Spitfire Vb 111 Sqdn. - Airfix 1/48

[CedB]

While trying to find a suitable pilot for my Cessna 150 (my first 1/48) I bought the Airfix Club 'Specialist Spitfires' kit:

 

 

… in the hope that the pilot would provide suitable 'parts' for surgery. He is beautifully moulded, despite the sunken chest:

 

 

… but proved to be too big for the (probably 1:50) Cessna. 

 

Of course this left me with a Spitfire kit that was just crying out to be built and at least it will give me, unlike the Cessna, a good introduction to the scale. I have an Eduard Lysander in the stash and want to be able to make a good job of that. And who knows, if I can get a decent 1/48 Hurricane, I could even use the Airfix ground crew set (also too big for the Cessna) in a little diorama.

 

Any suggestions for a 1/48 Hurricane; the current Airfix one is out of my region really. What about an early Spitfire too?

 

Right, first things first.

As I plan to do some more at this scale when my eyes can't cope with 'small'...

 

 

I've stuck the pilot into the first half of a mould. I hope I can remember how to do this, and that the materials haven't gone off. 

Two part mould with the detail in the bottom half so that I can pre-load with resin before closing up the halves. 

 

 

Mixed up too much Silicone and hit it with the electric nail file: 

 

 

That's what it is, a nail file. Honest.

Very satisfying to see the bubbles coming up, especially the big ones:

 

 

Drying, sorry, curing.

Hopefully.

[giemme]

Smart moulding stuff going on here .... 🍿

 

Hey, I'm the first to join, do I get something?

 

 

Ciao

[Biggles87]

Do I get something slightly smaller for second?  

 

[Beard]

Right aircraft but wrong scale 😉

 

(Although I'll be following the build.)

[Hamden]

 

I'll take a seat in the corner and watch as you turn out another masterpiece!

 

     Roger

[keefr22]

Phew, this heat, this damned heat - that amble over from the Cessna thread has just about done me in, do I get an ice cold Fosters for coming in fourth, errr fifth ?! (thanks Roger!!)

 

2 hours ago, CedB said:

That's what it is, a nail file. Honest.

 

Why do you think we wouldn't believe you Ced...?!

 

Looking forward to seeing how the moulded pilot comes out, should be a bit easier to mould in fumble thumbs scale!

 

Hurricane? If you don't want a Mk1 then I'd say it would have to be a Hasegawa MkIIc.... But why is the Airfix one 'out of region' - they do BoB boxings as well as the Trop...

 

Keith

 

Edit - Sorry Ced, I didn't realise Airfix BoB Hurricanes had become like hen's teeth.

 

I did find one;

 

https://www.kingkit.co.uk/product/airfix-aircraft-1-48-05127-hawker-hurricane-mki

[keefr22]

Oh, & an early Spit? Tamiya's Mk1 is very nice to build, despite some people not liking the shape (doesn't bother me tbh), otherwise it would have to be the Airfix one again I think, can't think of any others?

 

Keith

[Troy Smith]

2 hours ago, CedB said:

Any suggestions for a 1/48 Hurricane; the current Airfix one is out of my region really. What about an early Spitfire too?

Early Spitfire, new tool Airfix as well.

The kit does need care in initial assembly, miss mould line or a coat of paint and the fuel tank won't fit.

Make a cuppa and read this thread, it covers these issues.

Note this also covers the Tamiya Spitfire, good kit, but porky.

The other is the UC leg attachment, it pants,  needs driling and pinning, though if on celing not a problem.

 

Here's the real  thing

Well-worn Spitfire V,        1945. by Etienne du Plessis, on Flickr

https://www.flickr.com/search/?w=8270787@N07&q=spitfire

Lots more in the link

 

1/48 Hurricane's, hmm, all have problems, speaking as "rivet troll"

The new tool Airfix and the Hasegawa are your best bets,  I recommend this for making the best of the Airfix

@Basilisk also did a superb Spit Mk.I as well

 

1 hour ago, Beard said:

Right aircraft but wrong scale 😉

 

Wrong aircraft, right scale Simon

 

HTH

T

[CedB]

1 hour ago, giemme said:

Smart moulding stuff going on here .... 🍿

 

Hey, I'm the first to join, do I get something?

 

 

Ciao

Nope, sorry. I'm sure someone will bring beer and snacks... I've only got silicone and resin  

Welcome Giorgio  

1 hour ago, Biggles87 said:

Do I get something slightly smaller for second?  

 

What's going on chaps, I thought we brought our own supplies? Welcome John!  

1 hour ago, Beard said:

Right aircraft but wrong scale 😉

 

(Although I'll be following the build.)

Hi Simon  I know, I'll be back to normal soon(ish).

