Spitfire Mk XIVc

[spitfire]

Well this is what will be keeping me off the streets for a while, just as well as it's getting grim out there ! This will be the last Spitfire resin conversion for a while, though I do have a Paragon low back Mk XIV conversion waiting it's turn but next I want something modern and easy to build, just bought a 1/32 scale Sea Fury so that looks like it will be next.

I got this conversion way back in about 1996, but as we were living overseas I did not want to build it until we returned to the UK as I did not know how completed models would take the shipping home, as it was the completed kits survived two sea journeys with no damage at all.

This is the donor kit, Hasagawa's Spitfire Mk VI

And this is the Warbirds conversion kit

Resin bits

And white metal bits (it is an old Warbirds set)

This was a bit tricky as I am a novice when it comes to resin !

Cheers

Den

Edited December 22, 2008 by spitfire

[spitfire]

The Warbirds resin bits are a bit difficult (for me) to seperate from the resin plug, I had a great time with the nose, I tried to leave a rim to help attach it to the fuselage.

With the nose and wing cleaned up it was time to measure up for the fuselage cutting, the resin nose was fitted to the wing (not glued) and the end of the nose was marked in pencil on the wing.

The plastic fuselage halves when then placed on the wing and the marks from the wing transferred to it, this gives the mark for cutting the fuselage.

Fingers and everything crossed

While in the mood for cutting the fin was cut off as well, this went surprisingly well

Cheers

Den

Edited October 19, 2008 by spitfire

[Alan P]

Looks like a great project. You seem to be having no problems handling the resin so far.

Al

[spitfire]

Well not quite perfect but nothing that a bit of scrap plastic and some superglue can't fix.

Now to detail the cockpit before trying to mate up the resin and plastic bits, this one definately did not have a headrest so some sheet plastic was called for.

Using my favourite MDC RAF instrument decals (lazy)

Came out quite well, I don't spend a great deal of time on cockpit interiors as long as it looks vaguely like it should that will do me.

Instead of struggling with the kit seat this time I used a Warbirds seat.

Cheers

Den

[spitfire]

I'm probably still too cautious with the resin and spend a lot of time taking off small amounts, when I should really be a bit braver !

Cheers

Den

[perry]

Will be watching this one Den.

Easier to take off a little at a time than it is to put it back!

[AndyL]

As Pez says...I'll be watching this one, and I'd be taking a bit off at a time, lest I cock it up. Which incidentally, I'm quite good at! Great work so far.

[mungo1974]

Great work so far,ive seen two or three Warbird XIV's at shows over the years they seem to be fairly accurate in shape. Id totally forgotten that Neil did a XIV set in his Paragon range,i will have to pick his brains on the status of the moulds of that one nexttime i pop in to see him for a cuppa. Quite fancy the thought of a 32nd XIV myself now,but i must finish the PCM IXc on my bench first.

[AnonymousDFB1]

Nice work

[KLP Publishing]

Great job Den. It looks like a challenging conversion, so I wish you luck with it. Based on your other models I've seen here, I know it will be a beauty when it's done!

Kev

[spitfire]

Just after I started this one Radu over on LSP is bringing out a new XIV conversion for the PCM Mk IX ! Never mind have to build what you've got.

Cheers

Den

[rigor]

Just after I started this one Radu over on LSP is bringing out a new XIV conversion for the PCM Mk IX ! Never mind have to build what you've got.

Cheers

Den

don't you just hate that! nice start

[spitfire]

Well back to it, the fuselage (what there is of it) has been re scribed, closed and glued to the resin wing and nose section, there are surprisingly few gaps but I did spend a lot of time dry fitting and whitling away at the nose and the cockpit floor to get it to fit properly, in the end there was very little left of the cockpit floor the rudder pedals were dangling in the air.

While I left it all to set I started to clean up the resin parts.

Cheers

Den

[spitfire]

Well having been distracted by the nice weather which has allowed me to finish up my list of outside nice weather only jobs it's back to modelling, with the Mk XII completed I can now concentrate on the XIV. The first thing that I spotted was that when I was re scribing the fuselage I omitted to reposition the radio hatch from the Port side to the Starboard side so that was corrected, then it was time to blend the panel lines crossing over the plastic to resin join.

I normally do not deflect flying control surfaces as they usually fall off and look bad with big lumps of glue holding them in place, but the all photos of Spitfire at rest show the elevators drooped. I'm not a plastic engineer so I opted to seperate the elevators (slowly with my scriber) and simply drill holes, insert some fuse wire and connect the two, this will make painting a lot simpler and should give me a fairly robust join even if it doesn't look too convincing.

