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Found 12 results

  1. I believe the thread hit its maximum size so was automatically locked. I have had a few PM's. If you don't like the thread don't subscribe. For those who enjoyed the melting pot...knock yourself out HERE IS THE LINK TO THE 1ST THREAD WITH LOTS OF QUESTIONS, ANSWERS and PHOTOS - START here TIP: search from Google, enter the search parameters followed by site:www.britmodeller.com
  2. While on one hand it makes me a little nervous to have two kits on the go at the same time, I recently got this: ... and this does seem as good a place as any to build it. One of the box options is for a Malta Spitfire but I will be building one of the options from the Xtradecal sheet X72-161 The Battle for Malta - RAF: Specifically, BR294 GL-E. Our own Tony O'Toole was kind enough to advise me on the scheme and he recommended that the aircraft in question should be painted blue as per the top Spitfire in the picture - I think it will look really nice in those colours with the yellow codes. Tony suggested a colour similar to US Navy Sea Blue so I will use the Colourcoats ACUS07 over ACRN34 Azure Blue - thank you Tony Not sure if I will be able to make a start tonight, but if not... soon... Cheers, Stew
  3. Hi folks,this is my second of three Spitfire family builds for this GB.My take on The Historic Aircraft Collection's Vb in the colours of 317(polish) Sqn BM597 also as a tribute to those Polish airmen who made their way to Britain to help defend these isle's and later help liberate the continent many paying the ultimate price.Edgar had a hand in the conception of this kit and is rightly aknowledged by Airfix on the box.I have finished her in a slightly glossy finish with no weathering as reflected in the immaculately preserved real aircraft.Thanks for looking.
  4. I finally finished my Spitfire Vb yesterday, having struggled to find a decent matt varnish. I thoroughly enjoyed this kit, except for the landing gear.
  5. Supermarine Spitfire Vb Airfix 1:48 The Spitfire hardly needs an introduction, an iconic war machine and graceful lines satisfying the technical theory that ‘If it looks right, it flies right’! With around 6000 aircraft produced across the various sites, the Mk.V was the most produced version of the 20,000+ built. Coming in to service in 1941, it incorporated many of the improvements developed in the Mk.III, however instead of using the planned Mk.XX Merlin which was in short supply, the Mk.45 with a single stage single supercharger was used as it could easily be fitted to the standard fuselage of the Mk.I/II. Three types of wing were available in the Mk.V range, the ‘A’ wing using the traditional 8 gun layout and the ‘B’ wing housing two 20mm cannon and 4 machine guns. The universal ‘C’ wing introduced shortly afterwards had a more flexible arrangement being able to house either the ‘A’ or ‘B’ configurations or 4 cannon and 4 machine guns. A key feature of the Mk.45 Merlin introduced in late ’41’ was the ability to cope with negative ‘g’ without cutting out significantly improving dogfight performance in an effort to close the gap on the newly developed FW190. As well as being used in the UK, the Mk.V saw considerable service abroad. The need to cope with hotter and harsher climates led to some of the ugliest and slowest Spitfires to be built (I say that in principal, but I actually like the tropical versions!). Tropical versions accommodated a deep chin Vokes filter, but the extra drag and reduced intake charge speed affected the performance by around 8mph and clime rate aby about 600ft/min. Later, in-field improvements led to a more streamlined ‘Aboukir’ tropical filter which went some way to restoring the original lines of the spitfire too. The Mk.V’s endured fierce combats with front line fighters of the Axis air forces across most theatres of WWII including Europe, the Mediterranean, Pacific and Russian. In an ironic turn of developments, the ‘stop gap’ MkV was gradually replaced by the next ‘stop gap’ version, the Mk.IX which became the second most widely produced variant. The key difference in the two aircraft was a notably longer nose to accommodate a two stage supercharger giving a much improved high altitude performance to deal with the FW190’s over Europe. The kit The release of this new kit by Airfix was somewhat of a surprise, with very little hype. Maybe a new quarter scale Spitfire just doesn’t need the marketing effort other kits require and given the interest of forums, this may well be the case. It replaces the 1977 tooling with the iconic QJ-R tropical Spitfire artwork that is probably the reason I developed such a soft spot for the ‘ugly’ Spits in the first place. That said, the Tamiya Vb is probably the current bench mark in this scale that Airfix have entered the competition with. From the various comparisons across the internet (thanks to some of the guys on here, Troy Smith in particular), it appears that Airfix have produced a gem of a kit in terms of accuracy. Comparing the two, the Airfix wing is considered more accurate and the nose correct in length, whereas the Tamiya is a few mm too short. First impressions are certainly favourable. Moulding quality is superb with the panel lines recessed and more refined than some of the recent Airfix releases. The parts breakdown add a little more complexity than the Tamiya kit which I’ll pick up in the review later