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1:32 Tamiya Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXc


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So you get an old missile launch rail from a 1:48 scale (gasp!) kit you built years ago, and graft on a section of Evergreen tubing:

 

IMG_4068

 

Trim to size, add a bit of white styrene card stock, one rectangle and one circle, to represent mounting flanges, and you have this:

 

IMG_4069

 

Which should be pretty much invisible once the rest of the radiator housing and flap is assembled. The duct hasn't been attached yet, it's just posing for the photo.

 

IMG_4070

 

The radiator well is not deep enough, which is a known issue with this kit, so the flange is a bit above the wing, which it shouldn't be. But since it will be invisible, it's OK, right?

 

Off to make one for the other side...

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

PS. I'm going to guess these were painted with the underside colour. Correct me if necessary!

PPS. I forgot to drill the holes for the little hook thingies that hold on the back of the slipper tank! Ackkk!

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Not much to report, I am a victim of the infernal "honey-do" incantation. Arghh...

 

The crankcase breather tube is added (Tamiya provide this part). You can see it here in front of the starboard radiator (this is where Tamiya have you put it):

 

IMG_4072

 

The heater ducts for the wing guns are in position - I didn't have a good photo of the longer duct on the port radiator, so I just made a longer version of the one on the starboard side. Don't know if that's right...

 

IMG_4071

 

The actuators for the radiator flaps were next. Eduard provide PE for these guys, but when I tried them, they were virtually invisible once the radiator housing was in place. So I made an odd decision (how unusual) - I decided to make the actuators deliberately over-scale, and just for one simple reason. When someone looks inside the rear of the radiator housing, I would like them to be seen!

 

IMG_4074

 

You might also notice that the sides of the radiator flap are PE, courtesy of Eduard, along with the flap braces. I think this tarts up the radiators a bit, Next up is some light weathering on the radiator housings to match the lower fuselage, along with painting and detailing the landing gear struts and tailwheel. Oh, I also have to drill some holes for the little retainers that the rear of the slipper tank (is that the right term?) slips into. Tamiya provide the parts, but I forgot to drill the holes. Dolt.

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

PS. Been thinking about my next side project. This is my stash - see anything that floats your boat?

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25 minutes ago, Navy Bird said:

see anything that floats your boat?

A Hornet?

 

Lovely detailing, BTW :clap:

 

Ciao

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Nice work on the radiators Bill, they're looking great :) 

I'll leave it to you (and others) to influence the next build - I'm thinking 'anything would be nice'! :D 

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Fine work on the radiators Bill, beautiful details as ever!

 

i would like to see what you do with the Baltimore or Boston? But also like the look of that swordfish, decisions decisions!

 

Rob

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8 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

I didn't have a good photo of the longer duct on the port radiator, so I just made a longer version of the one on the starboard side. Don't know if that's right...

Should be a bit shorter Bill, the inlet to the ducting should be against the outboard edge of the Engine radiator, with the extended ducting passing behind just the oil cooler.

If you've stuck your ducting to the radiator face I'd probably leave well alone though, shame to mess up that lovely detail!

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11 hours ago, Procopius said:

I kinda want to see you do the Firebrand.

Put me down as a seconder for this motion.  A Navy Bird Firebrand would be a thing of wonder.

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This is progressing magnificently Bill. Every part of it looks superb. This is the first time I have watched you build anything other than 1/72, and of course, with your expert skills and the ability to produce an excellent surface finish, weathered just right, things scale up perfectly.!

 

I'll take a Firebrand vote also!

 

Terry

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On 02/06/2019 at 15:01, Dave Swindell said:

<snip>

Port radiator inlet comes from the centre portion of the radiator matrix and exits the wing behind and outboard of the intercooler matrix

<snip>

 

9 hours ago, Dave Swindell said:

Should be a bit shorter Bill, the inlet to the ducting should be against the outboard edge of the Engine radiator, with the extended ducting passing behind just the oil cooler.

 

Hi Dave, do you have a good photo? I put it in the centre as you said in the first post above, but if the duct should be against the outboard edge of the radiator, then I don't think it can be in the centre (unless the duct is really wide). Or maybe I'm misunderstanding (likely)!     :)

 

Cheers,

Bill

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Nice detailing, sometimes it's better to use the PE as a template then as a part... Nice details...

On 6/10/2019 at 1:17 AM, Navy Bird said:

Not much to report, I am a victim of the infernal "honey-do" incantation. Arghh...

Mine too, last she needed to visit the doctor and I pulled over at a car shop... with all the "do this, do that" I thought she had turned into an ambulance... unfortunately she couldn't laugh with it...

 

On 6/10/2019 at 1:17 AM, Navy Bird said:

PS. Been thinking about my next side project. This is my stash - see anything that floats your boat?

Well, something completely different... Super Modified Sportsman looks nice, and the Indy 500 racer too, 

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17 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

 

 

Hi Dave, do you have a good photo? I put it in the centre as you said in the first post above, but if the duct should be against the outboard edge of the radiator, then I don't think it can be in the centre (unless the duct is really wide). Or maybe I'm misunderstanding (likely)!     :)

 

Cheers,

Bill

Unfortunately I don't have a good photo, I'm just going off Supermarine drawings which don't appear to match exactly, hence my apparently contradictary comments regarding the position of the port duct inlet. Don't think you're misunderstanding what I've written, I suspect its my poor description in the absence of pictures to refer to, hopefully the following will allow for better interpretation.

