maltadefender

So glad to see a Dornier in the mix... we really need some more Do17Zs in the market methinks...

Right then, first of two Spits for this build. While we continue to dig into the identity of N3029, here's Tamiya's 1/48 Spit in OTB form as DW-O, pilot Sgt. 'Bam' Bamberger... I can't actually believe that there's anyone on this forum without first-hand experience of those particular sprues!

Lovely way to show off that new interior.

Absurdly good. Hats off time.

Darn you're precise! And in such a good way!

I'm feeling mildly ashamed about being in the same GB but loving what I'm seeing!

On the 'wings' no less!

Well thank you for the comments and for anyone who clicked on in to the build, I hope it was mildly interesting! Most of all thank you to Colin S-K for the decals.

Lovely!

Thanks Rowan. I went to town a bit on the weathering but then she was standing out in all weathers during the beginning of the really heavy bombardment in early 1942. While airborne she was operating at anything from 50 feet to 30,000 feet - usually over ports in Italy or North Africa, getting an awful lot of attention! Unlike the Marylands that Warby flew on his first tour on Malta, there were no defensive armaments carried whatsoever. By taking out all guns, ammo and most armour plate 'Phoo' was able to outrun anything aiming to intercept her - but frequently came under fire in the circuit as it was the one place that the 109s could get her! Two extra fuel tanks were fitted where the cannons were. - as well as the cameras. They had a propensity to overflow but that didn't seem to stop Warby from chain smoking on his missions - much to his crew's concern! Warby flew most of the way back from Italy with the port engine on fire once, which is why I blackened up the cowling and wing. A very brave old lady, hope I've done her a bit of justice!

Bristol Beaufighter Mk.I PRU T4705 'Phoo' Flight Lieutenant Adrian Warburton, DSO, DFC + Bar 69 Squadron, Luqa, Malta, March 1942 Build Time: 14Hrs Kit Manufacturer: Airfix Scale: 1/72 Paints used: Halfords Primer, Xtracolor PRU Blue, Revell, Humbrol and Tamiya for weathering Extras used: Decals provided by Decalbank, Airfix '5-Up' display stand Build thread here

And she's done. Not a stellar job by any stretch...

Worked like a charm, thank you both. More progress and more problems. I've somehow lost an exhaust and then the decals first of all refused to come off the paper and then fractured into several pieces per roundel. I've just about got everything back together (except the exhaust), and hope to be weathering soon.

I'd heard a few tales about Xtracolor taking its time to cure but so far haven't been affected by the problem. After 15 hours, however, the PRU Blue is still decidedly, erm, wet... any tips out there?

Fine with me - it's a lovely build Mish. You just need to take more piccies!!!

Very neat and tidy!

Always glad to see another hairy stick practitioner at work... looking lovely!

Little cracker!

Absolutely lovely work

Lovely work... given a month I wouldn't get it that good!

Hmm well the mottled primer didn't really pan out. I don't think there's any difference to the Xtracolor PRU Blue but then it's porridgey-thick. Goes on quite nicely, though. A halt is being called for the night - wife feeling somewhat neglected. Time to let the blue settle in before cracking on first thing tomorrow. Thank you!

My Tamiya Spit's got resin envy! Lovely stuff.

Primer went on nicely - thank you Halfords!

I'm going wheels-up on this one so that it can slot into the growing Malta collection, but noticed that the tailwheel can only be fixed down with no retracted option. Solution: hack the bottom half of the wheel off and glue it to the fuselage. Given the rather mottled finish to the blue, as a result of being an overpainted fighter and continually used and abused through the worst of the air battle over Malta, I noticed that the cowlings were quite dark compared to other parts of the aircraft in the 1:1 photo, so the nacelles are prepainted black. Meanwhile the props and crew are coming on slowly...

Taking time out from Group Builds, I threw the Airfix Gladiator together in the evenings this week. First biplane for about 20 years, and I wasn't going to get involved with rigging. She's done as N5531 from the Malta Fighter Flight, late summer 1940: