Grey Beema Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 I wish to join this GB with the following model, Special Hobby 1/48 Seafire MkIII ‘Eyes of the Fleet’ My model is going to represent NN341 ‘3A’, the aircraft flown by Lt RM Crosley flying with 886 Naval Air Squadron, Lee-on-the-Solent as part of the D-Day Fleet fire spotter pool, in which at 1735 on 07.06.44 he destroyed a Bf109, 15 miles SW Caen / 5m S Evrecy and be part of my Fleet Air Arm Aces Collection. In ‘They Gave Me A Seafire’ Crosley describes his aircraft as having clipped wings and a 25 gallon slipper tank and also having the machine guns removed (but retaining the cannon) that’s the configuration I’ll be going for. As per usual - here is the sprue shot:- And here are a couple of photos of progress to date:- Seat, IP, Cockpit lower side walls (not yet fully complete Instrument Panel (this is OOB with a bit of paint, fair play to Special Hobby) Hopefully next weekend - upper cockpit sides and maybe get the fuselage nailed together.. Thanks for stopping by... 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 Nice start to a cool subject 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted May 22, 2020 Author Share Posted May 22, 2020 I had the day off today and decided to make a bit of progress on Seafire LF III NN341/3A. Did a bit more to the cockpit sides to busy them up with a bit of plumbing and promptly forgot to take any photos until it was too late.. Having got the cockpit sides done (why did I decide to put spare bulbs in the bulb holder, then forget the radio control 🤪) I naturally advanced to fitting the cockpit and once I had done that put the fuselage together. I joined the fuselage halves by taping the fuselage together and inserting the cockpit from underneath. Bit of waggling around and done. It went in surprisingly easily for a Special Hobby kit, without the mandatory grinding out of the fuselage. Tamiya extra Thin along the joints (liquid sprue on the inside for extra strength).. I am about to start another SH Seafire for the End of War GB, what’s the betting I can’t do the same with that kit... Once the fuselage was together it made sense to assemble the wings, little bit of springing and squeezing and they are in. Again liquid sprue as the filler which, I’ll let harden and start rubbing down tomorrow. I also cut away the rudder control rod, and replaced that with wire and the elevators for re-positioning.. Here are a couple of pictures so you can judge progress for yourselves.. Spot the missing radio control box. I’ll make on tomorrow.. Can’t even see the spare bulb holder Thanks for looking in.. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 Tidy work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted May 22, 2020 Author Share Posted May 22, 2020 31 minutes ago, Col. said: Tidy work Thanks Col, I know the SH Seafire has a few accuracy issues and can be a challenging build but I actually like the kit. I will be building the Skua late in the year, now that is challenging (and that’s just getting the engine done)... Navy builds are never easy... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 22 minutes ago, Grey Beema said: Thanks Col, I know the SH Seafire has a few accuracy issues and can be a challenging build but I actually like the kit. I will be building the Skua late in the year, now that is challenging (and that’s just getting the engine done)... Navy builds are never easy... Always worth it though 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted May 23, 2020 Author Share Posted May 23, 2020 Bit more work on Seafire LF III NN341/3A today which is now ready for a visit to the paint shop but it will have to wait for at least a week as I have another Seafire III I need to bring up to the same state for the Journeys End GB. Thanks for looking in.. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franky boy Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 Nice work on a potentially tricky kit. Good to see another cutting mat as dirty as mine🙂 James 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted May 24, 2020 Author Share Posted May 24, 2020 Just noticed this is still a Spitfire. I haven’t added the fuselage strengtheners or accelerator attachment lugs yet. How did I miss that? Do that first thing this morning.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted June 21, 2020 Author Share Posted June 21, 2020 I’m not going to finish this build in time. Too much still to do and not enough of my limited modelling time to complete it.. This is where I’ve go to. Fuselage construction is complete. Aluminium primer is on. Some pre-shading, although the aircraft was quite new so will not be too heavily weathered. Underside Sky S is on. Here is a couple of pictures... Silver primer and pre-shade [ Sky S sprayed. So as you can see, still a lot to do; TSS, Invasion Stripes, Markings, weathering, finishing. The build will be completed but unfortunately outside of the GB but in line with my ‘Journeys End’ Seafire build. Thanks for looking in.. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 How'd I miss this til now? Another great build Beema! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Livingston Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 I missed this one too... Yet another fine build... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted June 28, 2020 Author Share Posted June 28, 2020 Little bit more done.. Extra Dark Sea Grey roughed on. I have also made up some masks as I want the camouflage on my Seafire IIIs to match.. Now wait got it to harden up before the DSG.. Thanks for looking.. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted July 13, 2020 Author Share Posted July 13, 2020 This is as far as I’m going to get and I will have to. Finish it outside of this GB. NN341 was quite a new Seafire III on D-Day so I want to present it in reasonably good condition. Light weathering only. This is where I have got to.. The TSS is complete and a coat of Klear applied. I need to plan and execute the Invasion stripes. Being a FAA modeller primarily the stripes are going to be a challenge. Biggest issue will be getting the stripes even and straight. . A comparison shot to the build of LR866 I am doing for the Journeys End GB which was considerably older than NN341. I can’t see much difference so more light filter will be added to LR866 at a later stage.. Thanks for looking in. Thank you to the GB organisers and apologies I’m not there at the final hurdle.. I will continue with the build and put it in an RFI at some point. Thanks for looking in.. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 That's a great finish on the TSS camo Beema. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Cookenbacher said: That's a great finish on the TSS camo Beema. Cheers cookie, it went on well. BUT, is there something wrong with the cannon blisters? Should they be in line with the barrels. I think they should and the full span Seafire is wrong, which is challenging as that is the faded TSS... I’ll need to check that later - Bugger! Edited July 14, 2020 by Grey Beema Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted July 15, 2020 Author Share Posted July 15, 2020 Thanks to @Cookenbacher I have identified and corrected the mistake on my 887 NAS Seafire III. The root cause of the was the idiot author not reading the instructions. Remember everybody - RTFM. It took a bit of effort to cut out the gun fairings but I don’t think I damaged the wing and paintwork too much. Matching the paint will be the hardest bit (TSS with about 20% white added). Having said that I was just watching the Repair Shop on BBC. Apparently matching colours is quite straight forward. Correct gun covers now fitted. Together with a newer PR serial Seafire. Shows the difference when the finish its matted down Thanks for looking in.. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted July 20, 2020 Author Share Posted July 20, 2020 As I thought, I didn’t get to the end of this one in time. Bit of a shame but I will finish the model anyway.. I got the Invasion stripes painted over the weekend. It was a bit of an exercise in masking but didn’t come out too bad (some small touch ups). Being an FAA modeller - Invasion stripes is something not featuring highly in my collection. I need to move to the markings now. I’ll probably make a template and spray the 3A aircraft code in Sky S just in front of the cockpit. And sort out the serial and Royal Navy Title ‘under’ the stripes. Then its a case of light weathering and finishing. I will put the completed build into a RFI when done... I would like to thank the Admins & GB Admins for managing the GB and would like to congratulate all participants on you fantastic builds. One more weekend and I would have made it but hey, that’s the way the cookie crumbles. Thanks for stopping by.. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 Glad you're continuing on with this one - there is something unique about TSS and invasion stripes, very well done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted July 28, 2020 Author Share Posted July 28, 2020 53 minutes ago, Cookenbacher said: Glad you're continuing on with this one - there is something unique about TSS and invasion stripes, very well done. Thanks Cookie, Markings are on now, so light panel wash and light weathering and then a bit of finish and it will be done.. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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