Dave100TR

Hi Dick, Thanks for the reply. Yes, already working on a friend for Spit VIII - a nice Spit XVI (and French too!) Yes, will bring it along to the next club meeting. Dave

Beautiful! Someone brought one of these made up to our club recently and I was really impressed with the look of the finished kit. This scheme really look the business though! Dave

Hi Andy, Yes, agreed! Started to build the engine and gave up! Also, I didn't really get the tailwheel sit right as the kit doesn't have the cut lines for the wheel doors so I sort of guessed - and there doesn't seem to be the correct location for the tailwheel if you decide to go with this option. However, I must say it really looks the part when finished. I do have another of these to build and I will do it as a nine I think. The kit wheels are practically unusable due to massive sink holes - but I did stock up on some Quickboost resin ones like I used on this build. What version did you make? I also quite fancy getting another & building a 7... Dave

Hi Brad, thanks for the comment! I hope I did Norm justice! Thanks for all the positive comments guys. Now moving on to the next one....

Love the colour scheme!

Hi all, Looking back over my posts recently I became aware how pitifully few pics I had posted! I haven't had a chance to do much modelling lately but I've decided to have a crack at all the 1/48 Spitfire kits I've stashed away over the years! I figure that, if I get some sort of production line going, perhaps I'll even finish a few! Now, I'm far from an expert on Spitfires so there are probably going to be a few cock-ups along the way! This time I decided to actually look at the reference stuff I have (surprisingly a lot - but no memory of having bought most of it!) BEFORE I make the model!! So, this is my first finished effort. This is the ICM kit, which is very good - a bit fiddly, since they seem to put every part for every version in the same box - but very cheap! I started looking through old decal sheets and came across an Aeromaster sheet for Aussie Spits featuring Norm Smithells' aircraft from 79 Squadron based on Morotai in early 1945. Aeromaster would have you paint this in a strange pea-green colour along with the grey but, having had experience of Aeromaster sheets before, I thought I had better check! I came across several references and a few black & white pics of part of the real thing and it appears it was simply the standard scheme of Ocean Grey & Dark Green. There were a few interesting variations though - the DG wrapped under the nose and there was a different colour under the serial (painting out ex-RAF serial MT594 according to some sources) - plus the all white tail surfaces. I'm not sure if I've got this quite right - I've seen some illustrations that show the tailplane camouflaged but I'm not sure this is correct. I just thought it would look pretty good like that! Also, the elephant painted under the cockpit is pink on the decal sheet but, according to the pilot, it was grey. I've used the decal and then overpainted it in grey - could be better!! I wanted to start with a Mk VIII as I have plans to build a 1/32 Tamiya one - not that I have one yet! I didn't do too much in the cockpit since the transparencies are pretty thick and probably wouldn't have looked too clever opened. I did used some Quickboost resin wheels (really beautiful!). I lost the kit ones... Couple of cock-ups I have noticed since taking the pics - I had to cut out the spent ammo chutes as they are all blanked out on the kit but made a real mess of it! I've put small, thin plasticard over the too large holes & forgotten to cut smaller ones! Anyway, all comment gratefully received! Painted with Tamiya acrylics

Excellent Dick, I assume you will be bringing it to the next club meeting? Dave

Hi Stu, You know my opinion - excellent, as everyone else has said. Very well done! Dave

Fantastic job! Doesn't it look great in that colour scheme? Dave

Beautiful! Dave

Cellulose thinners work extremely well with acrylics too! Especially Gunze - give it a try! Dave

Hi All, I've been meaning to put some of these models up individually for months now but time goes by and I don't manage it. Anyway, these few are what I've managed to put together over the last year or so and I decided now was the time before they vanish into the loft forever! I normally try & take my pics outside in natural light but this time they are inside with flash so not as good as I would like. Anyway, comments welcome. They are all 1/48. Paints are a mixture of Tamiya & Gunze. It's quite a while since I've done this and the images are all a bit BIG!!!!!!! (and really show up lots of crap!) This is Tamiya's Beaufighter - Aussie markings from Aeromaster: This is Revell/Monogram's Dornier 217: Revell/Monogram Messerschmitt Me110G-4. Spurious markings as I had 3 of these kits and all the decal sheet fell apart when I tried to use them!! Revell/Dragon Ta154: Finally, AMT's Tigercat (now re-released by Italeri) with Aeromaster markings (and I haven't forgotten the noseweight - they sat like that when the tanks were empty and I've got a picture to prove it!):

Hi Dick, Terrific build! Looks great - photos are fine too. Have you got a macro setting on the camera? If so, try that... Will you be bringing it along on Tuesday? Dave

I agree. I don't worry too much about the exact ratio either but do exactly this - a bit of thinner, some paint, try it - thin it some more if necessary! Actually, I'm a bit more scientific than that. I use a paintbrush to add thinner & paint to the cup of my Iwata. I always use the same brush and usually add a brushful or two of thinner and then two or three brushfuls of paint and mix it well in the cup. I then try it and add more thinner or paint as needed. Using the same brush (washed out each time of course!) gives me a pretty consistent means of measuring. The mix also depends on what pressure I'm spraying at - thinner at lower pressure for instance. Also, I use Tamiya acrylics where possible. In my opinion they are some of the best paints to spray. The only problem is their colour range doesn't really match any real standard (some exceptions and they have brought out new colours for the Spitfire of course) - but I think the paint is terrific. I also have a (dwindling) stash of Aeromaster acrylics which are even better!! On the subject of brands, anyone out there used Lifecolour? What's that like? Dave