 

If you pause this video at about 2:53 you should see a GA construction drawing of a Mk IX wing, which shows the complete combined radiator/oil cooler block (as X in a box) with the gun heating ducting coming out at approx center of the complete unit.

 

The following drawing from the MkVIII AP for the gun heating ducting shows the inlet to be at the outboard edge of the radiator section, which to my interpretation is a little further outboard than shown above and as you've modelled it.

 

Spitfire-Radiator-Gun-Heating.jpg

 

Wolf Buddee's build of the kit on LSP places it somewhere in between.

 

We're talking a small difference of position in an area that isn't easy to view for which we don't have photographic proof of absolute accuracy. If you've fixed it in position to the radiator I'd leave well alone. Better to have a neat representation of what is there rather than bodge it up for something that "might" be slightly more accurate.

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2 hours ago, Dave Swindell said:

<snip>

 

Wolf Buddee's build of the kit on LSP places it somewhere in between.

 

We're talking a small difference of position in an area that isn't easy to view for which we don't have photographic proof of absolute accuracy. If you've fixed it in position to the radiator I'd leave well alone. Better to have a neat representation of what is there rather than bodge it up for something that "might" be slightly more accurate.

 

Oh no! Don't post a link to Wolf's build - that will regulate mine to mundane status in the eyes of my fellow Britmodellers. It will take me years to rebuild my rep!    :) :) :)

 

Seriously, that is one amazing build. I've been looking at it now and then for inspiration. OK, I look at it every day. But I agree with you on my duct work, I should just leave it where it is. It can be seen, but only if you turn the model over and crane your neck.

 

 

So, let's see - the Firebrand wins the side project voting, but I reserve the right to change my mind. Often. I can never decide what to build. The CMR Firebrand kit is a killer, beautifully moulded and a ton of nice detail. The other choices suggested are nice, too, and are all ones that I have an itch to build. Even the race cars. I started a scratch built super modified a while back, but realised that I need to master CAD and buy a 3D printer to really do it justice. So it sits on the shelf of doom currently. Hmm, that gets me thinking - what else is on the shelf of doom? ICM MiG-25, Special Hobby Sea Harrier FA.2 kitbash, Tamiya F4D rebuild, maybe others...I was supposed to build an F-22 for the Lockheed Group Build, too.

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

PS. How many of you have realised that you won't live long enough to build everything in your stash? Did you make provisions in your will?

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17 minutes ago, Navy Bird said:

Oh no! Don't post a link to Wolf's build

Ooops! Sorry... I thought you might have seen it from the photo of the stbd ducting.

17 minutes ago, Navy Bird said:

PS. How many of you have realised that you won't live long enough to build everything in your stash? Did you make provisions in your will?

SABLE - Stash Aquired Beyond Life Expectancy

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5 hours ago, Dave Swindell said:

Ooops! Sorry... I thought you might have seen it from the photo of the stbd ducting.

 

Yeah, one of the first big Spitfire builds I looked at before starting this project. It really is an extraordinary build. I always research other builds before I start, as there may be some good ideas that I can steal copy emulate. 

 

Cheers,

Bill

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7 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

PS. How many of you have realised that you won't live long enough to build everything in your stash? Did you make provisions in your will?

 

I wouldn't live long enough to build all my stash if I had another 4 lifetimes! And tbh I don't think I'll be in any position to care what happens when I pop me clogs, so those that are left can sort it out! :)

 

Liking the progress on the big Spit Bill, and looking forward to the Firebrand. I built the lovely Aki kit a good few years back and will be interested to see how the CMR compares.

 

Keith

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I seriously reduced my stash when we left the UK, but have added to it again since so I think it would take 2 lifetimes to build them all now. SWMBO asks me why I continue to keep buying more, they just don’t understand.

Sorry for the thread highjack Bill, the radiator plumbing looks great but if you leave the ( radiator ) flaps up, not much can be seen anyway.

 

John

 

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On 12/06/2019 at 12:21, Biggles87 said:

Sorry for the thread highjack Bill, the radiator plumbing looks great but if you leave the ( radiator ) flaps up, not much can be seen anyway.

 

Radiator flaps will be open, so if you crane your neck you'll be able to see inside. Plus, you can pop a few cervical discs in the process.  :)

 

No work this week as I'm in Delaware for a week at the beach house. Will take my three year old grandson to the Military Airlift Command museum at Dover on Tuesday. Start 'em early I say.

 

Cheers,

Bill

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Myself, i'd love to see a Firebrand. Pat Donahue built the Aki kit and brought it to Phoenix last year, and it was magnificent.

 

However, i also like the F4D Skyray, and you don't see the 72nd one built too often. I'd love to know what aftermarket products do and do not work with the kit.

 

-d-

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I'm back. As promised, we started Young Carter on his basic pilot training:

 

carter

 

And we introduced him and his Daddy to a big 'un:

 

20190619_111140

 

And then there was this KC-97. I thought area ruling was applied along the longitudinal axis.

 

20190619_111401

 

All in all, it was a good week at the beach. As you can see from this shot of Carter and Leah on the drive home, it takes a lot out of you to go on holiday. And by the looks of it, my son-in-law needs a bigger SUV.

 

asleep

 

Back to the model...

 

Cheers,

Bill

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