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Can we talk ICM 1/48 Spitfire?


Otakar

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Are you speaking of the Mk.XII Airfix fuselage or the Mk.V which is the one I would use for this project. The nose is the only thing I would use from the Airfix Mk.XII if I used it for the conversion.

I wouldn't, it's too deep, and the exhaust sit too low, and as I said before, the prop blades are too thin.

I posted all this on ARC ages ago in a thread you started there about the Airfix XII

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=286049

Airfix has no Mk.IX that I know of. You said you like the Airfix fuselage.

try searching, I presume John means this one

http://hyperscale.com/2007/features/spitfireixcairfixbg_1.htm

Good basic shapes, clunky detail, thick trailing edges.

Re-reading some of your ARC threads you don't seem to pay attention to answers given to your questions, or answers that deviate from your opinion

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=253527

I see where you formed your opinion of the SH kits.

I'll repost this, please note I carefully lined the fuselages up on the grid

dark grey SH Seafire III, light grey new tool Airfix Vb
AF_vs_SH_align_on_mat_IMG_0451.jpg

what is important in the wing fillet/cockpit relationship, which is what the pieces of plastic strip underlaid(rear cockpit bulkhead) and overlaid piece (end of fuselage fillet) are to show the alignment of these parts.

regarding the wing position

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234968126-148-airfix-seafire-xv/page-2

SH Seafire IIII with better pencil line

IMG_0307SHwingline_zps1960b41f.jpg

compare to, fillet needs work at front, but do-able

spitfire_xvi_05_of_28.jpg

Airfix new VB fuse on SH wing

IMG_0305ARvsSH_zpsde7f28d2.jpg

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Hi, all,

I once built an ICM IX, and it certainly look the part. However, it was only after much work correcting some of the inaccuracies (like the fuselage spine and top of cowling, among others), replacing all that was replaceable and sheer filling and sanding. And, of course, making amend with those I wouldn't correct, like the u/c span or the V-like carburettor intake. After that experience, I seriously think it is not a kit to recommend. Some fuselages I have used since to "correct" Tamiyas and SHs, but the result is not so good as using Aeroclub fuselages.

That said, I remember one would-be model builder (an colleague of mine from Down-under) that was anxious about making a late entry to the hobby, and that was nearly put down by one of these beasts (the Caldwell boxing - I figured it would be a great drive for him to get into the hobby and gave it to him as a initiation gift; I should have choosen a dry Hasegawa Vb). He took one year to get something, and another year before he dared tackling something else.

Fernando

Edited by Fernando
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I built the ICM kit a few years ago. I used a few after market sets from Ultracast such as A propeller, seat, Wheels, Exhausts and gun bay doors and I was pleased with the results. I didn't know about some of the issues pointed out in this thread and I was happy with the results. Sadly the nose art got damaged when I was transporting the model and I need to source a decal and reapply it at some point

Tolly5.jpg

Tolly1.jpg

Tolly3.jpg

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Nice model, but the landscape behind. Wasn't on Iceland that his sergeant provided the painting? Gustav Linquist landed for a refil there while flying a modified Spitfire across the Atlantic.

I built the ICM kit a few years ago. I used a few after market sets from Ultracast such as A propeller, seat, Wheels, Exhausts and gun bay doors and I was pleased with the results. I didn't know about some of the issues pointed out in this thread and I was happy with the results. Sadly the nose art got damaged when I was transporting the model and I need to source a decal and reapply it at some point

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Airfix has no Mk.IX that I know of. You said you like the Airfix fuselage.

Oh yes, they have. Although only in 1/72 and 1/48. I have never understood the fascination among British contributers for this model, as it has some very serious flaws (the nose), but it is there, although mot available anymore, or so it seems.

