and a the Sutton QK Harness from Laser Technologies. This was anchored to bulkhead 15. I've also added cockpit placard decals by Airscale. (By the way I have loads of these left over - both RAF and Luftwaffe. If anyone wants any please give me a shout. I also have 1/24 scale Spitfire IDP decals and a Grey Matters late model under carriage control quadrant). I also added my take on the TR9D radio which will be visible later.

Thanks Biggles87, The aircraft I’m planning was delivered in June 1939 -hence the earlier spec interior. But I’m portraying it flying in the BoB in August 1940 with 602 squadron so it will have a sky underside, for example. I’m going with both the composite seat and armour plate. My thinking was the armour would have been retrofitted. The seat is just because I prefer it. To be honest I’m not precious about the armour - leaving it out would leave a better view of some of the interior. Thanks for the steer. Dave

Stay tuned for the Instrument Panel, Seat and the port side of the cockpit! The seat and the armour plate are huge! Can't be right, can it? has anyone else come across this? I've ordered a Grey Matter seat and - right or wrong - I will need to cut the armour plate down.

Doing this meant I needed to build a radio tray between bulkheads 13 and 14. I also built up the antenna supporting structure behind bulkhead 12 and the wires behind the seat for the Sutton harness. Then I added plasticard elements to the lower cockpit to give the correct shape (more or less), and then added cockpit illumination lamp, outlet for air hose, early style radio control, oxygen tank, cabling and harness release mechanism. It all seems so simple now! Anyway, hope you like the end product. Can anyone tell me how to make these piccies a little smaller??

Happy New Year, Everyone. I'm able to share a bit more progress. I've been working on the Starboard cockpit which started life as a pretty basic structure like much of the kit. The sources I looked at suggested that the Starboard side of the Mk1 Spitfire Cockpit was pretty spartan when compared to later models. I have done my best to portray an early mk1 with the early radio remote control and undercarriage controls. I also decided to open the radio hatch and expose the internal fuselage aft of internal bulkhead 12.

Thanks, All a bit slow right now - Christmas preparations and so on. On to the cockpit and fuselage now. I’ve now cut out the hatch in the side so I can show the radio equipment. Does anyone have any decent images of the TR9D radio? I’ve been looking at this on line and can’t seem to find anything useful. What I have learned is the aerial cable between the antenna and the tail was only fitted to aircraft with certain radio equipment. TR9D was one of those. I have abandoned the idea of removing the second panel to the rear on the Starboard side! Too much pain for too little gain...