Frog Spitfire XIV and Flying Bomb 1:72

[CedB]

Thanks guys. Stew, I have no facist concerns and appreciate your input.

Meantime I suggest you crack on with that wine : D
Cheers,
Stew

Done! , you're my best mates you are! I really love you all! Naked wines are my main man! Nice bottle of Cotes de Rhone has eased my pain*

* Drink responsibly.

OK. Serious stuff (if I can make it)

I think the shape of the Spit doesn't look too bad, but I'm no expert, and particularly not when it comes to the later marks. I think a lighter grey is still needed on the upper surfaces- and although I know you are doing well with the spraying, for ease I'd be tempted to brush on a Revell acrylic of approximately the right shade, I.e several shades lighter.

(I know Stew has cautioned you against buying more paint, and I would basically agree, but these days I use Revell aqua color and Tamiya almost exclusively. Tamiya do a decent aerosol of the grey you need too.)

Ignore the hobbit!

Thanks Jon. I'm not averse to buying paint, or anything else actually (although I'm drawing a line at "Japanese Strap-on-Sumo Belly attachments", despite my gurus' apparent interest).

The model itself is, apparently, reasonably accurate and:

I humbly suggest to you CedB sir that yes the grey is far from right but even less right in my opinion is the green

To my eye the picture I put up of my Typhoon has the colours that you need

Sadly the right colours are very difficult to find these days, Humbrol having stopped producing their pretty damned fine Authentics range, lovely quick drying enamels with all the right levels of matt or satin finish

The Spit looks nice, just not quite the colours that it needs

I just need to sort out the colours? (Perdu your typhoon looks great)

You need a colour betwean Dsg and MSG. Humbrol 106 is your friend here with HU116 or 163 for the Green.
Great paint work and the Buzz bomb looks cool.
Cheers Rob

I have these Humbrol acrylics in my (really nice) rack. (I like the "cool" buzz bomb too). I take the "Great paint work" comment as an accolade - thanks Rob!

So, as...

For my money, the AZ Models Spitfire XIV/XVIII is the best of the lot, though a tricky build and the wings could stand thinning. Fujimi's XIV is next best, but the canopy looks too big to me (everyone else seems to think it passing fine, though, so you can ignore me), and an easier build than AZ, albeit slightly overengineered. Academy's Spitfire XIV...well, I once heard Jack White in his current puffy state described (by one of the bros. Gallagher) as "Zorro on doughnuts" (also a good description of present-day Adam Ant), and so too the bloated Academy XIV. A very easy build, though, so if the fact that it looks like it has a glandular problem doesn't trouble you, the build won't either.

there doesn't seem to be a (much) better model, I'll use Rob's techniques, flow enhancer and my Reeves brushes (they are great Rob) and repaint the Frog for your comments.

PC thanks for commenting from "on the train right now". "...our rail network is poorly maintained". you'll be right at home when you visit and I hope we get to meet up in September.

More tomorrow (hopefully).

This is the fourth time I've tried to post this. My 'Apple Magic Mouse' has a great feature that, if you brush to the right, goes back a page and loses your post. Sometimes technology just makes me go bluh blah bluh, or whatever the 'parrot sketch' quote was.

[robvulcan]

I'm confused which spit scheme your going for. I need to read back a bit I think. It looks like sea camo.

But I'm on my phone so not sure.

[Procopius]

PC thanks for commenting from "on the train right now". "...our rail network is poorly maintained". you'll be right at home when you visit and I hope we get to meet up in September.

Let me know if you're near Morden or will be at Duxford on the 19th or the Battle of Britain Memorial at Dover on the 15th of September, as those are where I intend to be. My host apparently may not be able to escape prior "being-a-doctor-and-a-saver-of-lives" commitments (pfah!), so I may have some spare time. I am afraid I'm very, very unimpressive in person. I'm afraid I bear a visual and sonic resemblance to very minor actor/comedian Chris Dotson. Also, I have ridden British Rail (in 2003, immediately prior to the invasion of Iraq, great time to be an American abroad), and it is the picture of opulence compared to Metra or Amtrak, the former of which I have ridden daily for the last eighteen years. In an unparalleled masterstroke, Amtrak has managed to buy trains that break down in both high temperatures (Chicago in August), and low ones (Chicago in January), thereby covering all their bases.

I'm confused which spit scheme your going for. I need to read back a bit I think. It looks like sea camo.

But I'm on my phone so not sure.

He's going for the standard Day Fighter Scheme in Europe.

Regarding paint, I personally use Tamiya's RAF colours for late Spitfires: complimentary, look right, and easy to use. They play poorly with other paints, though, and are apparently difficult to come by in your green and pleasant land.

[CedB]

I'm confused which spit scheme your going for. I need to read back a bit I think. It looks like sea camo.