21 minutes ago, Hamden said:

 

I'll take a seat in the corner and watch as you turn out another masterpiece!

 

     Roger

Thanks Roger and welcome!  

20 minutes ago, keefr22 said:

Phew, this heat, this damned heat - that amble over from the Cessna thread has just about done me in, do I get an ice cold Fosters for coming in fourth

fifth ?! (thanks Roger!!)

 

 

Why do you think we wouldn't believe you Ced...?!

 

Looking forward to seeing how the moulded pilot comes out, should be a bit easier to mould in fumble thumbs scale!

 

Hurricane? If you don't want a Mk1 then I'd say it would have to be a Hasegawa MkIIc.... But why is the Airfix one 'out of region' - they do BoB boxings as well as the Trop...

 

Keith

I know what you mean about the heat Keith... fans going on all over the place here - welcome!  

You need to bring your own food and drink I'm afraid  

Airfix BoB Hurricane? Hang on... this one? No longer available, I'll have to look out for them at shows. 'Out of Region' because I'm not counting 'trop' as Europe unless pushed  

 

Thanks Troy for the suggestions, I'll read that properly later  

 

 

2 hours ago, CedB said:

I hope I can remember how to do this...

Obviously not.

I've removed the silicone from the parts rather than the plasticine:

 

 

Idiot. Should have looked at my notes on the last efforts first. Ho hum, stick em back in (impossible) and hope for the best.

My notes would also have shown me that I should have stuck the feed tubes to the parts with plasticine so that they didn't do this:

 

 

Yep, nicely vibrated to the top. Double idiot.

I'm off to the pub tonight and out tomorrow... I might rip the mould apart and see what sort of disaster I have later.

 

Idiot.

[Troy Smith]

12 minutes ago, CedB said:

 

Airfix BoB Hurricane? Hang on... this one? No longer available, I'll have to look out for them at shows. 'Out of Region' 

All 3 Airfix Hurricane boxing's have the same plastic, so any can be done as BOB, Trop or Sea Hurricane, just need the right decals.

HTH

T

[keefr22]

22 minutes ago, CedB said:

Airfix BoB Hurricane? Hang on... this one? No longer available,

 

Yep, that one, the one I linked to on Kingkit in my post.....  

 

This one -

 

 https://www.kingkit.co.uk/product/airfix-aircraft-1-48-05127-hawker-hurricane-mki

 

(I've used Kingkit many a time, always been very good)

 

K

[Spookytooth]

Don`t worry Ced, refreshments have arrived.

Beers cooling down in that water butt.

Hog roast on the go and pizza oven on.

Crisps, nuts and Pringles, various flavours

 

I think I will sit back and watch another build.

 

Simon.

[keefr22]

Good man Simon, too hot for me to go shopping today!

 

Keith

[VMA131Marine]

57 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

The other is the UC leg attachment, it pants,  needs driling and pinning, though if on celing not a problem.

It's not an ideal way of attaching the landing gear legs, but if you get the two pieces properly welded together with liquid cement (I used Tamiya Extra Thin) they are more than strong enough to bear the weight of the model. I definitely wouldn't use tube glue or, worse, CA to attach the legs, however.

[keefr22]

8 minutes ago, Spookytooth said:

I think I will sit back and watch another build.

 

Shall we have a sweep on whether Ced will finish this one before it rains again....?! 

 

K

[giemme]

41 minutes ago, keefr22 said:

 

Shall we have a sweep on whether Ced will finish this one before it rains again....?! 

 

K

It's raining here already (although without reducing the temperature, not even half a centigrade, just a quick summer storm ... )

 

Ciao

[Beard]

1 hour ago, Troy Smith said:

Wrong aircraft, right scale Simon 

I'll allow 1/72 Hurricanes.

1 hour ago, CedB said:

Hi Simon  I know, I'll be back to normal soon(ish)

Glad to hear it.

[Spookytooth]

Sorry about the noise earlier Ced, damn pig wouldn`t keep still, anyway sorted now.

Anywhere we can  store some ice cream.

 

Moulding pilots again.

I will take notes for further projects.

 

Simon.

[amblypygid]

Goodness me, Ced, you're in danger of planting both feet in 1/48 territory! Looking forward to this, I have one of the plain boxings sitting in the stash somewhere, I think.

[Azgaron]

Nice choice of kit!

 

Interesting to see the pilot mold process! Do you mind telling what you're using?

 

Håkan

 

[Courageous]

Well, I hope you can find your notes about making molds of your pilots as it's something I'm going to have to do now I'm starting to stick pilots in my ceiling subjects...your fault.

And now the 'idiot' has wandered off to the pub...wish I could go to my local but it's shutdown.

