SmashedGlass Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 (edited) A little something I finished earlier this Fall, but struggled with since Spring of 2014. Lost interest for awhile, then ran into many problems during the paint phase. Basic kit is the ancient FROG double offering of the Spit XIV with V-1 and the special 'double stand' to display them. The Buzz was somewhat heavily modified, as what FROG offered did not match drawings of the production/armed V-1's (more the unarmed prototypes) and had some shape errors especially around the pulse jet. The Spittie was not modified much other than scratching up a pit (populated with an Airfix Johnnie) with a vac'd canopy replacement, rescribing the entire airframe, and substituting the molded exhausts for a donated spare set from I believe a newer Airfix Spitfire XIX. Paints for both were Vallejo throughout. And with a little bit of prop action haha The biggest struggles were with paint and the decals. The Spit was painted THREE TIMES. First time I used the color call-outs that Vallejo gave with their 16-bottle RAF set....these, aside from the Dark Green and Sky, were dismally inaccurate. I'm mostly satisfied with my final mix of Ocean Grey, but still don't think it is 'correct'. The kit decals were a chore to use this time, unlike with a FROG Javelin I built a few years ago, and I did end up having to create masks to spray the Sky codes on the fuselage as the first one piece code/roundel/code decal I tried to apply strenuously objected to working whatsoever though I did manage to save the actual roundel. By the time I got to weathering, I had just about reached my wits end and only wanted it to be over, so stuck with a simple wing root chipping exercise and an oil wash/filter session. While most certainly not a very accurate rendition of a Spitfire, IMHO it still looks good and has the cachet of being a good old nostalgia build. Not completely unhappy with the outcome, but not overjoyed either. Cheers, and Happy Holidays! Erik the H in sunny Florida Edited December 25, 2015 by SmashedGlass 42 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 Looks a lot better than the one I built some 40+ years ago! Nice job, Erik. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 Very nice - turned out quite well! Regards, Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 Thats just Orsum. I'll rate that as the best of these I've ever seen, I reckon it would look good in any company. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWales Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 I've just last week used Vallejos RAF Day Fighters set for a Spit Mk IX in 1/48, and I agree they're pretty poor colour-wise. The Dark Green looks pretty close, but the rest were awful. Shame, as they spray quite well!Lovely looking model though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 Nice duo! The Spitfire looks rather neat and tidy, and the rescribing improves the final look immensely. But if the pilot fires from such close quarters on the doodlebug, he may have a serious problem.... Great show all in all JR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batcode Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 Great looking pair, nice work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordfunker Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 Great looking save on a very old kit. I can remember looking longingly at this kit in my local modelshop as a kid. Karl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenDragon Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 I got that kit back in the 70's from Santa's Grotto at Bentalls in Kingston! You've done a much better job than the glue encrusted mess I made. Think the V-1 is still in one of my spare parts boxes. Paul Harrison Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luis Alfonso Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 Hi Erik: Congratulations for this nice build. I agree with you about this is not the very best of the Spitfires, but anyway, many modelers around the world use her as a spare parts source to make conversions or to enhance other kits as the Grifon engine is one of the very best, and at all its not a very bad one, but a nice kit to build for me. I have some five Frog/HAsegawa-Frog/Novo/Intech renditions of this one in my stash and watching your nice build makes me dream about a nice finished of them, and some days ago was watching a new russian kit maker which made a new silver version that looks nice too... I was wondering if you have some plans to enhance the V-1 and if possible you can share the plans or say where I can obtain them, as want to make something nice with both kits but for display as individual models. Thank you very much for sharing, Cheers, Luis Alfonso Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winenut Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 I really like it! Wish I had one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwinism Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 Great result! I always wanted this model when I was a kid but my pocket money could never stretch to it..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 What a fantastic job you`ve done on this old kit, awesome! Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 While for us Spitfire obsessives the Spitfire is inevitably the element that first draws the eye (lovely neat rescribing, by the way) it is I think the V1 that is the real gem. That's a beautiful rendition, well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch K Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 Never mind the accuracy of either of the kits, the build quality of both is stunning! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 Superb job you've managed on this golden oldie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdonnell Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 Hello,Erik -.What a Christmas treat to view your build of this classic Frog kit.I remember this kit with affection but haven't seen a built example for many years.It's great to see such fine looking builds created from such Golden Classics.The quality and detail of the paint and finishing work have created a fine tribute to both the subject and the kit.All the best,Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2wheels Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 Had one myself as a child, and if it had've looked even a tiny bit as nice as this I'd have felt well chuffed! Lovely to see an old classic again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmashedGlass Posted December 26, 2015 Author Share Posted December 26, 2015 Hi Erik: Congratulations for this nice build. I agree with you about this is not the very best of the Spitfires, but anyway, many modelers around the world use her as a spare parts source to make conversions or to enhance other kits as the Grifon engine is one of the very best, and at all its not a very bad one, but a nice kit to build for me. I have some five Frog/HAsegawa-Frog/Novo/Intech renditions of this one in my stash and watching your nice build makes me dream about a nice finished of them, and some days ago was watching a new russian kit maker which made a new silver version that looks nice too... I was wondering if you have some plans to enhance the V-1 and if possible you can share the plans or say where I can obtain them, as want to make something nice with both kits but for display as individual models. Thank you very much for sharing, Cheers, Luis Alfonso Luis, I have a copy of a book on German missiles with a few scale drawings in it, but you can easily find similar drawings using a Google search. For you I'll post a few pictures of what was done to the FROG V-1 to make it more accurate. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 Hi Erik I have a stalled one of these on the shelf of doom, which looking at yours I have to finish. I can't believe how much you had to enhance the V1 or Doodlebug as my mum still calls them. I naively believed it was close to the real thing. Although thankfully unlike my mum I never got to see them close up flying overhead ! Compliments of the season from a very cold Scottish Highlands who isn't at all jealous of you being in Florida...... Honest ! Cheers Pat 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight_Flyer Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 For an ancient kit, you've turned out an excellent result. A very neat build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 Super result! The Spitfire doesn't look half bad either. Regards, Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmashedGlass Posted December 27, 2015 Author Share Posted December 27, 2015 Thank you all, you're much too kind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luis Alfonso Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Luis, I have a copy of a book on German missiles with a few scale drawings in it, but you can easily find similar drawings using a Google search. For you I'll post a few pictures of what was done to the FROG V-1 to make it more accurate. Hi Erik: Thank you very much for Sharing!!! I have seen that the high ammount of time invested in this nice project was in truth in the research you have done, Its not a very big amount of work for this little kit BUT its a nice work that relly pay dividends in the build. I have seen that some kits like some of the Dragon Models have the V-1 Included but don't think are an inprove over the ones included in some FROG kits, and as have some Spitfire XIV/V-1 it would be easier with the wonderful "RECIPE" shared with us here to have also a nice model. Now I have seen and know, thanks to your kindness, what I have to do and where I have to cut and add, there is not a excuse anymore to make one and working in modifiy and improve the kit to have a Word Class Build like yours. Thank you very much for sharing!!! Cheers, Luis Alfonso Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmashedGlass Posted December 28, 2015 Author Share Posted December 28, 2015 (edited) You are very welcome, Luis And I will be doing another sometime (a kind gentleman donated one to me after seeing the work on this last year) as one of the JB-2 Loon guided missiles used by the USAAF and USN in post-war testing. There are a few minor but significant design changes from the Fi-103, and I'll be sure to include them. Edited December 28, 2015 by SmashedGlass 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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