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Flt Lt John Dundas's 609 Sqn BoB Spitfire R6922 15 Sep 40


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Dornier Do-17Z 8./KG76 (F1+FS) Heitsch crew made a forced landing near Castle Farm, Shoreham, England Battle of Britain 15th September 1940 after a low level chase by two Spitfires from No.609 Squadron, Flight Lieutenant Dundas and Pilot Officer Tobin.

 

The tremendous air battle fought between Fighter Command and the Luftwaffe on 15th September 1940 represented the climax of the Battle of Britain, and it has been celebrated as Battle of Britain Day ever since. The 8/KG 76 Dornier 17Z piloted by Feldwebel Heitsch was part of a force of about 100 German bombers which approached London over North Kent shortly before noon. The formation was intercepted simultaneously by nine RAF Squadrons. The battle developed into a series of individual fights. During one of these encounters, Heitsch's Dornier was attacked by Flight Lieutenant Dundas and Pilot Officer Tobin of 609 Squadron. After a low-level chase, Heitsch was forced to bring his machine down in a field at Castle Farm, Shoreham, narrowly missing the high tension cables that ran over the field. The Dornier's crew were taken prisoner by the local Home Guard. Heitsch and Feldwebel Pfeiffer, the observer, were uninjured. Feldwebel Sauter, the gunner, had been wounded in the ankle and was taken to Maidstone Hospital. Feldwebel Stephan Schmidt, the wireless operator, died of a chest wound before reaching hospital. One other casualty was a hop picker who had been shot in the leg by a bullet from one of the two low-flying Spitfires. Flight Lieutenant Dundas went on to shoot down the German ace Major Helmut Wick on 28th November 1940. Dundas was then immediately shot down and killed by Wick's wingman. 

 

Extract taken from http://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Do-17/Do-17-KG76.8-(F1+FS).html

 

My original long-planned-for entry for this GB was to build the vanquished from this skirmish, having prepared by building up a comprehensive library of reference books and much aftermarket to adorn my ICM Do 17-Z2.

 

What could be the flaw in this plan then I hear you ask?

 

Well Eduard decided to throw a proper pointy stick into the spokes of the wheels on my modelling bicycle by issuing their 1/48 Sptfire Mk 1, that's what!!!  As over 75% of my past two or three years output has been from the Supermarine stable, this release was like cat-nip for a Spitfire nerd like me! I had to have it and build it immediately!

 

So that's where we are, building yet another Spitfire.  Ho hum!

 

The research for the Dornier had identified it's assailants as a pair of 609 Sqn Spits, so I chose the mount of Flt Lt John Dundas, Spitfire Mk 1 R6922.  Now I did a quick and dirty Google search for this airframe (if at least 5 hours of trawling can be described as 'quick'!) but could find no pictures of R6922.  Now I found other people's research pointing to the codes being PR-T but that was about it. But I had decided that this was the airframe I wanted to build, and stubboness had well and truly set in, so I put out a request for info in the WWII section.

 

Now @NG899 has given me a fantastic, comprehensive chapter & verse response, so I'm happy with how I'm going with this now.  He advised me that the Nov 82 edition of SAM had some information, and having seen an advert in the Free to Good Homes section, @Kes has been an absolute gentleman by sending me this issue.  A massive "Thank you" to you both. 

 

https://www.facebook.com/royalairforce/videos/2718820308387268/

 

Well let's have a look at the kit.  OK everyone who is anyone has commented on the Rumourmonger thread about just how spectacular the surface detail of this kit is, and my first impressions back this up to the hilt.

 

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OK this has been done to death elsewhere but it's obligatory I suppose!

 

So out came the TET, parts were separated from the trees and some sub-assemblies were sub-assembled!

 

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The seat frame had the lightening holes drilled out and the PE head armour added.

 

This all got a shot of Halfords Grey Primer...............

