Jump to content

Finished: Airfix 1:72 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia


Recommended Posts

I bought this Airfix A10701A Supermarine Spitfire MkIa DWoK a couple of years ago. It´s an iconic aeroplane but may also appear as a bit worn subject for a Battle of Britain build. I´ll build it anyway, out of the box and paint it using Humbrol enamel paints and hairy sticks. Do they still make tubes of Britfix plastic cement?

Pics later. I suppose the sprue and instruction pics can be skipped as this subject is already rather well documented at the interweb. Happy modelling everybody! Regards, V-P

Edited by vppelt68
  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi V-P. I shall be interested to see what you dou with these older kits, especially as you'll be painting with hairy sticks!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Stix, I guess I´ll disappoint anybody expecting something special from my build! The kits aren´t actually that old, according to Scalemates website the Spit dates from 2010 and the Bf 109 from 2012. Regards, V-P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Sorry, no pics though I've taken some, as I'm on vacation and rely on my mobile phone to connect to the interweb.

Status update: The Spit is ready for paint 😊. T'is a very nice kit. Regards, V-P

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Time to open some flood gates. Here´s my Spitfire taking shape during the last 1,5 weeks:

DSCN2636_zps9ioaloah.jpg

Five years overtime!

DSCN2632_zpsdgidsmuz.jpg

Sprues and instructions.

DSCN2637_zpsvzm7skl8.jpg

Some paint to inner surfaces and details.

DSCN2638_zpsi8ouawxo.jpg

Fuselage buttoned up. It was a pain to make the pit parts fit! I know, lack of skills with tight tolerances...

DSCN2640_zpstqvsq82e.jpg

A set of wings delivered from a dispersed factory?

DSCN2647_zps2mwjd8jw.jpg

...starting to look like...

DSCN2648_zpsg3bqnbj2.jpg

...a Spitfire!

DSCN2649_zpsktzknsqs.jpg

The prop is just a... prop for the photo! Some putty applied too.

DSCN2651_zpsd1tjojry.jpg

Down under too.

DSCN2653_zps8ummclxr.jpg

Hu 90 applied. The wheel wells were later painted properly.

DSCN2654_zpszb3awghq.jpg

She's got legs, too.

DSCN2657_zpsfjgy7w5f.jpg

Hu 29 applied. I´d say Airfix hasn´t made that canopy for This Kit. Needed some filing to shape. Almost made it, too.

DSCN2659_zpsbwfrypsm.jpg

One of my favourite things in modelling: drawing the camouflage lines to basic colour.

DSCN2662_zpsvvqy5zal.jpg

Hu 30 applied. Yes, I know I should have used Hu 11x whatever but I wanted to built this following the kit instructions!

Now some sleep, maybe tomorrow some Clear and yellow prop tips? Thanks for watching. Regards V-P

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So it´s finished! I really, really, really liked building this kit. I made a mistake - although not the one I inteded to do - by using the classic Hu30 for the green although the instructions said use Hu163. I used the Hu30 instead of a more correct shade of Hu11x because I recalled incorrectly what the instructions said! Anyway, I think it turned out rather nice anyway. The Hu29 I have was very matt. I had to apply three layers of Humbrol Clear over it before I could apply the decals. And what a job those decals were. They worked rather nicely but some of them were much too small for my eyes. Hey, each and every decal is still there. Well done, me!

DSCN2665_zpsewlup7ki.jpg

Canopy seams saved by this little buddy, my favourite putty!

DSCN2669_zpskkth2mmz.jpg

Decals applied, ready for a few coats of matt varnish from a Tamiya rattle can. Love that too.

Pics of the finished kit are in the Gallery section. Thanks to Mish, Procopius and who ever are responsible for running this Group Build. I´m not finished yet, though, as I´ll try to finish the Messerschmitt too. Now this build took me just two weeks, I wonder how long the Bf 109 will?

Last but not least: during the Battle of Britain Finland and the United Kingdom were not at war with each other. I´d say quite the contrary! We had just fought the Winter War against the Soviet Union, which was at least nominally allied with Germany since 1939 (the Molotov-Ribbetrop treaty). So we were more or less on the same side, n'est ce pas?

Regards, V-P

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Excellent job V-P B)

I hate to tell you after the event but if you position the front part of the canopy correctly you can just gently push the rear part down and it fits quite easily - I appreciate this advice is too late for you but if you build another at some point it might be useful to know...

Cheers,

Stew

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, by way of a p.s. - we almost were allies at that time too, we were going to send you 33 of the mighty Blackburn Roc turret fighters, but the deal got called off at the last minute as the Winter War ended while the aircraft were still being collected and prepared for transit in Scotland. On reflection it is not clear just how friendly a gesture this actually was on the part of the British government :lol:

Cheers,

Stew

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
×
×
  • Create New...