CedB Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Those of you following my ramblings know I planned to build this as a rest from my Memphis Belle build but was distracted by a present from my daughters, a Gromit Aeroplane. Belle is now curing and I find myself at a loose end, so I thought I'd have a look at this again. I have several good reasons for choosing this: everyone else is building Spitfires and I want to build one now ("What a shining wit", as Mr Spooner would say) the kit has the fewest lessist smallest number of parts of any kit in my stash Malta because it's one of the schemes and "The Malta Story" was on tele (telly?) recently (Alec Guinness and Jack Hawkins - yes!) and I could pick up some detailing tips from the film as they're always realistic. And some clarification on the aircraft colours*. It's this kit: Look - "No 001"! Procopius (my Spitfire guru) has already warned me that this is not one of his favourite kits and Cookie commented that the trop filter "turns the Spitfire from a young blade about town into a grumpy old man who has just sucked on some lemons." Nevertheless, I shall proceed! * Just kidding, it's a black and white film. I thought of that 'witticism' one night. Then I thought "Why not build a Spitfire exactly the same as the reference photos? Sort of Greyscale?". That'd be really accurate and will get the rivet counters going! Then I came to my senses and had some more wine. Drink responsibly - no shouting. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted June 4, 2015 Author Share Posted June 4, 2015 I can't find any reviews, WiPs or RFIs on this one (is that a warning?) so some sprue shots first. Just two and the clear plus transfers: Note that some of these parts are options so even less to do! One of those options is the wig tips and some help please. The scheme shows the Malta version ('A') with standard wingtips but the instructions say to fit the squared off ones: Which is right? Any advice appreciated! You may also notice I've noted '71.029' against the colour key. I'm going to use my Vallejo Model Air (VMA) RAF colours on this one, mainly to get some use out of the non-European colours! Thanks for looking (assuming anyone's interested!!??) 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 I have seen EP706 (that is the Spitfire, right?) depicted with both full and clipped-span wingtips; when I get home I can look through my Malta Spitfire Vs book and see if I can't find a photo of her, or you can assume that she had both at differing times and go with whichever please you more, as I've seen photos of other 249 Squadron Spitfires where some aircraft had clipped and some had full-span wings. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 I'm interested.......... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted June 4, 2015 Author Share Posted June 4, 2015 Thanks PC - yes, it is EP706. I've had a search on the 'net but can't find a good shot. Thanks for the help Hi PlaStix and welcome! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beard Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 I've built one of these but it was a Christmas decoration for my wife as she'd, somehow, 'lost' the Hurricane that previously adorned the top of her tree. There are reviews out there but here's a thread about Spitfires from here: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234912422-current-best-ofs-for-spitfires-in-172/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 This should look good in the tropical colours, I look forward to seeing the completion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfqweofekwpeweiop4 Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 It's not the worst kit in the world, it builds up much better than Italeri's evil Mk IX and it's a good enough Spitfire lookalike to fool 99.9% of people. It does have the advantages of being easily available and sells for peanuts (well near enough) at 2nd hand dealers and under the tables at shows. Another advantage is that you can build just about any Vb from the kit because as illustrated in the sprue pic, you can do it with or without tropical filters, you get both types of tropical filter and you can do clipped and standard wings. If you wanted to build lots of Vb's to show off all the differences including different camouflage schemes, I think this is the ideal kit, I prefer the Tamiya kit for it's high quality engineering and finesse but you can get 2 or 3 Italeri kits for every Tamiya kit. thanks Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 I've built a couple and like them (horror!). Things to replace, propeller blades (awful), aerial (ditto), cannon barrels (the Airfix Vb is better as a source for these). Also the separate entry hatch is too thick if modelled open. Odd things that may or may not be wrong are the oil cooler and the underwing vent(?) near the wing tips, as both are much bigger than the Airfix kit. There is no cockpit wall detail, so this needs doing. Still prefer it to the old Airfix Vb though. Trevor 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philp Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 All the builds I have seen so far depict the plane with full wingtips even the Corgi diecast. A discussion link for you. http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/65170-beurlings-ep706/ And a build. http://modelingmadness.com/review/allies/gb/attardspit5.htm 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Just found my abandoned build from 2011 (I will remove the pebbledash primer some day!) http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/65620-italeri-vb-ad233-zd-f/ Trevor 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Looking forward to this Ced. If your work on the Frog Mk XIV is any indication, this should become a masterpiece. I did not know that my distaste for the giant tropical filter was well known Ced. Yesterday, I even bought an Admiral VB (on a recommendation from PC), but bought the boxing with the Soviet markings as the cover art did not depict a tropical filter as the RAF/USAAF boxing did. I have no intention of using the Soviet transfers, and the sprues for the two are identical (both have the 'regular' chin and tropical chin included), I just couldn't get over the "grumpy old man that just sucked on some lemons' look of the box art. I am an idiot. