1/48 Spitfire MkI 54 Sqn Hornchurch - Colin Gray ***FINISHED***

[Steve 1602]

54 Squadron Diary:

20 July 1940

0521 - "B" Flight quickly followed by "A" Flight investigated a large enemy raid off the Estuary, no interceptions took place. The Squadron landed at Manston.

0853 - Whilst on patrol over Dover, Squadron Leader LEATHART was able to get in a short burst at a D.O.17 before it disappeared into clouds.

1100 - Two sorties by Blue Section"A" Flight in MANSTON area and a Squadron patrol for an hour over DOVER completed Operational Flying for the day.

 

This evening I added some wiring to the cockpit and made an attempt to create an oxygen hose. The hose is made out of narrow gauge fuse wire wrapped around a thicker wire - it looks reasonably effective to my eyes. The hose isn't fixed at present - I'll do so after the cockpit is together and painted.

 

I think that I'm now ready to start painting the cockpit and will then be ready to move onto assembling the fuselage.

 

 

 

[Stew Dapple]

Hi Steve,

 

I hesitate to bring it up as I don't know how much it would bother you, but as you mention that the oxygen hose isn't fixed yet, at the time of the Battle the RAF oxygen tube was just a tube, a straight piece of rubber pipe which was on occasion prone to icing up with water vapour from the breath of the individual using it - later in the war it was replaced by a thicker corrugated tube as used by the Luftwaffe which did not ice up (at least not to the same degree) and while I've never seen written evidence of it, I believe we simply  recognised from captured examples that the German design was better and stole it accordingly  

 

Making good progress there mate  

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[Steve 1602]

Thanks Stew! I’ll keep that piece for a later Spit in that case 👍

Edit:

 

A Britmodeller search following Stew’s  information  has turned up this from the late Edgar Brooks:

 

I really enjoy how information is shared in this community! 

Cheers

 

Steve

[SimonT]

Does anyone have a good photo or diagram of the hose plumbing on Mk.I/II?  I’m struggling to find anything.

Edited July 21, 2020 by SimonT
Specified which Mk.

[Steve 1602]

31 minutes ago, SimonT said:

Does anyone have a good photo or diagram of the hose plumbing?  I’m struggling to find anything.

Does this help? Later mark of Spit though (noting that I now know that it’s not applicable to BoB Spits!)

 

[Ray_W]

2 hours ago, SimonT said:

Does anyone have a good photo or diagram of the hose plumbing on Mk.I/II?  I’m struggling to find anything.

It was a smaller diameter rigid pipe coming up on the right hand side forward of the remote contactor with a bayonet fitting. Not the flexible corrugated hose as seen on subsequent marks on the rear right hand side. From Mk II Pilot's Notes. See #65.

 

 

Ray

Edited July 21, 2020 by Ray_W
More info

[Steve 1602]

I managed a quick bit of priming. I hope to be able to get some cockpit green on it this evening and also get the seat painted and the instrument panel decalled.

 

 

 

[Ray_W]

Hi Steve,

 

I looked at the image earlier in the post where you have done that nice rendition of the corrugated oxygen hose.  I agree they did not come in until after the Mk I/II.

 

More detail, the black cylinder behind the pilot on the starboard side is high pressure oxygen.  It is piped through a shut off valve low on the pilot's right to the oxygen regulator on the left hand side of the instrument panel where it is dropped down to a breathable pressure. From the Mk V on, it is then piped back behind the pilot's seat to an economiser mounted on the starboard fuselage side (depending on the Mk between frame 12 and 14) before returning as a flexible hose threaded back low through the seat bulkhead frame 11 and up on the right hand side and clipped conveniently to the side wall.   I wondered whether the Mk I/II had an economiser. Possibly not. The piping may of been a more direct straight path across the back of the instrument panel from the regulator to the bayonet fitting near the remote contactor. The flexible line to the bayonet fitting is permanently fixed to the Mk I/II pilot's mask. If you look at BoB images of pilot's you will often see them holding the mask and hose. Strangely the hose comes out of the left hand side of the mask and has to snake around in front of the pilot to the right hand side.

 

Ray

[Steve 1602]

Thanks Ray. It does sound like the early design was far from being an elegant Engineering solution - well certainly for the pilot! Not much in the way of Human Factors Engineering back then it seems!
 

I’ll be keeping my wire hose back for a later Mark Spit - possibly in the MTO group build - so it will find a home eventually!

