After Journey's End - RAAF 451 Squadron Mk XIV ***FINISHED***

[Peter Roberts]

Excellent build - like your idea for the intake.

[Ray_W]

10 hours ago, Bill Livingston said:

And this is proper modelling!

Thanks Bill, more like I hate using putty unless I am profiling something and then I like small quantities of  CA with some filler. Currently using talc. I vary the CA and filler quantity based on setting time and strength required. I have used this to profile the front of the air intake to the underside of the cowling and eliminate the join as this was one piece.  Eduard do it this way. Airfix provide a separate piece.

 

I'll post a pic later.

 

Ray

[Steve 1602]

I’m really enjoying this build Ray. I have one of these in the build queue, so it’s great to learn from some of your tips and techniques. I love the way you have dealt with the fuel tank cover. 
 

Steve

[Ray_W]

1 minute ago, Steve 1602 said:

I’m really enjoying this build Ray. I have one of these in the build queue, so it’s great to learn from some of your tips and techniques. I love the way you have dealt with the fuel tank cover. 
 

Steve

Thanks Steve, it's a great kit. I'm sure you will enjoy it.  If Airfix could do a little better with the sprue gates (size, location and quantity) and work on better defined and less pronounced rivets and panel lines it would of been truly exceptional. As is, it's still very nice. 

 

One thing I did not do was to spend enough time on those cowl rocker cover additions. I think with a little thin packing to lift an edge where needed you can get a better finish flush with the cowling. I used a small amount of CA/Talc to improve the joint but a better job would of been the outcome if I had thought to do this in advance. As it is it will look OK. You live and learn.

 

Ray

[Ray_W]

Further to my previous air intake post. Here is a picture from the other end with it glued in place. You can see the gap around the intake housing on the wing has closed up nicely.

 

 

To get the rear section flush meant any gaps came to the front, in my case the starboard side. I wanted the gaps forward of the wing  because the intake is to be flushed into the bottom cowl anyway. You can check period shots that show this, although there is a nice image of what needs to be achieved, with the usual caveats on using museum and restored aircraft examples, here:  https://www.scalenews.de/spitfire-mk-xiv-walkaround-178/

 

I used CA/talc and flushed it in. I also used a little CA/ talc on the intake mouth to improve the look. The greyish paint is Mr Surfacer I was using to check for defects.

 

 

Ray

[Ray_W]

Not a lot of time at the workbench. But, when I'm there I'm focussed on the little things.

 

I used to spend my time drilling out gun muzzles, now I fill them in as I usually prefer to show the aircraft with gun patches (if appropriate) in place. Sheesh - poor kit makers. Just when they start using slide-moulding technology and/or clever mould design to achieve hollow gun muzzles I get rid of them. 

 

 

Airfix include the wrong gunsight for my build. I needed a Ferranti Mk IID GGS (Gyroscopic Gun Sight). As Edgar (bless him) used to say, include the GGS descriptor to avoid confusion with the earlier normal reflector site type IID. For reference:

 

http://spitfiresite.com/2007/11/mark-ii-gyro-gunsight.html

 

Nothing for it than to scratch build one. Another fun little project in its own right. No, I'm not including the sun shield. Here it is stuck on a tooth pick. Don't sneeze.

 

 

Now I'm using the Mk XIV wing, before I paint it, to experiment making moulds for cannon blisters for my next project a Vb to Vc conversion.

 

Ray

 

 

 

 

[Ray_W]

All ready for some paint - black base coat and defect check first. When I'm happy with that I'll glue the forward part of the canopy in place and get into some serious colour.

 

 

The Aussie XIV's usually have the wing bomb cradles fitted so I stole some Eduard spares and put them on. 

 

 

I finished the undercarriage ready to assemble once all the painting is done. I'll possibly dust the tyre walls a little near the end although they do look kinder cute now. Eduard resin wheels (beautiful) and this time the hubs were the correct diameter as compared to my Mk VIII build. The rest is Airfix other than the torque links which I took from the Eduard spares and drilled out the lightening holes. I'm tossing up whether to fit the brake lines. The scale thickness is so small (see the copper wire) that I usually leave it off. It thickens up a little behind the wheel where the flex hose is fitted but really it's easy to miss and better than a huge over scale thickness hose - well for me anyway.

 

 

Mask (model and face) and airbrush to come.

 

Ray

 

[Johnson]

Excellent work Ray.

[Ray_W]

9 hours ago, Johnson said:

Excellent work Ray.

Thanks Charlie, it remains a most enjoyable build. 