on, but there is a good range of options covering most of the Vb variations. Flash is almost none existent and there are only a few observations of sink marks which I’ll mention later too. The box is thankfully top opening with stunning digital artwork of a tropical version. The instructions are excellent in my opinion with good clear steps using colour to improve clarity. So, on with assembly. Traditionally it starts with the cockpit interior. Unlike the fuselage moulded sidewall interior of the Tamiya kit, the Airfix kit has two inserts with excellent detail moulded on that mate to the fuselage inner walls. The seat comprising three main parts is also nicely formed, although looks a little thin in width by itself. Once in place, I doubt that this would be as noticeable. Unfortunately, there are no harnesses, so you may want to scratch build these, purchase some aftermarket parts or fit the included pilot. The bulk head and surrounding frame work is well catered for as is the main panel. The framework, seat and flying panel are all assembled within the two sidewall inserts making a complete interior that then sandwiches inside the fuselage halves. Before you do this however, there is an important decision to make. If you want to have the canopy closed, you have to cut a small section of the fuselage away to locate the canopy. This is one of the complexities that leads me to believe this kit is a little more challenging for novice builders. There are marks in the fuselage interior as a guide and with the right tools, is quite straight forwards. If you want the canopy open and the access door open too, it will need cutting away. Again, there are cut lines on the fuselage interior as a guide. If you do take this option however, you don’t need to use the cut-away door, there is a separate part on the sprue. The nose panel fasteners are well produced as are the various lumps and bumps around the engine area. I appreciate that there is a divided opinion on rivets on a Spitfire, but some faint rivets on the fuselage would improve the surface in my opinion. Eduard has done an excellent job of it on their Mk.IX as an example. Finally, to complete the fuselage assembly, there are two options for the cockpit forward upper bulkhead. These ‘saddle’ parts accommodate two different styles of windscreen installations. Based on experience of building modern Airfix kits, the tolerances are very precise. As such, any paint on the edges of the fuselage structure under the upper this saddle part may need sanding off for a flush fit. On with the wing assembly next. As with the fuselage, detail is nicely reproduced with the cannon bumps and wing stiffeners moulded in (you may need to remove the latter if producing an aftermarket scheme as not all had these fitted). There is a very slight sink mark in the wing tips. One of the lower wings is slightly warped being very thin, however once mated to the upper wing, this shouldn’t be a concern. The ailerons are separate parts allowing off centre positioning to add a little interest to your build. Again, there is a little more complexity here than with the Tamiya kit for comparison and I’m not sure why this option was taken by Airfix. Two spars are included with a hinge mechanism for the main gear legs. The main gear legs are then fixed to these hinge parts, but the join is just a butt joint albeit with a step. The instructions call for the correct angles of positioning both laterally and longitudinally, but care will need to be taken to get this right. A good choice of glue will be critical here and I suspect this will be a weak point if displayed wheels down. The tyres are moulded with flat spots and bulged for in the lower position with separate hub parts making painting much easier. None bulged ‘half’ tyres are included for in the retracted position. Two choices of oil cooler are included, one for the tropical version, one for the standard variant. However I thought that tropical versions also had a deeper radiator, but only one type of radiator is included, maybe someone can clarify this? On the 1/24 Spit, both radiators are included. That aside, the radiator builds up well with a separate exit flap that can be positioned at preference. With the wing in place, the chin parts can be fitted. Both standard and Vokes tropical parts are included. If you want to do an Aboukir variant, Freightdog have just released an aftermarket part which I can recommend having seen it at the Brampton show. The tail feathers are fitted next. Separate elevators and rudder parts again make for a more interesting display if you prefer to position them off centre. The fabric effect on these parts is pleasingly subtle. There are three types of exhausts included in the kit, although one type are the pre-fishtailed ones that I can only imagine were used on very early Mk.V’s at best. The two options included in the instructions are both fish tail, but one has the gun heating pipes. Two types of propellers are included in the kit. The Rotol with wooden blades looks very good although there is evidence of sink marks at the base on my example. This is quite visible, but some filler will easily sort the issue out. Whilst the blades on the DeHavilland propeller are fine, the spinner is too long. Again, Freightdog can come to the rescue here with a correct ‘stubbier’ one, or if you have one knocking around in the spares box, that might be an option. Dropping some