Spitfire 1a R6691 PR-J * Flt Lt F J Howell 609 Sqn * Airfix 1/24 - Weathering at last

[Johnson]

On 10/21/2020 at 8:38 AM, Peter Roberts said:

I recall reading in other builds that the cowlings were not a great fit.

 

Your memory was right Peter. They took a bit of fitting;

 

 

1 The fit of the side panels wasn't too bad. The Dzus fasteners were about the right size and in the right locations but too prominent. So I removed them and scribed new circles and drilled small holes to represent the screw.

2 After a bit of fettling they glued on OK but needed pulling in at the front.

3 The top cowling was too wide (or the fuselage too narrow) by about 1.5mm. Maybe if I'd used the nice Merlin engine it might have fitted better. I added spreading bars made from thick plasticard (80 thou) and it still needed quite a bit of adjustment.

4 I used filler in the top and sides to fill sink holes. Once fitted, I tried the spinner for size only to find the side panels too narrow by about 0.5mm, so more filler needed to pad them out a bit.

 

Still a few gaps in the panel joins which I will fill with Mr Surfacer 500 (got to wait for Mrs.J to go shopping, the stuff really stinks, vapour mask mandatory).

 

It looks a bit messy at the moment but I'm hopeful that it will clean up OK.

 

She's starting to look a bit like a Spitfire at last.

 

 

Next up, fitting the wings. Should be fun! 

 

Cheers,

 

[Johnson]

On to the wings...

 

 

Negatives:

• The sheer size of the wing, and the way Airfix moulded it with no internal stiffeners, makes them prone to warping and flopping, losing the critical 6 degree dihedral of the wings. I added an 80 thou spar to maintain the dihedral and some stiffeners in one of the wings that was warped (and needed the boiling water trick to get it flat!)
• Airfix included the 8 x .303 MGs, and added all the access panels, but without any interior detailing making the exercise a bit of a pointless gimmick. The 8 upper and 4 lower detachable access panels needed a lot of 'adjustment' to get them in their respective holes.
• The navigation lights are blobs on the end of the wings and their shape will need refining, maybe a bit of clear plastic for the lens.
• There were the strange raised bracing strips (see post above, 15 Oct) that needed removing.
• The ailerons are a bit undersized for their corresponding slots, and are based on later metal ailerons. Fine for later marks of Spitfire, but the Mk.1's were fabric covered. So a bit of work needed there. I've mentioned before that Airfix based the kit on a museum example and that may be where they got the metal ailerons from.
• The wheel wells have no side walls or detail, more work.
• No flare chute door (I have added it with a nice template @Peter Roberts sent me - thanks Peter!) but I'm not sure it shows in the above pic.

 

Positives:

• As is the case with the kit as a whole, Airfix seem to have got most of the detail right, which is why it's worth making and improving. Comparing the wing panel detail to plans (generally not to be trusted!), photos and notably the recent Eduard 1/48 Mk 1, everything seems to be there in about the right place. I did notice 2 circular access holes missed which I've indicated with red arrows. An easy fix.
• The overall shape and gull wing effect looks good.
• The dry fit of the wing to the fuselage is just about OK. I think I will need a 14 thou shim on the rear line of the starboard join. I had planned to attach the tops first, but having spent an hour trying to get things lined up, I don't think that will work, or not for me anyway.
• The undercarriage was made to be retractable. I'm not going to use this feature (I enjoyed it when I first made the kit aged 14) but it does appear to give a solid fix for the main u/c.

 

Right then, to work on the wheel wells. Nothing too fancy, I've already spent far too long on the inside detail.

 

Thanks for looking.

[Stew Dapple]

Good work Charlie  

 

There were a few metal-aileron Spitfire I's issued during the Battle for testing; Sandy Johnstone of 602 Squadron mentions in his book 'Enemy in the the Sky' that he got one and was very pleased with it too, until Nigel Rose landed another Spitfire on top of it  However not really relevant in your case, apologies for the drift  

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[Johnson]

2 minutes ago, Stew Dapple said:

apologies for the drift

Not at all Stew!

