Castle Bromwich - 3 finished!

[rob85]

Hello!

 

half term is over which means I got my days off back to me and what I want to do! 😃 I love my kids and playing with them, and everything that goes with it, but I do also like to actually have some free time to get things done! 

 

so a little bit of work done today! First up it’s the MK Vb’s with their radiators and oil coolers (?)

 

 

the oil cooler(I think it is anyway, the little one?) is a pain! It’s tiny, in fact I think a bit under nourished, and comes in two half’s?! Why? It could have easily been one piece, or cast with the joining line along a panel line! If there was any detail on them, you can’t tell now as I’ve had to sand them back a lot. 

 

The middle clipped wing has been used as a test bed for some paint I hoped would turn out to be a good match for azure blue, but I’m not sure. It’s only had one coat but feel it needs to be darker, any thoughts?

 

i started tinkering with the mk ix that I’m converting into a Vc. Some paint touch ups on the fire wall first and clipping off the excess wire.... but it would appear I got carried away.

 

 

I didn’t actually take any pictures, but there isn’t really much to show. There is 0 detail on aircraft internally. as you can see she is pretty much together, and the firewall is in place.

 

Fortunately the fire wall has acted like a brace and pushed the fuselage apart, without it there was a large gap in the wing seam. This was probably caused by me chopping off its nose to be fair.  

 

Once fully cured she will get a good tidy up along the seams and then I can work out what to do with the engine and how much detail needs adding. I did a little bit today, which is below.

 

 

I took the exhausts from the Airfix mkii a kit I had left over and removed the location pins and sanded them to look more like the ones that come out of the merlin.

 

 

basically trying to make it look like the 6 pipes that converge into the three fishtail exhausts on a mk v, It looks ok to me.

 

then a little engine painting and thinning out of the struts I pinched from the Lancaster, that will support the engine.

 

 

sorry that’s a poor photo! Engine painted gloss black and will get more detailed painting and bits of pipe work added etc as we go on. The struts were too wide to hold the engine and fit on the firewall so got sanded back as well as a lot of flash taken off and a tidy up with a scalpel.

 

then it was back onto the Vb’s. they all got a final coat of paint... apart from the above clipped wing, I really didn’t like the finish or how fragile the paint was. I had been using Mr Hobby, but have decided it’s not for me! So I scrubbed it all back and bought some Tamiya earth, I have been giving it some nice thinned coats for the last few days.

 

the African 92 squadron got its Camo markings, outline with a fine brush and then filled in with thinned paint. All done by eye.

 

 

first coat

 

 

second coat

 

 

Now I copied the scheme from a decal set but I’m think I may have slipped up and painted the B scheme??

 

I have also tinkered with the two DH props and one Rotol prop, I used the old Airfix DH props from the kit and gave the blades and spinner a good tidy. The rotol prop is left over from a previous spitfire.... how I managed to build a spitfire and not use the prop I don’t know, especially a rotol one as all I have built are mkI’s pretty much (in fact out of the 9 or more spitfires I have built since returning to the hobby at least 6 have been mki/ii’s, the others being the two in this thread and an old mk xix). 

 

My favourite mk is the V, yet this is the first time I’ve built them, evidently I’m making up for that.

 

oh sorry the propellers!

 

 

 

Worth reading through the ramble... am I right!

 

So here is where we are at (kind of) 

 

the clipped wing has had three coats of Tamiya dark earth, and the Malta Vb has had its blue toned down (it was too similar to roundel blue), again all Tamiya and brush painted. 

 

Last thing I did was try and brush paint a canopy

 

 

 

needs work as the paint was too thin

 

So I think that’s about it for now! Cheers and hope your all well.

 

Rob

 

 

[CedB]

Nice work matey - looking good!  

[Stew Dapple]

Cracking on there Rob  

 

Your Azure Blue looks a pretty good match for Sky Blue on my screen, but I think I recall from an ancient thread on here that at the time at least there wasn't a good acrylic match for Azure Blue which is a remarkably complex colour... still, it's on the underside, once it's on the shelf no-one will be any the wiser  

 

Your production line is proceeding impressively mate

 

Cheers,

 

Stew 

[giemme]

Wow, heck of an update, Rob!  