 

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And then some home-brewed interior grey-green, made from mixing Tamiya XF-71 Cockpit Green with XF-21 Sky in a 70-30ish ratio mix.  I'm thinking Supermarine used a lighter shade of IG, and although it's a restoration I think my mix is a reasonable stab to match this:

 

04n_15_023-640x480.jpg

 

http://spitfiresite.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/04n_15_023-640x480.jpg

http://spitfiresite.com/2010/07/anatomy-of-spitfire-cockpit.html/04n_15_023

 

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Then the seat got a coat of Tamiya Hull Red, now I do realise I've boobed here as I think I've built the metal seat rather than the Bakerlite one, so I've found the right one and will re-spray this one in IG for another build, on another day.  Luckilly Eduard stuck two kits in my box just like Airfix did with their Buccaneers - yeah right!

 

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The wing spar and undercarriage wells (perhaps a little over-engineered but very nicely detailed!) were built up..............

 

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Whilst assembling the tail feathers I found the right seat for this one.  The side lever came from the spares  box.

 

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OK, that'll do for now.  There's 6 weeks or so to go, we've got a full pot of TET, some Xtradecals MSG code letters, it's dark and we're wearing Sunglasses - hit it!!!!

 

Stay safe out there!

 

Chris

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13 hours ago, Fatcawthorne said:

 

Now @NG899 has given me a fantastic, comprehensive chapter & verse response, so I'm happy with how I'm going with this now.  He advised me that the Nov 82 edition of SAM had some information, and having seen an advert in the Free to Good Homes section, @Kes has been an absolute gentleman by sending me this issue.  A massive "Thank you" to you both. 

 

 

 

Chris

This is what a good modelling community is all about, I've been the recipient of modellers generosity many times, it's good to give a little back

 

Great build, interesting subject, looking forward to seeing this one progress

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Great stuff,

 

I am building R6915 PR-U, another airframe flown by Fl Lt Dundas.

 

Can I ask what you are doing about sqn codes?

 

Are you going Port PR o U then STBD PR o U as pers the video (only PR codes seen, no further letter) or would you go U o PR? Also Sqn codes over Serial or Serial over Sqn Codes?

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On 9/11/2020 at 12:09 AM, Peter Roberts said:

Great start Chris! I like your cockpit green - I am in your camp there, and yours looks like a good match.

 

I'll pull up a chair if you don't mind and take some notes. :) 

 

PR

 

On 9/12/2020 at 9:07 AM, stevehnz said:

Well, it's a fumble fingers build & normally I'd think twice about it but with a subject like this, I'm in, one I'm keen to do in gentleman's scale one day. Watching. :)

Steve.

Peter/Steve, welcome to the madhouse.  Glad to have you along for the ride.  Steve, I did link a OTS build of this airframe by @Phil Lewisinto my original WWII Section question but I'll repeat it for those who've not seen it.

 

 

On 9/11/2020 at 11:28 AM, Kes said:

This is what a good modelling community is all about, I've been the recipient of modellers generosity many times, it's good to give a little back

 

Great build, interesting subject, looking forward to seeing this one progress

Kes, thank you for this, the SAM issue has arrived and although I can find no direct mention of R6692 yet, it does give the styles of underwing markings applied by each of the MU's Spits passed through before reaching the Squadrons. 

 

11 hours ago, Tim Moff said:

Great stuff,

 

I am building R6915 PR-U, another airframe flown by Fl Lt Dundas.

 

Can I ask what you are doing about sqn codes?

 

Are you going Port PR o U then STBD PR o U as pers the video (only PR codes seen, no further letter) or would you go U o PR? Also Sqn codes over Serial or Serial over Sqn Codes?

 

Tim, going from this photo of another 609 machine I'm going with PR o T on the starboard for mine.  Still have found no photos of the actual airframe so it's just educated guessing for this one (hopefully a step up from a what-if!). 

 

Will drop in on your build in the forseeable to see what I can nick how you're getting on.

 

bd1.jpg

 

http://www.hampshireairfields.co.uk/handdaf/dorset/bd1.jpg

 

Here's a link to the website the photo came from too.

 

http://dorset.hampshireairfields.co.uk/warmpics.html

 

The jury is still out for serials.  I will apply them but no idea if over or under yet.  It really doesn't help us future modellers that they were either not applied or censored at the time!!!!

 

Have made some more progress, again in my very own, two forward three back style, but as I've spent the evening writing a Covid Risk Assessment for my Sunday League footy team, I'm all key-boarded out for now!

 

Stay safe you all.

