Steve 1602 Posted June 10, 2020 Author Share Posted June 10, 2020 Bill - no not at all, that’s really helpful and I’m sure others would be interested so leave it up. I’m pretty fortunate at the moment that my near vision is still very good without correction, but I may Look(haha!) into an optivisor based on your thoughts. I’ve also started to look for a lamp and will be dropping heavy hints in the lead in to Father’s Day! Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 1602 Posted June 10, 2020 Author Share Posted June 10, 2020 Green on....! I used some black green to apply a pre-shade and then started with some light coats of dark green. I’m really enjoying this build, which is something of a relief as I thought it may have felt a little flat after the sublime Eduard kits. Im going to let the paint cure overnight and the plan is to remove the masking tomorrow. I’ve also been searching for some photos of Lock’s aircraft other than the famous images of him sitting in the cockpit; I found this rather wonderful image on the IWM website with Lock on the left. The Spit in the background is not necessarily his, but does provide some useful details such as the early exhaust stacks and the dark colours on the cannon barrels. Steve 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Livingston Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 You are racing away with this...! Looking really good 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 1602 Posted June 10, 2020 Author Share Posted June 10, 2020 13 minutes ago, Bill Livingston said: You are racing away with this...! I think I need to get it largely complete by the weekend Bill in order to then switch attention to the Beurling Vb Trop. With two Spits to complete and the GB finishing in July I think I’m going to have to get as much done now if I want to avoid a panic as the close date gets nearer! Steve 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Livingston Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 Damn... you have suddenly reminded me...! July? Thats only a couple of weeks or so away... I wonder if we could talk them into extending it to the end of the year... I have several more Spitfires I want to do... Hope it all goes well between now and the weekend. I'm impressed with the speed you have managed on this one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 1602 Posted June 11, 2020 Author Share Posted June 11, 2020 9 hours ago, Bill Livingston said: Damn... you have suddenly reminded me...! July? Thats only a couple of weeks or so away... I think we have until the 12th so it’s not quite a cliff edge yet, but I really want to be able to complete the Beurling one - and who knows, I may even be able to fit in a 5th...🤔! I know what you mean about this GB, it’s a really good theme and great community. To ease my withdrawal symptoms I have another Spit planned and have signed up for the Battle of Britain group build with a Tamiya Mk 1 - could be worth considering when this one ends. Up early this morning to remove masking before work - the paper masks have worked well again and the pain of preparation is forgotten and forgiven (almost...) It’ll be gloss coat, wheels, prop, exhausts and ‘pingy’ bits over the next couple of sessions and we’re on track for decals over the weekend. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnson Posted June 11, 2020 Share Posted June 11, 2020 13 hours ago, Steve 1602 said: I’ve also been searching for some photos of Lock’s aircraft other than the famous images of him sitting in the cockpit Hi Steve, Have you seen the pdf file on the Fundecals website? I think you have the photos already, but just in case; http://www.fundekals.com/spitfires.html Cheers, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 1602 Posted June 11, 2020 Author Share Posted June 11, 2020 59 minutes ago, Johnson said: Hi Steve, Have you seen the pdf file on the Fundecals website? I think you have the photos already, but just in case; http://www.fundekals.com/spitfires.html Cheers, Thanks Charlie - I hadn’t seen that and there are some additional details to take in there. Interestingly, Fundekals don’t show a serial number, but Victory do. I’ve found a photograph of a Spit (different squadron) but the same production batch showing a serial, but another of a crashed spit (which is listed as possibly Lock’s) without serials. Decisions decisions! Steve 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 1602 Posted June 12, 2020 Author Share Posted June 12, 2020 So this evening I finished painting and part assembling most of the remaining parts. I’m all set now for glossing and decals. I’ve also spent some time looking at the photos and the fundekals sheet Charlie pointed me at. As a result, I’ve painted the back plate of the spinner black and I’ve also decided that the aircraft probably did not have serial codes. The victory decals have the serials included as part of the code letter decals, so I’ll need to do some careful slicing tomorrow in order to remove the serials. I also realised that this aircraft was built and lost before belly tanks were introduced - and by logical extension, the underfuselage hooks. I’ve therefore had to fill in the slots for the hooks and do a little bit of detail painting of the belly. I wish I’d realised that before I’d painted the underside - it would have been far easier! Steve 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_W Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 On 6/11/2020 at 6:17 AM, Steve 1602 said: I’m really enjoying this build, which is something of a relief as I thought it may have felt a little flat after the sublime Eduard kits. Hi Steve, I'm just catching up on this. The finish looks great and the use of the paper masks worked well. I too really enjoy the Airfix kits and frankly, on the shelf, they look good with Eduard. Every bit a Spitfire. Even better in that you can thin the trailing edges down much more. The focus point, the cockpit, comes up extremely well OOB. Your rendition looks wonderful. Ray 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 1602 Posted June 13, 2020 Author Share Posted June 13, 2020 Thanks Ray 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 1602 Posted June 13, 2020 Author Share Posted June 13, 2020 And we have a shiny Spitfire! I'm pleased with how this has turned out and I have achieved a better gloss than for the Eduard Spits. Tips taken from watching @Ray_W and @Bill Livingston and their gloss cote masterclasses! I still used Vallejo gloss, but added some drops of thinner and water and also built the gloss up a bit more and concentrated throughout to ensure that it was laying down nicely. It's now ready for decals, but I'll let the gloss harden first. I also thought I'd do a bit of a compare and contrast between the kit and QuickBoost spinners. I built up the kit one as I am going to use that with the Beurling Spit - the decals suggest it had 'the Rotol metal prop' (not the Jablo one with the sharper Rotol spinner). I think this may be linked to the various different prop types discussed on Ray's Vc conversion. Anyway, I'm not sure if it's correct, but the contrast between the two will at least illustrate that there was some evolution in props - I think I'll also try and build a Mk V with the sharp Rotol spinner at some stage. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Livingston Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 This is all looking really good. The paint looks fabulous and the sky band and spinner look great. The Finish on the sky spinner in particular. What paint and thinner is that? Decals already??? Blimey...! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 1602 Posted June 14, 2020 Author Share Posted June 14, 2020 7 hours ago, Bill Livingston said: What paint and thinner is that? Thanks Bill, paint is again Vallejo model air, in the main straight from the bottle. The Vallejo gloss has a 50/50 mix of Lifecolor acrylic thinner and water added. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 1602 Posted June 14, 2020 Author Share Posted June 14, 2020 Still on schedule and decals on! I used the kit decals for the stencils and Victory productions for everything else. The victory decals performed really well and have settled (or are in the process of settling) into the surface details. Decal solutions were micro set and micro sol. I cut away the serial numbers from the code letters and managed to avoid any major disasters! I’ll put another thin gloss coat on to seal the decals, then it will be light weathering, Matt coat and final details. I hope to finish this week and then switch to the Beurling Vb. Steve *updated with daylight pictures 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 1602 Posted June 15, 2020 Author Share Posted June 15, 2020 Gahhhhh! Just noticed that the first aid/ ballast decal on the radio panel has folded onto itself. Luckily I’ve managed to remove it, so will find a spare to replace it. Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_W Posted June 15, 2020 Share Posted June 15, 2020 7 hours ago, Steve 1602 said: Gahhhhh! Just noticed that the first aid/ ballast decal on the radio panel has folded onto itself. Luckily I’ve managed to remove it, so will find a spare to replace it. Posting photos is the best method I know for finding errors. 😄 Always a "lovely …. darn!" moment 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 1602 Posted June 15, 2020 Author Share Posted June 15, 2020 49 minutes ago, Ray_W said: Posting photos is the best method I know for finding errors. 😄 Always a "lovely …. darn!" moment Too true Ray! I can’t believe I didn’t spot it before posting the picture! I’m just glad I caught it before preserving it for all time under a coat of varnish! 😆 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Livingston Posted June 15, 2020 Share Posted June 15, 2020 😄 I think we all have those moments...! Still, at least it means we can catch the mistakes and do something about them before its too late ( I take loads of photos as I am going to help with my builds... I think of my iPhone as another modelling tool almost...). Looking very good, Steve... I cant believe the rate you are going through this kit. Or is it just that I need to speed up! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 1602 Posted June 15, 2020 Author Share Posted June 15, 2020 Thanks Bill, fear not; I’ve achieved nothing with it today so it’s not all plain sailing 😆 I do want to get it done though before I crack on with the other one (and I’m having to keep telling myself “There is NO time for a fifth!”😄) *looks lovingly at Airfix Spitfire XIV staring at him..... Steve 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 I can't keep up! That's four high quality Spitfires so far Steve (a XIV would round out the collection with a Griffon, just sayin'). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 1602 Posted June 16, 2020 Author Share Posted June 16, 2020 6 hours ago, Cookenbacher said: I can't keep up! That's four high quality Spitfires so far Steve (a XIV would round out the collection with a Griffon, just sayin'). Don’t Cookie.... I already have the breaking strain of a warm KitKat! 😆 If I get this one complete and make similar progress with the Beurling Vb then I might be able to shoehorn in one more... I’m not hopeful that I have the time, but you never know! Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 1602 Posted June 16, 2020 Author Share Posted June 16, 2020 A micro (drill) update.... The way Airfix chose to engineer the undercarriage has been well documented and commented on. Never one to fear stealing the ideas of others, I broke out the micro drill and some wire (fuse wire in this case) and inserted some rods to help with strengthening this area and allow me to adjust angles before committing to glue. I’ve test fitted and am pleased to report that the Spit can now stand unaided! I also managed to complete painting the exhausts and hollowing our the exhaust ends. These were first painted black and then dry brushed with a range of metallic colours until I got the overall look I wanted. I’m quite pleased with end result 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 1602 Posted June 17, 2020 Author Share Posted June 17, 2020 Today I sealed the decals under a gloss coat and then applied a flory models wash. Normally I would just apply this quite liberally, but I want this aircraft to be relatively lightly weathered. It wasn’t in service for very long and looks pretty clean in the press photos, so I concentrated on panel lines and wear areas 🙃. The photos aren’t great under electric light, but the wash is largely confined to where I wanted it. I also popped it on its undercarriage again to have a play! The prop was also given a wash and cleaned up - I really like how it’s turned out. Just a Matt coat to apply now before unmasking, final assembly and some exhaust, gun and engine oil staining. All being well, I’ll complete on Friday and then get stuck into the Beurling Vb. Steve 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 1602 Posted June 18, 2020 Author Share Posted June 18, 2020 Some final weathering to complete, and I also need to add IFF wires but this is now pretty much done. As a kit it has some challenges with fit compared with the Eduard Kits, but it’s still a nice build and very much looks like a Spit! I managed to get a few pics, although it’s quite a gloomy evening. I’ll post up some final pics and add to the gallery when we get some brighter weather* Thanks for looking! Steve *it’s Southwest England in June - this could take some time.... 😁 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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