Bare Metal Spit – 1/48 RAAF Mk VIII A58-303 ***FINISHED***

[Johnson]

42 minutes ago, Ray_W said:

I'm going to try AK's Extreme Metal

I've just tried AK's Extreme Metal 479 Aluminium, having seen 'Rod The Fixers' very nicely painted Mustang in the STGB that's just finished. It seems really excellent. I've yet to use it on a whole plane, but the tests I did indicated that it was far shinier than the Alclad II ALC-101 Aluminium that I'm used to.

 

Best of luck with it and the NMF!

[Ray_W]

4 minutes ago, Johnson said:

I've just tried AK's Extreme Metal 479 Aluminium, having seen 'Rod The Fixers' very nicely painted Mustang in the STGB that's just finished. It seems really excellent. I've yet to use it on a whole plane, but the tests I did indicated that it was far shinier than the Alclad II ALC-101 Aluminium that I'm used to.

 

Best of luck with it and the NMF!

Thanks Charlie for the link to Rod The Fixers Mustang, excellent build and wonderful finish. The AK range seems good. I'm actually looking forward to it. By the middle of the week I should be able to put down my usual Black Mr Surfacer 1500 and get the surface in good shape and then the fun starts.  

[Valkyrie]

Great work impressive, and yes that cowl very well done!

Have you built up the exhaust stack parts? I seem to be struggling can’t get my head around it 

[Ray_W]

Just now, Valkyrie said:

Have you built up the exhaust stack parts? I seem to be struggling can’t get my head around it 

I'll post some pics in 5 mins

[Ray_W]

On 4/21/2020 at 3:08 AM, Valkyrie said:

Have you built up the exhaust stack parts? I seem to be struggling can’t get my head around it 

I hope this helps.

 

Let's build the port stack.

 

 

All the parts ready to go

 

 

Lay the exhaust stack G5 into the base G9 and glue in place.

 

 

Clamp the stack G5 with G10 aligning the pins on top and glue in place. In this image the top piece G10 has not been pushed back far enough.

 

 

Glue the end cap G43 on. 

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: make sure that top clamp G10 is right back into the end piece like so:

 

 

EDIT: I've added a couple more pictures for further clarification.

 

Those two nibs on top are, in my view, too long and to get that top piece in the right position you need to shorten them or remove their stops so they can finish in the right position. Removing their stops is what I do. That piece (which is actually a representation of the side of the  Merlin rocker cover) can then sit in its correct position as follows.

 

 

It is hard to see in these pictures, but you know when you have it right because the bottom piece and top piece, that clamp around the exhaust stacks, have  representation of, I suppose, the rocker cover bolts which align top and bottom between the stacks.

 

 

 

 

 

[Valkyrie]

Wow @Ray_W this was totally ruining my build! Thank you so much, this is an awesome guide! I was never working that out 

And you make that look easy too

[Ray_W]

6 minutes ago, Valkyrie said:

Wow @Ray_W this was totally ruining my build! Thank you so much, this is an awesome guide! I was never working that out 

And you make that look easy too

It was great timing because I was just about to put them together. Here's a another image like the nice little end view Eduard give you. Glad I could help.

 

 

 

[Ray_W]

I spent more time fixing defects including the obligatory Tamiya Extra Thin finger print. Not the huge thumb print just a little pest of a mark with a "where the **** did that came from".  Starboard wing leading edge just inside the wing tip, Mr Surfacer 500, light sand and polish.

 

I think I'm ready to get into some serious painting.

 

 

Note to Self: On the next build remove the paint on any seams before gluing.

 

Looks cool with that drop in top cowling. I'm so happy with that top cowl I think I should just call it quits and post 5 images of the top cowling in the gallery titled "Spitfire cowling being tested for anti-reflective paint wear - December 1943".  Could do a diorama, small base and something to represent Darwin dirt to sit it on.

 

 

Eduard's Aussie Eight instructions show this aircraft with the underside ID lights blanked. They look rather good so I decided to keep them. I can paint them out later if I want. Not much to see sitting under their masks. 

 

 

I was also trying to decide wheel well colours. These aircraft were paint stripped. Was the original colour (RAAF Sky Blue, Medium Sea Grey, Azure Blue) still in the wheel well and also possibly inside the radiator housing? Making life a little easier for myself I assumed they did a real good job on this aircraft and stripped the old colours off everywhere. Probably Peter M @Magpie22  will chime in with some of his knowledge on this. 

