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1/48 Spitfire F Mk. 24


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My first attempt at a WIP here on Britmodeller, a 1/48 Nord Pingouin, soon ended on the shelf.  So I'm making a second try, this time with something more straight-forward. 

 

The Airfix 1/48 kit of the Spitfire 24 is well known and has been around for over 20 years. I built its close relative, the Seafire 47, shortly after it was released. I like this series of kits really well, even though there is room for improvements. My intention is to build W2-A as it appeared in Hong-Kong in the early fifties. W2-A is an option on the decal sheet that comes with the kit, and a number of photos of this particular aircraft can be found on the web. I also have a copy of an article from an old issue Scale Models with photos of the same aircraft.

 

One of the things that I intend to correct is the shape of the engine cowling bulges. When I built the Seafire, I modified the bulges that comes with the kit, but this time I thought I should go the easy route by using a resin replacement upper nose from Quickboost. 

 

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Problem is, it is doesn't fit! I think the reason is resin shrinkage. I'v added shims of plastic sheet in order to improve the fit. Still, I think I will need some Milliput to complete the job. It would have been faster just to modify the bulges in the kit. Or use resin replacements from Barracudacast.

 

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The cockpit provided by Airfix is simple and possibly not up to current standards. There are resin substitutes available, but this time I decided to just replace the seat with an item from Quickboost, and make some small additions from plastic scraps. Here is a refined instrument panel with a scratch built control stick.

 

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I plan to add dials from Airscale once the panel has been painted. I have also added some additional details to the side walls. Partly fictional and not 100% accurate, I have to admit...

 

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Regards,

Ragnar

(from Horten, Norway)

Edited by ragnarec
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For its age this is still a good kit.  I’ll confess I’d have gone with the Barracudacast engine cowling mods, thanks for taking one for the team with the Quickboost item😉!  I like what you’ve done in the cockpit to avoid the view into the wing root fairing voids: please could you post some images showing the other side so that I can plagiarise your work when I do my Seafire XVII and Spitfire 24?

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On 16/05/2019 at 21:35, stever219 said:

I like what you’ve done in the cockpit to avoid the view into the wing root fairing voids: please could you post some images showing the other side so that I can plagiarise your work when I do my Seafire XVII and Spitfire 24?

I'll post some more pictures once the painting is done. But be warned that my detailing is not particularly accurate. To make an accurate cockpit I think all Airfix details have to be removed and everything be made from the ground up. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm mostly done with painting of the interior. The basic paint used is Xtracrylics Interior Grey-Green, with details picked out with Vallejo acrylics. I've used Airscale decals for the instruments on the instrument panel.

 

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Looking good! Did some similar things for my 47, which is still not done...

Also used a Quickboost cowling, but my problem was that they (Quickboost) had put the cowl for a different manufacturer than Airfix in the package marked for an Airfix kit...🤪 That one ended up being too wide, too high and too long for the nose. The correct part (when I finally got it) still needed to be shimmed a bit, so you are not alone there.

Will be keeping my seat tipped forward.

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  • 2 weeks later...

After some trimming I was able to get the different pieces to fit into the cockpit, and the two fuselage halves could be joined. 

 

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Next was time for some "plastic surgery". I plan to mount the propeller after painting and finishing of the rest of the airplane is complete, but I still want to be able to spin the propeller. I have possibly not chosen the easiest route, but I think my approach should work. First step was to trim 0.5 mm of the front of the fuselage, including the resin cowling top. I then cut a disk out of 0.5 mm plastic sheet with the same diameter as the spinner. This will help in aligning the cowling top and make the fuselage front perfectly circular. Before the disk was glued to the fuselage, it was given a large hole in the middle, and some other parts were fashioned from plastic and aluminium tubing.

 

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The two leftmost parts are glued to the fuselage, while the thin aluminium tube is threaded through thick tube and glued to the spinner back plate. The thick tube (with plastic disk) is not glued to anything at this stage, but is free to rotate relative to the spinner plate.

 

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I did not manage to get a very good fit between the resin cowling top and the kit nose, and had to resort to Milliput to smooth things out. I'm using the Superfine White variety. When using Milliput, I try to apply the putty sparingly and smooth the joints using a metal tool dipped in water. This to minimize the sanding job afterwards.

 

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Regards,

Ragnar 🙂

Edited by ragnarec
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I just use a couple of lengths of slide fit brass tube to mount props. Large one superglued into the fuselage, thinner one into the back of the spinner. Done. Make them a couple of inches long to prevent a droopy spinner. It's quick, easy, bulletproof and means that you can remove the prop for transport if required. If required, a simple half bulkhead in the engine cowling can be used to support the inside end of the outer tube.

 

PS. Do this before fitting the wings, while there's access to the inside of the kit.

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16 hours ago, Crimea River said:

Watching with interest. Some really nice work here Ragnar.

Thanks!

14 hours ago, Biggles87 said:

I like you're idea for attaching the propeller later. I don't like attaching it when the fuselage is joined either, it gets in the way and the risk of breakages is always high.

This is my motivation too. I could of course just have glued the propeller in place at the end of the build and skipped the spinning gimmick, but I think it is fun with a little experimentation...

 

13 hours ago, Rob G said:

I just use a couple of lengths of slide fit brass tube to mount props. Large one superglued into the fuselage, thinner one into the back of the spinner. Done. Make them a couple of inches long to prevent a droopy spinner. It's quick, easy, bulletproof and means that you can remove the prop for transport if required. If required, a simple half bulkhead in the engine cowling can be used to support the inside end of the outer tube.

Sounds like an easier approach. Do you experience any problems with the prop falling off unintentionally?