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Was it ever available in the US? I never saw it on the shelves. How long ago was it available? Any box art for this kit?

you don't read you responses carefully do you, I already posted this

Otakar, on 08 Aug 2016 - 01:51 AM, said:snapback.png

Airfix has no Mk.IX that I know of. You said you like the Airfix fuselage.

try searching, I presume John means this one

http://hyperscale.com/2007/features/spitfireixcairfixbg_1.htm

Good basic shapes, clunky detail, thick trailing edges.

a IX/XVI highback boxing,

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/109401-airfix-05113-spitfire-mk-ixc-xvie

and dedicated XVI bubble, with new fuselage

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/146114-airfix-a05116-supermarine-spitfire-mk-xvie

Note, Scalemates is an incomplete, but still very useful guide to what kit etc are out there, and especially for reboxings.

I assume it was available in the US at some point.

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Troy, c'mon now.

The Airfix IX is quite forgettable, in light of... errrm, recent developments. I don't know how much it ever did make it to the US, though I did see one built at a contest, where it looked decidedly less good than the Seafire 17 it was next to. And I don't mean how well it was built.

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Are you speaking of the Mk.XII Airfix fuselage or the Mk.V which is the one I would use for this project. The nose is the only thing I would use from the Airfix Mk.XII if I used it for the conversion.

http://airfixtributeforum.myfastforum.org/2005_Supermarine_Spitfire_IXc_XVIe_1_48_about1655.html

http://airfixtributeforum.myfastforum.org/2007_Club_Kit_Supermarine_Spitfire_MkXVIe_1_48_about21567.html

John

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Not to go off topic, because it is about the ICM kit. But all the discussion so far is about accuracy.

My problem with ICM kits, which is why I was delighted to see the Eduard kit, is that I have yet to buy and make ANY ICM kit and not have trouble (and sometimes serious trouble) with their decals.....

This problem has put me off buying ICM any more.

For the few remaining ICM kits in my stash, I have purchased aftermarket decals, so I know that I can finish them.

Any comments on this aspect, guys? have you had the same problems?

Philip

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I built the ICM kit a few years ago. I used a few after market sets from Ultracast such as A propeller, seat, Wheels, Exhausts and gun bay doors and I was pleased with the results. I didn't know about some of the issues pointed out in this thread and I was happy with the results. Sadly the nose art got damaged when I was transporting the model and I need to source a decal and reapply it at some point

Tolly5.jpg

Tolly1.jpg

Tolly3.jpg

And re-paint the prop while you're at it FZ,you don't get chipped paint showing baremetal on wooden cloth shielded propellers.

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Not to go off topic, because it is about the ICM kit. But all the discussion so far is about accuracy.

My problem with ICM kits, which is why I was delighted to see the Eduard kit, is that I have yet to buy and make ANY ICM kit and not have trouble (and sometimes serious trouble) with their decals.....

This problem has put me off buying ICM any more.

For the few remaining ICM kits in my stash, I have purchased aftermarket decals, so I know that I can finish them.

Any comments on this aspect, guys? have you had the same problems?

Philip

I do agree. I have had quite a few that were off register. Not all but a lot. I think that in general you would have to use aftermarket decals with ICM. I have found a couple that were OK.

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Not to go off topic, because it is about the ICM kit. But all the discussion so far is about accuracy.

My problem with ICM kits, which is why I was delighted to see the Eduard kit, is that I have yet to buy and make ANY ICM kit and not have trouble (and sometimes serious trouble) with their decals.....

This problem has put me off buying ICM any more.

For the few remaining ICM kits in my stash, I have purchased aftermarket decals, so I know that I can finish them.

Any comments on this aspect, guys? have you had the same problems?

Philip

Indeed ,I have found the kit decals in ICM Spitfires to be unusable , either out of register or they break up on contact with water, the models however were the best game in town before the advent of the Eduard MkIX's . But now with the Eduard kits available from many traders for around the £15 mark , then I think the work involved in improving the ICM kits is not worth it.