 

Chris

 

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Re the serials, a good point - they were painted over early on in the BoB and pre-BoB.

 

Serials were applied when the aircraft was built, codes were applied at the Squadron, so these would be OVER the serial. It is rare to see a serial over a code letter.

 

I've never seen a BoB Spitfire with the serial over the code - I'd doubt they had time to do that as well.

 

PS - just noticed in the photo you posted you can just make out the serial (2") above the fin flash, so over painted on the fuselage.

 

Interesting pic - note also the gas panel on the tail plane

 

 

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On 9/13/2020 at 11:35 PM, Peter Roberts said:

Re the serials, a good point - they were painted over early on in the BoB and pre-BoB.

 

Serials were applied when the aircraft was built, codes were applied at the Squadron, so these would be OVER the serial. It is rare to see a serial over a code letter.

 

I've never seen a BoB Spitfire with the serial over the code - I'd doubt they had time to do that as well.

 

PS - just noticed in the photo you posted you can just make out the serial (2") above the fin flash, so over painted on the fuselage.

 

Interesting pic - note also the gas panel on the tail plane

 

 

Peter, I think I am going to add serials, I'm looking at 15th September and a trawl of other photos from around this dates show serials on the Spits from other Squadrons, and they are under the codes.  I do like the idea of the tiny tiny serial on the tail, but as I'm going to use Xtradecal individual letters and numbers I think doing 2" serials is beyond my ken!  I can find no photos of this airframe so let's just call it artistic licence.

 

Life's been getting in the way the last couple of weeks, with only a few tiny bits of progress.  However as Mrs FC is away at the M I Laws for the week I am pretty sure to get some bench time in (much more fun than the list of jobs I've been left to complete in her abscence!!), so should be cooking with gas by next weekend.

 

Anyways let's have a look at the piddly amount I have done......................

 

The exhausts started off with a coat of Tamiya Flat Aluminium.

 

DSC_0341

 

The cockpitty bits and the wheel hubs and other stuff got a bit of Tamiya Flat Aluminium at the same time....................

 

DSC_0343

 

I added some piping to the control column and the a dit of detail painting.....

 

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It looks far worse blown up on screen, or perhaps my Mk 1 eyeballs are just getting a bit fuzzy in my older age (I still play football in goal, but my Sunday side got proper spanked this morning 16-0, so perhaps the Keeper's Peepers don't quite work as well as they should, but that's another story!).  I've not got to the Roy Sutherland Future Wash stage yet, so once applied that should cut in those edges a bit more neatly.

 

I've used some Silicone to mould copies of some Cooper Details cockpit upgrades in order to produce home-brewed resin versions of the mechanical undercarriage selector and the Pipsqueak, and whilst at it I got carried away and also used the gun camera controls and the radio controls on the opposite fuselage wall.  Now this is where I'm going to get shot down as I've only gone and used the radio control unit for the TR1133 unit rather than the TR9 that should be fitted.  I know some BoB Spits had TR1133's, but not this one.  I will take it off in the next sitting I promise!

 

Can I ask the hive mind what the unit with the pipes diagonally running down the side of the seat is, that would fit in the place where I've put the TR1133 unit and sans pipes is included in the Eduard plastic?

 

DX2004111120cockpit20details20D45020001-

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/applications/core/interface/imageproxy/imageproxy.php?img=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/mausab28/DX2004111120cockpit20details20D45020001-C_zps147858e3.jpg&key=bcbe839fbd9de8c5e350705dfccfa19e382f2551525688e36adbeb11a9ff36a2

 

Anyways with a bit more detail painting here we are as of tonight.......

 

DSC_0349

 

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The exhausts got a drybrushing with Gunmetal and then Tamiya Red Brown (also used on the seat back over Humbrol Matt Leather), and just need some dark iron stuffed up their pipes and a wash and they're done. 

 

I've only gone and lost the morse key unit and the spare sight bulbs that I had primed, and if I can't successfully fight the Carpet Monster for them back then I may have to half-hinch the ones from the other kit in my boxing (which as an early hand-pumped undercarrige version will have them in the place that Eduard moulded them, rather than their revised postion after the fitting of the mechanical selector so will not need the extra ones kitted and not used in the box 's instructions. 

