Spitfires over Burma and the Pacific

[Giorgio N]

Yes, I could have simply used a scriber and this is actually the tool I generally use for this kind of job. With the Spitfire IX elevators though I'm always worried to break the compensation horn. In the end I still used a scriber to remove the parts but using two parts meant I could "butcher" the fixed part on one set and butcher the elevator on the other. Once I separated the parts I also shaped a channel for the hinge of the elevators at the rear of the fixed tailplanes

With the job done I could glue the fixed part of the tailplanes to the fuselage. Fit was good on the upper surfaces but there's a gap on the lower. I've used very little filler til now on this kit, hopefully this is the spot where most will go.

 

 

The picture also shows that I've glued in place the upper engine cowl. Now this is maybe the most tricky part of this kit and there are resin replacements that avoid the modeller the trouble of fitting the two halves together. Some filler was needed here, I don't know if it's enough and will only find out after priming the model. Hopefully it will be ok

[Giorgio N]

Before joining the wing to the fuselage, I decided to focus on the radiators. The instructions suggest to complete the radiators at a later stage but I find easier to work on them while the wing is laying on the table. For these Eduards supplies two very nice sets of PE parts, one per side. They are very accurate and well represent the structure of the real radiating elements. Eduard also offers as PE part a probe that is well visible ahead of one radiator but I decided to replace this with a length of copper wire bent to shape as the part is in reality of round section and the PE part is really too flat. The final effect is quite nice, although little is visible when the radiators are complete. Still, I know the detail is there and I'm happy enough

 

 

I didn't glue the radiator oulet flaps in place as these can wait after the wing is glued to the fuselage. These will benefit from some more detail, in particular the two braces that run diagonally. Eduard also sell a resin/PE set that includes new one piece radiator covers, including flaps with these bracings and the actuating mechanisms but I prefer to scratchbuild such detail.

With this in mind it was time to glue wing and fuselage together, followed by the rudder and the intake section

 

 

 

The lower engine cowling/intake section was not a great fit at the rear, I may have done something wrong but this is not the first time I have this problem on an Eduard Spitfire... in any case the intake is now fine, I'm only left with some gaps at the rear of the lower engine cowling

Speaking of intake, Eduard offers as PE parts both the grille inside the intake and the shutter located just ahead of the same grille. Both are quite nice and I wondered for a while if gluing the shutter open to show the grille or closed was the best option. Checking pictures showed as aircraft on the ground could be seen with both open and closed shutters and in the end I decided to glue the shutter closed on this model. I will glue the shutter open on the next one.

I may add that some Spit VIIIs had the shutter hinged in the middle while most aircraft had this hinged at the top. Eduard doesn't mention this but suggests to glue the shutter differently on one of the aircraft in the decal sheet, reproducing the "butterfly" style seen on some Aerovee intakes. Very nice touch !

[trickyrich]

she's coming along nicely, getting close to painting time

[Col.]

Nice progress again

[Giorgio N]

I'venow started painting, but I've realised I may have a small problem...

The fit of the cowling was not that great, as expected... I may buy that resin upper cowling after all. I also had a few gaps on the lower cowling, nothing major but required some filler. I don't mind that much a small gap on what are after all removable panels, makes sense to have these different from other panel lines. The problem is that one of my subjects sports a nice sharkmouth there and for this reason I decided to paint my first Spit as the RAF SEAC Spitfire (remember, the original plan was for one RAAF and one RAF). All good, and my subject is very nice too, with the late war white ID bands and the famous leapint panther of 152 Sqn. For this reason I started painting ares on wings and tailplanes in white

 

 

And this is where I realised I may have a problem... the decals I have are for MT982, a very well known Spitfire. This had codes UM-C but I found that the picture depicting this aircraft was taken at Tengah after the end of the war. It's of course very likely that the aircraft served with 152 Sqn. before the end of the war, as first arrived in India in late 1944, but I also found a picture of MT507 wearing UM-C codes, picture taken in Burma  sometime in 1945. MT507 was SOC in 1946, meaning that was not lost and replaced by MT592, more likely was simply sent through maintenance at some point. So my subject may or may not have served in these exact markings before the end of the war. What should I do ? Is the subject still eligible ?

