rafalbert Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 Hi guys, I guess I should be building a Spitfire in homage to my old squadron but will console myself with the fact that they are portrayed on the box. Instead I am in with this old girl, and I must admit that I am looking forward to it. I bought the kit in Glasgow when it was first released (hence the price) and it has been sitting in the stash ever since. I know the subsequent Eduard release is better, but from the pictures I have seen of built models this one still looks pretty good, and as a lover of Matchbox kits I can cope with the panel lines! Dave 18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted July 3, 2020 Share Posted July 3, 2020 Good to see another 110 being built, it looks a fantastic kit a lot more detailed than the original Airfix kit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 Hi Dave, I could not agree more with you! It does look like a 110 and ditto re the panel lines. All the Airfix kits I have seen built look more than the part. Have fun! JR 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 Looking forward to seeing how this comes together. I have it in my stash, with numerous a/m goodies including vac canopy. Beer ordered! Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermo245 Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 Nice one Dave. I also bought it when it was first released - unfortunately never finished it 🙄 I seemed to remember one of the wing halves on mine was a bit on the warped side...and the sharkmouth decals just didn't fit at all.. Can't wait to see you master it! Cheers, Dermot 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafalbert Posted July 15, 2020 Author Share Posted July 15, 2020 I think "mastering" it may be a stretch Dermot but I will do my best! I have made a start, cockpit painted, assembled and installed. The instructions called out for Hu32 (RLM66 equivalent) to be used but everything I have read states at this point RLM02 was the norm so that is what I did. The fit was not great, so a bit of fettling was required which still left a small gap at the top of the nose. This has been duly filled and hopefully will not cause any issues further down the line. The cockpit itself is relatively basic but gives enough detail under the canopy to not be boring. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted July 16, 2020 Share Posted July 16, 2020 Off to a good start there Dave Cheers, Stew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted July 16, 2020 Share Posted July 16, 2020 Starting well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxbat Posted July 16, 2020 Share Posted July 16, 2020 Looking good so far. This may be the right point to add a tip from my experience building this; if you add the tailplane then the tail cone per the instructions, the latter doesn't fit. If you fit the tail cone first you get a nice joint with no step. You can then sand the cut out in the tail plane until it clicks into place giving an equally nice fit. Hope that helps. Andy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafalbert Posted July 16, 2020 Author Share Posted July 16, 2020 1 hour ago, Foxbat said: This may be the right point to add a tip from my experience building this; if you add the tailplane then the tail cone per the instructions, the latter doesn't fit. If you fit the tail cone first you get a nice joint with no step. You can then sand the cut out in the tail plane until it clicks into place giving an equally nice fit. Thank you Andy, I will give that a go! 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Law Posted July 16, 2020 Share Posted July 16, 2020 Those panel lines look really big. I will be interested to see how they turn out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafalbert Posted July 19, 2020 Author Share Posted July 19, 2020 They are Greg but it doesn't bother me. In the meantime I have assembled it up to the basic overall shape minus the engines. It is a very elegant shape to say the least. Engines to follow ... 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 That's coming together nicely Dave A coat of paint will tone down the panel lines a bit too Cheers, Stew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Coming together very well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafalbert Posted July 31, 2020 Author Share Posted July 31, 2020 Well, she has gone together reasonably well so far, but I have managed to knock off (and lose) the rear machine gun 🤦🏼♂️. I will have to do battle with the carpet monster later. In the meantime she has been primed ready for painting. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 Very smooth Dave Cheers, Stew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafalbert Posted September 5, 2020 Author Share Posted September 5, 2020 Hi guys, there has been a bit of a delay re progress but things are moving again. She is now fully assembled and painted (bar the propellors) and ready for decalling and the final flat coat. I have given it a coat of Klear before I place the decals and unfortunately it has dried streaky. This has never happened before so hopefully the final coat will resolve it. I have used xtracolors for the paint which have gone on fine, but the greens are very close in colour. I have no idea how accurate they are but I would have thought there would have been more of a contrast. Anyway, on we go.... 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 I believe that the contrast between RLM 70 & 71 when fresh was quite small but enough to show in a clear photo, not so much in a poor photo, one of them, I think 70 (the darker shade), is reputed to have weathered/faded quicker than the other to give even less contrast which may have lead to the old idea of one shade of green on the uppers. You may find the contrast becomes more obvious after a matt coat. Steve. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafalbert Posted September 6, 2020 Author Share Posted September 6, 2020 Thanks for clearing that up Steve, I had no idea! Fingers crossed re the matt coat 🤞 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 (edited) I seem to remember they look better once you put a finishing coat of flat varnish on - the gloss finish to Hannants paints can cause it to look a bit odd initially. These were I think the last ones I used Xtracolour RLM 70/71/65 on back in 2018. As I was painting them I thought they looked a bit off but they seem to have come out quite well, at least to me. Don't know if that helps! I suspect the 70 is a bit blacker in real life. The angle makes the 2 bladed props invisible - they are their - honest! However I have found over the years that different batches of Xtracolour do vary in colour as witness the USAF "Vietnam Tan" tins in my B-57G post on the Vietnam GB. Pete Edited September 6, 2020 by PeterB 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafalbert Posted September 12, 2020 Author Share Posted September 12, 2020 (edited) Well, one of Hornby's first attempts at decals has totally let me down. Every single one has totally silvered, resisting completely the onslaught of Microscale's finest products. I think I am going to have to strip them off and try with some spares (which have themselves been known to silver badly). This serves me right for thinking it was going well! Edited September 12, 2020 by rafalbert 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted September 12, 2020 Share Posted September 12, 2020 Shame!!!!! Best plan: get a Xtradecal BoB Axis decal sheet from Hannant. Quality guaranteed! Your build deserves it. Cheers JR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted September 12, 2020 Share Posted September 12, 2020 Bad luck with the decals, if you're not sure of the replacements, try this method, virtually guaranteed to tame difficult decals. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafalbert Posted September 13, 2020 Author Share Posted September 13, 2020 On 9/12/2020 at 5:31 PM, jean said: Shame!!!!! Best plan: get a Xtradecal BoB Axis decal sheet from Hannant. Quality guaranteed! Your build deserves it. Cheers JR I may do that yet! 22 hours ago, stevehnz said: Bad luck with the decals, if you're not sure of the replacements, try this method, virtually guaranteed to tame difficult decals. Steve. I will give it a whirl Steve and see how it goes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafalbert Posted September 22, 2020 Author Share Posted September 22, 2020 Well, thank you for you help guys, it made a hell of a difference! The decals settled down well (the Airfix ones not do much) with the Klear method so this is my preferred option from now on. As far as being built "from the box" is concerned, she is now completed. The rear machine gun is away for servicing (eaten by the carpet monster) so I will need to replace that at some point. There are a few issues with the kit, there are a lot of aerials missing and the vertical tails look too small to me. The contrast between the RLM70 & 71 is more marked with the flat finish which is a relief. Overall she went together pretty well and was a pretty enjoyable build which is what I am looking for these days. I will get around to fitting aerial wire and the missing antenna, but ultimately she will look ok on my shelf. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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