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Spitfire swansong


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Time I got underway with something for this GB, it's only been going for a month :rolleyes: the bench still hasn't been cleared properly but if we're waiting for me to do that it'll likely be another month before I get anything started :lol: 

 

Right gang, here's the plan, take this lot...

 

 

2019-02-03_10-03-51

 

as inspiration to do these two...

 

2019-02-03_10-04-51

 

Both will get done as 602 squadron machines but I'll start with the Spitfire Mk.22 as the last of the type they operated and their final piston-engined front-line type before the Vampire were introduced.

Here's what comes inside the box...

 

2019-02-06_11-20-04

 

Mostly rather nice apart from a poor representation of the seat but I'm going to replace that with a spare resin one from Pavla...

 

2019-02-06_11-21-47

 

The cockpit has plenty detail as moulded...

 

2019-02-06_11-22-18

 

...although the instrument panel lets it down somewhat in my opinion...

 

2019-02-06_11-27-06

 

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23 minutes ago, modelling minion said:

Very nice choices Col and a very nice start on the cockpit.

Good to get the end of one generation and start of another in your build.

Not going to guarantee the Vampire will get done in this GB, if truth be told I'm not even willing to make promises about the Spitfire 22 far less the 21 conversion I also want to do, as I'm busy with this GB and the Trainer one as well but got a few 602 Sqn. projects planned for this year ;) 

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13 hours ago, CliffB said:

Tinkering is good :)

Depends what with Cliff ;) 

8 hours ago, rafalbert said:

Awesome stuff Col, what other 602 machines are you building?

Have kits in the stash for a Hart, Gauntlet, enough parts to hopefully create a Spit 21, another 22, a Tiger Moth if I can find some more details about them with 602, and a Magister set aside for the Trainer GB all in 72nd. To that lot I'd like to add a Harvard and Meteor T.7 soon. Only have a couple Spitfire I done so far.

10 hours ago, modelling minion said:

Very nice choices Col and a very nice start on the cockpit.

Good to get the end of one generation and start of another in your build.

On the subject of generations starting and ending I suppose this one will bookend 602's use of the Spitfire in my display cabinet as I've already got a Mk.I done :) 

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More work on tue cockpit area last night has this section well on now. Added some prominent details omitted from the kit included including the compass and a more prominent throttle with its control cables...

 

2019-02-17_09-05-32

 

Be able to splash some paint around in there before long :D

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Painted...

 

2019-02-21_10-09-23

 

... assembled...

 

2019-02-21_11-02-59

 

... then closed up

 

2019-02-21_11-16-30

 

Everything benefited from a little cleaning up around the edges before getting glued together to improve fit. Once the glue has fully cured I'll know how much filler and/or sanding will be required to sort out the seams.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Excuse the lack of updates and my general absence from proceedings for the last few days gang but work has been a bit busy lately. There has been some minor progress made on the Spitfire at least and the various flying surfaces added. As seems to be a theme with modern Airfix kits in general and this one in particular all the parts have benefited from test fitting and fettling. While the tail feathers then fitted perfectly the wing was a different story...

 

2019-02-24_11-56-16

 

As you can see there's still a couple gaps at the wing roots. Filler time.

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Thank you @WezI'll take a good look at that thread but unfortunatelly can't see the Vampire getting near my workbench soon due to everything else that's going on at the moment.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Almost ready for paint now, I've added all the sticking out bits along with a set of the cannon jacket ejector slot guides made from metal foil...

 

2019-03-16_10-47-53

 

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On 3/17/2019 at 9:40 PM, Cookenbacher said:

Wonderful details Col., looking forward to seeing the 602 Sqn Spitfire and Vampire next to each other.

So am I Cookie but at the pace I'm not progressing right now that may take a while :( 

 

Got a coat of Alclad primer on and it looked good enough,

 

 

2019-03-19_08-04-10

 

...so followed it up the next evening with a coat of Alclad Airframe Aluminium...

 

2019-03-20_05-06-02

 

...which has gone weird. Looks more like corroded aluminium :( 

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Can't really see what you mean from the picture Col, has it gone sort of rough and speckly? It does have a tendency to occur with metallic colours. Could you try another coat on top but sprayed at a lower pressure?*

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

 

* Try this on something unimportant first. If the first coat does have a gritty texture a little rub first down wouldn't hurt either.

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It feels smooth @Stew Dapplebut looks blotchy. I'm wondering if there was some condensation had formed in the compressor hose or the paint had started to settle and seperate as this happened while I was applying the second coat to be sure I had good coverage. Not had a chance to examine and experiment with a Micromesh session yet.

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A fine set of ghost seams have shown themselves along most of the upper cowling and fuselage so decision made - out with the filler and another complete round of primer and paint will be required <_< It all looked great at the primer stage and of course the underside seams are fine :rolleyes:

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Primed and painted with Semi Matt Aluminium this time...

 

2019-03-22_03-38-18

 

...that's better...

 

2019-03-22_03-39-37

 

I'm happy with that now so on to the decals next.

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Decal time.

Given that this model is to represent the final use by 602 squadron of the Spitfire I thought it fitting to represent PK651 as it was officially the last Spitfire they operated. After spending far too much time going through my decal stash and measuring various options without success I realised the kit decals provided most of what I needed for this one with a little rearranging.

 

2019-03-23_11-07-17

 

The 1 was taken from a Modeldecal sheet and trimmed to suit while the PK553 option from the kit sheet was butchered to give me the PK65 part.

 

2019-03-24_08-57-29

 

Looks good enough for me.

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