[Ray_W]

Now NI-K has a nice black base coat. I'll fix a couple of minor things and put that front canopy on and onto the camo.

 

 

You has not seen many propeller images. You may recall I had one prop cast short. I suspect having left its tip behind in the moulding process. As I was ordering some bits and pieces online I added the Quickboost prop. Designed for the Academy Mk XIV. Can't be too wrong can it? Well it's too big and too blunt. See the following. Quickboost on the right.

 

 

I checked and measured the dimensions and Airfix is correct at 28" base diameter (based on John Aero's comments here https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/146705-spitfire-mk-xivc-dimension-questions). Besides it has to match the front of the cowling. What to do? Only thing - fix the Airfix prop.

 

Here's the offending part. Short blade at 12 O'clock.

 

 

Let's fix it.

 

Drill the broken off end and CA in a piece of copper wire to add a little additional strength.

 

 

Remove the Milliput from its special storage receptacle (the freezer) and let it thaw out (30 mins).

 

 

Make a Milliput cushion to mould the blade.

 

 

Put some aluminium foil over the cushion and using a good blade form the finish shape.

 

 

Remove the blade and let it set.

 

 

Tape in the broken blade having measured the necessary length needed and position accordingly and fill the gap with a CA/talc mix.

 

 

Carefully remove the blade when set (20 mins) and trim the flash. The foil side has given a good imprint of the finished shape.

 

 

Finished as required.

 

 

Check with some undercoat.

 

 

There is much more work to do on the Airfix blades. They have some moulding lines on the leading edge on some blades that need filling. Once done the repaired tip will be hard to pick.

 

I'll keep working on it.

 

Ray

 

 

 

[Steve 1602]

Great work! That’s an impressive save 

[Bill Livingston]

This is excellent... 

 

I'm looking forward to my next Spitfire now - That black base coat on the assembled plane is inspiration enough and then there is seeing how you paint camouflage onto it... (popcorn at the ready).

 

(However, I have 'repairs' to do first, as you know, and I am procrastinating, as you have no doubt surmised...).

 

 

[Ray_W]

54 minutes ago, Steve 1602 said:

Great work! That’s an impressive save 

Thanks Steve, I like the shape of the Airfix prop, it's a shame that the moulding lets down the obvious hard work that went into getting this aspect right. 

[Ray_W]

1 hour ago, Bill Livingston said:

I'm looking forward to my next Spitfire now

Your current one is looking great! You'll soon have the repairs done, no doubt. 

 

I'm interested in your next subject.  Because of your comments in the STGB chat and my joking reply I'm now committed to a third - Mk VIII, Mk XIV, and now Vb to Vc conversion. Enough I think - although I can hear dark earth, middle stone and azure is calling. I hope to get that out of the system on the 3rd build swapping the dark earth for foliage green. 🤪

[Ray_W]

Idyllic setting - any small defects repaired and all re-masked ready for the colour coats, that prop has repaired nicely and prop and spinner are ready to go together, beautiful sunny day outside, plenty of good light, perfect for spraying … just wondering about those never ending jars of Tamiya XF-81, XF-82 and XF-83?

 

 

Fact is the jars are not never ending. ☹️ Go figure! Looking inside I could maybe squeeze out one more model, maybe not. Quick raid of the local hobby shop. I expected that getting hold of XF-81 to 83 would be a problem and was correct - solution AK Real Colors.

 

Well, why not try something new? Like the Bare Metal Spit where I used AK's Xtreme Metal for the first time this STGB is turning into, for me, the AK Products First Timers GB. So out with the A Team and in with the B.

 

🤔 Less bluish Ocean Grey - some will be happy. Green and Medium Sea Grey look OK to me. All good to go!

 

 

Now these are an acrylic lacquer and supposed to have good compatibility with Gunze and Tamiya acrylics. Remember acrylic does not necessarily  mean that this paint washes out in water. It's to do with the structure of the paint - the acrylic polymer binder for the pigments thinned and liquified depending on the brand, by, well depends. I have seen some have had good results with Real Colors using Mr Levelling Thinner, similar to the Tamiya and Gunze acrylics.  In keeping with my policy, at least to kick off, I'll go with the AK's recommended thinner - "AK Real Colors High Compatibility Thinner". I'm glad I did not accidently pick up a bottle of AK's Low Compatibility Thinner. 😁 

There is one problem in visiting the LHS, the cost of paints. I bought 3 jars of paint and some thinner and got a Rye FIeld Sherman for free! My those paints were expensive.