 

While trying to understand what to do, I grabbed one of the overtrees and started priming the cockpit.. this will be finished as the well known CR-C of Clive Caldwell, this time a fully eligible subject. I know I now have less than a month and I'm also working on the A-20G, but sounds like this may now become a Spitfire triple build...

Edited December 3, 2018 by Giorgio N

[trickyrich]

Hi Giorgio, at this stage I'd just stick with what you had planned. I suspect around that time period aircraft were being swapped around allover the place. If the photo is of her just after the war it's pretty likely she was in that scheme right at the end. I don't think anyone will make a fuss over this.

[Giorgio N]

On 12/4/2018 at 5:09 AM, trickyrich said:

Hi Giorgio, at this stage I'd just stick with what you had planned. I suspect around that time period aircraft were being swapped around allover the place. If the photo is of her just after the war it's pretty likely she was in that scheme right at the end. I don't think anyone will make a fuss over this.

 

Thanks for this, I'll keep building the model in these markings then !

Some progress: first colour of the camouflage is on. I started from Dark Earth, as I always start from the lighter of the upper camo colours. On most models I prefer to paint the upper surfaces first for a number of reasons and this is no exception. I've actually sprayed two coats here, following my standard "procedure": first was a coat of lightened paint, followed by some postshading using the original paint. Here's the result:

 

 

I'm not really sure I like it ! The paint looks a bit too grey and maybe the overall finish is a bit too light. I may have to spray another coat of original paint, maybe even darken this a bit... I'm using Lifecolor's Dark Earth, that I've used before for the same scheme. This is a model I built in the past using the same paints I'm using on the Spit VIII

 

 

Maybe at the moment the model doesn't look good because it's missing the green, maybe it's because I've yet to apply the gloss coat before the decals and the final coat (these coats will reduce the contrast given by the postshading work)... don't know really.

[Col.]

It is difficult to compare the two without either the green or the other Spitfire (nice example by the way) against but perhaps you can sit the two together and see what you think?

[Giorgio N]

Yes, it's not easy... in the end I browsed through plenty of pictures, and decided that my brown was too grey. To correct this I sprayed a very thin coat with Lifecolor's FS 30140, that is a redder brown compared to dark earth. In this way I gave the brown a very slight red cast so eliminiting some of the grey. IMHO this looks now better. The probelm with this approach is that now the contrast between darker and lighter areas is reduced. I should add that I prepared the extra coat by mixing the Lifecolor's paint with Vallejo's Glaze Medium, a product that turns any paint into a semitransparent coat, the more the medium the more transparent. Works with Vallejo's and other similar paints, including Lifecolor's.

With the brown sorted it was time to mask, and this took me ages ! I've actually been working on these masks for more than a week, drawing them with Corel Draw and converting them for cut on my Silhouette Portrait. I tested the various shapes using clear adhesive plastic and then cut the final ones on an A4 sheet of masking paper, very similar to the kind used by Eduard. I bought this paper from Serbian shop around a year ago and I have to say this is the first time I use it.

 

 

I really hope the masks will work, preparing them was a tough job that I don't intend to do again any sooner. Of course in this way I already have a file that can be modified for use on future Spit VIII and IX, or maybe even just used as it is...

[Seahawk]

18 minutes ago, Giorgio N said:

I should add that I prepared the extra coat by mixing the Lifecolor's paint with Vallejo's Glaze Medium, a product that turns any paint into a semitransparent coat, the more the medium the more transparent. Works with Vallejo's and other similar paints, including Lifecolor's.

Top tip -  well, potentially.  Could come in handy for varnished wood finishes on WW1 aircraft.  My experiences with Tamiya and Humbrol Clear Orange haven't been wholly successful.

[Bedders]

Nice Spitfires Giorgio. I'll follow along.