And the finished article

Cheers

Den

[spitfire]

Well lots of fiddly filling sanding and polishing latter it's starting to look a bit like a Spitfire, standard wing tips fitted and blended in, cannon bulges fitted, I'm building an early XIV of 610 Squadron so the cannons are in the in board bays, rudder and tail planes fitted.

Just got to make these fit !

Cheers

Den

[AnonymousDFB1]

Nice work Den

[dylan the rabbit]

Quality work there fella!

[Smiffy]

Looking pretty bloody good from where I'm sitting.

[Dave Gibson]

I normally do not deflect flying control surfaces as they usually fall off and look bad with big lumps of glue holding them in place, but the all photos of Spitfire at rest show the elevators drooped. I'm not a plastic engineer so I opted to seperate the elevators (slowly with my scriber) and simply drill holes, insert some fuse wire and connect the two, this will make painting a lot simpler and should give me a fairly robust join even if it doesn't look too convincing.

Cheers

Den

It's looking good so far Den. Glad to see you're dropping the elevators. Makes you into a spitfire builder rather than a builder of spitfires. Rather like that thing about being a Kentish man or a man of Kent.

Now, check out Mk22's and some Mk 24's. Most people are gobsmacked when they find the truth.

Dave.

[seanrgb]

Nice work matey ..

[Don Watters]

I'm reading this with great interest given the Warbird Productions Mk XII conversion I'm hoping to start soon. One thing I've been racking my brains with is how to insert a shaft into the back of the spinner (ie, how to ensure it's at 90 degrees to the base plate), and insert a tube into the solid resin nose (also at 90 degrees to the nose end). Am I making things too complicated? Should I just be attaching (gluing) the spinner on permanently?

I'd be interested in what your plans are regarding this step.

Very nice work you are doing - I look for posts of progress each day.

Edited October 1, 2008 by Don Watters

[spitfire]

Thanks for the nice words guys, at the moment I'm polishing the clear parts, did not realise that the Hasagawa Mk VI parts are different, so I have dug out some Mk V parts from the spares box, as one day I will build a Mk VI and the spares may come in handy.

I'm also lining up the spinner and those five blades, using the same method as I used on the Mk XII, drilling the blades and the spinner, will then attach them using wire and CA.

The spinner will be attached to the nose using CA, I don't plan on getting too complicated on this bit, but if necessary will add a disc on the spinner and drill the nose a bit more to give a positive fit.

Got me intrigued on the Mk 22 and 24 Dave, will have to have a look, but after this one I think I will take a "Spitfire holiday" and build something simple.

Cheers

Den

[spitfire]

Have been sitting here all day watching the wind and rain, listening to Radio City and working on the Spitfire.

Cleaned up the white metal exhaust stacks, though I might use a spare set of resin ones from a Paragon conversion.

Drilled out the prop blades and spinner, inserted some wire and roughly checked that it all fitted, blades are now painted and drying.

For the retractable tail wheel I copied the resin insert from the Mk XII conversion with plastic card.

Cut out (very carefully) the tail ready for the tailwheel.

Rough check that it fits before painting.

Cheers

Den

[Dave Gibson]

Thanks for the nice words guys, at the moment I'm polishing the clear parts, did not realise that the Hasagawa Mk VI parts are different, so I have dug out some Mk V parts from the spares box, as one day I will build a Mk VI and the spares may come in handy.

I'm also lining up the spinner and those five blades, using the same method as I used on the Mk XII, drilling the blades and the spinner, will then attach them using wire and CA.

The spinner will be attached to the nose using CA, I don't plan on getting too complicated on this bit, but if necessary will add a disc on the spinner and drill the nose a bit more to give a positive fit.

Got me intrigued on the Mk 22 and 24 Dave, will have to have a look, but after this one I think I will take a "Spitfire holiday" and build something simple.

Cheers

Den

Hi Den,

The Mk 22 & 24 were built so that thei elevators sat up rather than drooped down. Check it out in Spitfire the History. Mind you, many were field modified so that the elevators dropped. Rumour has it that getting in the aeroplane with the stick back was more difficult and pilots were sick of getting hit in the nuts by the control column.

Image from IPMS Stockholm. Used under fair usage.

Dave

[spitfire]

Sounds like a sensible mod to me ouch or something stronger !

Cheers

Den