 

3 minutes ago, Stew Dapple said:

There were a few metal-aileron Spitfire I's issued during the Battle for testing

I didn’t know that! But almost certain R6691’s were fabric. The fabric was stitched along the same lines, the aileron ‘spars’, as the rivets on the metal covered ones, so that makes things easier. But from the photos some appear dead flat and on some you can see the raised spar and stitching. It’s back to the maintenance film for me, for the umpteenth time!

[Nick Belbin]

Kudos for this build. I’ve a couple in the stash but haven’t the guts to start either yet.

 

Nick

 

[Johnson]

7 minutes ago, Nick Belbin said:

I’ve a couple in the stash but haven’t the guts to start either

Cheers Nick! It’s taken me years and the incentive of the GB to get around to it. Shame it won’t get finished in the BoB GB, but I’m enjoying it and will carry on as a WIP.

 

And I have an even older white plastic version in the stash. Maybe I’ll do one with an engine, if I last long enough!

[Nick Belbin]

Yes, I have a white one and a recent version for spares. Also got a couple of the Waldron sets - yours look great by the way - and somewhere, some resin wheels. I think it’ll be a retirement project in a couple of years!

 

Nick

[Peter Roberts]

Coming together very nicely Charlie - great work.

 

Plenty of notes being taken, looks like that nose needs careful attention!

[Johnson]

Wheel Wells.

 

I never find them easy, and especially at this scale. I didn't want to lose space in the well by gluing a strip of plasticard around the outside and cutting it off flush with the wing surface, and I'd lose the rivet detail if I did. So I constructed a slightly complicated structure to support the walls.

 

 

The method Airfix uses to hold the retractable u/c legs mimics the real thing and works fine. Thin strips of 10 thou plasticard for the well bracing strips.

 

Now the wings are on, the size if this Spitfire is really awesome, and takes up a lot of my workspace!

 

 

But the BoB GB has ended, I missed the boat, and may be talking to an empty auditorium for all I know! I may have to ask Mike for a move.

 

Cheers,

[SteveStarPics]

I'm still watching in awe Charles!! Great progress.

[nimrod54]

1 hour ago, Johnson said:

and may be talking to an empty auditorium for all I know!

 

Not quite Charlie, I am still lurking . Lovely work on building up the wheel well detail, I also made this kit early on in my model making adventures but did not pay much heed to the details at that time. I made a decent job of it but was quite happy just to put the thing together, I had forgotten just how big it was though until I saw it in your workspace.

 

[Stew Dapple]

Yeah I'm still here too Charlie, but you probably would get a wider audience if you get it moved to the Work in Progress - Aircraft forum  

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[Johnson]

13 hours ago, SteveStarPics said:

I'm still watching in awe Charles!! Great progress.

Thanks Steve. This one has lasted a bit longer than I'd anticipated!

 

12 hours ago, nimrod54 said:

Lovely work on building up the wheel well detail

Cheers John. As I was doing it I was thinking 'there must be a simpler way...'. But I'm pleased with the result.

 

6 hours ago, Stew Dapple said:

you probably would get a wider audience if you get it moved to the Work in Progress - Aircraft forum

Thanks Stew, I've asked Mike if he will look into it. While you're here...

I'm getting to the stage that I need to think about the paint I'll be using to finish it. As I'm trying to get this as accurate as possible, I'd like to give Colourcoats a try. But they've been sold out of the sky/dk green/dk earth for a while. I did email Sovereign Hobbies via their website to ask if they might have any stock soon, but alas, no response. As you're an 'Official Sovereign Hobbies Henchman', do you have any idea when we might see those colours available again?

 

Cheers!

[Mike]

2 hours ago, Johnson said:

I've asked Mike if he will look into it.

I did, and I have Carry on with the good work

[bigbadbadge]

Hi Charlie,  great work so far, the cockpit details look fantastic fella as does your undercarriage bays boxing in too.  I will be interested to see this progress , I have one of these in the stash and am currently building a heavily modified Hobbyboss 32nd Mk Vb too. I do love a good Spitfire build. 

Chris

[Stew Dapple]

6 hours ago, Johnson said:

do you have any idea when we might see those colours available again?

