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Tamiya 1:72 Spitfire Mk1 & Aires Detail Kit


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Hi there dr_gn......I have a copy of the Fine scale modeler 31 July 2005 issue which gives an in detail view of your build and you look spot on.......the builder in that article also mentions several dry fits and minor corrections for a correct alignment to get it right.....see page 42...."fuel tank and engine"

Owww right. Any chance you could scan it??

When I finally get this one finished, I might make a list of mods that might need doing in case anyone else wants to try it. I've already gone further than I wanted on weathering the bulkhead and engine frames due to having to cut, file and re-paint various bits, all of which then needed weathering again to match the rest.

Thanks very much for the info.

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So tonight the tailplanes were fitted - I removed the elevators so that I can re-fit them drooped slightly. And the radiator fairing too - it's got the eduard p/e flap fitted and the cover representing the matrix inside. The windscreen is on, but - again - I've removed it becasue the fit isn't quite right. A shame becasue I masked and painted the inner frames and they looked good:

iixZC5Fy.jpg

0cNBDMMz.jpg

Also, becasue there is no way of fitting the propeller to the engine, I cut the existing spigots off the engine and spinner backplate, added a brass tube spindle and drilled out the propeller hub and backplate:

p4kYqjyH.jpg

It will all now be secured with a plastic retainer which will be covered by the spinner:

BUvsRIRP.jpg

I couldn't resist putting it side-by-side with the Pratt & Whitney R-1830 from the Curtiss Hawk I recently completed:

mI2TLukG.jpg

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Will do....I am a bit disjointed at the moment with my bits all over the place ...but will do asap....cheers

Much appreciated, thank you.

BTW, who built the model in question? I wonder if there are any images online?

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YES you were right.....the whole article is under...NIKOS KAVATHAS MODELS on the net.......go to the second entry and scroll down until you get to SPITFIRE MK1 page 38....the whole splurge is there....cheers

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YES you were right.....the whole article is under...NIKOS KAVATHAS MODELS on the net.......go to the second entry and scroll down until you get to SPITFIRE MK1 page 38....the whole splurge is there....cheers

Great - very interesting, thanks again.

The engine height looks Ok, yet he didn't mod the engine in terms of height. Strange.

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I haven't added the super charger behind yet and mine fits in the frame perfectly....after a lot of thinning etc. of course...

Thinning of what - the frames?

Windscreen finally fitted, and the elevators (plus a small oval p/e filter surround for the supercharger intake). Next thing I suppose is an epic masking session before finally painting it. I was thinking I was getting close to completing it, then looked in the box of parts that had accumulated as various bits got painted:

RjffzZKb.jpg

In fact the p/e parts for the flap indicators aren't on there. There's a fair way to go yet.

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Yes the engine mount frames...Mine had a bit of flash all around that area, after scraping with a very new #11 blade my engine nested perfectly on the little mounts....yours is looking brilliant if I might add....are you going to try and cover the engine with the cover bits...? the ultimate test hey...

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Yes the engine mount frames...Mine had a bit of flash all around that area, after scraping with a very new #11 blade my engine nested perfectly on the little mounts....yours is looking brilliant if I might add....are you going to try and cover the engine with the cover bits...? the ultimate test hey...

The lower covers cant fit I dont think - because of the way the oil? tank is moulded. it forms 1/3 of the lower panels .

My engine fitted within the frames, but when assembled to the bulkhead the engine was visibly way too high.

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I racking my brain here.....once your bulkhead is in place ( only one place to put it , I may add ) the engine mount has the little locating holes in the bulkhead and your engine fits correctly on the mount.....how much higher does it sit...? have you put a straight edge across the top of the tank cover.....there is a little catch place on the left side where the super charger casing touches the frame...is that not pushing your engine up...?

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I racking my brain here.....once your bulkhead is in place ( only one place to put it , I may add ) the engine mount has the little locating holes in the bulkhead and your engine fits correctly on the mount.....how much higher does it sit...? have you put a straight edge across the top of the tank cover.....there is a little catch place on the left side where the super charger casing touches the frame...is that not pushing your engine up...?

The supercharger seats on the stub and that made the engine pretty much OK in terms of height, but to get it to seat on the stub, I had to pare down the horizontal cylindrical thing on the left of the engine (looks like a car starter motor) and also cut off the engine mounting pins and blocks.

It's difficult to judge any of this until the frames are glued in place, since they tend to spring upwards at the front, so I was trying to hold everything in position and make a judgement. I'll post some pics when the frames are in place.

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Still enjoying this immensely. I would be tempted to leave it as you have it now, get some mechanic figures and make a diorama out of it,

(but that's just me, )

Sean

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So here it is all masked up (hopefully):

vEuKWxGe.jpg

tcnTsS1N.jpg

Tamiya Sky, preshaded with Tamiya NATO Black:

q244RS8y.jpg

Then overspray with Sky:

4szJZJUa.jpg

Colours don't show up well on the photos, but the effect is subtle. No need for a panel line wash.

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So, upper camo. In the end I decided to use hard-edged at this scale. I’ll try soft edges for the the Curtiss Hawk instead, since the painting was apparently done in the field without masks, so the edges would be more visibly feathered.

Firstly, masking the undersides and spraying base coat of Vallejo “Green Brown” and preshading with Tamiya “NATO Black”:

IcjNBKtM.jpg

Then, add a few blotches of lightened and darkened base coat:

E7tbgAp3.jpg

Overspray lightly with brown as a filter to get the contrast back down:

VENPYoRv.jpg

Add masking for my interpretation of the RAF “B” pattern. I used my own (I think) technique of overlaying the various surfaces with tracing film, then drawing the pattern on freehand with a pencil. Then I stick tape over the lines, turn it over and cut out with scissors before peeling and applying to the model. It worked OK:

F3jvwIBa.jpg

Then Vallejo “Reflective Green” with light and dark blotches, and of course preshading:

LJ7YiuqA.jpg

Then, after overspraying a final filter of green base coat, remove the masking and overcoat with Johnsons Klear in preparation for decalling. I had a bit of a crisis of confidence over the transparency masking; I thought I’d missed a bit, so I removed the masking tape at this stage to check (didn’t want to go any further with decalling if any surgery was required). It was in fact all OK. I kept the masks, so I’ll just refit them for the final matt coat on completion :

ZXLqfOOA.jpg

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Thanks guys!

It’s really, really tempting to give it a nice panel line wash – all those lovely fine lines just crying out for it! In the end though I know it doesn’t need it, no matter how easy and therapeutic it would be. Control surface break lines perhaps, but that’s all for this one. Decision made.

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