filler inside the point of the hub might allow for it be sanded back to the correct length as another option to consider too. The cockpit options are quite thorough. You have the choice of three windscreens and canopies as well as either open or closed. Again, if you are using aftermarket decal options, do your research before choosing the correct type. The parts are very good with thin moulding and the only distortion on the blown hood parts which I would consider as minimal. Another option included in the kit is both clear and non-clear clipped wing tips. Finally there is a large slipper tank and two 250lb bombs included in the set although there is no call for the bombs in the instructions. To summarise the options included, there are: Intakes - standard or Vokes Windscreen / canopy - three styles Oil cooler - standard or tropical Wing tips - standard or clipped Aerial masts - 2 types Slipper tank 250lb bombs x2 Exhausts - 3 types Gear - retracted or lowered Decals Having built a few Airfix kits recently, the quality of the decals have been impressive. Whilst thin, they are also strong and settle down well. The decals in this kit appear to be of the same quality. Very sharp and detailed print with a slightly matt finish. As well as the plentiful stencils included, the following aircraft schemes are provided: 249Sqn (Gold Coast) RAF flown by P/O Robert Wendell “Buck” McNair DFC during Operation ‘Spotter’ from Ta’ Qali, Malta 1942 with an interesting dark earth / sea grey paint scheme BM597 (G-MKVB) restored in the colours of 317Sqn Polish Fighter Squadron. More conventional scheme and now based at Duxford with the Historic Aircraft Collection Ltd. Conclusion As mentioned at the start, this is regarded as a very accurate kit, which is a sensitive area of discussion when it comes to Spitfires. There are some steps that require care and attention during assembly which probably make it less of a beginner’s kit than the Tamiya equivalent, but the optional parts included allow for a wide range of aftermarket choices which I suspect will fuel future decal releases. The cockpit is nicely detailed, although there is still room for aftermarket improvement should you wish. All in all, an outstanding kit and probably Airfix’s best Spitfire in any scale yet. I’ve already bought another! Review sample courtesy of
  6. The answer is: no! (to me, at least ) Few words on the kit: it's well known, and as Troy Smith pointed out in my WIP thread (see here if you're interested), has some shape issues, concerning mainly wings and fuselage shape. I didn't feel like I was able to fix them, though, so I decided to build this kit as an experiment for various techniques such as, for instance, salt chipping (first time ever for me), an doing my own mask for roundels. No aftermarkets used, but definitely some scratch - building involved: - cables and wires and few other details inside the cockpit - radio switches box (cockpit again) - brake lines on undercarriages - pitot tube (using a prescription needle) - back canopy thermoformed, as the kit one is too wide and tends to break at the minimum pressure - IFF aerials, using hair probably something else, but I don't remember now. Roundels, fin flag and code letters were airbrushed, using self made masks. The only kit decals I've used are the serial numbers and the stencils. The AC I intended to reproduce is this: A quite battered one, indeed. Here are the pics: Weathering details Bottom view r More detail pics to follow
  7. Hi all, So this is my second RFI but my first WIP. http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234979665-148-spitfire-vbmalta/ It's not my normal scale and my first try ant any sort of detail like this and scratch building (very tiny bit in the cockpit but it counts). The kit is the old tool airfix vb.... not the best kit in the world but it came out OK, I definitely learnt a lot (like buy the new tool one). So the aircraft! Spit vb from malta flown by this chap Squadron leader johnny lynch, an American pilot who joined the Eagle squadrons then transfered to malta, after that he went on to fly in the USAAF. He was also given the accolade of malta's 1000th kill after a offensive patrol over sicily. Few pictures of the ac: More information on the chap can be found here http://acesofww2.com/USA/aces/lynch/ So few bit with the ac, the letter codes are to far forward and the 'maltas 1000th' is way over sized, but I hand paint that and need a smaller paint brush! Letter codes were done using tape and I am happy with how they turned out apart from size and placement, ok for a first go. All painted with hairy stick and tamiya paints..... so I suppose it's on to the pictures. .... So there she is... its blue.... I know there is lots of talk over colours of malta planes but this is also a strong possibility. Weathering is a mix of enamels and pastals. I wanted it to look very well used as this reflects what the island went through, and is in line with the blow pictures. All comments welcome! Can I just say a last few points, big thanks to all who looked in on the wip it really helped! A massive thank you to Tony O'toole who gave me a lot of pointers and who's fantastic builds have inspired this. Also I would like to dedicate this to malta and all that served on her and lived there during the war as with out them and their struggle the Med may have been a very different place! Rob