 

Stuart

[bbudde]

Hello Ced, will watch this. Congrats to your football team for the first win in a penalty shoot-out ever! Cheers.

[AdrianMF]

Phew! First page!! This is a local shop. We’ll have no odd scales here!

 

Regards,

Adrian

[CedB]

5 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

All 3 Airfix Hurricane boxing's have the same plastic, so any can be done as BOB, Trop or Sea Hurricane, just need the right decals.

HTH

T

Wow, thanks Troy, that's saved me a lot of angst. So I can buy a 'new tool. trop and build a BoB version? Sounds like a plan...

5 hours ago, keefr22 said:

 

Yep, that one, the one I linked to on Kingkit in my post.....  

 

This one -

 

 https://www.kingkit.co.uk/product/airfix-aircraft-1-48-05127-hawker-hurricane-mki

 

(I've used Kingkit many a time, always been very good)

 

K

Thanks Keith I foresee some more 1/48 in my (perhaps distant) future.

5 hours ago, Spookytooth said:

Don`t worry Ced, refreshments have arrived.

Beers cooling down in that water butt.

Hog roast on the go and pizza oven on.

Crisps, nuts and Pringles, various flavours

 

I think I will sit back and watch another build.

 

Simon.

Simon you're a star  Hog roast? Yum. Save me some crackling.

5 hours ago, keefr22 said:

Good man Simon, too hot for me to go shopping today!

 

Keith

 

5 hours ago, VMA131Marine said:

It's not an ideal way of attaching the landing gear legs, but if you get the two pieces properly welded together with liquid cement (I used Tamiya Extra Thin) they are more than strong enough to bear the weight of the model. I definitely wouldn't use tube glue or, worse, CA to attach the legs, however.

Thanks - great tip  

5 hours ago, keefr22 said:

 

Shall we have a sweep on whether Ced will finish this one before it rains again....?! 

 

K

Rain? What's rain? (Yes, I have had beer)  

4 hours ago, giemme said:

It's raining here already (although without reducing the temperature, not even half a centigrade, just a quick summer storm ... )

 

Ciao

I really enjoyed the storms when I was in Milan - very impressive. Shame it's not 'cleared the air' though.

4 hours ago, Beard said:

I'll allow 1/72 Hurricanes.

Glad to hear it.

 

4 hours ago, Spookytooth said:

Sorry about the noise earlier Ced, damn pig wouldn`t keep still, anyway sorted now.

Anywhere we can  store some ice cream.

 

Moulding pilots again.

I will take notes for further projects.

 

Simon.

Yep, plenty of room in the freezer Simon  

3 hours ago, amblypygid said:

Goodness me, Ced, you're in danger of planting both feet in 1/48 territory! Looking forward to this, I have one of the plain boxings sitting in the stash somewhere, I think.

Thanks Chris - I'm dabbling really. The Cessna didn't really count (too small and dubious scale) so I'm hoping this will give me a better feel (fnaar!) for the scale.

3 hours ago, Azgaron said:

Nice choice of kit!

 

Interesting to see the pilot mold process! Do you mind telling what you're using?

 

Håkan

 

Thanks Håkan  I'll try to remember to 'document' the process, including dumb errors!

1 hour ago, Courageous said:

Well, I hope you can find your notes about making molds of your pilots as it's something I'm going to have to do now I'm starting to stick pilots in my ceiling subjects...your fault.

And now the 'idiot' has wandered off to the pub...wish I could go to my local but it's shutdown.

 

Stuart

Well Stuart I can only applaud your move to the ceiling. I'll document the steps but have a look in the link above (and here) for my past efforts  

1 hour ago, bbudde said:

Hello Ced, will watch this. Congrats to your football team for the first win in a penalty shoot-out ever! Cheers.

Thanks Benedikt  To be honest 'sport' is not really my thing. We sat in the garden and heard the 'Yay' and then the 'Noooo' so came in for the shoot-out. Well done 'the Team'!

1 hour ago, AdrianMF said:

Phew! First page!! This is a local shop. We’ll have no odd scales here!

 

Regards,

Adrian

Hi Adrian, hopefully not!  

 

 

The mould I did earlier was useless, of course. I've rescued the pilot and I'll start again and document the stages.

Hopefully we'll end up with something, soon.

[The Spadgent]

Wow! Page one. 😊 I’ll just sneak in with the dog and get a swift half. Pitty about the casting desasting but I’m sure you’ll sort it. Might not have to as I’ve just posted you some guys. All different scales.  There are some 1/48 fellas, Probs from my sea fire and what not.

looking forward to this one. Funnily enough I have a hurricane I’d like to build but I’m telling you I’m doing a bunch of 1/72s after my BIG Lanc gets done. If I ever manage to get to the grotto that is.

 

Johnny needs a time machine. 🤖