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Spitfire LF.IX. MH712. W/O Henryk Dygala, No302 Squadron, Summer/Autumn 1944 I recently have become a little obsessed by Spitfires, and like many others, I feel the desire to build as many variants as I can. My preferred scale is 1/48th, and thanks to Eduard, it seems pretty much all of the Merlin variants can be built. Looking at the options for the Griffon powered machines, as far as I can tell, it comes down to Airfix and Special Hobby. I have got a couple of those kits and they don't have the finesse of detail that the Eduard kits have, so, I acquired the Laminar Flow Design Mk.XIV conversion for the Eduard Mk.VIII. There is a Work In Progress of this Here. Before starting on this fairly pricey conversion I wanted to do a practice build to familiarise myself with the Eduard kit. Apart from my mothers name being Pat, I chose this particular colour scheme as it is similar to the one that I want to apply to my Airfix 1/24 Mk.IX. ( Work in Progress Here. ) I like to use masks rather than decals and wanted to work out whether to apply invasion stripes, codes and roundels before the camouflage as I thought it might be difficult to get the white and sky to cover the darker camo colours. I have struggled with preshading on aircraft models, it seems that I lose most of the effect after applying the top coats and end up adding more post shading effects, so this time I skipped the preshading and I think this is the way I shall go with this type of camouflage in the future. The weathering was all done with oils and I hope I got it about right. I was working from photos in the excellent Polish wings book and some of these aircraft looked fairly well used. Much has already been said about Eduard's newer decals. I can't say I was too impressed by the ones in this particular kit. Although I made masks for all of the larger markings I did use the Pat emblem and found the colours were a bit washed out and needed to hand paint over it. The polish squares were out of register and so were unusable, the Poland written under the squares mostly disappeared and that is why it is missing from the starboard side. I did use some of the stencils though and they did seem to work quite well once the film was removed. Looking at my reference photos a lot of the upper stencils weren't visible even on the high quality photos so I mostly applied only the ones to the underside. I can see why the Eduard Spitfires receive so many accolades, and I thoroughly enjoyed my first experience of one of them. I learnt that, it's not worth adding to or spending much time detailing the cockpit if you are going to have the canopy closed, very little can be seen. I should have really polished the canopy to improve things, but I may try a vacuform canopy next time. The only other thing I may get after market for would be the upper cowling. I guess that due to moulding limitations they made it in two halves and it takes some effort to remove the seem line. Now I really need to get on with the Mk.XIV Wayne

Hi! I am building Eduard's 1/72 Spitfire mk IX as FR Mk.IX. Model has 2 and half sets of engine covers - parts H1-H2; parts H3-H4; and singular past H5. H5 is a pair for H1 for US built engines of MkXVI. As for the other, the thing is those covers look extremely similar, both sets have all the details the same, possibly there is a slight difference in geometry? Comparing with other Eduard sets, H3-H4 seem to be earlier, used for F Mk.IX and Mk.VIII while H1-H2 later, appearing as only option or alternative for mk.IXc and e (and as mentioned, as part for XVI cover). Edit: This main frame can be F, G, H, I depending on version, but all the shared parts seem to be in same places and have same numbers. Only thing that changes are hull and especially wing parts. So engine cover can be H1-H2 or F1-F2 etc. But the question is - which of the covers should I use for my white/pinkish FR Mk.IXc?

Finished up my latest build, the 1/72 Spitfire Mk Ia starter set from 2013(?) I tried to add detail using as many of the existing kit parts as possible. I was able to drill out the exhaust manifolds. I cut the kit cockpit door out with a razor saw, and thinned it using a sanding stick. The kit canopy was cut apart with a razor saw, but I ended up cracking the sliding portion while trying to thin it out. I used that portion from a Falcon vacuform canopy. Paint is Vallejo Model Air throughout, topped with Vallejo premium satin varnish. Weathering was done with oils, pastels, Tamiya Weathering Master, and a silver artist pencil. I used Eduard seatbelts, from their "early RAF" 1/72 set. They look off, so I'll likely do a little surgery on the next set I use. The holes in the bulkhead and instrument panel were drilled, and details added. It doesn't really show well, but I made the reflector glass on the gunsight from spare plastic stock. I used the kit decals, supplemented with Techmod stencils. I purposely didn't stencil the "night" wing, as it could have been painted in the field. I also used Uschi rigging wire for the first time. It was nice to work with, but difficult to see! The rigging wire from the mast to the fuselage has since been corrected. It's not perfect, but this was a fun, relaxing build overall. Feedback is always welcome and appreciated. Thanks for looking!