But I'm on my phone so not sure.

It's the one here. "I'm on the 'phone" LoL - but too late to look up the "HELLO, I'M ON THE TRAIN" mobile joke...

Let me know if you're near Morden or will be at Duxford on the 19th or the Battle of Britain Memorial at Dover on the 15th of September, as those are where I intend to be. My host apparently may not be able to escape prior "being-a-doctor-and-a-saver-of-lives" commitments (pfah!), so I may have some spare time.

PC it'll be great to meet you and, if you're willing, to share some time at sites of common interest...

I am afraid I'm very, very unimpressive in person. I'm afraid I bear a visual and sonic resemblance to very minor actor/comedian Chris Dotson.

Nonsense (IMHO). You're in a group of like minded people here that are considering matching other's physiques by buying "Japanese Strap-on-Sumo Belly attachments". We're not super-models... it's the mind that matters.

Let's make some plans closer to the date, but I have the 19th Sept in my diary and would love to add the 15th. Beware though... "Americans think 100 years is a long time, and Brits think 100 miles is a long way". I hope your travel plans are appropriate!

i need o go to bed now (1:26am) but we should continue this when I'm not tired (and emotional - unquote).

[Procopius]

when I'm not tired (and emotional - unquote).

I use this line at work sometimes, but nobody there is a Private Eye reader, clearly. (Ian Hislop has wormed his way into my heart via his appearances on HIGNFY.)

Beware though... "Americans think 100 years is a long time, and Brits think 100 miles is a long way". I hope your travel plans are appropriate!

Very true, I'm trying to figure the logistics of a Morden-Dover trip -- it happily appears to be about two hours by train; I used to have a commute to work that long.

[Procopius]

Incidentally, should you need any further inspiration, here's one of my favorite photos, despite its low quality, that of a Spitfire knocking a V1 away from an inhabited area:

[CedB]

I seem to have a bit of a headache this morning... hmmm.

I use this line at work sometimes, but nobody there is a Private Eye reader, clearly. (Ian Hislop has wormed his way into my heart via his appearances on HIGNFY.)

I love HIGNFY and I'm glad you've found it. Hislop is a bit odd until you get used to him.

It's also occurred to me that others may not know the "you're my best mates you are! I really love you" quote and have interpreted it the wrong way! It's from a happy hour joke which I can't find now but will hunt it down and post.

Thanks for the photo PC - inspirational it is!

More later - and thanks again guys.

[AdrianMF]

+1 for humbrol 106 and 116 (I use 64 underneath but other colours are available). I use acrylics as I can't get on with the new enamels. The colours you have look like a pretty good match for Fleet Air Arm Temperate Sea Scheme though, so remember them if you do a Seafire!

Regards,

Adrian

[CedB]

Thanks all for helping me persevere... after the hangover thing cleared this morning (oh, and some work) I was able to achieve this:

Not quite up to Rob's "Airbrushed? No I used a hairy stick" standard but I'm happy enough with that.

OK, go to post #142, do not pass Go, do not collect £200.

Thanks again guys, really appreciate your help and support.

Ced

[Stew Dapple]

Ah yes, that's more like it Ced, nice work

Cheers,

Stew

[robvulcan]

Looking good.

[Procopius]

Mighty nice!

[Cookenbacher]

Looks great Ced!

[CedB]

Thanks guys!

Had an email from Alex Vallejo today - they're working on the colours / pamphlet. Sadly the apologies were not accompanied by a pressie so I've asked to be notified when they've corrected the colours.

Daughter 2 home so no progress tonight, but hopefully something over the weekend.

[GREG DESTEC]

Jings you've progressed a lot since my last look, well done Ced. This isn't the first time i've seen folks having trouble with paint matches when using vajello or what ever they're called. I always use humbrol and they work most of the time for me in application and tone. Nice

[06/24]

That's looking really good now Ced

[AdrianMF]

Humbrol 30 doesn't look too bad. I think 116 is a bit darker and browner, but what you have looks good!

Regards,

Adrian

[modelglue]

Sorry I'm late Ced!

...Fujimi's XIV is next best, but the canopy looks too big to me (everyone else seems to think it passing fine, though, so you can ignore me), and an easier build than AZ, albeit slightly overengineered...

I don't have a full AZ Model XIV so I cannot comment, but the two XVIII fuselage (lowbacks) that PC sent me are really, really nice and match up pretty well with mainstream kits. The canopy IS too big, I have held it up to the Hasegawa IX, Sword Vc, Special Hobby 21, AZ model XVI, and XtraKit 22. They are all in the ball park for comparative visual size. I will be modifying my Fujimi XIV's to use the Hasegawa IX canopies.

... bloated Academy XIV. A very easy build, though, so if the fact that it looks like it has a glandular problem doesn't trouble you, the build won't either.

