The Unexpected Journey - Spitfire Vb AB910, KP 1/72

[CedB]

3 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

I suspect, for tail-dragging duties, our Ida may not have been wearing the uniform skirt. However, she does look smart, so leave her be.

I'm sure you're right Heather but the less we talk about what she was wearing the better - you know what they're like!

 

3 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

I guess this counts as your second dual control Spitfire? Probably more comfortable flying inside....

 

Regards,

Adrian

 Thanks Adrian.

 

Welcome Giorgio, Johnny, Rob, John and Ben  

 

7 minutes ago, perdu said:

Sitting over here in the corner may I interject, Heather is right.

Both ways

 

Leave Ida in the skirt

Will do Bill. What's the alternative? No, stop it, you'll set 'em off

 

 

Internals started, Ida finished and joined by Flt. Lt. Neill Cox DFC (from the painted stash):

 

 

[rob85]

It should be aluminium aft of the bulk head, if these things bother you (probably not as you can’t really see it on the ceiling.... that’s a point how high did Ida go?) looking good Ced!

 

Rob

[Bigdave22014]

Blimey. You can't blink around here and Ced has started another kit!

Right, budge up you lot.

Anyone got a glass? Ta.

Can someone lend me a bottle opener? Thanks mate.

Now. Who's got a bottle of beer then?

[Whofan]

3 hours ago, rob85 said:

It should be aluminium aft of the bulk head, if these things bother you (probably not as you can’t really see it on the ceiling.... that’s a point how high did Ida go?) looking good Ced!

 

Rob

According to one of the articles linked to, 800ft. That was an extraordinary feat to hang on to the tail for presumably 30, 40 seconds while climbing at speed - which would have been what, 150 mph?

 

I'm amazed she only needed treatment for a "strained arm". 

Edited January 26, 2020 by Whofan

[keefr22]

8 minutes ago, Whofan said:

According to one of the articles linked to, 800ft.

 

That's a fairly usual circuit height so sounds about right.

 

Haven't read the linked articles, do they mention the undercarriage? I'd wonder if the pilot left it down?

 

K

 

 

[keefr22]

19 hours ago, CedB said:

 

 

Ignore - just found the third article!!

[72modeler]

Damn! Just got through pulling kits for auction and missed the bar and front row seats, but looking forward to seeing the KP kit built! (Take good notes, Dennis- can't see a bloody thing back here with the rowdies!) Page 2, Ced- time to start the actual building!

Mike

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

2 minutes ago, 72modeler said:

Take good notes, Dennis- can't see a bloody thing back here with the rowdies!)

You can take my seat as I'm always busy in the group builds area. 😉

[72modeler]

5 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

You can take my seat as I'm always busy in the group builds area. 😉

Thanks, my friend- but this time, leave the popcorn, OK? 😜

Mike

[chrislowe]

Surprisingly, given that I'm usually a  cold-war / modern era type, I have a Spitfire in the stash. I know less about them than @CedB does about helicopters, so I'm squeezed in at the back, note book in one hand, and a drink in the other. 

[rob85]

1 hour ago, Whofan said:

According to one of the articles linked to, 800ft. That was an extraordinary feat to hang on to the tail for presumably 30, 40 seconds while climbing at speed - which would have been what, 150 mph?

 

I'm amazed she only needed treatment for a "strained arm". 

Oh wow!! What a lady!! 
 

Rob

[Martian]

This is a really cunning plan for build. It might be worth mounting on a base and entering in the aircraft diorama class at Telford. Often these sort of left of field dioramas have some sort of award hanging on them.

 

Martian 👽

[CedB]

Welcome Big Dave, Mike and Chris  

 

17 hours ago, rob85 said:

It should be aluminium aft of the bulk head, if these things bother you (probably not as you can’t really see it on the ceiling.... that’s a point how high did Ida go?) looking good Ced!

 

Rob

Quite right, now corrected despite the instructions!  

 

 

BTW I checked Edgar's Spitfire notes* but, apart from discussing the colour, I couldn't find anything about the limits of the painted cockpit.

I'll go with the hive mind  

 

*Jon Bius is doing a great job gathering these notes from around the 'net - I've just downloaded the latest version from here.

RIP Edgar.

 

13 hours ago, Whofan said:

According to one of the articles linked to, 800ft. That was an extraordinary feat to hang on to the tail for presumably 30, 40 seconds while climbing at speed - which would have been what, 150 mph?

 

I'm amazed she only needed treatment for a "strained arm". 

13 hours ago, keefr22 said:

 

That's a fairly usual circuit height so sounds about right.

