Pat Hughes Aussie Ace - Spitfire MkI X4009 AZ*Q - Eduard 1/48 ***FINISHED***

[MattG]

This looks fantastic so far Ray, I love the attention to detail.  I will certainly look back here for inspiration when building more of these kits!

 

Matt

[Johnson]

3 hours ago, Ray_W said:

I wondered if the rear face should be left in aluminium. The restored N3200 was done that way.

As is the Cosford Mk 1 (K9942) (photo in post #430 in the 1/48 - Supermarine Spitfire Mk.1 to Mk.V by Eduard - 1st Mk.I boxing "the Few" released thread).

 

I think you're correct about IG front / aluminium rear. I suppose it comes down to how the plane was built then painted. If it was largely assembled with the base frames in place, the painter would probably have sprayed the whole cockpit area IG leaving the rear of frame 11 unpainted. But its likely that there would have been variations.

 

 

[Ray_W]

3 hours ago, Greg Law said:

Another great Build Ray. Once again I'm picking up tips for my build. 

By the way I used your exhaust method on the Hurricane and Bf 110D today. 

The Hurricane is officially finished. Photos tomorrow. 

Thanks Greg,

 

Really enjoying the build and already planning to roll into the second one in the box when this one is finished. It will be my first non-Group Build for the year. I  think 6 Spitfires will be enough for this year.

 

I hope the exhaust method works for you. I was over at your Hurricane post this morning and saw you were finished. Looking forward to the Gallery pics.

 

Ray

[Ray_W]

2 hours ago, MattG said:

This looks fantastic so far Ray, I love the attention to detail.  I will certainly look back here for inspiration when building more of these kits!

 

Matt

Thanks Matt you are very kind. 

[Ray_W]

1 hour ago, Johnson said:

I think you're correct about IG front / aluminium rear. I suppose it comes down to how the plane was built then painted. If it was largely assembled with the base frames in place, the painter would probably have sprayed the whole cockpit area IG leaving the rear of frame 11 unpainted. But its likely that there would have been variations.

At least I'm in 1/48 so not as noticeable as your big bird.

 

I'm still not certain I have the throttle and prop pitch controls right. I will make this my mission on the next one - the early Mk I version I'll build outside of the BoB GB.

 

Ray

 

 

[Merlin]

Hi Ray,

Excellent mission on getting the cockpit right, I specialise in the Mk1 for 40 yrs now so any questions if I am passing and looking in on the forum I might be able to answer., or PM me.

I see so much hard work with the exterior spoilt by assumption the model paints used are accurate to RAF WW2 :-

so when it comes to camouflage please note:

1. hard edged for RAF spitfires 1940, unless good shots of your subject show otherwise.

2. Sovereign Paints are matched to 'the paint reference Bible' for the correct RAF colours WW2 British Aviation Colours of WW2 RAF Museum Series Vol 3 Arms and Armour Press.

I say this as I have seen so many soft camo's and simply wrong RAF colours.

 

Eduard I see have a tube sticking out for the headrest, you have probably spooted this error of theirs, its a dark brown leather faced  d'sided shallow cylinder shape with release studs around its edge for removal off an aluminium disc shaped base, sorbo rubber or rubberised horsehair filled. Enough pics on the internet show it. Looks like the fuselage has a flattish top aft of canopy as well, that's a 109 if so.

 

Merlin

[Ray_W]

7 hours ago, Merlin said:

Hi Ray,

Excellent mission on getting the cockpit right, I specialise in the Mk1 for 40 yrs now so any questions if I am passing and looking in on the forum I might be able to answer., or PM me.

 

Merlin,

 

Thank you. I'll definitely follow up on that. 

 

7 hours ago, Merlin said:

1. hard edged for RAF spitfires 1940, unless good shots of your subject show otherwise.

2. Sovereign Paints are matched to 'the paint reference Bible' for the correct RAF colours WW2 British Aviation Colours of WW2 RAF Museum Series Vol 3 Arms and Armour Press.

 

I had decided on hard edge camouflage for Pat's aircraft. 

 

Yes Sovereign has a great reputation. In my case, it is a matter of what I have or can easily source. I'll probably stay with my old staples of Gunze H72 Dark Earth and Tamiya XF-81 Dark Green although the latter is very low in the pot and I may have have to adjust Gunze H73 slightly to match. Underside will be something different. I intend to use Gunze's C368 Sky from their lacquer range. Seems more a light Sky Type S than their Aqueous Sky H74 which, I think, gives a great representation of Eau de Nil.  

 

7 hours ago, Merlin said:

Eduard I see have a tube sticking out for the headrest, you have probably spooted this error of theirs, its a dark brown leather faced  d'sided shallow cylinder shape with release studs around its edge for removal off an aluminium disc shaped base, sorbo rubber or rubberised horsehair filled. Enough pics on the internet show it.