 

So, first time use of AK's Extreme Metal, even all their bottle lids are still sealed..

 

 

I plan to put down a coat of black Mr Finishing Surfacer, as per normal, and check for any remaining defects and repair. Get that right then use AK's black base for a gloss surface before having fun with a selection of colours to see if I can recreate an effect at least a little similar to the actual aircraft. I'll use my normal paint mule for test - the actual kit I'm working on. 

 

We'll see how it goes.

 

Ray 

 

 

 

 

 

[Magpie22]

5 hours ago, Ray_W said:

 

 

Eduard's Aussie Eight instructions show this aircraft with the underside ID lights blanked. They look rather good so I decided to keep them. I can paint them out later if I want. Not much to see sitting under their masks. 

 

I was also trying to decide wheel well colours. These aircraft were paint stripped. Was the original colour (RAAF Sky Blue, Medium Sea Grey, Azure Blue) still in the wheel well and also possibly inside the radiator housing? Making life a little easier for myself I assumed they did a real good job on this aircraft and stripped the old colours off everywhere. Probably Peter M @Magpie22  will chime in with some of his knowledge on this. 

 

 

 

 

Ray,

 

she was stripped at No. 1 AD, Laverton. They would have had the chemicals and pesonnel to do a good job. I was told, (and this by only one ex 1 AD erk), that normal stripping procedure for A/C, not just Spits, was to remove all control surfaces, (fabric ones were rebagged), the cockpit canopy, (which was scraped back by hand, as the chemical destroyed the perspex). Doors were removed from the U/C and treated separately. Wheels and U/C legs, windscreen and other transparencies, were covered to protect them. The A/C was taken to a special external bay, where the paint stripper was applied, by brush, to the aircraft in sections at a time. Erks then attacked it with wire, (yes wire - I assume soft brass type), and scrapers. The whole thing was then washed down with hoses. I asked him if they polished the aircraft afterwards. His answer was, 'not bloody likely!'. I can't give a definitive answer to stripping inside the radiator and wheel wells, but I suspect it was done as it would be difficult to keep the stripper out when applying it to the main areas.

 

A58-303 had the tri-colour signalling lamp in the starboard wing undersurface. It did not have lamps under the port wing or rear fuselage. The bottom shot on p. 29 of Aussie Eight shows that no lamp is installed under the port wing. The invereted shot at the top of p. 28 is interesting, in that while it shows there is no under fuselage lamp, it does show where, one bay forward of the bay where the lamps was normally fitted, there is an opening, where I believe there was where a beam approach aerial was briefly fitted for trials.

 

Peter M

[Ray_W]

5 hours ago, Magpie22 said:

Erks then attacked it with wire, (yes wire - I assume soft brass type), and scrapers. The whole thing was then washed down with hoses. I asked him if they polished the aircraft afterwards. His answer was, 'not bloody likely!'.

Thanks Peter, fantastic information. The finish always looked burnished rather than polished to me so this stands to reason.

 

I filled the fuselage and port wing indicator light. My starboard indicator light is green although I expect the tricolour device had rotating coloured globes or coloured lens under a clear lens. Pity, the three lights did look pretty. Anyway I've ordered the "Aussie Eight" boxing so I'll have another two to build (not this time as they'll be delivered on the other side of the planet) and, importantly, get your book.

 

Ray

[Ray_W]

@Valkyrie I added a little more information in my earlier post regarding the eduard exhaust solution. 

[Valkyrie]

3 hours ago, Ray_W said:

@Valkyrie I added a little more information in my earlier post regarding the eduard exhaust solution. 

Ah, brilliant thanks Ray....that can be my excuse for mucking it up. I got glue on the stacks and the keepers and guides melted off and I thought that’s a bit better. I might just pinch the fishtail stacks, they look cooler anyway, also ordered the brassin set for my IXc build so if they have rounded on the spare sprue I might also re-distribute these now.

The guide is really helpful and I will have it in from of me when I pluck up the courage to reattempt. Your build is coming on well and is great to follow.

[Ray_W]

33 minutes ago, Valkyrie said:

Ah, brilliant thanks Ray....that can be my excuse for mucking it up. I got glue on the stacks and the keepers and guides melted off and I thought that’s a bit better. I might just pinch the fishtail stacks, they look cooler anyway, also ordered the brassin set for my IXc build so if they have rounded on the spare sprue I might also re-distribute these now.

