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Malta 'Blue' Spitfire


Bugle07

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Evening All.

 

This could be a slow, long project. And its my first WIP, so who knows what's going to happen!

 

Just started the 1/48 Vb from Tamiya. I got it cheap in Hobbycraft on impulse whilst waiting for the missus to decide why we went in there...

 

Originally I was going to do one of the kit options but I've never been a big fan of that green and grey combo. Much prefer the FAA EDSG and Slate Grey, or the far east schemes.

 

But as a stalled 1/24 Spitfire is eventually going to be a Malta Spit I wondered if there was some good aftermarket decals for the Tamiya kit. Had a look in Hannants but nothing shouted out at me, then I got to looking at the can of worms that is colour schemes for Malta planes....

 

My slightly deranged brain then had a cunning idea.

 

Instead of getting the colours right, and the markings and the correct fit, why not do a mini dio of the painting process? Half a dozen bods with brushes painting different parts of the plane?

 

Then the fizzing grey slush in my head had another thought. They're all doing this, say over a desert camo, but they're all using different shades of paint!

 

What could go wrong?

 

So there's the idea. The plan is to paint the Vb in desert camo then have bits of each wing, fuselage and the tail possibly in different over painted colours.

 

I'm sure I'll have a ton of questions for the Britmodeller collective brain with this, first would be, any idea where you can get some good Mediterranean style 1/48 ground crew? Haven't seen much on t'net.

 

Anyway, whilst this was going on, I've made a start on the pit, and for some reason the pilot? Not sure how he can fit in this but we'll see.

 

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Tamiya interior green with oil washes, bit of everything for the pilot. Needs a matt coat then we'll see if we can get this show  on the road!

 

:pilot:

 

Cheers for looking

 

Geoff

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  • 2 months later...

 

Ok so I said that this would be a slow build but three months since I last posted? And a different year? Must do better!

 

So I've had a bit of time last few days, and have made a bit of progress building up the spit.

 

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Yahu ip, which is superb in my opinion, Eduard Zoom set for the PE. Tamiya and Vallejo acrylics, oil washes and drybrushes. Camera phone so the colours look a bit better in real life.

 

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I've tried to really dirty up the pit as I want this to show a hard worked airframe in a dusty environment. 

 

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Right sidewall, other is pretty much the same so won't show that.

 

And without actually paying attention this happened.

 

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Few issues with the joins, all my own fault I'll quickly add, small bit of filler needed. Will be putting on another coat of primer and check how the all look.

 

Nose cone, canopy and uc are just pushed on for now, painting may start in the next few days. 

 

Maybe...

 

I got the Eduard RAF Ground Crew set recently, so plan is to have 3 or 4 bods round the airframe painting.

 

All painting different parts in different shades of grey/blue, with a officer or NCO going garraty at the lack of coordination. 

 

Well that's all for now, you never know I may get another update this week, let alone year!

 

Thanks for looking

 

Geoff

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Just wondering where they got all these different shades of blue-grey from?  As long as it's just a bit of fun, why not?  However when in a more serious mood you might like to chase up Paul Lucas's articles in Scale Aircraft Modelling which sorted out (most of) the Malta Blues story.

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Hi Graham, I'll be looking up that article when I get a mo, Thanks for the tip!

 

As for the paint, I was thinking of a trolley with paint pots on it, each one with a different brand or named Malta blue grey on the side of the tin or something like that. We'll see when I get to that point.

 

Geoff

 

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When I saw 'Malta Blue Spitfire' this caught my attention :coolio:

 

13 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

........................chase up Paul Lucas's articles in Scale Aircraft Modelling which sorted out (most of) the Malta Blues story.

 

Graham, I think I may have read that, but the memory is a little hazy. Do you know which edition of SAM, by any chance? Would be good to find it and have a read. There has been a lot written about this subject. I also think I have a decal sheet somewhere that purports to depict these aircraft. I must have a go at it.

 

Nice work so far, Geoff. I stick tp 1/72 myself, but the 1/48 WWII fighter kits do appeal to me.

 

Cheers.

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33 minutes ago, Smudge said:

When I saw 'Malta Blue Spitfire' this caught my attention :coolio:

 

 

Graham, I think I may have read that, but the memory is a little hazy. Do you know which edition of SAM, by any chance? Would be good to find it and have a read. There has been a lot written about this subject. I also think I have a decal sheet somewhere that purports to depict these aircraft. I must have a go at it.

 

Nice work so far, Geoff. I stick tp 1/72 myself, but the 1/48 WWII fighter kits do appeal to me.

 

Cheers.

There were several articles on the "Malta Story" in SAM over some years. They were under the "Colour Conundrum" series:

 

12/2015 "A Malta Story" pt.1 Operation Newman 4-13th April 1942

01/2016 "A Malta Story" pt.2 Operation Calendar 13-20 April 1942

 

08/2017 "Another Malta Story" pt.1

09/2017 "Another Malta Story" pt.2

 

10/2018 "A Malta Story Concluded" pt.1 Jun 42 - Oct42

11/2018 "A Malta Story Concluded" pt.2 Nov 42 - Jul43

 

I hope I did not overlook some. They include Vallejio colour codes for the colour profiles included.

 

Alwas nice to see Malta Spitfires build. Nice cockpit!