 

Anyways that's enough for tonight so until the next thrilling instalment take care out there.

 

Chris

 

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Well, slowly slowly catchee monkey or so they say (they also say "Can you get a bleeding move on!!!"), is my excuse for having done very little since the last update.

 

What exactly have we done I hear you ask.................................  (it's the voices I tell you!!!)...........

 

Well we gave everything a good Future wash (a few drops of black acrylic in some Johnsons Klear a la Roy Sutherland) to give the innards some depth and shadows and hopefully to neaten any edges.  Obviously this leaves stuff shiny (well you'd want your money back if it didn't I suppose), so some Windsor & Newton Flat Galleria bought it back to the required dullness!  Photos give it a semi-gloss look but with the Mk1 it looks flat enough.  The Instrument panel got made up and then added to the forward bulkhead bit.

 

The cockpit parts got assembled thus (not quite as per the destructions, but we're real modellers here eh?).....................

 

DSC_0353 DSC_0356 DSC_0357

 

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and a  quick peek at the other side for completeness, just in case you thought I couldn't be bothered to do it....................

 

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And then some PE seatbelts added..............

 

DSC_0363

 

Well I think that just about leaves me ready to button the fuselage up, always a good milestone in a build so until next time, keep 'em peeled!

 

Stay safe out there.

 

Chris

 

 

 

 

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Well, again a bit of glacial-speed progress but it sees the start of the fuselage buttoning up process.

 

Plenty of big red clamp action saw us get to here with the front end secure...............

 

DSC_0365

As you can see the wing upper skins for the wheelwells were pre-shaded, given some Tamiya Sky and Flat Aluminium, Future washed for shadows and depth and then a brush coat of Galleria Matt Varnish finished them off.  Again, ignoring the destructions like an Old Salt, I've added the wing tips at this stage to ensure a seamless joint on the most visable top surface.

 

Hopefully we can whizz along a bit in the coming week!

 

Anyways the cockpit looks like a cockpit now...........

DSC_0366 DSC_0369

 

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Not sure we'll get much progress tomorrow as I'm up in Clacton on Sea playing footy against another good side that's just come into the bottom division of our league as a new club.  Lets hope as a goalkeeper I can keep it to under double figures for the first time this season.  Here's hoping........

 

Until the next one, stay safe out there.


Chris

 

 

 

 

 

 

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On 10/4/2020 at 5:40 AM, Stew Dapple said:

That's good progress Chris. and good luck with the footy :) 

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

 

On 10/4/2020 at 11:15 PM, Peter Roberts said:

She's coming together really well Chris.  Nice going.

Thanks Stew and Peter.

 

Firstly the footy.  Well my team lost its first game of the season 15-0, the next week it was 16-0 so we were onto game week 3 of Division 3 of the Colchester Sunday Football League and after a Saturday where it had rained non-stop, one of the highlights (if not the only!) was the chance to wear full studs for the first time this season - real football!!  That's how few highlights there are to playing on an exposed windswept Clacton playing field in the pouring rain, early doors on a Sunday morning when the sane ones out there are snaffling their fry-ups or reading the Sunday papers in their nice warm beds with a steaming mug of tea and a comely wench beside them!

 

Did I mention the wind and the rain, well it was there in spadeloads.  Our servicemen will hit me with the "if it ain't raining, it ain't training" line, but my plan for this year's football was an easing into retirement, a gentle last couple of seasons before hanging up the boots and keeper's gloves and passing the baton onto a younger generation, so rain and wind near the Clacton seafront really wasn't top of the list of requirements!  Now over the summer my team had failed to gain entry to the Norfolk and Suffolk Veterans League as our home ground is 500 yards over the Suffolk/Essex border in Lawford.  This league is a lovely gentle league.  You play once every 2 or 3 weeks, kick offs are at 2pm and it's an over 35's competition.

 

As a result and to make sure we had some competitive football rather than just friendlies I joined us up to the Colchester Sunday League. Did you notice that the word veterans is missing from that league's name?  We're just beginning to notice!! 