The guide is really helpful and I will have it in from of me when I pluck up the courage to reattempt. Your build is coming on well and is great to follow.

I'm glad you're sounding positive. Always a worry when you recommend something that works for yourself and doesn't come off quite right for others. 

 

Also glad you're enjoying the build. Based on Peter M's excellent response of yesterday,  I filled the fuselage and port wing ID lights with my Gel CA/Talc mix. Also a good opportunity to work on the underside fuselage seam around that light

 

 

 

Sanded flush and polished, they have come up OK, a few rivets to replace. Real test will be the undercoat.

 

 

 

I washed it down and have everything ready for the undercoat tomorrow. I prefer to replace any panel lines and rivets in the undercoat based on what it looks like. We'll see. 

 

It's a quiet evening - that's bad - my stash here is very limited. Hallelujah! Thinking Spitfires and this STGB. There's time. Do another? So what do you do? No Spitfire stash available. Well you have to buy another one (or three). So I made the commitment to the Aussie Eight boxing and ordered it from BNA in Australia. That will go to the Australian address into the real Spitfire stash. That is after my son takes out Peter M's excellent book and sends me a scan of a couple of pages for my reference. Here? Well, I've come to like the smell of soft Indian polystyrene so much, it must be time for another Airfix build. The FR.XIV in RAAF 451 Squadron markings.  Do I really like that polystyrene - not at all. I'll start a new thread when the kit arrives and try not make any comments on that plastic … I'll save that for the Sea Fury! 

 

Well an evening to be well spent researching 451 squadron. 

 

Ray

 

 

 

[Valkyrie]

The lights have come up well, I might try this too!

[Ray_W]

8 hours ago, Valkyrie said:

The lights have come up well, I might try this too!

And it was for one purpose ...

 

 

To make them disappear. Starboard side is masked and preserved ...

 

 

 

[franky boy]

Nice work Ray. 

 

Youll like the xtreme metals. They’re great. 

 

James

[Ray_W]

14 minutes ago, franky boy said:

Nice work Ray. 

 

Youll like the xtreme metals. They’re great. 

 

James

Hi James,

A couple of little things to fix, not much really. I'll repair that, touch-up, let it cure and then put down AK's Black Base. What did you use for airbrush clean up? I have plenty of Mr Levelling Thinner I can use and Gunze and Tamiya airbrush cleaner for that matter. They say they are enamel on the bottle but they don't smell that way. Seems others are using lacquer thinners for clean-up with success. I'm a great believer in using the same-make thinners but as these don't need it and it's for clean up only, I'd prefer not to buy AK's thinner. 

Ray

[franky boy]

Ray

 

I used their own thinner but as you say normal lacquer thinner also works ok or slt. Their own airbrush cleaner is just about the worst stuff I’ve ever smelt so if you can use something else then maybe that’s best. 
 

Agreed that they certainly don’t smell like any other enamel products but if that’s what it says on the tin?

 

James

[Ray_W]

5 minutes ago, franky boy said:

I used their own thinner but as you say normal lacquer thinner also works ok or slt.

Thanks James for the quick response. I'll come back with how they cleaned up. 

 

I've done any minor repairs needed and touched up the base coat - Black Mr Finishing Surfacer 1500 thinned with Mr Levelling Thinner. I'll let this cure for a few hours, give it a light rub down and then hit it with AK's Black Base. I think, sensibly, I should leave it for 24 hours, this being a first time test of product compatibility and as my paint mule is always the kit I'm doing, however, it's a perfect day, lock down and great for painting.  I'm game.

 

The black is so good I'm tempted to mask it for the top of cowl, fuel tank armour and front canopy frame black preserving it as final finish. Instead, I understand this AK masks very well so I'll go Aluminium first, post mask and respray. I have to do the white tail, wing leading edges and national markings anyway. Also tempting to leave some of the satin finish of the Mr Finishing Surfacer and mask out some panels before the AK Gloss Black to give different finish in the top coat. As this is a first time use I'll go for base consistency and play around with the top coat instead. We'll see first how it goes.

 

My goodness these Eduard kits are lovely.

 

 

 

[Johnson]

25 minutes ago, Ray_W said:

My goodness these Eduard kits are lovely.

Yes - and now you've made me buy one! 😁

 

I'm so enjoying your thread and build (not to mention the tips) that I had to get an Eduard 1/48 Spit. They re-released the Mk.IXc early version Profipack, with Cartograph decals, so if I survive my current resin builds (seems unlikely) I'm going to try to fit this in for the STGB.