:popcorn:

 

Rene

 

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You could label them Roundel Blue, Dark Mediterranean Blue (good luck with your writing there), Extra Dark Sea Grey, PRU Blue, Light Mediterranean Blue.  All good RAF paints.  (Ok,  I know Roundel Blue was just Blue.  How about Dull Blue?)

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Thanks Caerbannog for the list of issues with related articles. Will be having a look on the web to see if I can pick that lot up!

 

Was thinking of labelling each one in initials, so RB, DMB, EDSG, PRUB, LMB, or I may go with the first part in a small font size and the Blue in a much larger font size. Will be playing with a printer for the labels so will look at what works and is readable. 

 

Think I'll be working on the grounds that the ground crew were told to grab a tin or three of Blue and paint the Spit.

 

Their excuse is that they weren't told which blue, or from where, and they grabbed whatever they could find... 

 

Geoff

Edited by Bugle07
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  • 1 month later...

Thanks KM, there was a little bit of fettling to get the Yahu pannel in, nothing major tho.

 

May actually get to do some painting tomorrow, will see.

 

Geoff

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  • 2 weeks later...

Made a bit of time tonight, canopy masked, primer on, interior green onto the canopy, then a bit of pre shading.

 

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The canopy will be open when done, just a touch of Tamiya extra thin holding it in place for now. 

 

We'll see if I regret this later...

 

First few coats of paint were then put on. Vallejo Mid stone watered down 50/50.

 

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The right wings pretty much done, few more coats for the left wing to go.

 

I'll be doing these later tho as the missus is off to bed and I'm under orders not to wake her with the noise from the airbrush :lalala:

 

My plan is to do a light coat of Mid stone and dark earth, then start covering with various other colours. 

 

We'll see how that goes in the next few sessions!

 

Ta for looking, appy modelling!

 

Geoff

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Whilst the missus wasn't looking I managed to get some more colour onto the Spitfire tonight, and gloss coat the ripper surfaces.

 

I only glossed the top as I ran out of gloss after quickly putting a couple of coats onto the deck of a ship I'm doing. :doh: Should have checked before I started...

 

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As a starting point before masking I'm happy with that.

 

Plan at the moment is to mask and spray the dark earth, then add the decals, then look at overpainting areas with various different colours.

 

Course, the plan may change...

 

Appy modelling all.

 

Geoff 

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Got some more Brown onto her this evening, I must be tired as it looks kind of blotchy, but then again the pictures with the phone camera and flash seem to really bring them out, it's not too noticeable to the naked eye.

 

I thought I'd print out a mask in paper, didn't look to hard. Hour or so later I had them all ready to go.

 

Then I realised that all the parts that I'd cut out were for the dark green-grey camo, and I'd automatically assumed that the dark green and the dark earth would need the same masks... nope :rage:

 

After another hour or so she was ready to go, and so we have...

 

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And seeing as I have no patience, we now have...

 

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Never really thought the pre shade would make it through, and it hasn't. But it's smooth, and not too blotchy. Bit of weathering and it'll be fit for purpose I hope.

 

Next up will be some tidying up, then a gloss coat, then some decals.

 

And then the Malta colours. (Or maybe the ground crew/paint crew, haven't decided yet)

 

Thanks for looking in. Comments advice and criticism always appreciated.

 

Geoff

Edited by Bugle07
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Nice work - it's hard to gauge the quality of the paintwork sometimes - it's late, the light's not great, you're tired, paint hasn't dried - look at it again in the morning and it will look alot different. The blotchy bits don't look too bad from here and nothing a few touch ups won't fix. Nice idea on the printed masks - I'm still undecided on the best way to tackle camo with an airbrush... which ever method works best for you...

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32 minutes ago, Kitchen Modeller said:

Nice idea on the printed masks - I'm still undecided on the best way to tackle camo with an airbrush... which ever method works best for you...

Thanks John, I'll see what she looks like tomorrow most of it's going to get covered in some way or another so I'm not too bothered by the finish.

 

I'm still undecided myself on my favourite method, I've tried tape, blu tack sausages, and free hand. 

 

So far this seems to be the best trade off between masking time, effort and result, but who  knows?

 

Going to have some more practice soon, 4 FAA planes in the stash are screaming out to be painted in EDSG and Slate Grey, I may even start one this weekend if I get the chance :wicked: hmmm. Barracuda, Hellcat or Seafire?

 

24 minutes ago, corsaircorp said:

Great job Geoff !!

Can't wait to see the blue on !!

Sincerely

CC

Picck a colour CC, any colour, and I'll put it on her for you!

 

Cheerrs gents.

 

Geoff

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I will say USN intermediate blue, at least for the Spitfires who stayed on the USS Hornet's bridge !!

Seafire then !! Greeeaaaat !! I love it !!

Sincerely.

CC

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Took a long look at her today in daylight, and came to the conclusion that although finish is by no means good enough to represent a desert camo Spitfire, for my plan this will do.

 

Seeing as most of this will be getting painted over I decided to crack on and do a bit of weathering.

 

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Underside got a bit of dark grey enamel on, then, on the topside dark brown. Both then got white enamel dots which were then brushed out.

 

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I'll probably make a start on the lads who'll be doing the painting soon as well. Going to be using the figures from this set.

 

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Although I may get distracted by starting one of these at some point soon...

 

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Cheers for looking in, Appy modelling all, and have a good weekend!

 

Geoff 

 

 

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