 

Anyways to cut a long story short we turned out against a team that last year were the Under 18's side of a good Clacton club.   Now we didn't quite get as mashed as on weeks 1 & 2, but we still couldn't keep it under double figures as we lost 11-1 this time.  Whoooooooa, hold the horses, shut the front door, did you spot that, yes we got a One!!!!  The celebration for our first goal of the season at about 8-0 down was a thing of beauty, and all these teenagers just thought we were barking!!!

 

Well 90 minutes of rain-bathing by the seaside did my old bones no good at all and come Monday night I was full of snotting, sneezing, coughing sore throats, so a couple of days bed rest (except to nip up to Ipswich for a COVID Test to rule that out) was in order and has now got me almost back on an even keel.

 

Well I don't usually let colds stop me in my tracks, but this franchise from the ManFlu Corporation knew its stuff and knocked me sideways.  Concentration was the hardest thing, hey what's that Daddy Long Legs doing over there, oh I'll go put the kettle on, the Chase is just starting!!!!!

 

So in short bursts I got a fair bit of progress done, which is quite important as the GB clock is now ticking quite loudly (and everything seemed loud come to that!)!

 

We'd got to buttoning up the fuselage, however a dry fit showed gaps at the wing roots so a sprue spreader was added just forward of the cockpit which cured that problem.

 

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Happy with that, TET (with the obligatory @Procopius "PC Gluey ThumbprintTM" as my sickboy mistake) was slathered on to join firstly the wing uppers to the fuselage, then the onepiece bottom halves added when dry.  In retrospect I think I just made it harder for myself doing this, especially the mucking fuddle I was getting myself in just by being in clip!   I realise I underestimated the quality of the fit (even with the spreader bar being required), so apologies to Mr Eduard for doubting you!  When I make the earlier version from my double boxing I may actually listen to Mr Eduard and follow the destructions to the letter!

 

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As you can see I still had a fair bit of tidying up to do on the fuselage wing join so I am calling that an Own Goal!!!

 

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The primer went on well, but showed a few flaws, especially across the nose and the rear wings to underside joint.

 

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PPP galloped to our rescue, and some filling and resanding later we have....

 

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This lead us gently on to the Modelling Marmite stage of the build where I pre-shaded the panel lines with Tamiya NATO Black.

 

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The Painting by Numbers started on the undersides using Tamiya Sky...............

 

DSC_0396

The sharp eyed will note that whilst the Starboard wing has only had it's first coat of well thinned Sky, the Port one (confusingly on the right as we're upside down in more ways than one!) has had it's second coat and this serves as a good illustration of the results at each of the stages the basic pre-shading technique gives.

 

Coat 1 ......

DSC_0399

 

Coat 2 .....

 

DSC_0397

 

Now my gut feel is that a third coat will be sufficient before we get onto some post shading with some lightened and greyed Sky.

 

Well, that's as far as I've got.  The body is still Man-Flued, not quite to the eyeballs like Wednesday and Thursday, but recovering nicely.  Unfortunately we have a Cup game on Sunday (or as my team will call it "The" Cup Game - if you ask my team about what happens in Round 2 of a Cup competition you'll get some blank looks for sure!) so I feel we may just be going into a Snot, Sneeze, Recover, Football, Repeat cycle.  Still I love it!!!

 

So until I break out the Tamiya Sky for the next thrilling episode, stay safe out there.

 

Chris 

 

 

 

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Sorry to hear the fitba' not going so well Chris, but so long as you are (more or less) enjoying yourself I suppose it's not terribly important who wins, at least keep telling yourself that :D 

 

Glad you didn't have the lurgy either, I was in a similar position this week but my test result came back and apparently I'm going to... live. Which is nice, I obviously just have a regular cough which I can now return to work with and inflict on my colleagues. Hope you're fully recovered in time for the next game :) 

 

The Spitfire's coming along nicely - still got three weeks to go today, so you should have plenty of time if you continue at your current rate.

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

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looking good - just realised that you also live in Coly as I do, you are ex Army (is that a Green Jackets badge?) as I am (ex Para Reg) oh and a goalie - well I am well past that (I used to referee on the Football League after playing)  but my 14 year old plays in goal for AFC Sudbury U15s in the EJA...small world!!

 

You're interior skills are great, put mine to shame....Looks a great build with some nice shading as well.

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On 10/10/2020 at 1:59 AM, Peter Roberts said:

SWEET!