I did not find Eduard's head rest rendition too bad for 1/48. Maybe a little long and/or not sufficient diameter but should paint up rather nice. Hand brushing will add some texture.

 

 

7 hours ago, Merlin said:

Looks like the fuselage has a flattish top aft of canopy as well, that's a 109 if so.

If so then it is very subtle. The kit top is curved (same as their Mk IX and VIII). Is it enough? I do not know. Seems to capture the look. Certainly not a deal breaker. I'll be posing the canopy open so that area forward of the mast will be largely hidden. 

 

Thanks for the feed back. Greatly appreciated.

 

Ray

 

 

 

 

[Merlin]

Hi Ray,

thats interesting, I was looking at the cockpit area in the build thread:-

 

 

and the headrest was as I described, yet your kit is totally different and apart from need ign the beading around the edge taking down considerably and the end less domes is as it should be, so where did that strange hollow object come from ?

Also I have looked at a cross section of the spitfire at the frame 12 and the top whilst not semicircular as my brain had recalled it to be, has an arc, whilst in the posts photo ots more flat, doesnt look right, maybe he filed it down too much ?

I will try and do image hosting and post some pics, damn this image system. !

I am slightly uneasy over mention of GS earth as its the GS that is giving a less brown and more orangey earth I am seeing at shows. Every time I see an inaccurate RAF aircaft and ask what paints the reply is GS.

see those in these links for example, the spitfire is typical of the dark earth I see at shows., then compare to the real colours, the Spitfire K9942 seen 'in the flesh' in daylight matched the RAF museum series actual paint chips 'Bible'. A lot of research went into getting the colours right M.A.P.S told me.

http://www.modelingmadness.com/review/allies/gb/cleaverh1.bak

 

Merlin

[Ray_W]

Hi Merlin,

 

Few thoughts:

 

17 hours ago, Merlin said:

where did that strange hollow object come from ?

Glued in place the wrong way around - front to rear. 

 

17 hours ago, Merlin said:

part from needing the beading around the edge taking down considerably and the end less domes is as it should be,

Everything you say is correct. I'll post a cockpit complete image tomorrow. I have adjusted it slightly.  Shortened it's length, reduced the bead and slightly indented. only time I would like a sink mark and didn't get one. 

 

These dug up remains of X4593 may interest you:

 

 

 

 

 

17 hours ago, Merlin said:

Also I have looked at a cross section of the spitfire at the frame 12 and the top whilst not semicircular as my brain had recalled it to be, has an arc, whilst in the posts photo ots more flat, doesnt look right, maybe he filed it down too much ?

 

Here is a picture of mine. Tomorrow the fuselage halves will go together properly and be a better indicator. Any flattening ahead of the mast is probably a sacrifice by Eduard to accommodate an open canopy. Which I will do, so, in my case it is not a problem. Also it does not look as pronounced as your photo. Spitfire nuances. I feel in 1/48 it really is not too bad.

 

 

17 hours ago, Merlin said:

I am slightly uneasy over mention of GS earth as its the GS that is giving a less brown and more orangey earth I am seeing at shows. Every time I see an inaccurate RAF aircaft and ask what paints the reply is GS.

Some swear by the Gunze H72. The only image I have is this photo I took of my then part finished Tamiya of one year ago done in Gunze H72 and Tamiya XF-81. Thankfully taken in natural light. 

 

 

 

Yes maybe a little orangey brown. Interestingly Gunze now offer in their lacquer range C369 Dark Earth where they have shifted it more to the brown. I do not have painted test samples but here are the pot content photos. C369 on the left. I should receive their C361 Dark Green soon as well. Might be a good match. As mentioned in my earlier post, I do like their C368 Sky out of the same series.

 

 

If you're doing some desk top research checking out reasonably accurate restored aircraft check out N3200. It looks more like H72.

 

Ray

[Retired Bob]

6 hours ago, Ray_W said:

 only time I would like a sink mark and didn't get one. 

Come on Ray, you would have been like me and filled it.  Your Spitfire cockpit is looking very good, I have run around in circles with mine, trying to get the right equipment in the cockpit for the time period I'm building it for.  I had removed the remote contactor as I thought it was only for operating the IFF, but having read up on the operation of pip/squeak I am putting them back into the relevant cockpits, I say cockpits because I had 3 new Tamiya Mk.Is on the go when the Eduard kits came out and I thought, why not!  Bit of an assembly line, but not as big as Castle Bromwich. 

[Greg Law]

My Spitfire story kit turned up today. Looks good. I'm trying to decide on which one to do. I want to do Alan Deere's,  but that is the Dunkirk period. Mind you I already have a Bf 109E-1 built for that period so it might be appropriate to do Deere's. Just outside this GB.

[Ray_W]

7 hours ago, Retired Bob said:

Come on Ray, you would have been like me and filled it. 

Yes, I would of for sure. Anyway, to satisfy my penchant for filling sink marks Eduard has provided a decent one in the 12 V Voltage Regulator. Should be a flattened dome.

