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Hi friends! Relaxed work. ICM. I just could not do it. Replaced exhaust pipes from the Mustang. Then that the American motor. Made bulges on the wings above the wheels, wing lights. Decal Difficulties. The plane has scoliosis: tail part to the left. I tried to cook and bend hot. Wanted the best. it turned out as always. Enjoy watching

Howdy gang, Been a bit pre-occupied, but yesterday was a nice sunny day and I had the place largely to myself, so I got a start in: I actually had to peel the plastic off first, though the kit's been sitting in the stash for a while! I've had an idea for a subject for a while now, but I'll let you ponder my enigmatic title while we focus on the more immediate question: Will gingerbob actually manage to get somewhere with a build? Now, I'm probably the last one here to actually BUILD an Eduard Spitfire, but nevertheless I'm going to offer some advice along the way- it might help to give the false impression that I know what I'm doing. If necessary, though, I'll admit it if I discover a BAD way to go about it... Wheel well- it may not look like much, but there are (or will be in a moment) eight parts, not counting the wing itself! For ONE well, that is. It is a bit like playing Jenga in reverse, or starting a house of cards. It is also an act of faith, because there's no way to do any real test fit to ensure it's all going to work out right. Getting as far as the above photo took a while, and involved little parts repeatedly falling out of place, through the wheel opening, and on to the table or my lap. The second side went together much faster, because I knew (approximately) what to do. By the time I reached this state of play, I had a headache and neck strain from focusing intently on things too small for my middle-aged eyes to see properly. You'll note that I haven't yet tested whether the upper surfaces will go on the way RJ intended- I meant to do so before posting, but it was time for dinner and such. As indicated by Eduard's instructions, I did start with the main spar (G76), though I only tacked one end in place, because there was just enough play that I didn't want to get to the other end and find it didn't fit. I also found it hard to judge whether it was at the right angle, so I next fitted the "straight" part that divides the leg opening from the wheel well itself (starboard side G70, though other versions have an alternate part). For the wheel well "ring", I found that it worked well to start with the outermost part (G17), because it has a small "key" and could be held in place (after sufficient practice) long enough to touch the liquid-cement brush to the join with some confidence. The last part I installed was G16 (with G46 already on it)- the thing the gear leg will (hopefully) eventually plug into. I've got to say that so far I'm impressed- everything fitted precisely, though I'd hate to build an example of this if the molds wore enough to have flash on the part edges! Oh, one other thing- I've been gradually learning that it is sometimes easier to do a sub-assembly while the "base" part is still on the sprue, in this case the wing. Most of my kits, however, immediately have basic fuselage and wing parts cut free so that I can hold them together and get a preview! bob

New from Platz to be announced at the 58th All Japan Model and Hobby show in late September. It does not say if it is or not a newly tooled kit, just new. http://www.platz-hobby.com/products/7236.html Robert

This isn't going to be a very involved WIP, but I thought I'd put one together upon my return from a few months hiatus from modelling. I have other stalled projects that I should probably be working on, but it has been well established that Spitfire builds bring good luck. So this build includes a high back XVI from an AZ 'Joypack', a low back AZ XVI, and my unfinished Mk I from the Battle of Britain GB. The Mk I depicts the aircraft of 'Titch' Havercoft who flew with 92 Sqn during the Battle of Britain. It just needs its prop, landing gear and a little weathering. Next up is a Mk XVI that I'm planning on finishing as James 'Stocky' Edwards' aircraft from when he commanded 127 Wing in Germany near the end of the war, using this Xtradecal set. This is the first time I've tried using pre-cut canopy masks. Pretty nice! I had to use a little of the new Tamiya 'curves' masking tape since the Techmod masks were designed for the Hasegawa kit. The new Tamiya tape is pretty good stuff too. I brushed on some metalizer in order to do some chipping as Stocky's Spitfire looks pretty beat up in the few pics I found here, and here. The bubble top Mk XVI is going to depict Boleslaw Kaczmarek's aircraft from 302 Sqn using the same Xtradecal sheet. It's good to be back!

Hello fine folk of Britmodellerland, If I may I'd like to share this little project with you? It is intended to be a gentle amble through one of Tamiya's uber kits, their 1/32nd scale Spitfire Mk.XVI. I have begun building this in a group build as a tribute to Edgar Brooks who most will know passed away recently. Fairwell and blue skies sir. Originally the only Spitfire I wished to build was a Battle of Britain era airframe. Having recently completed the new tool Revell offering I appear to have banished those demons and decided to try something different. This is the closest I could get to the last of the line without enormous modification or resorting to the Revell (old Matchbox) Mk.24. (Secretly I'd like Tamiya to release a Mk.47 Seafire with contra-rotating props but I can't see it happening in my lifetime.) So here we are. A low back Spitty with a bubble canopy and (probably) a silver finish. This one will be largely out of the box although I reserve my right to deviate from that course when the mood takes me. For now, let's get started. Following the instructions (often a wise course of action with these complex Tamiya kits) has us begin by adding this little item to the port fuselage cockpit wall. Step 1: I began by painting the fuselage halves in MrMetalColor buffable aluminium which allowed me some leeway to scratch the green acrylic coat to simulate a little wear. More cockpit sidewall details in step 2, this time to the starboard side. Step 2: Finally for this short introduction post, step 3 which allows us to assemble the compass using a natty photo-etched bracket and plastic compass part. I replaced the kit compass decal with one from Airscale. http://www.airscale.co.uk/ This appears better than the kit item to me. Step 3: So, we're off. Next up, the IP but that will have to wait a while as I'm away. Back with more when I can. Cheers.

Hello fellow Britmodellers, I've managed to finish two more Spitfires. They are 1/72 Mk XVI's from the AZ kit, one a high back and one a 'bubble' top, both in markings for 2nd TAF machines in 1945. The marking for both aircraft came from this Xtradecal sheet. WX-V, TD240, is a bubble top Mk XVI that 302 Sqn leader Boleslaw Kaczmarek inherited from Group Captain Aleksander Gabszewicz (an famous Polish ace whose first victory was over an He 111 on the opening day of the war). I just finished them, and they're already dusty! Welcome to New Mexico. JF-E, TD147, was the personal mount of James 'Stocky' Edwards, a Canadian ace who may be the only WWII ace to have demonstrably under claimed. The mighty Procopius pointed out this aircraft as soon as he found out I had bought the sheet, and I knew I had to build it. I hope to build one or two of Edwards' Kittyhawks in the near future. Thanks for looking. Edit: There is a WIP thread here.