Search the Community

@Giorgio N Thought it might be best to move further discussion on converting the new-tool Airfix VC into a Srafire II or III here, so as to not clutter @tonyot's excellent WIP and steal his well-deserved thunder. I pulled my Valiant Wings Spitfire monograph from my library, (I had forgotten it included Seafires!) and here are some observations based on the content: It appears in the diagrams and photos, that the 20mm cannon was mounted in the inner bay, for the versions with either the wide or narrow bulge. The stub where the outer cannon would have been mounted was removed fairly early in production. There are excellent 1/48 scale drawings of the Seafire III in the monograph that clearly show the panel lines/access hatches for the folding wings, as well as the reinforcements around the radio hatch, rear catapault spools, and the longerons. By looking at photos and the drawings, it seems to me that the shape of the wheel bays is not different from the Vc, but that the outer wall of the wheel bay is attached to the outer wing so when the wing is folded, that part of the wheel bay goes with it. (Does that statement make sense? Hard to describe.) I do have the Sword Seafire kits, and I know, from what I have read, that they have some issues, span being the most egregious, so when I get my Airfix kits, I can compare them to see how they stack up. BTW, I have used a technique for making the reinforcement straps on 1/72 Seafires that can also be used on 1/48 models. Using scale drawings, mark the outline of the desired reinforcement panels on decal stock. (I use appropriate size sections of decal from unused sheets.) Using a sharp hobby knife, cut out each panel and apply to the model. (I do this after the primer but before the colors have been applied.) Spray a coat of primer to seal the decal and then apply the camouflage colors. I use low-tack tape when masking the colors to prevent pulling up the decal reinforcements, but the primer seems to prevent this. On a 1/48 model, you could use Kabuki-type tape or vinyl auto pinstriping tape, as they are thicker than decal stock but still thin enough to look in scale. Shoot a coat of primer over the tape and you're good to go. Making the same structures out if plasticard that has been sanded to scale thinness would work in 1/48 scale, but it would be very hard to glue them to the model without some excess cement being squeezed out and being very difficult to clean up. Thanks for taking the time to post your very detailed thoughts on the conversion, Giorgio; you know what will happen- as soon as one of us converts the new Airfix Vc, they will release a revised tooling! Non fallisce mai! Buon Natale! Mike