elger

Hi all - I was looking into some aspects of a Spitfire PR.Ib or c in 1940 but my own references are coming up short. Having built a PR.IV a couple of years ago I'm fairly familiar with early PR types, but I'm wondering a few things. Edit: I mentioned it was a PR.ID, asking about the chin and the wing configuration) but it in all likelihood wasn't (see response below). I'm trying to figure out what the camouflage might have been in October 1940. Were PRU Spitfires already mostly flying in PRU blue or were there other likely options? Were they carrying the LY code letters yet? And what about the roundels? Any info on what might have been appropriate at the time? Elger

Originally I had in mind to convert the kit's torpedo into a mine, but then I got lazy and got this resin one from Belcher Bits. Added some spare decals for some additional visual interest getting there...

I just got the 2021 boxing of the kit and #boringobservation: the plastic is a little different - it's harder than the plastic of the 2016 edition. As a result, it doesn't have the oil canning effect on the fuselage from the ribs on the inside. The fuselage halves in the 2016 kit I had were a little warped, but the 2021 fuselage halves are very straight and feel sturdier.

Spent the day working on the engines. The replacement cowls from Aerocraft make a huge difference: Engines assembled, ready for paint:

wow, thanks for all the replies!

Added a coat of clear flat: The new engines from Aerocraft arrived just this afternoon so I'll be working on the engines next, and putting the wings and the fuselage together.

Yes I think the engine looks a bit too grey as well. I'd go a bit darker, to suggest black.

weathering with enamels, metallic acrylics, and oils I can start thinking about finishing. Still waiting for the engines (Dutch postal service messed up), but a replacement set should be on the way.

Yes all from Archer - now sadly out of business. Thanks for the interest all

oh, hello decals on - the roundels and fin flashes are from the ICM decal sheet and they performed very well Next up some more clear coating. As always, thanks for looking!

They are! Not too difficult to use, and great results. Mind you, the complimentary pair of tweezers that came with my box has been worth the purchase 😆

result!

Painted the undersides and the interior green areas. I was going to use "night" from AK's third gen range but it looked way too blue to my eye, so I made a 50-50 mix of Vallejo Black Gray and Black thinned with AK's third gen thinner. I spent the morning playing around with my Silhouette cutter making masks for the code letters: I'm aiming to spray on the code letters and serial numbers tonight.

could you drill out the hole and make it bigger so that the hub fits in the other way around?

Thanks David. I've gotten a little better at using CA to glue PE; there were two gamechangers for me: one was using black CA so you can see more easily what you're doing. I'm using black CA from Mig Ammo, and another benefit from it is that it doesn't crystalize as much as regular PE when it dries for some reason (could be that it differs per batch). This means that when it dries it looks more like a friendly round blob rather than a mini coral reef. I apply it with a toothpick. The second is using superglue debonder - I have a bottle from AK interactive. I don't usually use the applicator brush but use a small q-tip from Tamiya soaked in it. You apply it, leave it for about 30-60 seconds and then you're able to rub away most of it.

I'm very curious - it's still being delivered - post Brexit mail order from the UK is not fantastic unfortunately.

Back safe and sound from the US. Managed to paint the Dark Slate Grey today. Next will be the night black undersides. Thanks for looking!

great builds - this thread is fuel for my own B-17 obsession

“Black 3” F-8 flown by Eugen Lörcher is depicted as being partly unpainted in profiles - it was featured on an EagleCal decal sheet: https://www.eagle-editions.com/product/eaglecals-91-32-fw-190-f-8s-f-9s/ A quick google search found this forum that features a photo of the aircraft - could indeed be unpainted but not sure: https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/39231-skin-4k-fw-190-a-8/page/3/ Neil Page writes about the pilot and his famous last mission on his blog. This also features a photo of the aircraft in question, but it appears to have normal camouflage: https://falkeeins.blogspot.com/2020/08/sg-2-pilot-feldwebel-eugen-lorchers.html

building this kit was such a blast - yours is looking mighty fine so far!

I thinned the Ammo Grey Shine with Hataka thinner at a ratio of about 40/60 (paint/thinner) - which is thinner than I do usually because Ammo paints are almost airbrush ready anyway. The compressor is set to about 18 psi.

Managed to squeeze in a little more time working on the model today. I finished the wheels/tires. The main wheels are from CMK but I kept the kit tail wheel because I think that the CMK parts represent a later type than fitted to the mk.1. As always, thanks for looking!

Some unexpected free time this morning with my wife taking three year old O for Oscar with her on an excursion into town. I laid down a pre-light marble coat of Mig Ammo Grey Shine: This was followed by three misted coats of thin AK third gen Extra Dark Sea Grey mixed with clear gloss. The photo makes the grey look much lighter and warmer than it is - in real life it's darker and it's got a nice bluish tint: I don't think I'll be able to book much progress in the next two-three weeks because we have a trip to the US coming up. We'll see...

Primer on. I'm always surprised at how forgiving One Shot / Stynylrez is - it evens out beautifully even when you accidentally flood an area with too much paint. Camouflage on next - since AW207 is an uneven number I'll follow the camouflage pattern of the other uneven numbered aircraft in ICM's instructions, but with Extra Dark Sea Grey and Dark Slate Gray and Night underneath.

While I'm still waiting on the engine parts to arrive, I've prepped the rest of the model for the painting stage: I should be able to put a coat of primer on tomorrow.