 

 

So we're ready to get into some spraying later in the week. I'm expecting good results.

 

Ray.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Valkyrie]

Sherman for free haha, that’s what I tell mrs Valkyrie all the time, she tells me all her dresses Were £5 In the sale and the bakery store was also doing a promotion 

I do like new paint experiments thanks for sharing 

[Ray_W]

1 hour ago, Valkyrie said:

Sherman for free haha, that’s what I tell mrs Valkyrie all the time, she tells me all her dresses Were £5 In the sale and the bakery store was also doing a promotion 

I do like new paint experiments thanks for sharing 

Of course I could not wait. I'm loving this stuff, sprays beautiful, marble coat is going on a delight.

 

 

And here it is with its finish coat. I'm very happy with this. Just enough variation and silky smooth. A pleasure to spray. Cleaned up with Mr Color Thinners. Ready for the topside. An awesome aircraft with that big spinner out front.

 

 

 

[Bill Livingston]

That was worth the wait... another masterclass!

 

I wish I could get that level of surface finish... stunning (next time...!)

 

That huge spinner looks fabulous... there are just too many Spitfires... are you sure we cant extend this Group Build a few months longer! 

[Ray_W]

9 hours ago, Bill Livingston said:

That was worth the wait... another masterclass!

 

I wish I could get that level of surface finish... stunning (next time...!)

 

That huge spinner looks fabulous... there are just too many Spitfires... are you sure we cant extend this Group Build a few months longer! 

Bill,

 

I think you're far too kind. I do spend a great deal of time on surface preparation and I think this pays off. 

 

I also really like the new AK paints. They are very much like a thick lacquer. Funny thing, I felt I was working with Mr Surface Finisher 1500 without the smell. They do not wash in water but clean up exceptionally well with Mr Color thinners. Also they perform beautifully with their AK thinner, which  says on the bottle 1-methoxy-2-propanol, monopropylene glycol methyl ether. It seems to work exceptionally well and has no pungent or, in fact, noticeable smell. I always wear a mask anyway.

 

I put on another light coat this morning to just tone down the underside variation a little. Although the photos never really capture the subtleties. I did this because, usually when you gloss coat, the solvent in the gloss coat thins the surface a little and makes the variation stand out a touch more.

 

The next step, the top coat variation, will be interesting. I know exactly how Gunze and Tamiya will perform. This will be new. 

 

Ray

[Ray_W]

I put down a little pre-shading using my preferred colour - Gunze H66 RLM79. I really like black basing and marble coats for variation both in colour and texture but find a little addition to the base coats helps with the darker finish coats. I tend to work with the lighter colour in the areas of wear and fading. You can have fun with other colours but this usually sufficient for me. I will still do a little post shading. Random and subtle is what I'm after.  I'll still marble the top coats. If nothing else you can practice your Luftwaffe mottle. 😉

 

We will see how the AK performs over this tomorrow.

 

 

Also finished those exhausts.

 

 

 Ray

[Steve 1602]

Those exhausts are awesome Ray. They look incredibly realistic.

 

Steve

[Ray_W]

Good conditions late today so I thought "let's give the AK Ocean Grey a go".

 

If these paints satisfactorily take a mask and gloss coats, well, they're going to be my favourites. Really good to use. Ocean Grey went down a treat. Now I will have to show some patience before I mask for the Dark Green. 

 

I just had to push that big mean prop back on for the photo opportunity.

 

 

Ray

[Ray_W]

5 hours ago, Steve 1602 said:

Those exhausts are awesome Ray. They look incredibly realistic.

 

Steve

Your exhausts also look pretty good.

[Bill Livingston]

I would put that prop back on at every opportunity as well! It looks fabulous.

 

I'm interested in the black basing you are doing. I find it hard to get my head round it... I will have to give it a go at some point, but I shall be watching carefully... as always, there is a lot to learn from this thread.

[Ray_W]

3 minutes ago, Bill Livingston said:

 

I'm interested in the black basing you are doing. I find it hard to get my head round it...

Black basing is something I have been doing for a while and I really like it. I tend to vary it dependent on what I'm trying to achieve and my patience on the day.  I think it gives a good lead in for realistic surface finishes. A side benefit, not often mentioned, is it takes the pressure off doing a total wash to make detail pop. Often the panel lines and rivetting retain some darkness and there is no need to go over it again. I tend to use washes more for filter effects or accentuating a panel. Even in my last Mk XIV picture you can see what I mean in terms of the panel lines. All-in-all it's just another technique in the tool box. Best way to get your head around it is to start here: