John Masters Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 As I continue with my Spitfire A-Go-Go, I turn away from the foreign-based, post-war craft (all that garlic and spices!)to something more OOB and closer to home for the Spitfire. The Revell 1/72nd scale Spitfire looks good. I think it is a new tool and we have Eduard and other companies to thank for making Revell and Airfix stand up and make better kits with much better detail and accuracy. This is a good example. The kit comes with only one option, which is oddly comforting. So I will be building the Mk.IIa from the Air Fighting Development Unit, RAF, Duxford (the plans say 'Doxford'), England, April 1942. The detail looks good all around with very little flash. I have already primed the sprues. wee bit of flash on the pedals... A bit of flash around the rudder trim and I will take care removing it! Large rivets. Is this accurate on the Mk.IIa? Wing tips are supplied...I think they use this kit for their Mk.V series as well. The kit is supplied with blunt tips to attach if one wishes to build that kit. The decals look ok except for the fuselage roundels which are terribly out of register. I will have to find a replacement. They dropped the ball here, I think. I'll start in on her this evening... --John 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted October 17, 2018 Author Share Posted October 17, 2018 A little interior colour... --John 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beard Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 5 hours ago, John D.C. Masters said: Large rivets. Is this accurate on the Mk.IIa? No, they should be a recessed fasteners - called Dzus, if my memory serves me well. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted October 18, 2018 Author Share Posted October 18, 2018 7 hours ago, Beard said: recessed fasteners Aha! So I will have to do a little cosmetic surgery on the nose...some rhinoplasty...thanks Beard. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 16 hours ago, John D.C. Masters said: Large rivets. Off with their heads. Stuart 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted October 18, 2018 Author Share Posted October 18, 2018 It's like the designer couldn't resist...."ohhh...let's put some really large rivets here!" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted October 18, 2018 Author Share Posted October 18, 2018 If one were to think of these rivets as being in scale, they would be the size of snooker balls. With and without. They popped off quite easily with the edge of a blade... The office is ready to put together. Just allowing the glue to set up. Note that the tail wheel is moulded into the port half of the fuselage. This, IMHO , is a bad design idea. It's out of date, really, with Revell's competitors. And the wings are assembled and setting up. I'll attach the tips this evening. So far so good. There is some light flash and I am not keen on the cockpit assembly although there is good detail.. I feel that KoPro/AZModel kits are better and Airfix as well. The plastic is very soft. The tail wheel-to-fuselage moulding idea is out of date. And the rivets. And the out-of-register roundels. However, I do think it will build into a nice little model with a small amount of TLC and care. More anon... --John 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted October 19, 2018 Author Share Posted October 19, 2018 (edited) Closed the fuselage, intakes on the underside of the wing, landing gear prepped, bits and pieces...this evening I'll mask the canopy pieces and attach the wings to the fuselage, canopy to fuselage, etc...re-prime tomorrow. The fuselage fit was quite good with no significant gaps. There was some minor flash along the seam, easily rectified. A test fit of the wing proved a tight fit in need of some clamping on the washout to insure a clean line. There is a seam along the wing roots, but no gaps, which is nice. Don't you just love the shape of the wing? Could someone please tell me the differences between the 2 windscreens? The instructions have the '?' mark. Which one should I use and why? --John Edited October 19, 2018 by John D.C. Masters 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Law Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 That looks the kit was designed as a retro style kit for those that remembered the old Revell kits with huge rivets etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted October 19, 2018 Author Share Posted October 19, 2018 Perhaps, but odd that they were only on the engine covers. Everywhere else is quite modern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deve Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, John D.C. Masters said: Could someone please tell me the differences between the 2 windscreens? The instructions have the '?' mark. Which one should I use and why? A appears to be the earlier external armoured screen while B looks like the later internal armoured screen. Box art shows the earlier type in use which would be correct for an as-built MkII. Edit: Picture found online looks like it was retrofitted with the later type by the time it was with the AFDU. Edited October 19, 2018 by Deve 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 (edited) Perhaps just the unarmoured and external armoured? The internal windscreen had the sidelights extended and met the fuselage in a straight line rather than as a curve. This was introduced on the