 

Justin

[trickyrich]

interesting you said you had "issues" with the brown, on my corrected monitor it does look very grey, almost as it the blue background the model is sitting on has added a cast to the whole picture. Actually on my un-corrected monitors (different PC) it looks completely different again? What was the base coat you painted the brown over?

 

Using the "glaze" has done the trick, it looks good. Adding the green will definitely help make the brown look more brown. You hav gotten a great finish on her so far, well done. I do like your masks as well.

[Giorgio N]

On 12/6/2018 at 5:41 PM, Seahawk said:

Top tip -  well, potentially.  Could come in handy for varnished wood finishes on WW1 aircraft.  My experiences with Tamiya and Humbrol Clear Orange haven't been wholly successful.

 

The Glaze Medium is a very useful product. Personally I use this to post-shade the paint, add weathering and dirt, make washes.. I have not tried to reproduce a varnished wood finish yet, would be interesting to see if it works.

 

On 12/8/2018 at 9:50 AM, Bedders said:

Nice Spitfires Giorgio. I'll follow along.

 

Justin

 

Thanks Justin, glad you like it

[Giorgio N]

On 12/8/2018 at 9:40 PM, trickyrich said:

interesting you said you had "issues" with the brown, on my corrected monitor it does look very grey, almost as it the blue background the model is sitting on has added a cast to the whole picture. Actually on my un-corrected monitors (different PC) it looks completely different again? What was the base coat you painted the brown over?

 

Using the "glaze" has done the trick, it looks good. Adding the green will definitely help make the brown look more brown. You hav gotten a great finish on her so far, well done. I do like your masks as well.

 

The original primer was a coat of Tamiya grey, standard grey primer in a can. On top of this I painted the white areas so the brown was sprayed over both grey and white. The first coat was heavy enough to eliminate any difference between grey and white areas, so I don't think this was a problem.

I believe that the problem is that the Lifecolor paint itself is a bit on the grey side. Or better, has very little red and adding a lighter colour makes things worse, Not that it's wrong in itself, as faded paints can actually be a touch greyer...

Anyway, now that the green is on, things look much better ! I've applied the green following the same principle: first a coat of the final paint (Vallejo Olive Grey) lightened with a lighter green. On top of this I sprayed pure olive grey mixed with the glaze medium on panel lines and areas where shadows are more visible, to give some depth to the finish.

Fortunately the masks worked very, very well and I'm quite impressed by how smooth the transition between areas of different colour are, with no ridge at all. The paper I used is really good.

Things didn't go that well when I masked the upper surfaces to spray the lowers, as the standard masking tape removed some of the green paint. I have now touched up thse areas with a small brush, they seem to have blended nicely with the rest of the paintwork. I also had a couple of spots on the undersides when the grey paint lifted when I masked the areas of the original roundels. I've yet to sort these but should not be a big problem.

A couple of words on the roundels: I believe this aircraft arrived in India in the Day Fighter Scheme of Dark Green and Ocean Grey over Medium Sea Grey. The upper surfaces were repainted in India, on some aircraft the grey only was replaced with Dark Earth while others got a full repaint, at least of the upper surfaces. As there's no sign of repaints of either the fuselage roundel or the Sky band  in the picture I have of MT892, my conclusions are that the whole upper surfaces were repainted. The serial number was also repainted in white, something typical of those aircraft that got a full repaint. For this reason I did not apply any sign of touch-up around the roundels. At the same time I painted this on the lower surfaces... these could have also been fully repainted, I don't know for sure and I may be wrong in assuming that they weren't.

Well, enough talking, let's see the pictures:

 

 

 

Not too bad I'd say...

[Beard]

52 minutes ago, Giorgio N said:

Not too bad I'd say...

I think it looks quite a lot better than 'not bad'.

[Giorgio N]

21 hours ago, Beard said:

I think it looks quite a lot better than 'not bad'.

 

Thanks, the model is indeed quite nice at the moment.. or better, it was quite nice when I took the picture...

