Airfix Spitfire Prototype 1:72

[Beggsy]

Greetings everyone!

 

I recently finished this effort, based on the Airfix 1:72 Spitfire Mk.I kit (the boxing with the early propeller in it).

 

The modifications are:

 - Rescribed panel lines on the wings and engine cowling

 - Landing gear legs from the Tamiya Mk.I kit

 - Rudder modified with different horn

 - Extended radiator housing made form styrene sheet

 - Vacu-Formed canopy from Falcon set

 - Tail wheel chopped up to create a tail skid

 - Pitot's made from stretched sprue

 - Wingitp lights made from clear sprue

 - Exhausts made from squashed brass tube

 - Omitted radio mast

 - Decals from Xtradecal

 

The paintwork is mainly Vallejo Duraluminium with Tamiya clear yellow and green sprayed over the top in a patchy way.

 

The WIP is here, shared with a Tamiya kit: 

 

Here's the final result!

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Still wishing I hadn't at first filled the exhaust slot before changing my mind about how to approach it, I could never quite get it smooth again around there...)

 

 

 

 

Cockpit details still visible!  This is the first time that I've dipped canopies in clear acrylic, and I'm very happy with the result!

 

 

 

Finally, some pictures of how it may have looked in its "Natural Habitat" at RAF Eastleigh in 1936, just before it's maiden flight:

 

 

Thanks for looking!

 

Beggsy.

Edited February 12, 2019 by Beggsy
fixed spelling

[F-32]

Very nice work, didn't realise it was this colour

[stevej60]

Superb conversion Beggsy,great to see the prototype modelled,I did the Hurricane prototype  from the Airfix kit a while backand would love to

do this one in the future.

[Beggsy]

31 minutes ago, F-32 said:

Very nice work, didn't realise it was this colour

Thank you.  It only wore this colour for the first few flights before getting a proper paint job, but i figured if I was going to do the first spitfire, I wanted it to be its very first flyable configuration.

 

3 minutes ago, stevej60 said:

I did the Hurricane prototype  from the Airfix kit a while back

Hmm, that's one posibility for the rag-wing Hurricane in my stash.......

[RMCS]

Stunning 

[Cookenbacher]

Wonderful conversion work.

[Linus]

Very nice work, It is SUPER!!!

[Alex Gordon]

Well done old fruit.In my diseased opinion you have made a good solid interpretation  of the sparse available gen.

Have a few of these too

[Meatbox8]

Terrific conversion work that beautifully illustrates the beginning of a legend.  Great paintwork.

[Bedders]

Lovely job!

 

Justin

[John_W]

Very nice. The prototype didn't have gun ports though. When she went Blue, they stuck black circles on the leading edge though.

[malpaso]

8 minutes ago, John_W said:

Very nice. The prototype didn't have gun ports though. When she went Blue, they stuck black circles on the leading edge though.

I think the black painted circles were there at the very first flight.  On a decent big version of the pre-flight front view photo you can see the strip of light reflection off the leading edge running right across the "holes" - which obviously wouldn't reflect!   In her early "blue" period the black circles appear painted out and the LE is clean, at least for initial time at Martlesham and the Hendon show where she had the number 2 on the side.  Real guns were fitted in December '36 when she was still in blue (but now had visible exhaust manifolds).  The guns and blue finish remained until the belly-landing in March, after which they took their time (6 months) to repair, modify and camouflage K5054.

 

Lovely model by the way.

Cheers

Will