 

Football? Oh, you mean that game we call Soccer. :) Gotta get you into Aussie Rules. In the meantime, a good cup of Bovril?

 

Oh yeah, and nice progress there too! You'll ace that deadline.

In the early 80's the UK got a new telly channel to take us up to a whopping great total of 4, and in the super imaginative British way it was named Channel 4!  Now Channel 4 loved all things Aussie, so we got the Paul Hogan Show and we got Aussie Rules and I loved it.  Having the surname of Cawthorne I had to support Hawthorne didn't I? Being a rugby lad at the time (pre-broken neck days you see!) I loved the extra level of brutality that Aussie Rules bought to the table.  Must start watching it again now we have a gazillion channels, one must show it!!!

 

Thanks for the kind words too Peter.

 

On 10/10/2020 at 4:31 AM, Stew Dapple said:

Sorry to hear the fitba' not going so well Chris, but so long as you are (more or less) enjoying yourself I suppose it's not terribly important who wins, at least keep telling yourself that :D 

 

Glad you didn't have the lurgy either, I was in a similar position this week but my test result came back and apparently I'm going to... live. Which is nice, I obviously just have a regular cough which I can now return to work with and inflict on my colleagues. Hope you're fully recovered in time for the next game :) 

 

The Spitfire's coming along nicely - still got three weeks to go today, so you should have plenty of time if you continue at your current rate.

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

 

I've got a much younger Glaswegian brother so his fitba' is of a far higher standard than mine to balance the football world out, however this old bugger loves his run out at the weekend.  Win or lose we're on the booze is our club motto!!!

 

Still got the cough a good week and a bit later though so beginning to think I might have preferred the Covid looking at how quick Trump got over it!

 

Again thanks for the kind words Stew.

 

11 hours ago, Tim Moff said:

looking good - just realised that you also live in Coly as I do, you are ex Army (is that a Green Jackets badge?) as I am (ex Para Reg) oh and a goalie - well I am well past that (I used to referee on the Football League after playing)  but my 14 year old plays in goal for AFC Sudbury U15s in the EJA...small world!!

 

You're interior skills are great, put mine to shame....Looks a great build with some nice shading as well.

Thanks Tim, and yes was a Falling Plate for 12 years, however despite my best intentions they were all TA years.  I am very short sighted yet my only ambition in life as a youngster was to join the forces.  After Sixth Form I tried to join the Queens but was repeatedly advised that as my prescription was the wrong side of the then limit I should re-badge to a Corps or join the TA to get in via the back door if I was to become a Regular Soldier.  I therefore joined the TA Royal Green Jackets at Mile End, East London as I wanted to be a warrior and got a job in financial services to tread water until I could get in.  At that time having your eyes lasered was an MDable condition, but was soon allowed but by that time my job had advanced far further than a Squaddies salary and I was loving the TA/work balance so much that I was content to be a weekend warrior.  Unfortunately having a goodish job played against me for deployments as my unemployed platoon mates got the Bosnia, Falklands and Iraq deployments which as they weren't a full call-up would have meant my civvy job would not have been kept open for me if I went on one.  In hindsight I should have taken the advice to join a Corps though!!!

 

I've played up at Sudbury against some of their lower adult teams in the past, so yes small world.  How long ago did you hang up your whistle and what leagues did you officiate in?  Is your lad doing well there?

 

Lastly what Battalion were you and when did you get out?  Got lots of Para Reg mates, and I go to their boxing regularly, so could remind you to some of the old sweats!  And if I hear "if you can't hack it, be a Jacket" one more time!!!

 

Anyways on to the Spitty.

 

The cough/cold has been a real pig again this week.  OK against Doctors Mrs FC's advice I did play footy on Sunday, getting Man of the Match from my side for making numerous one on one saves and saving a penalty in an 8-0 defeat in the Essex Junior cup.  It was kill or cure and I can advise that the cure bit wasn't particularly successful!!  However it was less than double figures so again the team's heading in the right direction!

 

Back on track Chris!!!!!   The Spit's underside got a third coat of Tamiya sky and then a bit of post-shading with some lightened Sky to break up the solid colour.

