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1/48 Seafire FR.47 - now a Double Build!


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Well, it's been a little while since my last WIP and I think I'm far enough along with the interior to start a post for it.

 

I'm not a big fan of Spitfires, but something about the FR.47 with its contra props really sings to me! That and Spits with the Griffon engine.

 

I have some PE and resin to go along with it, some that will go unused and some that will be mixed. Pics!

 

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The first construction pic is of the fuselage from the second kit that I have. I botched up taking off the cowl and then decided there will be less hassle just cleaning up the seam on the kit part.

I also decided to not cut out the square opening to fit the clear part for the camera. I'll use MM Klear at the end. You can see where I repaired the hole.

 

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Then I scraped out the inner details and started adding the metal.

 

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After that it was onto the pedals, seat and firewall. I did build up the whole PE seat frame, but it seamed so fragile and I had concerns about it surviving construction that I went with

durability and used a mix of the kit parts with the metal instead.

 

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Then there is this part...

 

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I assume it goes between the firewall and the seat. There were two guides for the plastic rods from the pedals, but they were not in line and ended up bending the rods out to the sides.

So I snipped off part of the guides and built a plastic copy. Then I sandwiched them together.

 

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Seems to fit alright now.

 

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Back to the interior, since I'l be seeing the floor, I decided to rib it. And then extend the walls down with plastic and rib that too.

 

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For the oxygen hose, I took out some guitar string and bent it to shape with some small pliers. Then secured it with some scrap PE and CA.

 

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Realizing the plastic extends too far forward and will interfere with the firewall, I trimmed it back and then ribbed it.

 

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Not done yet but getting there!

Edited by Thom216
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Thank you much!

 

I've finished making the interior. I won't be adding more because I'm already getting some fit issue that I hope wont cause too much of a problem when it comes time to close the fuselage.

I'll do some painting next in shades of black and dark gray, then add the colored PE parts. After that, I have some resin camera bays coming from Ultracast that will be painted and fitted 

into the sides, before it gets closed up.

 

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I redid some of the ribs on the floor to match the ones on the walls.

 

More work coming, just awaiting another day off!!

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Not my scale normally, but something a about a Naval, Griffon Spitfire that just consumes me................

 

I'll take a seat and join this one!

 

Terry

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Very Nice work so far! I’m currently building the FR.46! I should had followed your strategy for the pit’ cause the Aires resin set is Just a NIGHTMARE to fit in!😡

I love your scratch stuff too! Looking forward to see the next steps...

 

Congrats again

Frank

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I never know what to say in these WIP threads, everything is new and amazing to me but I currently have a Spitfire on my table (I haven't graduated to a bench yet) and this looks like it'll be a very interesting and informative build so I'll follow along if I may. I learn so much from studying the photos and seeing how you guys work, I really like the plastic strips on the cockpit floor.

 

Those PE parts are stunning, it's almost a shame to have to paint them but I have no doubt they'll look even better when you do.

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Which would have happened had I forgotten the control stick... Thankfully the thought occurred to snip it off the sprue and get it ready to go in.

Doing however showed that the earlier generation of Airfix designers had molded the grip as a solid piece, rather than as a hollow circle, so out came the

drill bits and misc plastic.

 

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A little better I'm thinking.

 

Once that was done, I happen to be looking at some cockpit pics and noticed what look like pistons on the rods coming off the pedals. I wish I had seen that earlier as it was too late now to slip something over the rods.

So I took some solid round stock and used a cutting wheel on the dremel to dig a channel, and then slipped some snipped pieces over the tops of the rods.

 

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Then it went up to the 'paint room' for a first coat of black and dk grey on the interior parts. I'll add pics later, but 'something' happened - of course - to make drop the piece in the pic above...

Whereas promptly one of the PE pedals zinged off into the aether, never to be seen upon this plane of existence again.

 

So, out comes the plastic stock...

 

Will show more later.

Edited by Thom216
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Alright. I had started to paint the interior parts with flack and then dark gray. Then I dropped the firewall and lost one of the PE pedals. I got out some plastic strip and made a new one. Not the best, but being buried deep in the cockpit and a dark color should help.

 

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I also redid the headrest, since the one I had on before, while shaped well, had too much paint leakage around the base. I pulled it off and sanded the PE smooth, then got out more

round stock. Thankfully, I have a piece that matches the diameter of the kit part. I sanded the mating surface as flat as possible, then stuck it on a toothpick in order to shape the

head rest part. The handy hole in the middle of the rod comes in handy when needing a handle set it in place. Which was then snipped, sanded smooth and then all was painted again.

 

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And the repainted pedal.

 

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Okay, so the IP is done now as well as the seat and side walls. The gunsight was made from a piece of styrene, as the kit part would not have been large enough for the PE that goes on it.

 

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Squared up (for the most part.)

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And then in the all together. I'm going to have a real fun time making sure I do not knock off the HUD, which is just a tiny strip of clear plastic secured with flat clear.

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Then I moved onto the seat and secured its belts, amid touching up the paint as one little scrape would expose the brass. Touchy.

 

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And then the side walls. Busy looking and close to realistic, I do hope...