 

Ciao

[rob85]

@giemme, @CedB and @Stew Dapple Cheers muchly!

 

I’m off again next week so will hopefully get a bit more done then. I might once I’ve finished the three Mk Vb’s start something new and let the Vc tick along in the background, hmmm.

 

azure blue, it’s a pain stew! I did find what I felt to be a nice match 

 

 

but I have only found it in enamel, which is lovely, and thin, and levels.... but stinks.... so I get told off. But I might just have to take it!

 

Rob

[rob85]

Hello from Malta 🇲🇹! (That sound a bit Eurovision)

 

had an escort over from our wing man

 

feel asleep then woke up to mountains, not sure which? France I think?

 

Sicily where the baddies flew from 

 

did I get a pic of Gozo, and of Malta and Valletta from the air? No

 

but here is St. Paul’s bay

 

 

 

not as picturesque as I would like, a hell of a lot of development but hopefully see more of old Malta.

 

first time here and staying in St. Paul’s Bay Area, popping too Valletta tomorrow for museums and art, very cultural. Already seen a t shirt I want that says falcon of Malta on it in a heavy metal style, hopefully get to the air museum over the next few days.... any other recommendations let me know.

 

anyway before I went I managed to get some paint on the three Vb’s bottoms

 

 

this is mixed from Tamiya and humbrol paint, it’s darker than what I started with but I still don’t think is dark enough for azure blue, but hey ho.

 

 

and I’ve added a side of exhausts to one side of the engine

 

Baby steps!

 

ebay gave me £5 off my next order over £10! 

 

 

 

very excited about the hellcat combo kit! I could easily build every option! But it’s ok I now have three hellcat kits to get done including these so and one already built from a couple of years ago. Beautiful kit!

 

also the beaufighter is a lovely kit, want to build it with my Blenheim and wellington as med based aircraft, but need more time and research into option.... and to finish my current builds....

 

anyway, hope everyone is well and having a nice time, I’m off to the balcony to drink a beer 🍻 

 

Rob

 

 

 

[giemme]

Malta! Hope you have a great time there

And great update too! And those new kits!

 

Ciao

 

[JohnT]

1 hour ago, rob85 said:

Hello from Malta 🇲🇹! 

 

first time here and staying in St. Paul’s Bay Area, popping too Valletta tomorrow for museums

 

 

 

Rob

do us a wee favour while you are there and find out the definitive colours for Malta Spitfires will      you

 

 

[CedB]

Malta! I'm planning a trip there next year so please let me know what's worth seeing for a modeller / WWII enthusiast... apart from the locals (who, when we went with the kids, were more than friendly)  

 

Envious!  

[rob85]

11 hours ago, JohnT said:

Rob

do us a wee favour while you are there and find out the definitive colours for Malta Spitfires will      you

 

 

Definitely yes! I shall bring back a photo and paint chip no problem 😂

 

@CedB I plan to try and find out and not be distracted by sea and cocktails! The girlfriend has been sweet in indulging my chats about places relating to WW2 but this will no doubt wear thin soon! I’ve emailed Ray Polidano about the air museum, very nice guy!

 

@giemme I plan on having a lovely time, bit different to England this 33 degrees!

 

Rob

[Cookenbacher]

What a thread, Malta Spitfire and   Malta itself!

Excellent Spitfiring Rob.

[rob85]

16 hours ago, Cookenbacher said:

What a thread, Malta Spitfire and   Malta itself!

Excellent Spitfiring Rob.

Let me try and do one better cookie, a Malta spitfire build, Malta itself, and a spitfire that flew from Malta in Malta on a thread about Malta spitfires

 

 

and you could argue it’s name is even RoB 😃

 

 

 

 

 

oh red crow bar... is this correct!

 

 

 

today, was a good day

 

Rob

[Cookenbacher]

Malta quinfecta! Fantastic Rob, they even had the good sense to name the Spitfire 'Rob'.

[giemme]

Great pics, Rob!

 

Ciao

[rob85]

2 minutes ago, giemme said:

Great pics, Rob!

 

Ciao

Cheers giemme! There are a lot more where that came from, there were a number of aircraft there. including a wrecked swordfish, no wings just a pretty beat up and mangled metal frame. My only disappointment was that though there were model kits for sale there were no spitfire mk Vb/c’s 🤷🏻‍♂️ Odd as these were the main stay for Ta’qali (said taali I found out today after the bus drive laughed at me).

