Snattered Seafire Mk. III

[Beazer]

Been wanting to do this for awhile but have been waiting for the right group build. 

Here we go with the Seafire Mk. III from Special Hobby, in particular the Irish Air Corps of No.1 Fighter Squadron.

Build has some proper bonns, sceite, and a new suíochán.  Also going to try and use some resin moving surfaces that is meant for the tamiya kit.

 

 

 

 

[Beazer]

 

 

The red on the prop definitely is too bright so I will be trying to tint it down and darken her up.

I've used Tamiya Cockpit Green (IJN) for the interior which turned out surprisingly well as I've never shot Tamiya out of an airbrush before.

 

Now the big issue for this build will be the decision of what to paint the fuselage with!  Apparently like my last build we continue on with the nobody knows the best colour but heres 8 other options.  I have a Vallejo Interior Grey Green FS34373, a AKAN Interior Green BS283 ,and a Model Master RAF Interior colour as well.  I also understand Light Slate Gray may have been the actual colour as well.  Confusing, yes I'm sure.  My main focus will be to have an identifiable tint or shade change so that it breaks everything up aside from the spinner and decals.

[Beazer]

and I just realized I used the wrong green for the interior...facepalm

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Can it be fixed or will it matter much ? Theres not much visible when a spitfire is buttoned up, even if the canopy and door are open. Its mostly seat and I/P. 

[Beazer]

8 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Can it be fixed or will it matter much ? Theres not much visible when a spitfire is buttoned up, even if the canopy and door are open. Its mostly seat and I/P. 

I’ll just go over it with the correct colour.  Seems the right move lol.

i can hand detail the PE with a brush after.

[Beazer]

AKAN BS 283 on and built up the seat.

The photoetch is a little fiddly especially for the strengthening plates? On the side of the fuselage.  Just did not want to conform to that subtle curve for some reason.

[Beazer]

Boy this sucker is fighting me.

I have pics coming but I had to do some surgery on the interior just to get everything fitting correctly.

Nothing wanted to close up and apparently that’s an issue with this kit, made me want to chuck it into the backyard fire but I’ll persevere and button up that fuselage.

On a positive note the red spinner looks great with its new coat of dark red.

[alt-92]

Yeah, they need plenty of fiddling and dry fitting. 

[Beazer]

 

 

 

Almost closed up.

You can tell where I did some minor grinding.

Definitely want to move forward after the fit fiasco.

[Beazer]

 

Surprisingly the joints for the wings and fuselage will not need much filler.  Theres only a couple obvious problem areas but no significant ridges yet.  That scoop on the right should have been made as one piece, the other intakes are going to have the same issue I can tell.

 

[Beazer]

 

Lot of work on the joins.  

Added a Resin tail designed for a Tamiya kit.  Wanted the flaps and ailerons but they would not fit without looking funny.

[Beazer]

 

Got some more work done drilling and installing the brass barrels.  Did some more filling and sanding of course and installed the cockpit glass so should be close to getting her first coat on.

[Beazer]

 

Greens on.

There is soooo much debate on Irish Seafire fuselage colours.  Some saying Humbrol 90 was the closest.  Supposedly greyer than your standard BS Grey Green.

Hard to tell to me.

I put Vallejo Model Air IDF/IAF Green which is the BS283 on the wheel wells and interior which I figured may not have been repainted after the handover from the Brits.

On the outside I used AKAN's BS283 Grey Green.

The difference in my eyes between two colour swatches I made was the AKAN was more faded or seems more grey whereas the vallejo has more of a yellow tone to it.

 

I thought about using different Sky Type S colours and the Vallejo Int. Grey Green as well but they didnt seem to be accurate.

 

The light makes it definitely look like a brighter green but in person its more matte/pastel.

 

Does anyone feel its close to accurate? lol

[Beazer]

 

 

 

Little update:  

While I wait impatiently for my other spitfires PE set( hopefully in time to finish the build) I did get off my but and slap on the decals.

 

WHICH ARE GARBAGE.  Started to crack before applying.  I had to use some microsol decal solution just to salvage it.  Evidence the Irish flag underneath the plane.

Figure I will have to try and add some wear or light damage to blend all of it in which I hadn't planned for this build at all.  The decals also didnot want to move once I placed them in their spots.  Even with copious amounts of microset to help.  Good to know for the next time I build a Special Hobby kit.

 

I also realized I had mistakenly put on 4 spoke wheels which were to go on my other spitfire build.  Luckily there wasnt too much superglue holding so I was able to pop them off and paint and add the correct 3 spoke wheels to the aircraft.

I may add some stencils but after that it will be a sealing coat and then the weathering process.

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Other than the decal issues she’s turning out to be quite good. Ive liked the scheme since i first discovered it a few years ago, hopefully I will build one someday. 

[Beazer]

 

Somewhat fixed the decal issue.  Did some paint blending to clean it up.

 

 

All before the weathering and finishing touches.

[Beazer]

 

 

 

 

 

I'm calling this complete.

Fair amount of trouble getting this kit to look decent but I think this was an ok finish.

I like how the colours did come out as I wanted after I gave it a wash of Vallejo Light Grey.  I was able to get the finish right for the photos I saw and I think the tone turned out well.

I did 149 because of the red prop really which I left with a satin finish as well as the blade with a little bit of weathering.  I didn't go to town for weathering on this like I kind of wanted because I'm really far behind on the other Spitfire and Black Widow.

Either way even with the single colour it has enough pop to stand out among the rest of the models in my cabinet.  Now I think I need another cabinet though...

 

[BlueNosers352nd]

Sweet, a  Spit/Seafire that's not Camo'd.  Not that I'm opposed............just like seeing one not camo'd up.  Thus why I am doing a Malta Spitfire.

[Beazer]

2 hours ago, BlueNosers352nd said:

Sweet, a  Spit/Seafire that's not Camo'd.  Not that I'm opposed............just like seeing one not camo'd up.  Thus why I am doing a Malta Spitfire.

Yeah, I have two of those Ive been wanting to do as well.

[TEMPESTMK5]

Very good job Beazer despite the issues you have faced during your build ..

 

Best Regards

Patrice

[Cookenbacher]

Impressive work, and that scheme is wonderful.

[Dermo245]

Irish Spitfire - absolutely love it Beazer.

But then I am biased 

 

Great stuff.

Dermot

[Johnson]

Really nice to see a different Seafire (or is it a Spitfire being Irish Air Corp?). Good build!

 

And a very useful build thread for me as I'm just starting the SH Spitfire Mk.XII which looks very similar. I was tempted to use the decals from my Airfix Mk.XII which is so inaccurate that I'll never make it. Your thread has confirmed that!

[Beazer]

On 20/06/2020 at 06:26, Johnson said:

Really nice to see a different Seafire (or is it a Spitfire being Irish Air Corp?). Good build!

 

And a very useful build thread for me as I'm just starting the SH Spitfire Mk.XII which looks very similar. I was tempted to use the decals from my Airfix Mk.XII which is so inaccurate that I'll never make it. Your thread has confirmed that!

Yeah I;d stick with aftermarket

[Johnson]

On 4/20/2020 at 3:59 PM, Beazer said:

Boy this sucker is fighting me.

Well, it came out very well in the end.

 

 I have similar feelings about my SH Mk.XII which will hopefully be OK in the end, though not in this GB. I just started work on the gun barrels and they’re crap. I may ditch them and use brass barrels, which ones did you use?