 

Cheers,

[Ray_W]

56 minutes ago, Johnson said:

I survive my current resin builds (seems unlikely) I'm going to try to fit this in for the STGB.

I hope all these turn out for you. The resin build is very interesting. I like the GB's because of what people drag out from the stash. 

 

Interesting with the Eduard kit I don't really have a problem with the split cowl or exhausts, for me it's the ailerons and underwing radiator housings.

 

The ailerons really do not have a good gluing edge without flowing into the fine edge on the underside and ruining the look - then it's fine scribe and tidy up without cutting through. Eduard have done an exceptional job in getting the look right just with no strength. With minimum glue it is too easy to break them off at usually the worst time in the build. Next time I will drill and put in some fine wire for strength. The elevators have a really solid lock up using pins, meaning if you want to drop the elevators (very much Spitfire) you have to shorten the pins and round the share section between the port and starboard elevators. Not a big deal, just huge difference in the approach.  

 

The radiator housings are patience and test fitting to get right. Each build I say, next time I'm going to get it perfect. I have not had one yet. 

 

All this is just modelling and I like some challenges. I built Tamiya's most recent Spitfire and went "that was nice" and promptly forgot it. Good result. Any challenges, well, maybe remove the roundel and tailplane IFF aerial wire positions and that's it. Now your resin, that's a different story!     

 

EDIT: I thought I'd add this. If I'm 85 kgs then in 1/48 I represent to the Eduard Spitfire my weight times the cube of the scale ratio that is 85 kgs x 48 x 48 x 48 = 9,400,320 kg. That's close to a 1:1 9,400 tonne giant with his massive thumb resting on the aileron. Is it any wonder they break off?

[Ray_W]

AK Gloss Black Basecoat is done. I allowed 5 hours after applying the Mr Finishing Surfacer to any final repairs. I shot it straight out of the bottle, as intended, at 18-20 psi through my Iwata with no troubles. Coverage was good. I found a lighter mist coat followed by a slightly heavier wet coat worked best. Certainly not a flood coat. No compatibility issues have been identified at this stage.

 

Unlike Gunze lacquers and acrylics (thinned with Mr Levelling Thinners), the AK Basecoat is behaving like an enamel, which it says it is on the bottle, in that it tends to harden more slowly. I needed to take care handling. With Gunze I shoot the bottom and partial sides holding the aircraft in an open gloved hand. Set it aside for 15 to 30 minutes then flip it over and do the same on remaining surfaces and its done. I did the same with the AK then left it a good 2 hours before flipping it over and doing the top side and at all time handled it extremely gently – no fingers, no pressure, gloved. Even now, 5 hours after completing the spray job, I feel it is what I would call a very limited touch dry. It is saying; “come on give us a fingerprint”. Is this a compatibility issue with the Finishing Surfacer undercoat?  I do not think so, just normal drying time.

 

In terms of gloss finish it is superb, reasonably self-levelling and no doubt will give a great base for the topcoats tomorrow. Photos really do not do it justice. Maybe I can spot some very feint orange peel in a couple of locations although this could be in the undercoat. Interesting, as usual, you see this in photos, being less noticeable on the model itself For most applications it could be ignored, it’s not a highly polished auto bonnet. I will see what it looks like when fully cured.

 

I think if you put AK straight down on the plastic and then use the polished aluminium you will get something special, maybe time for that B-58 Hustler. I don’t know what @janneman36 is planning for G-IRTY but this product looks the goods.

 

Let us see what the topcoats bring tomorrow and if it will take a polish on some of those light orange peel areas if, in fact, required. If it is behaving like an enamel, and I truly think it is some form of hybrid, I will not be into polishing tomorrow it will need more time to harden.

 

Clean up was with Mr Levelling Thinners (cause I have some) with no issues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ray

 

 

 

[janneman36]

Hello Ray, your basecoat is looking very good!

It should looking great after a light polish..

Thanks for the headsup about the paint up but I am going to do mine in bare metal foil😉 I have some very good experience with it and it should look as the real thing😁

I love to see how yours gonna look in the end, good luck!

 

cheers, Jan

[Ray_W]

Just now, janneman36 said:

Thanks for the headsup about the paint up but I am going to do mine in bare metal foil😉 I have some very good experience with it and it should look as the real thing

Can't do better than foil. 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

8 hours ago, Ray_W said:

for me it's the underwing radiator housings

Ditto... That and those darn guns.