I have one built, my Avatar, converted to a PR. XIX wearing warbird colors I saw online and fell in love with. It's not bad but once someone points out it's ruder points to you in a less than gentle way it becomes obvious how much different it is. I have it next to a Tamiya MK. Vb (also a suspected deviant) in my case and it looks like a greyhound that was mixed with a pitbull somewhere down the line. Please excuse the analogy.

The 106 and 30 look fantastic together, but ultimately it is you that has to be happy! I use the Tamiya acrylics described and I am currently trying the Vallejo brands.

[CedB]

Morning (just, and only here I guess).

Thanks MG, no problem, but you were missed!

Should I have some Brownings on this? Had a very close look whilst painting the yellow stripes (hate, hate) and there's no sign of holes and I don't remember filling them in. There appear to be hatches on top of the wing in about the right position but that doesn't mean there was anything under them on this mark, I guess.

Thoughts?

[modelglue]

I took a quick look, but only found this XIV which shows doping. Maybe some masking tape painted red and cut/applied to represent the doped apertures would do?

Someone with more knowledge pertaining to this airframe Ced is modelling might want to pop in with the facts, I am still learning these things myself.

[rob85]

Ced! What have I missed! I feel foolish for not seeing this sooner. Great thread and so much learnt (for me and it would appear you, cracking!)

The spit colours look bob on now to my untrained eye, super work.

Mr p, that spitfire pick is wonderful you can sometimes forget these chap in the planes are utter heroes will balls of complete steel... And that's just to get in the thing and fly, but to push a BOMB! with your wing tip!!!! Would any of us walk out and roll a shell away to save other that you have never met(saying that it depends on the situation a job role but you know what I mean).

Great work ced and very encouraging for myself (me me me!) Please keep it up

Rob

[rob85]

Ced! What have I missed! I feel foolish for not seeing this sooner. Great thread and so much learnt (for me and it would appear you, cracking!)

The spit colours look bob on now to my untrained eye, super work.

Mr p, that spitfire pick is wonderful you can sometimes forget these chap in the planes are utter heroes will balls of complete steel... And that's just to get in the thing and fly, but to push a BOMB! with your wing tip!!!! Would any of us walk out and roll a shell away to save other that you have never met(saying that it depends on the situation a job role but you know what I mean).

Great work ced and very encouraging for myself (me me me!) Please keep it up

Rob

Flipping stupid phone double post... Don't buy cheap

Edited March 7, 2015 by rob85

[CedB]

I took a quick look, but only found this XIV which shows doping. Maybe some masking tape painted red and cut/applied to represent the doped apertures would do?

Someone with more knowledge pertaining to this airframe Ced is modelling might want to pop in with the facts, I am still learning these things myself.

Thanks MG. That does look like they're covered with those horrible little decals that are really hard to apply until you discover Micro Sol / Set! That said the image I have on my desktop (which is obviously a painting) that prompted the question and posted earlier has trails behind the red holes (??) seem to imply there's something in there. The trails are reddish too - odd?

This one's also blocked too:

but there's no ID markings so this may be a restoration, like most of the other colour photos I've found.

This one:

spitfireperformance.com says "Armament was either: B wing - 2 x 20 mm cannon and 4 x .303 Browning guns, or E wing - 2 x 20 mm cannon and .50 Browning guns."

B/E wing?

Wikipedia has this picture (the one I'm modelling is RM619 and was in Belgium). The entry says:

Armament

Guns: ** 2 × 20 mm (0.787-in) Hispano Mk II cannon, 120 rpg.

4 × 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns, 350 rpg. Replaced by 2 x .50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns 250 rpg Mk XIVE.

Bombs: 2 × 250 lb (113 kg) bombs

It also says "The first test of the aircraft was in intercepting V1 flying bombs, and the Mk XIV was the most successful of all Spitfire marks in this role." Cool!

Your photo and the one above without the markings both have bigger 'lumps' next to the cannons than the last one - perhaps these are the 2 .50s and that's what I should be modelling, ignoring the painting?

[Procopius]

On a Spitfire XIV, if the little pegs are inboard of the cannon, it's an "e" wing, and they're 50-calibre machine guns. If they're outboard of the cannons, they're merely blocking the apertures, and the aircraft has the "c" wing with four .303 machineguns and two cannon.

Pegs come first: a "fifty"'s burst. Pegs come second: 303s should be reckoned.

[CedB]

Aha, thanks PC, you're a star! I reckon the pegs are inboard (see pics in my post here) so they're 50 cals. Great! No messing about then for me!

Pegs come first: a "fifty"'s burst. Pegs come second: 303s should be reckoned.

Catchy. Of course I'll probably not need this again (especially as you're always willing to help) but I am a little worried about the number of other 'aide memoires' like this that you may have in your head...

Thanks again, more later (hopefully).