Otaki Mk VIII (or IX or XVI)

[mike romeo]

Hi folks,

 

Patrice has kindly let me join with this beast (apols for the odd orientation; haven't downloaded a photo alteration app to my phone):

 

 

Yep it's the old Otaki boxing, originally from the '70s.  Simple kits and some of the detail is a bit rudimentary, but generally acknowledged to be pretty accurate in outline.

 

Here's (sort of) what you get in the kit:

 

 

Nice plastic with good fit and -amazingly for the '70s - very fine recessed panel lines.

 

This will be an 'improvement' build, making use of Eduard spares, some AM goodies and scratch building.  Why not build an Eduard Spit instead and save myself the trouble?  No idea; just 'ornery, I suppose.

 

Here's the AM:

 

 

. . . and here are some Eduard spares I'd forgotten I could use before buying the AM <sigh>.

 

 

Some of you may have noted that I'd already started.  More on that soon - plus a discussion on what Mark this kit actually represents 

 

Rgds

 

Martin

 

 

[TEMPESTMK5]

Good afternoon Martin

Welcome aboard have fun with your build

All the best

Patrice

[mike romeo]

Thanks, Patrice!

 

So, what has already been done on the build?  2 things, actually: firstly, I think the cowling looks a bit skinny so to add some visual heft up front, I glued a strip of thin styrene above each exhaust recess.  Then, after masking along the panel lines of the upper cowling, I smeared on milliput and shaped with a wet finger.  Once dry and after sanding it looks thus:

 

 

 

Looks a bit better to my eye.

 

The other thing I've done is prepare to rectify the kit's major outline error: the lack of a 'gullwing' join at the trailing edge.

 

A long time ago, I had bought an Airwaves replacement.  This calls for a bit of surgery to the wing undersides and rear fuselage.  This has been done and here is the replacement piece dry-fitted.

 

 

More on which Mark the kit represents soon.

 

Regards

 

Martin

[mike romeo]

So, the kit is - and always has been - marketed as a "Mk. 8", but is it?

 

Well, it has a 'c' type wing with narrow cannon bulges, so that checks out; elevators have the later 2-angle horn balance, and the later pointy rudder, so that's all good too (ok, some viiis had the original rudder, but I think they were in the minority).

 

However, . .   

 

 

You can see a couple of things from the above pic.  Firstly, the wing has long ailerons as per the Mk IX, and there is no representation of the leading edge fuel tanks.  I think then that, out of the box, the wing is closer to the IX.

 

Looking at the smaller bits, we can also see a fixed tail wheel of the IX as well as the retractable version.  So, in terms of detail, I think the Mk IX is possible out of the box with the Mk VIII with a bit of scribing and filling.  However the gear legs have front mounted torque links, so not sure if that muddies the picture again!

 

 

So, given the above, I don't know what example I'll actually build.  However, whichever one I do, given the state of the moulding of the small parts, I won't be using many of 'em!

 

Finally, I should note that ailerons, elevators and fin all have subtle, yet unrealistic  fabric representation.  I'll be doing something about that in due course.

 

Regards

 

Martin

[alt-92]

Funny, front mounted links would also mean it has the needed changes in the wheel well (cutout) & gear doors (added fillet to cover the links), but that doesn't show

[mike romeo]

Ta.  Hoping that you and others can advise what may need to be done based on the example I decide to do.  Currently thinking of either a SEAC Mk VIII or a HF.VIII with extended wing tips and rounded fin from Foggia in Italy.

 

Rgds

 

Martin

[Troy Smith]

On 19/04/2020 at 13:43, mike romeo said:

Finally, I should note that ailerons, elevators and fin all have subtle, yet unrealistic  fabric representation. 

hmm, I could use some fabric covered ailerons,  could swap you some full length metal ones from a Eduard kit? 

On 19/04/2020 at 13:50, alt-92 said:

Funny, front mounted links would also mean it has the needed changes in the wheel well (cutout) & gear doors (added fillet to cover the links), but that doesn't show

Bear in mind this was tooled up in the mid-70's! 

I don't thin any Spitfire kits started to get these differences until Tamiya 32nd and the Eduard Merlin 60 kits did.

 

I don't think this information was very well know, or clear then.  Otaki were ahead of the game with their very fine engraved detail as well.

On 19/04/2020 at 13:56, mike romeo said:

Hoping that you and others can advise what may need to be done based on the example I decide to do.  Currently thinking of either a SEAC Mk VIII or a HF.VIII with extended wing tips and rounded fin from Foggia in Italy.

I think you got the main points of the VIII vs IX above.

 

A very good chap for these fine detail is @gingerbob

 

  The Eduard VIII profipack has both a SEAC and HF VIII in 32 Sq colours, in med sea grey over PRU blue undersides.

 

HTH

[mike romeo]

Thanks, Troy.  

 

I must admit, I hadn't thought of removing them, I was just going to rub 'em down a bit. 

 

Tell you what:  I'll take a close up of 'em and if you still want 'em, they're yours.

 

Rgds

 

Martin

[Troy Smith]

4 hours ago, mike romeo said:

Thanks, Troy.  