A small disaster hit the model at the decaling stage: the decals I'm using for this subject are from the Kagero booklet on the Spitfire VIII and these do not include national markings. Not a problem I thought, as I have a Modeldecal sheet with SEAC markings.. oh well, when checking properly I realised that these have a light blue center that is a bit too small. It's only a fraction but it's quite noticeable. In the decal stash I also found a couple of old Almark sheet, these were not very well printed as they circles are a bit jagged, but I found that I could punch out light blue circels of the right size from these. So the plan was simple, modeldecal roundel with superimposed a circle from the Almark sheet. However when applying the first roundel this refused to settle in the surface detail, no matter what liquid I used. At this point the only option was to remove the decals, but this damaged the underlying paint. Very annoying ! There's a reason why I always apply the first decals on the lower surfaces, sorting an area that is painted in one single colour is easier.

I then had to search deeper in the stash... the Eduard sheet actually includes one set of SEAC markings for one of the options, but as this also has unit codes in light blue I'd rather not separate the roundels in case I decide to build this subject in the future. Decals from a Fujimi Spit XIV looked good in terms of colour and printing but they had  a yellowed carrier film. Decals from the Hasegawa Mk.VIII looked Ok but the light blue was too light while the roundels in the AZ Spit XIV were totally wrong. Fortunately I realised that I have a few options left in the Freightdog Brits Abroad sheet, and here I found two sets of national markings, one for a Spit XIV and one for a P-47. As both were classed as fighters they both had markings of the same size, so I can use any of these. I have good memories of the Freightdog decals so I'm expecting no drama.

 

Another problem is what to do with the stencils. "My" aircraft was repainted in India in the final colour scheme, the stencils may or not have been reapplied. I looked at many pictures of Spitfire VIIIs in SEA but none gave me a definitive answer as while no stencil was visible, the pictures around are rarely of good quality. The ones that showed details also showed no stencils, so I'm leaning toward no stencils on the top surfaces. I may however apply those on the lower surfaces. Wing walk lines are a mistery, they could be there or not...

[Giorgio N]

And here she is with the first few decals applied on the upper surfaces, ready to accept the leaping panther on the port side.. fingers crossed, the panther will be the focus of attention on this model, hope the decal works well...

 

 

Not too visible in the picture is the light wash I applied to the whole upper surfaces. On the camo I used a mix of dark brown and Payne's grey while on the white bands I used Vallejo's Deck Tan mixed with the glaze medium. The flash has killed the effect on the white bands and flattened the wash on the camo, I'll take a couple of pictures tomorrow in ambient light, these should show these features better. Hopefully by tomorrow I'll have a panther on my Spitfire...

[Beard]

If the leaping Panther transfer goes wrong, PM me as I've got a spare that you're welcome to have.

[trickyrich]

with the green on now the brown looks perfect and I like the method you used for the green, it's very effective and looks great.

[Giorgio N]

5 hours ago, Beard said:

If the leaping Panther transfer goes wrong, PM me as I've got a spare that you're welcome to have.

 

Thanks for your kind offer ! Fortunately the panther decal went on with no problem and fit well on the Freightdog roundel.

I have made a small mistake with the codes as I didn't realise that the individual letter C was different on each side and guess what ? I applied them on the wrong side... fortunately correcting them should be easy enough.

 

1 hour ago, trickyrich said:

with the green on now the brown looks perfect and I like the method you used for the green, it's very effective and looks great.

 

Thanks ! I use this technique on most of my builds, gives me a very good control of how much variation I want on the paint.

[Greg Law]

Looking good. You are making good progress. I haven't been keeping up with things here while I focused on getting the big boy done. 

[Giorgio N]

2 hours ago, Greg Law said:

Looking good. You are making good progress. I haven't been keeping up with things here while I focused on getting the big boy done. 

