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Airfix 1/24 Spitfire Mk1


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2 hours ago, Biggles87 said:

You have set yourself a challenge, but you've got Troy watching now to give you sound advice, and some good reference material.

I thought this kit was the bees knees when it was first issued ( I think I was in my mid 20s ) but when I bought another one about 25 years ago for old time's sake, I took one look at it and gave it away.

Watching with interest.

 

John

 

That’s more or less what I did😀. I bought it a couple of years back, opened the box and it then went in the loft. I also had one first time round in 1970something!

 

Im coming at it from the point of view of learning some new (for me)techniques, and, yes I’m glad for any support and advice.

 

Not much progress to report this week - the real world has been a bit hectic, but I’m still on this!

 

More later.

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For those interested here is an updated of sorts - I've been looking ahead at few things.

 

I've decided to build L1027, LO-A from 602 Squadron.

 

 44361887700_755fe3a711_z.jpg

 

One of the things I was looking at was the cockpit which looks pretty basic in the kit. I was thinking that I'd add the later under carriage control box and revised signalling switchbox as per the mkII and mk v.

 

But, L1027 was delivered in June 1939 which brings it into the 'early' bracket so I'm now thinking that I can stick more closely to the out of the box kit using the pump action under carriage control, for example. That simplifies things a little, anyway! 🙂

 

I'm planning to use Mr Hobby acrylics for the camouflage and Tamiya acrylic mixes for the roundels.

 

Any thoughts/corrections, please feel free. Hopefully the next update will be reporting progress with the wings and undercarriage!

 

DV

 

 

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10 hours ago, caterhamnut said:

Looking at the start of your thread, I think you have a much bigger challenge than me! My wings were certainly not suffering like yours are, and judging by the white moulding in your pic, mine looks like it was 're-freshed'! Good luck :)

I saw your mkV. Impressive work. Hope I can build something as good.

 

If I’d seen yours earlier I might have begged some info on the spar. I think I’ve got a way round the curvy lower wing and a the 6deg dihedral. Either way I’m committed now.

 

I’m hoping to give weekly updates.

 

 

 

 

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On 12/4/2018 at 9:18 PM, Cloudman1961 said:

 

 

 

One of the things I was looking at was the cockpit which looks pretty basic in the kit. I was thinking that I'd add the later under carriage control box and revised signalling switchbox as per the mkII and mk v.

 

But, L1027 was delivered in June 1939 which brings it into the 'early' bracket so I'm now thinking that I can stick more closely to the out of the box kit using the pump action under carriage control, for example. That simplifies things a little, anyway! 🙂

 

 

Probably too late now but saw this on Hannants: Airscale AS24SPA, Spitfire I/Vb instrument panel. 

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

Probably too late now but saw this on Hannants: Airscale AS24SPA, Spitfire I/Vb instrument panel. 

Thanks. It's not too late - I'll be moving on to the cockpit over the next week or so. I'll let you know what it comes out like. 😉

 

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This weeks update.


After a lot of swearing and sitting rocking backwards and forwards in a darkened room, a bit of a milestone. I have got the wings together.🙂

46264449171_95e4133409_z.jpg

 

The rear machine gun brackets are supposed to further be forward but the overall geometry inside wing meant that wouldn't work. I also ended up gluing the ailerons in place because nothing I did would stop them both from pointing in the general direction of down, no matter which way up I held up the wing.

 

45540266944_4972130b99_z.jpg

 

I got the wing nice and straight (see the earlier post) , but not as much dihedral as I'd hoped. 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Cloudman1961
typo
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For those interested in the detail, here's what the wing internal looked like - not that much of it will be visible. The intention is to show open gun bays and magazines and to try and get some where near a realistic wheel well. It also provides support to the wings, hopefully.

 

45349728525_b5fe6e4faf_z.jpg

 

Undercarriage struts ended up looking like this after some scratch work.

 

45349728385_983e2ece25_m.jpg

 

Still to come, rub down and fill and then flaps. But I'm going to set this aside for the moment and work on the engine.

 

More later.

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On ‎11‎/‎26‎/‎2018 at 9:03 PM, Troy Smith said:

 

wish I'd seen this sooner.

Flaps were up on the ground unless down for maintenance.  You got fined for leaving them down.

Interior colour, apart from the cockpit forward of the seat bulkhead was aluminium paint,  engine bay, gun bays, rear fuselage, the inner leg of the wheel well, the outer wheel part is the underside colour (this gets debated, never seen a photo showing anything else though) 

 

http://spitfiresite.com/2010/07/anatomy-of-spitfire-cockpit.html

 

note alu/grey green paint line,  and a Mk.V cockpit is very similar to a Mk.I as well.

