Spitfire double bill.

[Troy Smith]

7 hours ago, Shelliecool said:

As for the Eduard, I have dipped and fitted parts of the glass on the cockpit, attached the bomb racks

One point, I very much doubt they would have had bomb racks...

This is becaus the VVS used Spitfire in PVO (Voyska protivovozdushnoy oboronystrany,) units, which were for  Air Defense Forces,  by the end of the war  and up until 1947!

IIRC Spitfire IX equipped something like 27 out of 81 PVO squadrons in 1945..  

 

see https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/86024-what-happened-to-the-1200-soviet-spitfire-ix39s/

some usual misinformation, but this looks correct, which you might find interesting.

 

Quote

Most of the ~1200 Spitfire's delivered to the Soviet Union were used by the air defence forces (the PVO). The Spitfire with its turbocharged Merlin enjoyed high altitude performance that the indigenous Yakovlev and Lavochkin types could just not achieve, which is why the Soviets acquired the type to begin with (as the MiG-3 clearly could not be improved/developed to meet requirements satisfactorily). By 1944 it was the PVO's main type and would remain so until at least 1947.

 

Thus those Soviet Spitfire's were used more for interceptions and most often of high-altitude reconnaissance & bomber Axis aircraft. They didn't see much of where most of the Soviet's air war was fought; at low altitude and above the battlefield. Although these PVO-flown Spitfire's did often encounter German fighters and there were even some PVO Spitfire aces, their operations were not at the level of continual intensity that the regular Soviet red air force (the VVS) saw.

 

The VVS did however receive some of those ~1200 Spitfires IX's delivered. They were used mostly in the more high-altitude air war against the Finnish air force in Karelia.

 

And as for the opinion of Soviet pilots; Spitfire's initially had gained an unfortunate reputation amongst the Soviets for fragility. This was due to the VVS experience with using some Mk V's during air battles over the Kuban isthmus, where the undercarriage struggled to withstand the rigours of Soviet frontal airfields (and some were lost in accidents). Those VVS pilots also took some time adjusting to the wing-mounted machine guns & their convergence. And an adjustment was needed for just flying a fighter optimised more for the higher-altitude battles over the English channel and occupied France and it took them a month or so to really get accustomed to how to fight the German 109's in Spitfires. Plus; these Mk V's were second-hand and obsolescent against the latest 109's fielded by the Luftwaffe anyway.

However; the Soviets in both the VVS and PVO held the later delivered Mk IX Spitfire's in very high esteem. These Mk IX's were always operated from higher quality Soviet airfields than those suffered by the Mk V's in the Kuban battles. The Soviets didn't just appreciate the MK IX's strong all-round performance and agility, they also liked it's acceptable reliability & ease of maintenance and it's ergonomics and operating range. The Mk IX Spitfire was definitely as popular with it's Soviet pilots as it was with it's British Empire and USAAF pilots.

 

hope of interest.  One point, it was harder for Sovite correspondents and photographers to get to PVO units which were not in the frontline, and so photos are quite rare,  I've only seen a handful of shots of VVS Spitfire IX's

 

HTH

T

[Shelliecool]

Yesterday....whilst watching the football, I carefully removed the bomb racks from the Eduard kit (I never like adding all that stuff....it ruins the lines of aircraft!), and filled the holes so she is now ready for some paint.

A little sanding to the Humbrol 90 on the underside of the Airfix spit, and I have masked it up ready to airbrush the black wing. Moving along nicely.

 

[Azgaron]

Nice move! Looks cleaner!

 

Håkan

 

[Shelliecool]

Last night I set about airbrushing both Spitfire's, firstly the black wing on the Airfix kit. For this I used Revell mat black, mixed with Revell thinner and a smidge of flow improver. It sprayed evenly, and having removed the masking I happy with the results so far.

 I began work on the Eduard kit, I'd already masked the top side up, and set about airbrushing the medium sea grey. For this I have used Vallejo Air War colour series RAF colours. This is the first time I have airbrushed Vallejo acrylics and I love them, so smooth, light and easy to work with.....my new favourite thing!!!!

 

 

[CedB]

Very nice Shellie and I'm with you on the Vallejo Model Air - lovely to work with (if the colours are right - I think they've sorted earlier problems now).

I expect you've noticed but, just in case, the intake needs some Sky  

[Hamden]

 

Undersides look good Nice work

 

  Roger

[Shelliecool]

4 hours ago, CedB said:

Very nice Shellie and I'm with you on the Vallejo Model Air - lovely to work with (if the colours are right - I think they've sorted earlier problems now).