  8. Photo Etch Detail Sets & Masks for Airfix Spitfire Mk Vb 1:48 Eduard Airfix's new 1/48 Spitfire Mk.Vb (reviewed here) was a most welcome and unexpected addition to their 1.48 Spitfire range. As noted by the reviewer the kit is excellent though there is room for some aftermarket improvement. Eduard have come forward with a few of these with these sets. Interior Self-Adhesive Set FE695 This is comprised of a pre-printed, self-adhesive fret. The pre-painted set starts off with a host of small parts for the cockpit, including a multi-layered instrument panel, details for the rudder pedals, sidewalls and throttle control. A full set of painted harnesses for the seat are also included. Interior Self-Adhesive Set 49695 This set contains the full fret from the set reviewed above. A second plain brass fret contains additional parts for the radiator, carburettor intake, entry door, canopy mirror, landing gear brake pipes, and wheel well interior parts. This fret also includes details for the frames behind the seat, and the pilot's head armour. Landing Flaps 48822 This set provides a complete replacement for the kit flaps so the modeller can put the landing flaps in the down position. Detailed flaps are made up, in addition the indicators for the flaps are made. A handy template is included for making the holes in the wing for the indicators. Flexible Mask Eduard's pre-cut masks are the bee's knee's if masking canopies is toward the bottom of your list of favourite modelling tasks. This set contains masks for both types of canopy included in the kit, as well as masks for the main landing wheels Conclusion Airix's new tool Spitfire VB was a welcome release. If you want to add more to the kit then these sets enable you to do this. You can chose between the basic and more involved interior sets, and even have the dropped flaps if you wish to do so. The paint masks are, as always, great time savers too. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  9. After realising that I participated in over 200 posts I have yet to present a model for inspection. I have a Hasegawa Hurricane and Airfix BF109f on the bench. I finally completed my FW 190-A3. So this is my actually my second completed model. it is also my first attempt at some sort of base. I started the model just over two weeks ago and was in a rush to finish it last night (13/8/14) )so that I could present it as a gift to a young Chinese lad that I have been helping prepare for his IELTS test. A few weeks ago we were practising the "listening exercises" and all I think of at the time was to briefly narrate the story of Douglas Bader. Shock and horror- he had no idea what a Spitfire was. This needed to be corrected and once, so I thought that would build him a model as a keepsake. The results are below. There are number of things I'm really unhappy about in the build namely the canopy , being unable to get any type of dihedral on the wings and a few obvious the mishaps that started occurring as the clock neared midnight last night and I was extremely tired. As always I welcome comments criticisms suggestions and a general whack on the head with appropriate words "Proby" - ( Jethro Gibbs NCIS) Appologies for the duplication: I posted this in Work in Progress with some terrible grammar : Note to self - Don't use dictation Software when tired"
  10. After realising that I participated in over 200 posts I have yet to present a model for inspection. I have a Hasegawa Hurricane and Airfix BF109f on the bench. I finally completed my FW 190-A3. 9 So this is my actually my second completed model. it is also my first attempt at some sort of base. I started the model just over two weeks ago and was in a rush to finish it last night so that I could present it as a gift to a young Chinese led that I have been helping prepare for his IELTS test. a few weeks ago we were practising the "listening exercises" and all I think of that the time was to briefly narrate the story of Douglas Bader. Shock and horror- he had no idea what the Spitfire was. This needed to be corrected and once, so I thought that would build him a model as a keepsake. The results are below. the aurora number of things I'm really unhappy about in the bold namely the canopy, being unable to get any type of dihedral on the wings and a few obvious the mishaps that started occurring as the clock neared midnight last night and I was extremely tired. As always I welcome comments criticisms suggestions and a general lack on the head with appropriate words "Proby" - ( Jethro Gibbs NCIS)
  11. Good evening. I have just bought the Airfix 1/24 Spitfire Vb. I quite fancy doing an alternative colour scheme, I have seen pictures of the restored BM597 in the sky/tan/green. Does anyone know where I could possibly get similar decals. I also I have really enjoyed using Tamiya spraycans recently, what colour is the correct one for RAF tan, is it AS15? Finally, am I correct in thinking that Tamiya doesn't do SKY in a spraycan? (I've seen various suggestions to use an IJN colour but could do with advice.) Any help appreciated. Mark,
  12. Back to the seventies guys just finished my paper round thrown the raleigh chopper in the yard and rushing in the house to throw together the new airfix spitfire Vb from box to windowsill in an hour!built old style brush painted on it,s stand.Original boxing newer decals originals too far gone thanks for looking.
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