 

I also have about 100 pics of ‘faith’ the only surviving Gladiator (without it’s wings) that is displayed at the national war museum, 🤔 I’m sure I have the decals and a kit for it somewhere.....

 

anyway I should get some sleep, I have a boat trip to the blue lagoon and Gozo tomorrow! Forecast is a mere 33 degrees....

 

Rob

[CedB]

Build it, build it!

I found Ta' Qali, Attard on Google Maps but where's the hanger Rob? Can't even see it on satellite view… I need to put it on my list.

[AdrianMF]

8 hours ago, CedB said:

where's the hanger Rob? Can't even see it on satellite view

Good to know the camouflage is working....

 

PS: Nice Spitfires, enjoy your hol.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[rob85]

8 hours ago, CedB said:

Build it, build it!

I found Ta' Qali, Attard on Google Maps but where's the hanger Rob? Can't even see it on satellite view… I need to put it on my list.

I most definitely will! For no reason other than I need to justify the sheets I buy, building one aircraft from a sheet that cost the same as the kit just isn’t a good economic strategy.

 

its near Rabat and Mdina (basically the same city but they didn’t want to spoil Mdina so build a suburb, which is what Rabat literally means... I’m told) right next to the  Ta’Qali stadium. The 186 bus stops right outside it (I didn’t know this when I got off two stops early and lead the girlfriend through a desert industrial estate, only to meet our bus on the other side).

 

mdina is beautiful, pop that on you list! Don’t pop the blue lagoon on your list it’s a joke... but Gozo is lovely!

 

mdina...

 

if you like that sort of thing!

 

a very tired Rob

[giemme]

Super-cool pics, Rob!

 

(Although it is probably hot there...  )

 

Ciao

[CedB]

Thanks Rob - looks great and on the list!  

Found it - had to zoom in a lot! Malta Aviation Museum.

[rob85]

9 hours ago, CedB said:

Thanks Rob - looks great and on the list!  

Found it - had to zoom in a lot! Malta Aviation Museum.

It’s not very big, but I have always wanted to see a spitfire from Malta in person and now I have! Great scale model collection (which prompted the girlfriend to say things like, ‘I like this one, why don’t you build that’ and ‘these bigger ones are nice you can see more, why don’t you build bigger ones’ and ‘awwww how cute it’s got little people! And a base! You could start building little bases!’  I don’t think she understood my eye rolls and protests of ‘not my scale’ and ‘I don’t like rigging but yeah it’s cute I suppose’.

10 hours ago, giemme said:

Super-cool pics, Rob!

 

(Although it is probably hot there...  )

 

Ciao

 

It’s roasting, which I don’t mind, but mdina is on a hill and made of white stone! There is nowhere to hide! Apart from a lovely terrace bar we found!

 

Rob

[CedB]

1 hour ago, rob85 said:

(which prompted the girlfriend to say things like…

To be encouraged!

She'll learn your (ahem) specific interests all in good time (Fnaar!)  

[rob85]

 

god knows why they wanted to paint the spitfires blue

 

Rob

[gingerbob]

On 3/5/2017 at 11:08 AM, rob85 said:

To mark the birth of my son... and the spitfire (no I didn't plan that, but I was rather chuffed with it.... the daughter is 5th June, one day short of the big day but I suppose lighting doesn't strike twice. She does get disappointed that she hasn't get a big day to share her birthday with, but she is happy to know they would have been preparing for the day that freed Europe)....

 

Maybe your daughter will feel better knowing that the invasion was set to go on the 5th, but was postponed due to weather!  My daughter was born on the anniversary of Torch...

[rob85]

2 hours ago, gingerbob said:

 

Maybe your daughter will feel better knowing that the invasion was set to go on the 5th, but was postponed due to weather!  My daughter was born on the anniversary of Torch...

This is very true! And she is happy with being so close to an important moment... but she is still bitter her bother got the spitfire birthday, that’s a big one for her, she’s always been much more interested in planes and the war than he is and she loves the spitfire! But you get what your given 🤷🏻‍♂️