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French Spitfire


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Hi everyone

Well this is my first group build and you'll have to excuse my lack of imagination on this one but I've always thought the Spitfire looks pretty good in French attire, especially when the tri colour covers the whole rudder. I've also wanted to build an Eduard Mkix for ages so here's the oportunity.

So, a Mk ix c serial PT467 complete with torpedo tank and invasion stripes on the lower fuselage form G.C. II/7 Nice squadron Free French Air Force with 326 squadron as it's RAF designation based in the Vosges Mountains in Eastern France in early 1945, and looking rather chilly I might add, flying missions over southern Germany. Most of the markings will come from a Berna Decals sheet.

Anyway it was the photo that sold this particular aircraft to me when I was trawling the internet for ideas.

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Good luck to everyone and enjoy

James

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James,

Excellent choice which falls nicely within the rules, it would be good to see it in familiar yet different markings.

Wez

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I was wondering whether a Spitfire would appear and I kept my fingers crossed one would!!!

Thanks for that!

Have fun.

JR

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  • 3 weeks later...

Right then chaps we're of, at last!

Actually not a huge amount of progress to show. Over the bank holiday weekend I managed to get all the parts for the cockpit of their sprues and cleaned up and some of the photo etch attached with out super glueing it to myself for a change!

As the later production Mk ix's were left unpainted from the back of the cockpit through the rear fuselage this area was gloss blacked and then given a coat of Alclad aluminium. For the cockpit I thought i'd try some black basing to create some shadows. Everything had a coat of Tamiya NATO black followed by multiple thin coats of XF 71 interior green. It worked ok but more practice needed. Life Colour deep cockpit was used for the black boxes and other parts were picked out in various colours as appropriate. The seat was painted with Humbrol 100 which seems about right for bakelite. The photos are a bit grainy but the paint finish is pretty smooth. Next step, a coat of klear, some Aeroscale cockpit placards, a dark wash, dry brush and a matt varnish then onto the photo etch instrument panel and seat belts.

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Questions and comments welcome as always.

Thanks for looking

James

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  • 2 weeks later...

Evening everyone

The cockpit is now finished. One of the best I've come across out OOB. Glossed with Klear, a wash of Mig Deep Grey panel line wash, a dry brush with ever lightened shades of Humbrol 78 and a coat of Vallejo matt varnish.

IP first. The etched one from the kit matt varnished and drops of Klear for the lenses.

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That's it for now.

Thanks for looking.

James

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Hi everyone

Just a quick update.

The fuselage is all together, seams filled and sanded. Any filler you can see is my fault not the kits. By the way I don't think I've said yet what a cracking kit this is and even if you're not a Spitfire fan go and build one!

I decided to use the Ultracast upper cowling which fits like a glove as I know i'll spend forever trying to get rid of the join line along the top of the kit piece and in the process obliterate all of the fine detail

Anyway, sorry for the poor quality pictures.

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Questions and comments welcome as always.

Thanks for looking.

James

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  • 4 weeks later...

Bon jour everyone

First up date for a while, work and general stuff getting in the way of modelling as usual!

Anyway she's ready for paint. I had a bit of fettling to do to get the wings on properly. I must have managed to get something in the cockpit slightly misaligned as I had to sand of some of the lower frame work which was to low for the wings to fit correctly. The rest of it as you expect went together with no problems.

So hear she is.

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And below with the canopy frames sprayed with Tamiya XF71.

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Next up a coat of Tamiya grey primer then i'm going to try Montex Masks for the first time for the national insignia so wish me luck.

Wez, I put the picture on the WW2 discussion area and the concensus was red. That was my guess to so that's what it will be. I Havent' been able to find that much info on the internet about French Spitfires used during the closing stages of WW2.

More updates soon.

Thanks for looking

James

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  • 2 weeks later...

Evening everyone

A quick Friday night update as the wife is out for a curry which gives me hopefully 3 to 4 hours of uninterupted modelling!

So the primer is on (Tamiya light grey), one or two bits and pieces to fill in as always. I've also sprayed the white for the markings and put on the masks.

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Yellow leading edges sprayed and masked.

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I've sprayed some Tamiya XF 4 onto the underside as a pre shade where the oil streaking is usually seen on Spitfires. I saw someone else do this on a Tamiya Spitfire on hear a while ago and it really added depth to this area. We'll see?

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The black walk ways were also added while I was doing all this. Tamiya NATO black.

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Then on with the medium sea grey. Tamiya again. I sprayed a squiggly coat of the basic colour then added some khaki and did some more squiggles followed by some white added to the basic colour and yet more squiggles. Finally, with the compressor over heating, a heavily thinned coat of the basic colour was sprayed all over to even everything out. I'm relatively happy with it, the effect is greater than the photos show.

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And finally a blurred close up to try and show that oil streaking. It worked ok, it should add some depth by the time its had a wash and some black streaking. If it doesnt this aircraft carried a drop tank anyway so it wont be seen to much. Sorry this is a really bad photo.

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Now onto the topside.

Thanks for looking, comments good and bad welcome.

James

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Guys thanks for the kind words.

Stew, the masks are Montex and yes they are lifting. This is only my second go with masks. Last time I used Miracle Masks which were much thinner, although this did make them slightly trickier to apply. Much patience needed. Do you use masks at all?

James

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Guys thanks for the kind words.

Stew, the masks are Montex and yes they are lifting. This is only my second go with masks. Last time I used Miracle Masks which were much thinner, although this did make them slightly trickier to apply. Much patience needed. Do you use masks at all?

James

Thanks James,

I have used canopy masks, and camouflage pattern masks but never masks for the markings so far; I do have a set of Maketar masks for Armee de l'Air roundels but so far haven't had the nerve to try them :lol:

I'm not sure I will ever have enough patience for them, but I'll see how yours turn out if you don't mind playing guinea-pig? :)

Cheers,

Stew

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No problems with being a Guinea pig Stew.

To be honest I wasn't going to use masks on this one but I'm not that good at getting decals to settle into details and this kit has such fine riveting on it I didn't want to lose them.

Anyway we'll see it turns out.

James

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Bonjour

Just a small up date.

I've cut the squadron letter C's from left over pieces of Montex film and sprayed the wing roots with Alclad aluminium ready for some chipping.

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Sorry about my finger over the lens in this last one.

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Next job is to mask the black walk way lines and then spray on some AK worn effects fluid followed by the camoflage.

Thanks for looking

James

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