 

DSC_0405 DSC_0407

 

I do need to improve my photographic skills as the modulation is quite visible to the Mk1 Naked Eye.

 

The underside got masked off, then using the paper masks available here, I applied an edge around the mask to give me an area to colour in like a good boy!  I am lucky to have a laser engraver at work that allows me to cut these out cleanly and accurately.

 

DSC_0408 DSC_0411 DSC_0412 DSC_0413 DSC_0415 DSC_0416

 

Using these outlines a couple of coats of Tamiya Flat Earth was my close enough call for RAF Dark Earth.  I did firstly try to use Frisket film rather than normal paper, however I've had the film for some time so it had lost it's tacky so was no good.  I will get some more film as the last time I used it a few years back it done real good!!!! 

 

DSC_0417 DSC_0418

 

In the final picture some lightened Flat Earth (by the scientific method of just adding a couple of drops of Tamiya Sky Grey per coat until it becomes too much of a contrast) has been mottled onto the panels.

 

The keen eyed will pick up that my colouring went outside the lines on the port tailplane!!

 

We're ready now to mask up again and start the process for the green.

 

Anyways until the next time keep staying safe out there.

 

Chris 

 

Edited by Fatcawthorne
Stupidity & Spling
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That is looking great Chris! I like the innovative method of attaching those masks, very clever.

 

We are into finals with the AFL now, so some great games being played out. There are only two weeks left in a very COVID strange AFL season - shortened games being played in only a couple of States where COVID numbers have been low or non-existent. It may have helped some teams with home ground advantage. Sadly the Hawks missed out this year. On a side note, I nearly played for the Hawks many moons ago. I was invited to train with them, had one run but mum and dad weren't too keen on me pursuing that route so it pretty much ended there. May have been a good thing. Good luck with the rugby, and watch that neck! 

Edited by Peter Roberts
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Interesting stuff, especially the masks, scores of modellers are now no doubt thinking "What is a laser engraver and how do I go about getting one..." :D 

 

Hope the cough is clearing up. I'm still making people at work jump out of their skin with mine :) 

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

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On 10/15/2020 at 10:08 PM, Peter Roberts said:

That is looking great Chris! I like the innovative method of attaching those masks, very clever.

 

We are into finals with the AFL now, so some great games being played out. There are only two weeks left in a very COVID strange AFL season - shortened games being played in only a couple of States where COVID numbers have been low or non-existent. It may have helped some teams with home ground advantage. Sadly the Hawks missed out this year. On a side note, I nearly played for the Hawks many moons ago. I was invited to train with them, had one run but mum and dad weren't too keen on me pursuing that route so it pretty much ended there. May have been a good thing. Good luck with the rugby, and watch that neck! 

Mate very jealous that you got to play the game let alone at a very high standard.  For a 6 foot bloke I inherited my Dad's side of the family's short legs (my inside leg is 28" and his is 26!!), so whist I have legs like proverbial tree trunks (great for my style of football tackles)  they don't cover much ground in a stride so whilst I'm sure I had talents I could never back them up with sufficient speed!!!

 

Perhaps as @Tim Moff has noticed my RGJ associations that this was a Godsend when marching at 140 beats to the minute rather than the rest of the army's tick-tock pace!!!

 

 

 

On 10/16/2020 at 3:17 AM, Stew Dapple said:

Interesting stuff, especially the masks, scores of modellers are now no doubt thinking "What is a laser engraver and how do I go about getting one..." :D 

 

Hope the cough is clearing up. I'm still making people at work jump out of their skin with mine :) 

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

 

I wish the cough was sorting itself Stew, going to speak to the medicos tomorrow as the lungs are feeling good and frothy and I think I finally need some antibiotics!  Thanks for the kind thoughts though.

 

Anyways a tiny bit of progress again, This time I soaked the masks in water so as they conformed as best as paper can to the beautifully subtle curves of the Spitty.

 

DSC_0419

 

 

Then a first coat of thinned Tamiya RAF Green.

 

DSC_0420 DSC_0421

 

 

And as I'm in clip, I'm going to light a fire and settle down to watch my football team Spurs take on the mighty Hammers and spend the rest of Sunday trying to feel better for work tomorrow!

 

So until next time, stay safe out there.