Andrew

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I know that I might be a masochist, but I do like working with the ICM Spits. One thing that I have not yet attempted, is to cut the spine and raise it a bit, about 0.25mm by the tail to make the aft fuse height better. Should not be hard with the scribing tool I developed for this task. I have cut through 3/16 PC with it so some PS that is 1/4 the thickness should be no problem. The best time to do this would be at the same time that I remove the tail section to drop it. This is best all done after the fuselage halves are already glued together. Now, the question is, is it worth doing all this for a measly 0.25mm? That is exactly the difference between the ICM and Eduard. I guess, a little putty on the spine would do the same thing. If you are wondering, this is the thickness of three sheets of regular paper. Thinking about it, I think that just gluing a .010" (.25mm) piece of plastic to the spine from about 5/8" from behind the aft part of the canopy to the tail, than filling in the sides with filler and sanding to shape would most likely be the simplest. No worse than filling in two sink marks. This can be done at any time in the building process after the fuselage halves are joined. I think I may try all these experiments on the one I have started at this moment.

Edited by Otakar
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I Know. There is a lot of spam that is uploaded. But, still---. OK, I did two new attempts on my ICM; I widened the upper cowling and also raised the rear fuselage. Results look very good and I am happy with them. I will have to do a little bit of re- scibing but that is no problem.

Edited by Otakar
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And re-paint the prop while you're at it FZ,you don't get chipped paint showing baremetal on wooden cloth shielded propellers.

And when you do get abrasion damage down to the metal on on metal prop blades, you get it on the rear faces of the blade faces and the absolute leading edges, not on the front faces.

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It is a very nice build none the less. I will criticize a model kit which was designed by a hi paid engineer and I have to pay a lot of money to buy, but I will not criticize a mans work. Especially if they are proud of it. And you rightfully should be. It is a very nice piece.

What really frosts me is when a manufacturer charges top Dollar for a kit and than the same manufacturer under a different name wants to sell you a "correction set" The Czech companies are the guiltiest. To pay $7-$15 for a kit and than have to spend $20-$25 to "Update it, I can understand, but to pay another $20-$25 to fix a model that you pay $35-$45 for to begin with is inexcusable. This is why I like the $8 ICM kits. I don't mind spending an extra couple of days working on them or a few extra $ to do a better detailing job. That is when a Modeler can really be proud of building something. Yes I also cook and I cook from scratch. I don't use Shake-N-Bake. I make my own breadcrumbs from old dried out bread too.

Edited by Otakar
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I decided to also try and widen the prop blades since it was mentioned. I did buy a QuickBoost prop and spinner set but I thought I would give it a try since I have so many of these anyway. I also bought Brengun and also QuickBoost exhausts for these kits because I think the ones that come with the kit look a bit too small or just narrow. I enlarged the opening for the exhausts to make them a bit wider top to bottom and it looks really good. I think that all these small mods to the kit will add up to make it look a lot better. So far the only extra investment I made on this kit is the Eduard FE203 cockpit set, Squadron 9625 canopy, QuickBoost 48-183 exhausts and of-course decals for a Czech post war aircraft, first colors which were actually applied in the UK prior to transfer to the Czechs. These had the rectangular tail flash, borderless wing roundels and the red was darker than the following Czech repaint which had the round tail flash and wing roundels with white borders . I will be using the stock LG legs which I will shorten and place them 2mm farther apart than the kit calls for. This will involve also filling in the resulting gap in the gear bay. I am taking pictures, so If it strikes me, I will post the process.

One thing I wish this kit came with would be a instrument panel decal. It coms with a very nice and detailed cockpit but the instrument panel has to be painted.I am not very good at that. A decal would be the best and easiest.

Edited by Otakar
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And when you do get abrasion damage down to the metal on on metal prop blades, you get it on the rear faces of the blade faces and the absolute leading edges, not on the front faces.

Most modelers don't realize that the four bladed props were wood bladed and about half of the three bladed ones were also.

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