 

this wartime shot, if you look carefully at the radio hatch and open gun bays cover you can see the Aluminium paint

3052829500_1ce4f68d71_o.jpgSpitfire in England by Etienne du Plessis, on Flickr

more wartime Spitfires in colour here

https://www.flickr.com/search/?w=8270787%40N07&q=spitfire

 

The PSL book has some good info, but it also 45 years old.... 

 

HTH

T

I'm not convinced by the weathering on that guy's braces :hmmm:

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So...

 

This weeks update. I moved on to the engine. Based on some great references on line and on the back of that I've added carburetor, pumps, control linkage and so on.  But the scratchwork is taking me so long!

 

There's some additional pipework I want to do which I'll work on when I install it. I also want to add sparkplug leads which I'll work on next week.

 

Here's my take on the Merlin III:

 

Merlin iii

 

Merlin iii

 

Merlin iii

 

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15 hours ago, f111guru said:

Slow but sure. I'm that way. Takes me a lot of time also. Press on coming along nicely.

Thanks, 

 

All a bit slow right now - Christmas preparations and so on.

 

On to the cockpit and fuselage now. I’ve now cut out the hatch in the side so I can show the radio equipment. Does anyone have any decent images of the TR9D radio?

 

I’ve been looking at this on line and can’t seem to find anything useful. What I have learned is the aerial cable between the antenna and the tail was only fitted to aircraft with certain radio equipment. TR9D was one of those.

 

I have abandoned the idea of removing the second panel to the rear on the Starboard side! Too much pain for too little gain...

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  • 3 weeks later...

Happy New Year, Everyone.

 

I'm able to share a bit more progress. I've been working on the Starboard cockpit which started life as a pretty basic structure like much of the kit.

 

46586662661_26449dcdf7_z.jpg

 

The sources I looked at suggested that the Starboard side of the Mk1 Spitfire Cockpit was pretty spartan when compared to later models. I have done my best to portray an early mk1 with the early radio remote control and undercarriage controls.

 

I also decided to open the radio hatch and expose the internal fuselage aft of internal bulkhead 12.

 

45862676854_7bdcb14dae_b.jpg

 

 

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Doing this meant I needed to build a radio tray between bulkheads 13 and 14. I also built up the antenna supporting structure behind bulkhead 12 and the wires behind the seat for the Sutton harness. 

 

Then I added plasticard elements to the lower cockpit to give the correct shape (more or less), and then added cockpit illumination lamp, outlet for air hose, early style radio control, oxygen tank, cabling and harness release mechanism.

 

It all seems so simple now! Anyway, hope you like the end product. Can anyone tell me how to make these piccies a little smaller??

 

46586662691_3b4f942cca_b.jpg

 

 

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Stay tuned for the Instrument Panel, Seat and the port side of the cockpit!

 

The seat and the armour plate are huge! Can't be right, can it? has anyone else come across this?

 

I've ordered a Grey Matter seat and - right or wrong - I will need to cut the armour plate down.

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Great progress on the starboard sidewall. You are right about the seat and armour plate size, the Grey Matter seat is much better, but have you checked on seat type? The metal seat was different from the composite ' plastic ' type so you will need to decide what period you are going to depict, which will determine which seat and wether back armour was fitted or not.

Hope I haven't opened up a can of worms.

 

John

 

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Great progression on your MK1 Spitfire. All your stages are logged in long term memory. Sort to speak. Over the years I've save all kinds of sprue and bases from resin parts. Eventually they will be made into instruments and chocks, plumbing and such.

 

Ron VanDerwarker

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1 hour ago, Biggles87 said:

The metal seat was different from the composite ' plastic ' type so you will need to decide what period you are going to depict, which will determine which seat and wether back armour was fitted or not.

Hope I haven't opened up a can of worms.

 

Thanks Biggles87,

 

The aircraft I’m planning was delivered in June 1939 -hence the earlier spec interior. But I’m portraying it flying in the BoB in August 1940 with 602 squadron so it will have a sky underside, for example.

 

I’m going with both the composite seat and armour plate. My thinking was the armour would have been retrofitted. The seat is just because I prefer it.😉

 

To be honest I’m not precious about the armour - leaving it out would leave a better view of some of the interior.

 

Thanks for the steer.

 

Dave

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi All,

 

Painfully aware that I've been a bit quiet over the last few weeks, here is my latest update.

 

The cockpit is complete now. I've used the Grey Matters composite seat and a the Sutton QK Harness from Laser Technologies. This was anchored to bulkhead 15.  I've also added cockpit placard decals by Airscale. (By the way I have loads of these left over - both RAF and Luftwaffe. If anyone wants any please give me a shout. I also have 1/24 scale Spitfire IDP decals and a Grey Matters late model under carriage control quadrant).

 

I also added my take on the TR9D radio which will be visible later.

 

31953408297_b4612159a4_b.jpg

 

 

 

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