 

Chris

 

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3 hours ago, Fatcawthorne said:

I'm going to light a fire and settle down to watch my football team Spurs take on the mighty Hammers


Maybe the most “Tottenham” game of all time, eh?
 

Spit coming along nicely BTW.

 

 

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8 hours ago, Sidders said:

Maybe the most “Tottenham” game of all time, eh?

 

And unfortunately with one of the most "Tottenham" results of all time :) Never mind Chris. Hope your Sunday perked you up sufficiently for work.

 

Spitfire's looking great, by the way :) 

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

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On 10/18/2020 at 7:05 PM, Sidders said:


Maybe the most “Tottenham” game of all time, eh?
 

Spit coming along nicely BTW.

 

 

Thanks Sidders, you're not wrong about the footy, being an East Londoner most of my old mates are "Happy Hammers".  Christ I'm so glad I didn't make any cocky half-time phone calls!!!!  The only upside of having a sore throat eh!?

 

As an aside I only found out recently that Mathews CC the cricket club I played for/have been involved with for the best part of 30 years was named as an anagram of West Ham!!

 

On 10/19/2020 at 3:56 AM, Stew Dapple said:

 

And unfortunately with one of the most "Tottenham" results of all time :) Never mind Chris. Hope your Sunday perked you up sufficiently for work.

 

Spitfire's looking great, by the way :) 

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

Thanks Stew, again not wrong.  As a kid I've left White Hart Lane at 1-0 up with 5 minutes to go as my Dad wished to miss the traffic, only to see we lost 2-1 more times than I'd care to remember.

 

It's something when as a long-term fan knowing that a 3-0 lead is never enough!

 

Cheers for the kind words and kind wishes.

 

On 10/18/2020 at 9:12 PM, Peter Roberts said:

Great idea to soak the masks - she's looking great.

 

The bright side of being crook is time for modelling! :) 

Cheers for that Peter.  Up here for thinking. down there for dancing eh (especially as Strictly is on in the UK at the moment, hence why I'm on the Laptop!)?

 

Ah we can start with being crook.

 

OK a call to the doctors on Monday morning got some antibiotics as although it'd do nothing for the cough and sore throat, it has sorted out my very frothy lungs after a full course.  Early in the week I was still too poorly to do much, but we did pick up the "get to the end of the GB with a finished model" pace as the week went on.

 

We started with another coat of RAF Dark Green or two with some lightened and greyened thinner coats of the same for some variation.

 

DSC_0422 DSC_0423 DSC_0424 DSC_0425

 

And then with a flick of the feather boa we whipped of our skiddies...................

 

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OK there were a couple of touch ups needed where the masks were that bit too close to the demarcation lines, but were easily sorted.  The clear parts were dipped in Future and left to dry thoroughly.  They were then masked with Tamiya tape and a new 10A SM scalpel blade, yes of course I forgot there were masks in this boxing!!! 

 

After this they were CA gelled to the fuselage.  While the transparancies were drying the airframe got a few coats of future too.

 

DSC_0429 DSC_0430

 

The canopy rear got a coat of Flat Aluminium to match the airframe innards, and the windscreen a coat of my homebrewed Supermarine IG,

 

DSC_0431

 

Then this was coated with some more RAF DG, some more Future and now we have a shiny Spit ready for some stickers!!!

 

DSC_0432

 

Well that's where we are now.  I'm sorting some resin casting now for @WV908 as he's building what appears to be my Spitfire back catalogue and being a clumsy oaf who expects to ruin most of the resin parts he uses, I tend to make a copy latex mould of quite a few bits that I think I may use again or screw up!!!

 

Well I'm not 100% but it's footy again tomorrow.  The super news is that I know the opposition's manager quite well as I've been making trophies for his team for the last 8 or so years.  Unfortunately the first year I made them they were Under 11's so that means at 1030 tomorrow we kick off against a bunch of 18 year olds - whoopee doo!!  I think the extra hour in bed as the 'clocks go back' tonight will be mighty welcome!!! (good job I'm not a Spoonerist Dyslexic as my apendages could end up very bruised and sore from that misunderstanding!!)

 

So until the next and hopefully almost completed update, stay safe out there.

 

Chris

 

 

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