This Kit has been such a pleasure to make .... 5th model now... think i'm getting the idea. 🤓 BUILD DIARY

hi,every one!!🙂 this is my 1/48 tamiya spitfire.. the last time I build model airplane was 5 years ago...now I try to build a kit again this kit is quite old...but it fits well,I build this almost o.o.b. I am happy with the result hope you like it😄 and here is the video build if you are interested🙂

Hi All, My next Spitfire I changed in Kit: removed the pilot's hatch, added tank caps on the wings, added a canopy seal, changed the tail wheel strut, separated the rudders on the stabilizer I mixed the colors myself, Enjoy watching,

G'day All, Yesterday morning (our time) saw the first post-restoration flight of Australia's newest Spitfire, MH603, a Mk.IXc, which is painted in the colours it wore when serving with RAF 331 (Norwegian) Sqn. I was asked to go along to document the occasion. The full article and lots of photos can be seen at: Removed and here are some pics to whet your appetite. Cheers, Motty.

Hey folks! Here's my latest off the bench, my 5th Eduard Spitfire. This time an Aussie Eight Spitfire VIII "QY-T" No 452 Sqn, RAAF F/L William "Ron" Cundy Sattler Airstrip, July 1944 BarracudaCast cockpit snapshot set BarracudaCast wheels Ultracast exhaust Ultracast spinner Master brass barrels Brassin 30gal slipper tank Scratch details Custom paint masks I was going to use a Yahu instrument panel, but it didn't arrive in time. So I stripped the kit panel, repainted it, and rebuilt it with acetate instruments from BarracudaCast

I found this half finished kit the other day while looking for some kits to do in the DK Decals set for Spitfires in Australia I recently reviewed on AMI. It is going to be a Spitfire Mk XVIe of 451 SQN RAAF using the Red Roo Decals 'Away Team Pt 3' set representing Spitfire Mk XVIe, NI*V, Matlaske, UK, March 1945. Scheme - Conventional Day Fighter. It's the Hasegawa kit with a Loon Conversions fuselage. The Loon fuselage is not the greatest in that the panel lines are a bit dodgy but it looks good enough for the job. It is the right length and has the right details in the right spot so it works for me as it fixes the Hawegawa 'short fuselage' problem. http://www.aussiemodeller.com.au/pages/ ... amPt3.html All the little gaps filled and undercoat of Mr Surfacer 1500 on. I used Humbrol and Pollyscale paints for the upper and lower colours. with Hu90 for the 'Sky' band and spinner. It is about cured now so it will receive a coat of varnish then decalling begins.

Hi all, Don't know about you but my modelling usually slows down a little during December, what with Christmas, meeting people, going for pints....ahh, the good old days! Clearly that's not happening this year and with my 1/1 Christmas Puddings all done, I thought about what to get as presents for family. 2020 Puddings by Dermot Moriarty, on Flickr My father in law Des has always liked the Douglas Bader story so that got me thinking...why not build him a model of one of Bader's aircraft? It would be a nice surprise along with the others. My usual scale is 1/72 but I felt I needed to go bigger for this. So I put my other entry for the GB on the back burner and started doing some kit research. Sure enough, Eduard's latest 1/48 Spitfire 'The Few' boxing contains decals, etch and a resin figure of the man himself - perfect. A few clicks and a care package arrived very soon after from MJW Models.. Very well-packed and great price as well. Eduard Spitfire_1 by Dermot Moriarty, on Flickr Eduard Spitfire_2 by Dermot Moriarty, on Flickr Eduard Spitfire_3 by Dermot Moriarty, on Flickr Will be building this scheme.. Eduard Spitfire_4 by Dermot Moriarty, on Flickr Have never built a 1/48 kit before or an Eduard one - looking forward to it! Well, that was unexpected... Eduard Spitfire_5.1 by Dermot Moriarty, on Flickr Better get a move on! Cockpit started. Eduard Spitfire_5 by Dermot Moriarty, on Flickr Not sure the green is 100% correct but I like how it looks. I think the cockpit alone has more parts than many of my 1/72 efforts! Eduard Spitfire_6 by Dermot Moriarty, on Flickr Thanks for looking (and don't tell Des!) Cheers,

"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few" As today marks the last day of what was the official period of the Battle of Britain my contribution over from the Group build. These are the latest boxings from Airfix, built straight from the box with the kit's markings . May add a little more weathering but a bit of a rush at the end to finish them today.

Hi fellows, Let me show my Spitfire Mk. IXc. I've included some pics during built. I found some issues, but were due to my inexperience!! The kit is the well known Tamiya 1/32, no aftermarket, and all the paints were also Tamiya (only some oils were used for weathering). I hope you enjoy it, and wait for your comments. Thanks!