 

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After that, the resin cameras from BarracudaCast, by way of Ultracast have arrived. I'll paint those up tomorrow and get them situated.

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I need to do a little research, but am I right in that only one camera would be fitted per side?

 

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Very nice progress!

gorgeous cockpit with fine details!  Your post remind me that I should get back into my FR.46...😋

 

looking forward to see the next steps...😊

 

Frank

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Thanks a lot, boyos!

 

On the heels of that, I painted the cameras up and glued them inside. Then started the fiddly process of getting the seat and the IP in place on the right hand side.

Then a test fit showed that the IP is a little wonky, as the HUD is not centered. I settled for moving the HUD... With the sides in place and looking inside, you can't really tell that it is a little off. I go with it!

 

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I also think the control column may be standing a little too high...

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Nice cameras and cockpit! :)

 

I wonder how much of the camera can you see once it's in its place? :)

 

Håkan

 

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5 hours ago, Azgaron said:

Nice cameras and cockpit! :)

 

I wonder how much of the camera can you see once it's in its place? :)

 

Håkan

 

I'll find out after I put the Klear in the openings. I'm hoping on some... 😉

 

3 hours ago, Christer A said:

Now that's a great looking cockpit!

Thanks! I give all kudos to PE.😁

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Hello Thom,

Very good job ! I just finished mine..

The engine cowling need a bit of adjustment as usual, I used the Aires interior...

Not easy and one must thin the side of the fuselage almost to transparency...

Should I have known of these camera insert…. I scratched mine...

In Korea, they used to carry one camera only, Which one are you going to do ?

I did VP480 flown by Richard Peters with a full load of rockets !

For the camera, the lens is visible… No more alas !

I used this as a reference

WP_20171226_21_41_36_Pro

Keep carry on, it's brilliant !

Sincerely.

Corsaircorp

 

 

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11 hours ago, corsaircorp said:

Oh, and I learnt on this forum that the original Airfix canopy is too low...

So I used a Falcon vacformed one.

Sincerely.

CC

What about the Rob Taurus canopy? A good choice too? Agreed with you for the fitting nightmare of Aires ´pit! The sides of Resin need to be thinned down as well... currently building a FR.46 😁

 

Frank

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6 hours ago, Frank083 said:

What about the Rob Taurus canopy? A good choice too? Agreed with you for the fitting nightmare of Aires ´pit! The sides of Resin need to be thinned down as well... currently building a FR.46 😁

 

Frank

Hello Franck,

I Don't know about the Rob Taurus, since I did'nt get it at hand.

FR 46 is on project as well as another .47 but with wing folded.

Sincerely.

CC

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On 6/20/2018 at 9:49 AM, corsaircorp said:

Hello Thom,

Very good job ! I just finished mine..

The engine cowling need a bit of adjustment as usual, I used the Aires interior...

Not easy and one must thin the side of the fuselage almost to transparency...

Should I have known of these camera insert…. I scratched mine...

In Korea, they used to carry one camera only, Which one are you going to do ?

I did VP480 flown by Richard Peters with a full load of rockets !

For the camera, the lens is visible… No more alas !

I used this as a reference

 

Keep carry on, it's brilliant !

Sincerely.

Corsaircorp

 

 

Ah, thank you very much for the refs! I've never done a resin cockpit as PE usually works good for me. Sounds like quite the hassle, but probably worth the looks!

As for the cameras, I've mounted one in the belly and the other on the port side. The starboard side window as the back of the camera.

As to which one, I was thinking of the kits decals for 800 sq off Triumph. I love that color scheme. But, I would love to do one with a bright red spinner...😍

I'll have to see what is available.

 

On 6/20/2018 at 9:56 AM, corsaircorp said:

Oh, and I learnt on this forum that the original Airfix canopy is too low...

So I used a Falcon vacformed one.

Sincerely.

CC

I was thinking of using the kits, as I have a fear of vacform canopies. But the kit's canopy is so crazed it almost looks foggy. So I bit one of the Seafire's bullets and have a Rob Taurus on delivery.

I really hope I don't muck it up.

 

For now, I have the fuselage together. There were some steps such as behind the canopy which I will put down to my errors as the prefits looked pretty good. I put some Mr. Dissolved Putty over the seams, two aps as it has a tendency to shrink and then sanded them out. I'll need to hit those panel lines with a scribing soon.

 

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Also had to make sure the prop shaft was centered in order to avoid an off-center spinner. Of course the hole is larger than the plug at the base of the shaft.

 

Then I went to the wheel wells, hitting them with Nato Black first and then Sky XF-21. It was then that I remembered the pin-release marks...

There are two, one near the gear slot and the other in the center bay. The one at the edge was easy to sand out, but for the middle I simply cut some thin styrene to the correct size and glued it down. I would much rather have a slight straight ridge than a faint circle.

 

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Much better!

 

I also test fitted the wings to the fuselage to check and see if there would be any 'gapage.' It looked pretty good, but I think I'll be gluing the bottom of the central wing section first and then fitting the upper wing panels to the top to ensure it's snug against the fuse.

 

As for now, things are drying peacefully. Have a good night!

Edited by Thom216
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