I expect you've noticed but, just in case, the intake needs some Sky  

Yes....I forgot to attach it when I airbrushed the sky.....oops! I will touch it up. I'm hoping to attempt free handing the dark green (not tried that before with an airbrush, but have painted a tub to practice on).

Thanks Michelle.

[CedB]

Oooh, brave...

I can never concentrate on the lines AND the spraying... but that's just me!  

[AdrianMF]

Nice progress on the two. The Eduard looks like an althogether different scale (larger!) than the Airfix.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[Cookenbacher]

That's some great paint work Shellie.

[Shelliecool]

Quick bit of airbrushing this morning, firstly the ocean grey to the top side of the Eduard build. Again using Vallejo acrylics (which are simply a joy to use). 

 

Secondly, I began practising free hand airbrushing (hopefully for the Airfix builds camo pattern). I had found a link on line which I read through carefully, and set to work with some Vallejo Dark Green.

The first attempt on my Olive spread Spitfire, was ok....lots of concentrating.......hence lots of hot spots. Second attempt........

I tried to concentrate less and flow more, better I think. A little more practice, and we could be on.

[CedB]

Agreed the second go looks better Shellie  

Giorgio uses very thinned paint to mark 'the edges' but it looks like you've got the hang of it.

I think I'll stick to scaled paper masks scanned from the kit scheme though; my artistic skills would be too challenged!

[Shelliecool]

47 minutes ago, CedB said:

Agreed the second go looks better Shellie  

Giorgio uses very thinned paint to mark 'the edges' but it looks like you've got the hang of it.

I think I'll stick to scaled paper masks scanned from the kit scheme though; my artistic skills would be too challenged!

I'm still not convinced with this free hand approach Ced, I'm tempted to stick to what I know and get better at that.

Thanks,

Michelle.

[VMA131Marine]

11 minutes ago, Shelliecool said:

I'm still not convinced with this free hand approach Ced, I'm tempted to stick to what I know and get better at that.

Remember that the camouflage pattern on the full-size aircraft was masked using big rubber mats. So there should be a fairly hard edge between the upper-surface colours.

[AnticlockwisePropeller]

Gorgeous spits, shellie!! Fabulous work!!

[Shelliecool]

Been busy with the airbrush and Vallejo Dark green. I masked both builds (sticking to the way I know).

Then began airbrushing.......

I totally adore Vallejo acrylics, they spray so well and finish beautifully. Now.....COME ON ENGLAND!!!!

[Hamden]

 

Nice looking pair The camouflage looks spot on to me!

 

  Roger 

[Azgaron]

Very nice paint job!

 

Håkan

 

[CedB]

Nice job Michelle, they're both looking very smart  

I agree with you on the Vallejo - nice stuff and pretty painless.

[Shelliecool]

After a coat of Quick Shine gloss on both builds, I set to work on the decals. The Airfix kit has very few, and with a lot of Micro set, they seem to have settled nicely.

The Eduard kit however makes up for this by having a great many. I started to apply them, then suddenly realised the yellow lines on the leading edges of the wings are paint......not decals!!!!! So luckily I managed to stop before masking would have been a nightmare..... tonight I shall be airbrushing yellow!

[Hamden]

 

This pair just get better and better, not far to the finish line now

 

    Roger

[Azgaron]

Decals looks great!

 

Håkan

 

[Beard]

12 hours ago, Shelliecool said:

I started to apply them, then suddenly realised the yellow lines on the leading edges of the wings are paint......not decals!!!!! So luckily I managed to stop before masking would have been a nightmare..

I often forget to do the yellow leading edges before putting the roundels on the wings but it is possible to mask over transfers, as long as they've got a couple of coats of varnish over them.*

 

 

 

*NB. I accept no liability if it doesn't work.

[Grey Beema]

1 hour ago, Beard said:

I often forget to do the yellow leading edges before putting the roundels on the wings but it is possible to mask over transfers, as long as they've got a couple of coats of varnish over them.*

 

 

 

*NB. I accept no liability if it doesn't work.

The trick is to put a physical barrier or something very low tack between the decal and the tape. 

 

If I do this I would put a piece of paper, or cling film over the decal.  You could use a post it note but make sure you have sealed the decals first and that the seal has had time to harden..

[Shelliecool]

Since my last post I have been working on the Eduard Spit. Firstly masking and airbrushing the yellow leading edges of both wings, and secondly applying the multiple of decals. On removing the masking from the wing, I also managed to remove the top of the star on the underside of the wing......what a plonker!!!!!! I didn't notice this however, until it was too late. The Eduard decals are beautiful, but very thin and delicate......and absolutely tiny in some cases. With the help of micro sol they eventually settled nicely (even the arrow point on the fuselage which sits on a raised section.). I now plan to seal them in with Quick Shine, and continue with both builds.