Stefan Buysse Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 (edited) Hi, This one is mostly about taking part in this remembrance of the BoB. I'm not that great a builder. I'm keen to finish at least one model. Later on, I might return with another build like a Hurricane Mk I or Eduard's new Spitfire Mk I. This is the "old" Tamiya Spitfire, the copyright says "1993". Seems like yesterday... The decal sheet is from Fündekals. As you see, lots of Mk I's can be built using this one (11 of them BoB Spitfires). The .pdf with the instructions can be downloaded from the site for free. https://www.fundekals.com/spitfiresPart2.html I'm planning to build this one as R6775 "YT-J" of No 65 Sqn, flown by Jeffrey Quill during his time with 65 Sqn in August 1940. Cheers, Stefan. Edited July 11, 2020 by Stefan Buysse 18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutcastJoel Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 This should be interesting, mind if I sit by with popcorn? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 Nice choice, like most Tamiya kits goes together like a dream. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Buysse Posted July 11, 2020 Author Share Posted July 11, 2020 Thanks, guys. Popcorn most welcome...I find it ideal to distract the carpet monster.😉 I know from previous Tamiya "1993" Spitfires that I find it hard to attach the landing gear legs correctly. The glue and plastic seemed to act together to move them as I left it to set overnight. The new Tamiya Spitfire solves this neatly by having both gear legs as one piece. I haven't built one of those yet, but I look forward to it. I'm only doing minimal work on the cockpit (as it will be closed). I will add Eduard seatbelts, those are visible in that previous build. Cheers, Stefan. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattG Posted July 12, 2020 Share Posted July 12, 2020 Great choice of kit and markings! This Tamiya version does indeed go together really well. Good luck with it! Matt 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Moff Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 On 7/11/2020 at 11:00 AM, Stefan Buysse said: Thanks, guys. Popcorn most welcome...I find it ideal to distract the carpet monster.😉 I know from previous Tamiya "1993" Spitfires that I find it hard to attach the landing gear legs correctly. The glue and plastic seemed to act together to move them as I left it to set overnight. The new Tamiya Spitfire solves this neatly by having both gear legs as one piece. I haven't built one of those yet, but I look forward to it. I'm only doing minimal work on the cockpit (as it will be closed). I will add Eduard seatbelts, those are visible in that previous build. Cheers, Stefan. Will be watching along as I am building one - planning to hatchet job the wheels up so will be in fight! Also the pilot does seem a tad on the largo size, like you I am not doing too much cockpit wise and he will fill it quite well by the looks of it! As you've built it before, any top tips? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Buysse Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 1 hour ago, Tim Moff said: As you've built it before, any top tips? Hi, The only problem area that I can think of, is the installation of the main gear legs. But you're obviously not going to need them. I saw in the Fündekals instructions that the cheesecutter IFF aerials were not installed before December 1940. I did install them in my previous Tamiya BoB Spitfire. I wondered where I got the idea...Well, the Tamiya box has drawings on the side that show them installed, they are also in the painting guide profiles. There is also one machine gun nozzle that sticks out in front of the leading edge of each wing. Apparantly, that was only a feature of very early (think 1938) Spitfires. Cheers, Stefan. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Moff Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 Cheers Stefan yes the IFF is a curveball - good call on the guns/wings will get thank removed and sanded off ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Buysse Posted July 20, 2020 Author Share Posted July 20, 2020 Hi, Here's my Spitfire as she is at the moment. I'll use one of the clear parts (D1) of the 2018 Tamiya Spitfire to get something that resembles No 64 Sqn's rear view mirrors. I think that's pretty close to what is visible in the Fündekals instructions, especially after I fiddle with it a bit to get a slightly different angle. Cheers, Stefan. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Looking good Stefan Cheers, Stew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Bob Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 On 14/07/2020 at 22:06, Stefan Buysse said: I saw in the Fündekals instructions that the cheesecutter IFF aerials were not installed before December 1940. I did install them in my previous Tamiya BoB Spitfire. I wondered where I got the idea...Well, the Tamiya box has drawings on the side that show them installed, they are also in the painting guide profiles. It seems that Tamiya has a "thing" about the IFF cheese cutter wires, they put them on all three of the subjects in the 2018 kit, even though they were all built before early 1940. Externally the early Tamiya kit is missing the gun heating outlets, strangely they put them on their Spitfire Mk.VB. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Buysse Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 On 7/23/2020 at 10:26 PM, Retired Bob said: It seems that Tamiya has a "thing" about the IFF cheese cutter wires, they put them on all three of the subjects in the 2018 kit, even though they were all built before early 1940. Externally the early Tamiya kit is missing the gun heating outlets, strangely they put them on their Spitfire Mk.VB. Hi, I had forgotten about the gun heating outlets and went looking for them in the 2018 Tamiya kit and (via the instructions that are now online) in the new Eduard kit. Both these kits have them as optional parts. The Eduard kit looks awesome...I wondered why there are two sets of fuselages. I believe one set represents a Spitfire with an unarmoured fuel tank and the other set represents the version with the armoured fuel tank. It doesn't look like the windscreens of the Tamiya 1993 and Tamiya 2018 kit are interchangeable. Cheers, Stefan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 Good start Stefan,beautiful kit this one too 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 2 hours ago, Stefan Buysse said: .I wondered why there are two sets of fuselages. And two sets of wings, props, seats... it's a double boxing 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Bob Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 3 hours ago, Stefan Buysse said: I had forgotten about the gun heating outlets and went looking for them in the 2018 Tamiya kit and (via the instructions that are now online) in the new Eduard kit. Both these kits have them as optional parts. The reason they are optional parts is that the first 59 Spitfires built did not have them, it was after they tried firing at altitude that it was discovered that the guns would freeze so the solution was to take hot air from the coolant radiator and route it through the gun boxes and vent it out on the wing underside. The vents were of different sizes because the hot air had further to travel to the port (left) wing and therefore it had a larger vent. The shape of vent helped draw (suck) the hot air through the wing. 3 hours ago, Stefan Buysse said: The Eduard kit looks awesome...I wondered why there are two sets of fuselages. I believe one set represents a Spitfire with an unarmoured fuel tank and the other set represents the version with the armoured fuel tank. Correct, an early aircraft and a later Mk.I, though 3 mm of duralumin is not really armour, it's purpose was to deflect machine gun bullets. 4 hours ago, Stefan Buysse said: It doesn't look like the windscreens of the Tamiya 1993 and Tamiya 2018 kit are interchangeable. No they are not interchangeable. Both the old and the new Tamiya Mk.Is have a electrical socket on the port wingroot, this is for the Mk.V only and should be filled as per the Eduard instructions for their new kit. I'm hoping my Eduard kit will be delivered on Monday. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Buysse Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 39 minutes ago, Retired Bob said: The reason they are optional parts is that the first 59 Spitfires built did not have them, it was after they tried firing at altitude that it was discovered that the guns would freeze so the solution was to take hot air from the coolant radiator and route it through the gun boxes and vent it out on the wing underside. The vents were of different sizes because the hot air had further to travel to the port (left) wing and therefore it had a larger vent. The shape of vent helped draw (suck) the hot air through the wing. Both the old and the new Tamiya Mk.Is have a electrical socket on the port wingroot, this is for the Mk.V only and should be filled as per the Eduard instructions for their new kit. I'm hoping my Eduard kit will be delivered on Monday. Thanks, Bob. That's a good explanation of how the gun heating worked. I hadn't noticed that the vents were a different size, so the question why was answered before it even came up. I have also ordered the Eduard kit. 😀 I believe almost everything is in there to build a Mk Va, one of the unused parts being the slightly deeper oil cooler. One of my Eduard Mk I's will be a 1938 Spitfire with the silver undersides and early pitot tube. I already built a Mk Va using Tamiya parts and I lost the underwing pitot tube. So, the extra part from Eduard is most welcome. Cheers, Stefan. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Bob Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 5 minutes ago, Stefan Buysse said: I already built a Mk Va using Tamiya parts and I lost the underwing pitot tube. So, the extra part from Eduard is most welcome. Agreed, there will be lots of spare parts left over after building each Spitfire with all the options that are included. I have always wanted a two bladed propeller 1938 Spitfire, the later one will be another 19 Sqn machine, I was ground crew on 19 Sqn in the 70s when they had Phantoms so that's my interest in that particular Sqn. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Buysse Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 1 hour ago, Retired Bob said: Agreed, there will be lots of spare parts left over after building each Spitfire with all the options that are included. I have always wanted a two bladed propeller 1938 Spitfire, the later one will be another 19 Sqn machine, I was ground crew on 19 Sqn in the 70s when they had Phantoms so that's my interest in that particular Sqn. Ah, Phantoms...my favorite. Germany in the 1970's...that must have been really something for a Phantom lover. I remember as a schoolkid on a bustrip in the early 1980's that there seemed to be always two airplanes trailing smoke whenever I looked outside (for hours). I had no idea that they were Phantoms back then. I realise it must have been tough at the time with the threat and the NBC exercises. Thank you for your service. Cheers, Stefan. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Bob Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 10 hours ago, Stefan Buysse said: I realise it must have been tough at the time with the threat and the NBC exercises. I have to say it was the the best time of my life, the Sqn ethos was "work hard, play hard" and I have to say we did. I was single then, my Sqn mates and other armourers from 92 Sqn and the explosive storage area had motorbikes so I got rid of the car and went back to a motorbike and travelled around Europe. As for all the exercises, how I learned to love the NBC suit and respirator, not, but I loaded so many Sparrow and Sidewinder missiles, not to mention 20 mm rounds into the suu gun that I reckon I could still do now.... but a lot slower. 😉 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Moff Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 14 hours ago, Retired Bob said: Both the old and the new Tamiya Mk.Is have a electrical socket on the port wingroot, this is for the Mk.V only and should be filled as per the Eduard instructions for their new kit. I'm hoping my Eduard kit will be delivered on Monday. Hi @Retired Bob is it an obvious hole that i should fill? I am building the same kit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Moff Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 On 7/20/2020 at 7:25 PM, Stefan Buysse said: Hi, Here's my Spitfire as she is at the moment. I'll use one of the clear parts (D1) of the 2018 Tamiya Spitfire to get something that resembles No 64 Sqn's rear view mirrors. I think that's pretty close to what is visible in the Fündekals instructions, especially after I fiddle with it a bit to get a slightly different angle. Cheers, Stefan. Looking good - see you had to sort the nose seam out the same as me....you've got a better join at the wing root than me, I may need to put some filler in there, or mayve join again with an elastic band - clearly my tape method did not work...! I am a bit confused with some colours etc..should the arch piece behind the cockpit be the interior green or metallic? Tamiya on this kit says the green, new Tamiya and airfix kits say metallic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 14 hours ago, Retired Bob said: Both the old and the new Tamiya Mk.Is have a electrical socket on the port wingroot, this is for the Mk.V only and should be filled as per the Eduard instructions for their new kit. Huh, funny. I was just going through the depictions on Alfred Price's Spitfire MkI-II Aces 1939-41 and there, the socket appears on later Mk.Is from mid-1940 onwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Bob Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 14 minutes ago, Tim Moff said: Hi @Retired Bob is it an obvious hole that i should fill? I have just snapped a quick picture of my ongoing Spitfire builds. The electrical socket that has to be filled still has a blob of tippex (my preferred filler for fine areas) The bottom fuselage is from the old Tamiya Spitfire, the upper one is the newer Tamiya Spitfire, also not cleaned up but shows the area to fill. The other area you can see filled is the IFF fuselage insulator. The area behind the pilots seat, from the rear of that bulkhead should be silver paint. 10 minutes ago, alt-92 said: I was just going through the depictions on Alfred Price's Spitfire MkI-II Aces 1939-41 and there, the socket appears on later Mk.Is from mid-1940 onwards. This is the problem with Spitfires from this period, so many changes were made and a lot are not able to be seen even if you are lucky enough to have a photo of the aircraft you are building. Type of seat, seat armour (which Tamiya ignores) IFF cheese cutter wires, aerial post, aerial wires, mirrors, but no crowbars on the door, certainly not red. Bob. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Bob Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 50 minutes ago, Tim Moff said: I am a bit confused with some colours etc..should the arch piece behind the cockpit be the interior green or metallic? Tamiya on this kit says the green, new Tamiya and airfix kits say metallic? Just in case the idea of all the visible cockpit area should be interior green (and I thought this until I did my research) here is a period colour picture showing a part of the bulkhead behind the pilots seat. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Moff Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 I was looking at the arch behind that to the rear - where the seat belts go to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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