 

Haven't read the linked articles, do they mention the undercarriage? I'd wonder if the pilot left it down?

 

K

13 hours ago, keefr22 said:

 

Ignore - just found the third article!!

11 hours ago, rob85 said:

Oh wow!! What a lady!! 
 

Rob

Indeed, although I bet she shyly said 'It was nothing, really'  

 

11 hours ago, Martian Hale said:

This is a really cunning plan for build. It might be worth mounting on a base and entering in the aircraft diorama class at Telford. Often these sort of left of field dioramas have some sort of award hanging on them.

 

Martian 👽

Thanks Martian - not a competitive bone in my body Sir, but thanks for thinking it might win something!  

[CedB]

Struggling with the internal fit this morning  

 

I can't seem to get the bits aligned with the side panels - the floor seems too short - so I've taken it apart again:

 

 

I'll have another go when I've calmed down a bit.

[Marklo]

Looking good. I love the little bit of a story entwined with the build.

[CedB]

Thanks Marklo  Not up to PC's standards, but I try… sometimes.

 

Internals now fit after creeping up on them… just glued one side at the mo:

 

 

See the top of the i/p there? Perhaps it's supposed to be like that to mount the gunsight?

 

Anyhoo, I'll let that dry for bit.

[giemme]

Progressing at a fast pace, Ced  I can't see very well what you mean about the IP, but if I recall correctly from my only Spitfire build, your guess about the gunsight is likely to be correct.

 

Here's how it was (1/48, though)

 

and with the gunsight in place

 

HTH

 

Ciao

 

Edited January 27, 2020 by giemme

[Cookenbacher]

Nice work so far Ced.

Check Stew's build for hints on the wing to fuselage attachment, I remember having trouble getting it to fit flush.

[CedB]

Thanks Giorgio, useful shot - I shall resume battle in the morning!

 

Cheers Cookie. I’ve read your thread and Stews so, between us, we should be able to bash the thing together. 
I suspect that the problem with the internals has a knock on effect - I’ll investigate and document in the morning. 

[CedB]

Bits bashed into submission (or carefully adjusted) allowing close up:

 

 

Gunsight painted and small cooler assembled:

 

 

Spoked wheels or plain do we think?

Spoked ones are nicer.

[CedB]

Side bar.

Always on the lookout for new tools I pounced on these things that Mrs B brought back from the dentist yesterday:

 

 

 

I thought they'd be good for airbrush cleaning but no, too stiff.

For some reason she didn't want it back

[keefr22]

Have you tried interdental brushes for a/b cleaning Ced - I find the smallest 'diameter' ones are good for getting into the paint channel and nozzle on my H&S brushes.

 

K

[CedB]

Thanks Keith  Yes, I have the 0.4 ones - useful!

 

 

Canopy masked:

 

 

Got halfway through and remembered I'm supposed to be using Oramask now. Duh.

Yes, I did 'Klear' around the mask AND remember the gunsight  

 

Just a callout for the 'Fritag Ninja scraper' again. It's really good for sorting raised seams like this one:

 

 

Quick polish and you're done:

 

 

You can stop at the panel lines too.

Easy peasy.

 

Canopy 560 and cleaned up:

 

 

While that's drying I started on the wings.

I think they've swopped part 8 and 9 on the instructions:

 

 

#8 fits much better on t'other side:

 

 

The wheel bays will get painted later.

Interior green (as per the instructions), underside colour or bare metal?

I'll check.

 

Edit:

From Edgar's Spitfire notes:

I've never been able to make my mind up, on this particular item, but I'm leaning, more and more, to silver wells, since, late in the Spitfire production run, interior colour changed to cockpit grey-green, and I've seen a 22 with green wheel wells and door interiors. Moving backwards, with logic, if late interiors and wells were green, early wells could have been the same silver as early interiors.

 

Of course, once an airframe has gone to an M.U., for a major service, there's the very real possibility that a respray might have been done with the aircraft on its wheels, and the sprayer just sprayed straight over the wells, leaving them in the underside colour; he would not, however, have sprayed the area where the oleo legs fitted.

[CedB]

Ready for the tricky bit:

 

 

Later  

[Brandy]

On 1/26/2020 at 1:06 PM, CedB said:

I may dangle it above my desk. If not then in the cabinet.

 

I do deserve a rest after fiddling with that tiny chopper, so unusual for me

Fnaar, fnaar, snurf! Sorry, nearly spat my beer out.

Two in a row, and nobody even tittered!

Must be a lack of beer, being taken care of as we speak. Anyone else?

Silly question, I see Bill's here already.....

 

Ian