Peter, Again - great photo! This also shows up another error on the Aeromaster sheet which shows short carb intakes on the illustration! Another question answered. You mention the different colour of the collector rings. I'm probably wrong but could it be that they are both natural metal (with a black painted front portion) but the starboard one looks white because there's more light falling on it due to the displacement of the engines from the crash? Just a thought... kind regards, Dave

Hi Peter, What can I say but aaaaargghhh! I always thought that the Aeromaster sheets were pretty well researched! Thanks very much for the photos - they're great (although one appears to be missing from Photobucket). Since I posted the question I haven't had time to do much more on the model so can attempt to make some effort at correcting what I can. As you say, the errors are fairly minor and I think I can live with them! Where did you get these pics by the way? kind regards, Dave

Hi Peter, Thanks for the photos - really useful! Do you know if the black finish on the collector rings was peculiar to these a/c, as the general consensus seems to be that they were a copper colour and this is what most illustrations seem to show - just curious! As you may have gathered, my knowledge of Beaufighters is limited!! Cheers, Dave

Hi Peter, Thanks for you help. In Keith's post above he says he has a pic of SK-T without rocket rails but, as you say, the tail art suggests that it had them at some point. I discovered late in the day that I had the Aeromaster sheet and hadn't decided to do the Aussie bird while I was making the kit - so I haven't put the rails on anyway. I will have to decide what to do.... Thanks for the paint suggestion. I don't have Model Master paints so will have to find an equivalent. I have read that Foliage Green was pretty close to FS 34092 I believe - is that Euro Dark Green do you know? Great model by the way! Dave

Hi Keith, I don't have that book but the info is great! Interestingly, the Aeromaster sheet show SK-T with short carb intakes and a gun! I though that Aeromaster did pretty good research but if you have a pic of the actual a/c they've got it wrong this time. However, they don't show rocket rails! Dave

Hi Tony, Thanks very much - some great stuff here for all sorts of future projects! I haven't had time to look through everything fully but looks very useful! Dave

Hi All, I'm currently building the Tamiya Beaufighter and intend finishing it as an Aussie bird from 93 squadron as on the Aeromaster sheet 48-341. However, I have a couple of questions. The aircraft on the decal sheet is coded T-SK and Aeromaster's illustration shows certain features that I'm confused over - short carburetor intakes and the dorsal gun. I can't find pictures of this particular bird but ones I have seen of other aircraft in 93 sqn show long carburetor intakes and no gun. I'm not normally very picky about this sort of thing but have a new year's resolution to make more of an effort at getting this as accurate as I can! Can anyone point me in the right direction here? Also, did this aircraft carry underwing rockets? Again, I have seen conflicting pics. Finally, what's everyone's preferred paint to match Foliage Green? Thanks in advance, Dave

Hi Adrian, I think the little puddles are caused because the surface that you are spraying is slightly greasy. I've found that I have to be very careful handling a model after I have painted & put the decals on. It's very easy for the surface to pick up grease from your fingers even if you can't see it clearly yourself. I would advise washing the model after you put the decals on to get rid of any residue and using cotton gloves to handle it before you spray the Klear. As far as I an concerned, I don't take too much notice of the pressure! I use the pressure that "feels" right - I'm not sure what I use in terms of psi. I know I don't use too high a pressure because it is very easy to overspray the amount and get runs. Whatever happens though & whatever it looks like after its dried (within reason!), I find that it looks fine under a coat of Humbrol matt or satin varish. Hope this helps Dave

Excellent! Love the weathering. I don't follow the comment about the Maskol - what did you do with it? I assume that was how you got the chipping to bare metal - correct? Anyway - great job. I'm toying with the idea of the Trumpeter 1/32 kit so this has spurred me on. Unfortunately I don't know if there are 1/32 French decals out there. Does anyone know? Dave

Hi, I usually just use Maskol. As long as there is a pretty well defined frame on the canopy Maskol is really quick & easy to use on its own. I apply it with the end of a cocktail stick. Drop a medium sized blob into the centre of the glazing/window you want to mask and then, with the cocktail stick, gently push it towards the edges of the panel - towards the framing. You should find that surface tension pulls it into the frame without going over the edge of it. Work fairly quickly though because, as soon as it starts to dry, you will pull off what you have already put on! This is much easier than I've probably made it sound - give it a go. If you make a mistake, wait a few minutes for it to start going off and just remove it & try again. Admittedly, this works better on some canopies than others but I don't remember on I haven't been able to get it to work on yet. However, it's a good idea to wash the canopy in something to remove any grease first or you will find the Maskol doesn't want to go where you put it! Hope this helps... Dave

Hi, can't see the photos on your site - where are they? Dave