Mk.III, and like the other modifications didn't reach production until the Mk.Vc. It would be surprising to see the later windscreen on an earlier airframe because of the associated rework on the fuselage, it doesn't seem worth it. Perhaps they'd run out of spare external armour screens? Edited October 19, 2018 by Graham Boak 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Sherratt Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 Interested to see this, thanks for sharing. I'm just finishing one of these Revell Mk II a kits off as Douglas Bader's aircraft D - B using some different transfers. Aside from the rivets already mentioned, I think the overall surface detail on this Revell kit is finer than the Airfix Mk Ia. But, the fit of the wings to the fuselage does not seem to be as good as the Airfix kit and needed a bit of work. But not a bad kit and good value for money IMHO. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deve Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 1 hour ago, Graham Boak said: Perhaps just the unarmoured and external armoured? The internal windscreen had the sidelights extended and met the fuselage in a straight line rather than as a curve. This was introduced on the Mk.III, and like the other modifications didn't reach production until the Mk.Vc. It would be surprising to see the later windscreen on an earlier airframe because of the associated rework on the fuselage, it doesn't seem worth it. Perhaps they'd run out of spare external armour screens? Had a dig round and the internal armour windscreens were a production line only mod, so no retrofit for P7290. As you say, must be a unarmoured screen - fine for a none-combat role in 1942? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TISO Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 (edited) Those "rivets" on engine cowling are not rivets, they are turnlock fastners which are much bigger than rivets would be Edited October 19, 2018 by TISO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted October 19, 2018 Author Share Posted October 19, 2018 Oh well...they're gone now. Thanks all for the windscreen information. So I'll go for example 'B'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted October 19, 2018 Author Share Posted October 19, 2018 7 hours ago, Deve said: Picture found online looks like it was retrofitted with the later type by the time it was with the AFDU. Glass bits and wheels masked. Following Deve's insight, I have chosen windscreen 'B'. Airframe assembled, gaps filled, seams sanded. There were two small steps behind the washout that stuck out and the part where the under-fuselage joined with the wing root that needed a bit of cajoling. Notice that the tail wheel has broken off during handling? Hmmm...I blame the Revell Company for this. I'll re-attach it when all is said and done. I'll attach the glass bits and re-prime tonight. --John 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 Looks like a Spitfire (perhaps the greatest comment one can give a build, whether the subject is a Spitfire or not). The Revell kit looks like it's just as much, if not more, work than the 'short run' AZ/KP and Sword kits, great work so far John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 Always nice to see a Spitfire being done, and so quickly also! Nice work! I've been puttering about lately with several of my multitude of Spitfire kits. I have to say despite the bit of work needed, I rather like the AZ kits - I have several (PR Mk.IG, F.24, FR Mk.IXc, amongst others). Regards, Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted October 19, 2018 Author Share Posted October 19, 2018 Thanks Jason. I like the AZ kits as well. They seem less clunky thank the Revell or Airfix models. 2 hours ago, Cookenbacher said: Looks like a Spitfire Thanks Cookenbacher...I think so too. I have really fallen back in love with these planes. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spookytooth Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 Nice work John, looking good sir. Keep up the good work. Simon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted October 19, 2018 Author Share Posted October 19, 2018 Thanks Simon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithy Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 John, just saw that you're doing a Spitfire Mk.IIa as well so I'll be watching this. Looks great so far! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted October 20, 2018 Author Share Posted October 20, 2018 Thanks Smithy. I'll look for your WiP thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted October 20, 2018 Author Share Posted October 20, 2018 Getting closer every day...the fuselage is all together, canopy attached and has been re-primed. The spinner and the wheels have their colours too, as well as the spinner backing plate. I used the Vallejo Air Duck Egg Green that seems to be the right choice for that RAF Sky tone. There is a band that goes around the fuselage at the tail and the kit supplies decals for this. I will paint it since it needs to match the spinner. And...since someone else gave us a close-up of their early exhaust stacks, here are mine. I use a paint mix. A little Red Leather, some Black and a bit of Brass. Well gents and ladies...I have a feeling I'll be getting some more paint on her today... --John 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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