 

Hey Charlie,

 

The Temperate Land Scheme sets have run out, but the Sky and Dark Green are still available as single tins. The Dark Earth has gone, if you click on the colour in the chart and scroll down a bit there's a box you can add your email address to for notification when it is back in stock. Jamie says he has a batch of Dark Earth ready for tinning, so shouldn't be long

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[Johnson]

2 hours ago, Stew Dapple said:

The Dark Earth has gone, if you click on the colour in the chart and scroll down a bit there's a box you can add your email address to for notification when it is back in stock.

Done! Thanks Stew! 

[Johnson]

3 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

great work so far

Thanks Chris! It's not been without it challenges, and still some to come I suspect (he said, eyeing up the canopy parts suspiciously!)

 

3 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

I do love a good Spitfire build.

Absolutely. Though Mrs J. is asking where it's going to go once built. A good question for which I have no answer. I ran out of display space in the small cave allocated to me long ago.

[bigbadbadge]

3 minutes ago, Johnson said:

Absolutely. Though Mrs J. is asking where it's going to go once built. A good question for which I have no answer. I ran out of display space in the small cave allocated to me long ago.

Ahh yes I feel your pain fella.  I had the same issue although as compensation or reward for doing the loft conversion and making all the extra space (2 bed bungalow into 4 bed house) I have been granted bedroom number 4 as my mancave so I have been fitting out for all my needs.  I am now a lucky chap, but it's been bloomin hard work!!!

I am sure you will be able to find somewhere for the magnificent model when done.

Keep up the good work. 

Chris

[Johnson]

2 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said:

I am sure you will be able to find somewhere for the magnificent model when done

I hung the last one from the bedroom ceiling light. But I was 14 at the time. And not entirely sure whether Mrs J. would approve... 

[bigbadbadge]

2 minutes ago, Johnson said:

I hung the last one from the bedroom ceiling light. But I was 14 at the time. And not entirely sure whether Mrs J. would approve... 

You could hang from the ceiling or the light and impress you missus with the shadow by pushing the model around so the shadow will go round and round and you could make realistic engine noises, she could not fail to be impressed.  Tell her that and you will be granted an extra shelf !!! Or banned from the house !!!

[Peter Roberts]

Still following Charlie. This is one of the most innovative builds I have seen, great work on those wheel wells. Wonderful build Charlie.

 

I have a few large kits in the stash and am plotting two possible display thoughts. One is a larger display case, perhaps more square than oblong. The other thought was a glass box with glass shelves and a glass top, to form something like a coffee table. The idea for the latter comes from large terrariums that were the go once (in the 70's?) - they were large glass boxes framed by pine legs. I figure I could maybe get three models into something like that with some shelving and might be a good conversation piece. Either way I suspect I'll be building them!

[Ray_W]

Hi Charlie, 

Enjoying your build and I'll be following till the finish. 

Ray 

[JeroenS]

I'll be following the rest of your build as well Charlie. I built my first 1/48 Spitfire for Spitfire GB and this actually made me put a 1/24 scale Spit on my wishlist.

[Johnson]

11 hours ago, Ray_W said:

Enjoying your build and I'll be following till the finish. 

Good to have you along Ray! I'm going to be referring back to your builds when I start painting. Not sure what paint I'll use, I have my old favourites - Xtracolor enamels, but I fancy moving into the modern era, maybe use the AK Real Colors I got or Tamiya acrylics? I'm also hoping to get hold of some Sovereign Hobbies Colourcoats enamels, so some experiments coming up!

 

2 hours ago, JeroenS said:

I built my first 1/48 Spitfire for Spitfire GB and this actually made me put a 1/24 scale Spit on my wishlist.

Hi Jeroen, I remember your Spitfire well, a very nice job!

If you've looked back through my thread you'll see that I'm enjoying the build but it's not without it's challenges, and probably some more still to come! The age of the kit and the effect on the moulds is showing. The whole rear fuselage has a twist. just a few degrees, but noticeable when I put the tailplanes on. Far too late to correct now.

 

The finish may have to be delayed slightly when I wander off to the Heller Classic GB which I've been looking forward to. Just to much to do!

 

Cheers,