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfqweofekwpeweiop4 Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 I've built a couple and like them (horror!). Things to replace, propeller blades (awful), aerial (ditto), cannon barrels (the Airfix Vb is better as a source for these). Also the separate entry hatch is too thick if modelled open. Odd things that may or may not be wrong are the oil cooler and the underwing vent(?) near the wing tips, as both are much bigger than the Airfix kit. There is no cockpit wall detail, so this needs doing. Still prefer it to the old Airfix Vb though. Trevor Regarding the cockpit interior - I wouldn't bother adding anything other than seatbelts if the canopy is modelled closed, you can't see much of the cockpit in a small model like that! thanks Mike 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 I am an idiot. Given how badly you're beating me at WITP as it is, I'd hate to see what the map would look like if you were firing on all cylinders. Cookie, did your boxing have a fully formed Rotol spinner? On mine, the three-blade spinner had a serious mold flaw that left it almost entirely filled in solid. Fortunately I have a spare. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob85 Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Glad to see that you have given this a proper wip! I know this kit is inaccurate but it will be good to see how it builds... Looks like it comes with so good options. Rob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob85 Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 (edited) Also cookie- I see what you mean about its chin not as beautiful as a normal spit... One of the reasons I picked a chinless Malta spit for the kids ceiling... But they do have a certain something about them that i find appealing like a model can be ungainly I suppose but still a looker... You know? Rob Edited June 4, 2015 by rob85 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted June 4, 2015 Author Share Posted June 4, 2015 Thanks everyone - crikey, lots of interest in this one already - so much for me having a rest with this one, looks like I'll have to try and do a good(ish) job! I will warn you though that I always build OOB and wheels up and I'm not skilled up for any scratch building, sorry. Beard thanks for the link - spent ages on that and I now have a list of Spitfires for my reference - thanks! Mike: "...it builds up much better than Italeri's evil Mk IX..." er, I have one of those in my stash I'll go with your suggestion of no cockpit detail and I may try to scratch some belts. Philp: Thanks for the links, interesting. Full wingtips it is then? Trevor: Thanks for the tips and the link to your WiP - I didn't know about that problem with rattle cans and I'll certainly watch out in the future - shame, it was going so well. Should I be waiting the seat red? Any tips on paint number, Humbrol preferred? ​Cookie you're no idiot as we all know! I'd put it down to a senior moment Perhaps this build will pass on a little lurve? (Famous last words!) So, IG splashed around a bit on the sprue but nothing really to show yet. I'm over the pub tonight and I'll be back to Belle tomorrow, but I may squeeze a bit in (fnaar fnaar). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Ced! I painted the seats red because that seemed to be the collective 'right' answer and I'm easily persuaded! No idea of the shade, as I just reached into the paint box. You can tell I don't build to competition standard........ Trevor 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beard Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 (edited) I'm sure that there's a thread on here discussing Spitfire seat colours (indeed, I'd be surprised if there isn't) where Humbrol 160 was recommended for the resin-bonded seats. If you want to be exact, you ought to make sure what type of seat the aircraft you're modelling had. Or you could just paint it red and not give a damn. Edit: to correct the material from which the seats were manufactured. Not bakolite. Edited June 4, 2015 by Beard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 I'm sure that there's a thread on here discussing Spitfire seat colours (indeed, I'd be surprised if there isn't) Yep. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beard Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Yep. I knew it! Also amended my post as it wasn't bakolite. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 The V does look very purposeful with its chin intake, perhaps I can be persuaded! Either way, I'm really looking forward to this build Ced. PC, I haven't received the Admiral Mk V yet, so I can't check, but the spinners look fine on my AZ Mk II and V which I think are the same sprues as the Admiral. I used an Airfix Rotol prop and spinner front half for my IIB build, and so have spares if you were to need them. It's funny that we both think we're losing in WitP. Sorry for the thread jack Ced. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 PC, I haven't received the Admiral Mk V yet, so I can't check, but the spinners look fine on my AZ Mk II and V which I think are the same sprues as the Admiral. I used an Airfix Rotol prop and spinner front half for my IIB build, and so have spares if you were to need them. Oh, my AZ kits are fine, it was just my Admiral rebox; if it's not a bother, I'm hoping you'll let me know if you run into the same thing. It's funny that we both think we're losing in WitP. Playing as Japan, if you're not dictating peace in the White House in June of 1942, you've lost already. Sorry for the thread jack Ced. I blame Cookie. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Okay! EP706/T-L was delivered in August of 1942 by HMS Furious during Operation BELLOWS. "Screwball" Buerling shot down four 109s flying her in October. I can't seem to find a photograph, but I've seen pictures of a dozen 249 Squadron Spitfire Vs, and only one of them seemed to have clipped wingtips. It seems unlikely EP706 had them. People seem to cautiously agree that it's at least possible she arrived in the classic desert scheme rather than one of the exciting and confusing variations that grown men have almost come to blows over in various fora. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 ("What a shining wit", as Mr Spooner would say) I only just got this. The lord is a shoving leopard indeed. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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