 

I must admit, I hadn't thought of removing them, I was just going to rub 'em down a bit. 

 

Tell you what:  I'll take a close up of 'em and if you still want 'em, they're yours.

 

Rgds

 

Martin

No need, i have part started  Otaki kit i got cheap,  I already salvaged one set.

 

Just could use fabric covered Spitfire ailerons,  the Otaki ones IIRC are rather well done, laying them in for projects....or upgrades for the one I messed up in the old tool Airfix Spitfire I,  (trying to fix the skinny cow look)

or....  I have theorised that the old tool Airfix Vb is a good starter for both the prototype and the speed spitfire,  as it has fine raised panel lines, but metal ailerons..   You get the idea  

 

the Eduard VIII has long ones as spares,  as it has the short ones as well.    Oh, if you can be faffed, you might want deepen the wheel wells,  if you keep scribing round the top of the moulded in parts, they will then drop out.   They might then be deep enough to touch te wing uppers, or add some plastic sheet till they do.

 

As an aside,  the early 1/48th Spitfires (except Aurora BT-K I assume)  were all surprisingly well shaped,  even the ancient Monogram IX is basically the right shape,  as is the Airfix Vb,  The Otaki VIII and the 1978 Revell Mk II,  (only the Airfxi gets the gull wing)

Yes.  I own far too many Spitfire kits......   

I'll sen you a PM, just need to clear out some messages, or use my IPMS email.

 

cheers

T

[mike romeo]

8 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

No need, i have part started  Otaki kit i got cheap,  I already salvaged one set.

 

Just could use fabric covered Spitfire ailerons,  the Otaki ones IIRC are rather well done, laying them in for projects....or upgrades for the one I messed up in the old tool Airfix Spitfire I,  (trying to fix the skinny cow look)

or....  I have theorised that the old tool Airfix Vb is a good starter for both the prototype and the speed spitfire,  as it has fine raised panel lines, but metal ailerons..   You get the idea  

 

the Eduard VIII has long ones as spares,  as it has the short ones as well.    Oh, if you can be faffed, you might want deepen the wheel wells,  if you keep scribing round the top of the moulded in parts, they will then drop out.   They might then be deep enough to touch te wing uppers, or add some plastic sheet till they do.

 

As an aside,  the early 1/48th Spitfires (except Aurora BT-K I assume)  were all surprisingly well shaped,  even the ancient Monogram IX is basically the right shape,  as is the Airfix Vb,  The Otaki VIII and the 1978 Revell Mk II,  (only the Airfxi gets the gull wing)

Yes.  I own far too many Spitfire kits......   

I'll sen you a PM, just need to clear out some messages, or use my IPMS email.

 

cheers

T

Thanks for the tips, Troy.

 

In my wilder fantasies, I see myself trying to upgrade the old Monogram kit, as I think it looks quite good (using the Mk 1 eyeball only as measuring device), so it's nice to hear it actually isn't that bad in basic shape.  

 

Although lockdown will have to go on for quite a while before that reaches the top of my build pile.

 

Rgds

 

Martin

[mike romeo]

No photos I'm afraid, folks but I haven't forgotten about this.

 

I have decided on doing a CBI Spit Mk VIII, and have removed the ailerons and plan to use Eduard replacements, the wing halves are now joined and I've added the replacement centre section.

 

I also decided I couldn't make a creditable job of upgrading the cockpit, so I purchased the Aires cockpit set.  I have spent the last couple of days thinning down the fuse sidewalks in preparation and I'm about to start on assembling the cockpit.  

 

Last thing I've done is to remove the kit rudder, which will again be replaced by an Eduard one.  

 

Hopefully more soon plus some pics.

 

Rgds

 

Martin

[mike romeo]

Work continues slowly, and I thought I'd post some messy photos illustrating my blab in the post above.

 

Firstly, here are the wings, showing the work on the ailerons:

 

 

And here's the state of the fuse dry fitted to the wings, with rudder removed and cockpit area thinned.  Fit is pretty good, wiI probably should have gone further, but it was pretty flexible and see through, so I decided enough was enough and joined the halves, aiming to slot in the fuse from below:

 

 

And here are the Aires cockpit pieces, halfway through painting and assembling:

 

 

Warping of the resin was reduced but not eliminated by dipping the affected pieces in very hot water, then bending them appropriately.

 

Earlier dry fitting makes me confident that the resin will approximately fit the fuse, however I'm sure the fit won't be exact.  Further dry fitting will take place, before I decide whether to fit the cockpit fully assembled, or add the sidewalls to the respective fuse halves first.  Advice welcome.

 

Rgds

 

Martin

[mike romeo]

Patrice,

 

Apologies, but I've given up on this one for the time being.  The Aires cockpit fitted- with some cutting - In width- but was about 5 mil to tall to allow the wing centre section to close.  With drastic thinning of the centre section and cockpit floor resin, I could have clawed back about 3 mil, I reckon: not enough.

 

So, I have put everything away until I have a better solution.

 

Sorry for the non-completion, and thanks for letting me join.

 

Rgds

 

Martin