[Steve 1602]

54 Squadron Diary:

21 July 1940

0900 - For four hours two convoys were patrolled by four sections in turn, no enemy activity was encountered. P/Off. KEMP was unfortunate for in the first patrol his engine cut and 15 miles east of CLACTON, he was forced to abandon his machine, but made a successful parachute landing near a destroyer, which took him aboard. (He returned to LONDON from ROSYTH on the 23.7.40)

 

I mixed up an approximation of interior green and painted the internals tonight. Ordinarily I would have brush painted these, but tried the airbrush instead and am quite pleased with the results. There's some nice depth and shadow caused and although it's not jumping out of the pics, it looks quite nice in reality. I'll paint the aluminium areas and frame next and then it will be ready for detail painting and cockpit assembly over the next few evenings.

 

 

 

I also decalled the IP, and that exceeded my expectations of it. The decals are settling down well and it's starting to look quite effective even before detail painting and 'glazing' the instrument dials. 

 

 

[Stew Dapple]

Still trying to get my head around the layout of the internal parts, if I've worked it out then that is going to look very impressive (or what you can see of it in the cockpit anyway!) IP's looking very sharp too, it's always nice when the decal actually fits  

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[Ray_W]

10 hours ago, Steve 1602 said:

I would have brush painted these, but tried the airbrush instead and am quite pleased with the results

Hi Steve,

 

You have now been touched with the curse of the airbrush. I find that I just about airbrush everything. It simply gives the better finish. One exception - Lifecolor - hand brush comes up real nice. Levels beautifully.

 

10 hours ago, Steve 1602 said:

There's some nice depth and shadow caused and although it's not jumping out of the pics, it looks quite nice in reality.

I appreciate what you say here. I black undercoat as you have done and find the subtle shadowing remains. Gives depth that is very hard to capture in a photo. 

 

Ray 

 

[Bugle07]

Looking very good there Steve, I'm with you and Ray in that I'm basecoating black almost all the time these days.

 

The IP looks great, I managed to move half the dials in the centre console on mine, I like the fact that it's so easy to fit into place once everything else is painted up.

 

Time for the seatbelts?

 

Geoff 

[Valkyrie]

Good work, that IP is looking magnificent 

[Johnson]

Great work Steve, a wealth of information and the 54 Sqn diary as well!  

[Steve 1602]

19 hours ago, Stew Dapple said:

Still trying to get my head around the layout of the internal parts, if I've worked it out then that is going to look very impressive (or what you can see of it in the cockpit anyway!) IP's looking very sharp too, it's always nice when the decal actually fits  

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

Thanks Stew! The internals do look a little bit like a jigsaw puzzle. I did a quick dry fit before I painted and it all fits together (Honest! 😆). The decal is really rather good - I’m always a little nervous of kit supplied IP decals, but Tamiya have nailed this.

 

13 hours ago, Ray_W said:

You have now been touched with the curse of the airbrush.

And I hold you and Bill to blame Ray!  I was a little ‘can’t be bothered to mix paint for this’ but I’m glad I did

 

13 hours ago, Ray_W said:

appreciate what you say here. I black undercoat as you have done and find the subtle shadowing remains. Gives depth that is very hard to capture in a photo. 

And again, I hold you to account for

your Spits on the other GB! 😆I think I’ll give it a go on the rest of the airframe when I get to that stage. The shadows on the various angles and corners in the cockpit are subtle but effective. 

 

9 hours ago, Bugle07 said:

The IP looks great, I managed to move half the dials in the centre console on mine, I like the fact that it's so easy to fit into place once everything else is painted up.

 

Time for the seatbelts?

 

Geoff 

Thanks Geoff. Your build is looking really nice and it’s giving me a heads-up on what fits where! 
 

Seatbelts to follow on...!  Are you going to paint yours before fitting or once you have them in place? 

6 hours ago, Valkyrie said:

Good work, that IP is looking magnificent 

Thank you! 😊 Full credit to Tamiya - all it needs is painting black and a steady(ish) eye!

5 hours ago, Johnson said:

Great work Steve, a wealth of information and the 54 Sqn diary as well!  

Thanks Charlie - glad you are enjoying it. My favourite entry so far is the party organised by the local hospital - a bit of normality amidst chaos. 

[Bugle07]

3 hours ago, Steve 1602 said:

 

Seatbelts to follow on...!  Are you going to paint yours before fitting or once you have them in place? 

Paint beforehand, seal in with varnish then try and fit them, Trust me.....

 

Geoff 

[Steve 1602]

54 Squadron Diary:

22 July 1940 - During the day Sections were engaged seven times on convoy patrols, Raids and enemy raids. No interceptions were made. 

 

I managed to pretty much finish the cockpit and detail painting. Just the seat belts to go and then it will be ready to join up the fuselage. I'm not sure whether or not to apply a wash yet and will probably mull that over until tomorrow. I may just try and flow a little MIG dark brown wash into some of the corners.