 

 

7 hours ago, Retired Bob said:

Bit of an assembly line, but not as big as Castle Bromwich. 

😁😁

[Ray_W]

3 hours ago, Greg Law said:

I want to do Alan Deere's

I would of guessed. 😄

 

 

[Greg Law]

Goes without saying.  🙂 However, i do have three other Spitfire kits. Any ideas for an Aussie pilot. My girls wouldn't forgive me if I didn't do one. 

After 26 years in Australia my old friends call me Aussie. 

[Ray_W]

1 hour ago, Greg Law said:

Goes without saying.  🙂 However, i do have three other Spitfire kits. Any ideas for an Aussie pilot. My girls wouldn't forgive me if I didn't do one. 

After 26 years in Australia my old friends call me Aussie. 

Good place to start. 

 

https://www.battleofbritainmemorial.org/squadron-logbook/australias-few-and-the-battle-of-britain/

 

Interesting that they were British. Australian passports did not come in till 1947. This site kicks off the subject. 

 

Ray

[Greg Law]

I'm  thinking Des Sheen if I can find some photos of 72 sqn planes. He flew on the 15th August. 

This was the northern raids which fits perfectly with my main theme. The Heinkel,  Bf 110D  and my Hurricane were in the same raid.

[Ray_W]

6 minutes ago, Greg Law said:

I'm  thinking Des Sheen if I can find some photos of 72 sqn planes.

Great choice. Just Google Des Sheen 72 Squadron and look at Images. If you want to cut out a lot of the recent guff. Select Black and White photos. It's a start.

[Greg Law]

The decals are on the way from Hannants.  This is all to perfect. 

[Retired Bob]

3 hours ago, Ray_W said:

Yes, I would of for sure. Anyway, to satisfy my penchant for filling sink marks Eduard has provided a decent one in the 12 V Voltage Regulator. Should be a flattened dome.

I filled that part on my kit, as I cleaned it up, it shot across the table like a ping-pong ball and despite an extensive search, never to be seen again. 

[Ray_W]

The old chestnut - harness straps through the hole or over the seat?  Eduard show the harness going over the top of the seat. Time to re-visit the old threads. Typically, I prefer to portray the harness through the seat hole. I can then understand how a pilot can lean forward by releasing the retractable top straps using the catch on the starboard sill and pivoting at the waist. Over the seat seems to defeat the purpose. I know Edgar's famous drawing shows the over the seat install. More research before I commit.  

 

Here are some cockpit status photos to pass the time while I've hit the research trail.

 

I still have to add the throttle operation cables.

 

I could not be bothered with the note pad holder under the throttle quadrant. Also, in this build, I did not add the pneumatic piping and valves installed at the bottom of the air cylinders. I must be getting lazy or pragmatic.

 

On the next build I might add some of the piping visible through the bulkhead at the rudder pedals - just for fun!

 

 

Eduard PE Instrument Panel done my usual way with some Tamiya Black Panel Liner used to tone down the vinyl between the dials. I added the Landing Lamp Controls (thanks Charlie @Johnson) and Fuel Cock Levers. Other additions per earlier posts. Whether the hydraulic lines from the U/C operation are steel, aluminium or copper/brass I am not too sure. Safest way is to paint in IG. I like the copper to jazz it up a little. I did not add the hand computer storage under the Remote Contactor. Not enough room as the supplied Remote Contactor may be a little oversize (like the Indicator Light Morse Key).

 

 

Here is the stalled seat waiting for harnesses. 

 

 

I used the kit's plastic rudder pedals. They're not too bad. Scribed some grooves. I'll save the PE version for a more needy kit. Tamiya tape straps suitably stained. Added the hoses and retaining clips to the joy stick.

 

 

So on to other things and make a decision on that harness.

 

Ray

 

 

 

 

[Ray_W]

2 hours ago, Retired Bob said:

I filled that part on my kit, as I cleaned it up, it shot across the table like a ping-pong ball and despite an extensive search, never to be seen again. 

At least with the double kit boxing you have a second one to lose or not and choose the other build as an early version where you do not need it. 

[Greg Law]

Looking brilliant Ray. 

[Johnson]

7 hours ago, Ray_W said:

Whether the hydraulic lines from the U/C operation are steel, aluminium or copper/brass I am not too sure. Safest way is to paint in IG. I like the copper to jazz it up a little.

I’m pondering the same question Ray. I’m thinking that the hydraulic u/c control was added and plumbed in after the cockpit was painted so the pipes may well have been left as unpainted copper.

 

All looking spot-on! Great work.

[Greg Law]

You are setting the Spitfire bar very high Ray.

What paint colours did you use for the seat?

I see multiple colours in it.

[Rabbit Leader]

I agree with Greg... this is honestly top shelf modelling Ray. excellent stuff. 
Cheers.. Dave