I just picked one of these up for a bargain price on eBay and was wondering what it would take to backdate it to a IIb ? I have an unloved Revell IIa as a doner kit, as far as I can see I'd need to change the spinner and prop, oil filter and exhaust stacks, all of which should be easy ( famous last words ). Is there anything I've missed ?

The second Spitfire from the Eduard dual combo kit. I’m intending to build this one in the colours of Czech Sqn Ldr Otto Smik. Eduard list some uncertainty in the markings so any steers/ thoughts will be helpful as this one develops. Steve

Hi all, Been a little in the modeling mojo doldrums of late, so i figured another build online with support might help. The last eduard spit kit i built for this GB was so forgiving to put together (apart from the cowl) and so enjoyable that i’ve opted to make another. This time a late mk IXc. I think I might go for the boxart scheme of mh712, ‘Pat’ from 302 squadron, a polish unit involved in d-day, hence the stripes, not sure yet. Theres a few goodies i bought in addition to the box offerings... Not much progress this eve but it’s a start, all of this has had a prime, although its extremely difficult to see! 😊 Wish me luck for a mojo restoration chaps.

A couple of Spits; critique welcome. More pics and build description over on the website, as well as the rather sad story of their pilots, Jack and Bob Yarra. The Eduard Mk.IX represents an aircraft only 2 months old when lost in April 1944. 453 Squadron seemed to just throw their codes on the fuselage so even though I don't have a pic of FU-Y I have plenty of others that show the haphazard application. The Hasegawa Mk.V represents an older aricraft, around six months old at the time of its loss in December, 1942.

Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk Vb - VIII - IXe "Sexy Spitfires" ED72003 1:72 Exito Decals Polish company Exito are an online retailer of all things scale modelling. They also have a nice line in decals with a 'twist'. Unlike most rivals, their sets are packed into large, A4 sized packets backed with a piece of heavy card. Each of the schemes included on the sheet is replicated as a high-quality colour print on thick, glossy card, with a painting diagram and other information on the reverse. The overall impression is of a very high quality product, albeit one which is surprisingly reasonably priced. The set includes markings for three aircraft: Spitfire LF Mk.Vb (EN921), coded YO-A of No. 401 Sqn RCAF, flown by F/O Jack Sheppard, Redhill / Staplehurst / Biggin Hill, UK, July-October 1943. Spitfire LF Mk.VIII (MT841), coded U of No. 2 Sqn RIAF, Kohat, British India, spring 1946. Spitfire LF Mk.IXe (TA864), coded LW-L of No. 318 (Gdanski) Sqn RAF, flown by P/O Zdzisław Uchwat, Risano near Udine, Italy, May-June 1945. There are no prizes for guessing the theme that ties these schemes together. Each aircraft features 'sexy' nose art which is not all that common on Spitfires. The decals themselves are printed by Cartograf, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Helpfully, there are sufficient national markings on the sheet to model each of the three options. Colour references are provided for Mr Hobby and AK Interactive, as well as the RLM codes appropriate for each shade. Conclusion This is yet another professional and attractive package from Exito. As well as some interesting decals printed by the company everyone else is measured against, you get profiles of all the options that are of such high quality that they could be framed or incorporated in the display of your finished model. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Finished my third Spitfire as a what if machine from the 1947 Island Defense Squadron. The story is that Germany managed to defeat the Allies on D-Day, and began a more intensive bombing campaign against British targets deep inside Britain with Heinkel He 277s. The pilot of this aircraft is Flight Sargeant Lanoe Bishop.

For all of you Britmodellers on Facebook I've a little treat for you. I've loaded up the pics I took in the museum at Gardemoen, Norway 2 years ago. The collection is mostly aircraft used by the Norwegian Air Force but there's a couple of bonus planes in there! There are a Spitfire Mk IXc and PR Mk XI, Junkers Ju52, Heinkel He111P, Vampire single and twin seaters, 2 different F-84's, F-86 Sabres and Sabre Dogs, F-104 Starfighter twin seater, F-5A and B Tigers. Not the biggest collection in the world by any means but well worth a look if your ever near Gardemoen (about 1/2 hour out of Oslo). Handy for me that it's only 15 mins drive from where my sister lives! Please not that I'm not a great photographer but I hope some shots might be interesting or useful (The F-5's gunbay might help some modellers!). http://www.facebook.com/pages/MJW-Models/449805648412274 If you like the pics and want to see more museum/air display pics, please like the page and I'll post some pics from Flying Legends at Duxford too. thanks Mike