 

Everything painted up

 

 

Some sidewall details

 

 

After whinging about the rudder pedal straps earlier and preferring plastic to PE.... I take it back, very much worth the effort (even if this is probably the last time they will be seen)

 

 

I am really pleased with how the IP has turned out. Full credit to Tamiya here - I think this is the best outcome I've ever achieved with decals. The whole assembly is really nice and the only additions I have made are glossing the dials, adding the cables and drilling out the hole in the frame for them to run through and adding the wire from the landing lamp control (I think) on the lower left.

 

I couldn't resist a quick dry fit of the cockpit tub to make sure it all goes together and then putting it all in the fuselage. It is all looking very promising.

 

 

 

 

 

Once I have done the seatbelts I'll get everything joined up and can then start to focus on the airframe.

 

Thanks for all the comments, advice and info so far!

 

Steve

 

 

14 minutes ago, Bugle07 said:

Paint beforehand, seal in with varnish then try and fit them, Trust me.....

 

Geoff 

Very timely Geoff! That will be the plan then! Thanks 👍🏻

 

Steve

[Jabba]

Superb work in the cockpit area, especially the instrument panel.

[Ray_W]

Steve,

 

Your builds are improving with every effort. Impressive!

 

I noted your comments on the wash. I think the wash will work. I'll typically use a couple of colours brown and black and use an application that is very targetted. This needs a good gloss coat so it is drawn carefully and closely to any detail you want to highlight. I try to avoid having to come back and remove any (there is always some). The term "wash" is wrong for me.

 

Then I'll flat/satin coat once dry. It's a personal thing but I always think finishes with a slightest sheen look more realistic.

 

Ray

[Johnson]

29 minutes ago, Ray_W said:

I noted your comments on the wash. I think the wash will work. I'll typically use a couple of colours brown and black and use an application that is very targetted. This needs a good gloss coat so it is drawn carefully and closely to any detail you want to highlight. I try to avoid having to come back and remove any (there is always some). The term "wash" is wrong for me.

That’s a useful tip Ray, I generally apply a thin wash on matt in the cockpit which although effective darkens the interior colour.

 

Going back to your earlier comment about brush painting Lifecolor, do you brush paint the interior?

[Ray_W]

28 minutes ago, Johnson said:

do you brush paint the interior

Hi Charlie,

 

No, I am an airbrush junkie. However I find that a touch up with Lifecolor just blends in beautifully. Also, I have built kits travelling with no airbrush where I have had to paint the interior by hand and this was where I discovered how good Lifecolor is, with the additional benefit of no nasty flammables for check-in luggage. Thinner, if required, water.  Just don't expect to cover in one hit. First coat is usually thin and you wonder if it will cover - a couple more and beautiful. Have a go at hand brushing a cockpit with it. Lovely. Airbrush better.

 

Ray

[Ray_W]

40 minutes ago, Johnson said:

I generally apply a thin wash on matt in the cockpit which although effective darkens the interior colour

The exception is if you want a filter.

I like my Tamiya Panel Line Accent Colour and AK products. All enamels and I know what to expect. Although, as an alternative, I think the technique Roy Sutherland describes in his Barracudacals Blogspot is worth a try for eliminating a gloss coat and I quote: 

 

"Mix 1 part Future floor wax (now called Pledge Floor Care and by other brand names such as Johnson's Klear overseas.) with 1 part water. Add a small amount of Acrylic black paint (I use Vallejo) and stir to make a very pale wash. Try it on some test pieces. Flood the area with the wash and watch it collect in corners, creating subtle gradated shadows when it dries. The advantage is that the pigment never breaks up like enamel washes do. Experiment with the concentration till you find what works for you. If its too subtle. Go back and apply a second coat once the first has dried."

 

I'll try it some time.

 

Ray

 

 

 

[Retired Bob]

Your build is looking good Steve, thanks for the tips on the wing root electrical cover that needs filling and the missing armour plates.  Just when you think that you have all the information to build this kit correctly for the BoB something else crops up.  Things that I found out include: removal of that small intake just in front of the pilots door and if the aircraft you are building was made before September 1940, fill the IFF indents and circle of rivets on each side of the fuselage behind the cockpit and the small connectors on each of the horizontal tailplanes.  That's the problem with making a model that covers all versions from Mk.I to Mk.V.  Hopefully Eduard will do better, their new FW 190s have different mouldings for the fuselage and wings on each variant.

[Greg Law]

Excellent progress. I will have to keep my eye out for this one when I cross the coastline.