 

Ragnar 

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18 hours ago, Rob G said:

I just use a couple of lengths of slide fit brass tube to mount props. Large one superglued into the fuselage, thinner one into the back of the spinner. Done.

This is also how I fit my props with the added bonus the the prop can be removed when moving the model, to prevent any damage to the blades!

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Things are progressing slowly. The Millput filler has been sanded down and the panel lines have been rescribed. What remains is to recreate the lost fasteners. My plan is to get hold of some syringe needle of appropriate diameter, cut of the tip and then sharpen it in a motor tool, and then use it to imprint new fasteners. I have not done it before, but I hope it will work.

 

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After that it is time to fit the wings. I have a question in that regard. Anyone known the proper colour for the wheel wells? Unpainted aluminium, or the underside colour (Medium Sea Grey)?

 

Regards,

Ragnar

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25 minutes ago, ragnarec said:

Unpainted aluminium, or the underside colour (Medium Sea Grey)?

neither. Probably grey green,  or, aluminium paint.

The Mk.24 at Hendon shows aluminium paint

Quote

This aircraft never saw much RAF service in fact when examined in 1968 had only flown for 7 hours, with 20 hours on the engine. This is one of only 3 Mk.24 Spitfires to survive. A full history can be found here on the RAF Museum's web site. 

2213.jpg&key=cf309ec0dfd6ea028d2978b2405

the brown stuff looks like some kind of protective grease.

 

Other late Griffon Spitfires  examined by Edgar Brooks were grey-green IIRC.  

looking at the pdf on the the RAF site

Quote

04 Nov 55 To RAF Norton, Sheffield for instructional use. Norton was part of No.90 Signals Group. Photo: Spitfire - A Look Back over the Gate (Coulson). By 1957 at least the original serial was retained on the aircraft, which was silver overall. Mar 61 To 71 MU Bicester for repaint and overhaul. Given camouflage colour scheme. Noted 17 April just after respraying

so quite possibly from when spayed silver , as the above look like it has an even coat over everything,  so another point for grey green, the logic being that with the additional of the outer doors the well become "interior" surfaces, and are the interior colour.

 

as for restoring the lost detail, get a set of beading tools.

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they can be got on ebay cheaply from China.

see here for more

 

HTH

 

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The brown stuff was probably applied later by the RAF as I have seen similar in Lightning wheel bays.

 

Some kind of preservative

 

Julien

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On 6/8/2019 at 5:01 AM, ragnarec said:

 Do you experience any problems with the prop falling off unintentionally?

 

Nope, no problems at all. That assumes that you're sitting the model on a shelf--hanging it nose down from the ceiling might be a different matter, but there's ways to fix that too. If you use long enough pieces of tube, you can fly it around the room with no issues. Not that any of us would ever do that...

 

My main reason for making the modification is not so much for the 'look, the prop spins' satisfaction as it is a protection from those numpties who reach out and try to spin it, not actually asking until they've had a go.

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On 5/29/2019 at 3:27 PM, Thom216 said:

Looking good! Did some similar things for my 47, which is still not done...

Also used a Quickboost cowling, but my problem was that they (Quickboost) had put the cowl for a different manufacturer than Airfix in the package marked for an Airfix kit...🤪 That one ended up being too wide, too high and too long for the nose. The correct part (when I finally got it) still needed to be shimmed a bit, so you are not alone there.

Will be keeping my seat tipped forward.

He was probably for academy XIV

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19 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

they can be got on ebay cheaply from China.

For example

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Handmade-Jewelry-Tools-Diamond-Setting-Beading-Stone-Beaders-23Pcs-Set/122555118797

 

£5.24 posted....  don't how good they would be for jewellery. but fine for plastic...

 

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Nice job Ragnar !

I'm doing that same kit for my Korean war serie !

Be carefull with the radiator, i get a twist on mine, but may be caused by myself !

Sincerely.

CC

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On 16/06/2019 at 23:54, Troy Smith said:

neither. Probably grey green,  or, aluminium paint.

The Mk.24 at Hendon shows aluminium paint

Thanks for the info! I think I'll go for grey green.

On 16/06/2019 at 23:54, Troy Smith said:

as for restoring the lost detail, get a set of beading tools.

I was not a aware of this kind of product, but it seems like something I should try to get hold of.

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11 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

For example

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Handmade-Jewelry-Tools-Diamond-Setting-Beading-Stone-Beaders-23Pcs-Set/122555118797

 

£5.24 posted....  don't how good they would be for jewellery. but fine for plastic...

 

It is incredible what can be ordered from China for next to nothing - including postage! I've just placed an order, but in my experience it can take some weeks before the goods are delivered at my door step.

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1 hour ago, Christer A said:

Wow! That's an excellent cockpit. I really like the details you've added.

Shame about the quickboost cowling though.

Thanks!

11 hours ago, corsaircorp said:

Nice job Ragnar !

I'm doing that same kit for my Korean war serie !

Be carefull with the radiator, i get a twist on mine, but may be caused by myself !

Sincerely.

CC

The radiators are for some strange reason moulded with a parallelogram like cross section in this kit. I'm in the process of sorting this out. 

On 17/06/2019 at 00:18, Rob G said:

 

Nope, no problems at all. That assumes that you're sitting the model on a shelf--hanging it nose down from the ceiling might be a different matter, but there's ways to fix that too. If you use long enough pieces of tube, you can fly it around the room with no issues. Not that any of us would ever do that...

 

My main reason for making the modification is not so much for the 'look, the prop spins' satisfaction as it is a protection from those numpties who reach out and try to spin it, not actually asking until they've had a go.

OK, thanks for answer. I may try this on my next project.

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