 

Thanks ! I'm in the same situation myself, I'm trying to complete this one and I'm not spending the right time checking other builds in the GB... I should do it more often, it's part of the spirit of a GB

 

I've taken a few pictures with better light, that show how far I am in the decalling stage. The most important decal was of course the leaping panther and this went on flawlessly. Really all decals worked well but they don't settle in the surface details as well I remembered. I've used both the Kagero and the Freightdog decals before and was happy with them, don't know why they now need more persuasion, I can think of 3 possible reasons: 1)the decals are getting older and stiffer. 2)The liquids I'm using are getting older and less "powerful". 3)I'm getting older and I can't remember correctly how the decals worked in the past. In any case it's a matter of age... 😁

 

Let's see some pictures

 

 

 

 

And now a close-up of the famous 152 Sqn. panther

 

 

You may see how the panther fits very well around the roundel, guess that both Kagero and Freightdog got the roundel size right (16" outer diameter and 6" inner according to SEAC orders)

Another couple of things worth mentioning: the C was different on the two sides but I mistakenly inverted them. The one on the starboard side is a normal C while the one on the port side had a flat upper arm. At the moment on the model they look identical because I already modified the port one by removing the extra white bit. Bit that I've yet to add on the other side (I'll probably cut a small square of white decal paper). I should always keep in mind to check instructions !

Another thing to mention is that I've often incorrectly described the serial of this aircraft as MT892... it is not, it is MT982 !

[Bedders]

Great decalling Giorgio. It's looking lovely.

 

Justin

[trickyrich]

she looks great with all the decals on, you're nearly there, one final push and she's done.

 

Don't worry about not being able to look through all the other builds, as a Host I even struggle at times to keep up with everything. I try daily for GB's I host to go through all the threads and I try to comment on each one, even without comments it can still take a couple of hours. Especially if I'm hosting 2 at the same time which seems to happen!

[Giorgio N]

With my A-20 suffering from a broken canopy, I focused my modelling time on the Spitfire, as I want to have at least one model finished for this GB !

Adding the remaining decals didn't take that long, however the research side took me longer than expected...

What research, you may be asking ? After all the subject is well known and Kagero issues good instructions... well, the problem was with the stencils. Eduard supplies a lovely set of stencils, but all these are fine for an aircraft off the factory while mine was repainted in theatre. Now mind, repainted in theatre does not mean she was repainted by a few herks at the squadron, these aircraft were received in India in their original Supermarine colour scheme (Desert for earlier batches and Day Fighter Scheme for later ones) and the new scheme was applied at depot or MU level. These establishments had all the relevant materials and instructions to complete a repaing following every regulation and they may have well repainted the stencils in place. However, stencils are not really that visible in pictures of Spitfires in SEA. One reason may simply be that none of the pictures available is really of good quality and black stencils may not be visible on a dark scheme. Still, in some pictures the quality was good enough to have at least something like the walway lines visible and yet no, nothing seemed to be there. After some searching I found a post in a thread here on BM stating that according to former 152 Sqn. personnel the walkway lines were not repainted, something that tied in with the apparent lack of these lines in the pictures I had consulted.

So it was that I decided to leave off the stencils on the upper surfaces. At the same time I applied those on the lower surfaces, on the basis that these may have not been repainted since they already were in Medium Sea Grey (my aircraft was delivered in DFS). Now this is not actually 100% verified, as a number of aircraft also had the lower surfaces repainted... and I suspect that mine was one of these. Anyway, I had to make a choice at some point and I made this one.

With all decals in place the model received a nice coat of Vallejo Satin clear varnish, that is really a flat finish with a hint of shee. IMHO this is very realistic.

 

 

 

A small detail that can be seen is that I have corrected the "C" on the starboard side. For some reason the lower end of the "2" in the serial on the same side lost a bit and I also touched this up with a small brush before spraying the satin coat. One more detail I added are the PE hooks beside the radiators, that were a bit of a paint...

Now it's time to add all the various bits and pieces, like landing gear, antennas, canopy and propeller. I will have to decide on the exhausts too: IMHO the exhaust parts are not as good as the rest of the kit and I feel that Eduard should have give some resin replacement in this box. They include some nice wheels but I believe that the exhausts would have a better choice as the kit wheels are not bad. Personal opinion of course, and we all know what opinions are like... I have a set of Aires resin exhausts, meant for another kit (can't remember if Airfix or Hasegawa), I may see if these fit. This is a great kit, once all the Eduard PE parts are added it deserves resin exhausts !