282 - Een belgische Spitfire / un Spitfire belge ** FINISHED **

[TonyOD]

What is this?

 

It appears to be a hair from our Jack Russell Terrier, found in the cockpit of my Spitfire. 🤨

 

[TonyOD]

Just the sticky-outy bits to get on now and we're done. With each build I'm trying to up my game a bit and each time as my confidence grows I'll try new things, this time a bit of something with panel lines, some weathering and a go at exhaust staining. Ironically I think I may have overweathered it a bit, after all in 1946 350 Squadron's Mk XVIs were peacetime planes that were not just new but no doubt very well maintained, they wouldn't have looked like they had been sitting on a carrier deck in the Med in between aerial scraps for six months, but there we are. This close up it's a bit 😬 but it passes the three feet test, I'm reasonably pleased with it.

 

[Bjorn]

Nice to see in these odd markings! I recently wanted to build this individual in 1/48 (Eduard's kit), but failed to find the decal sheet, it seemed to be sold out everywhere. So mine went French instead. 

[TonyOD]

1 hour ago, Bjorn said:

Nice to see in these odd markings! I recently wanted to build this individual in 1/48 (Eduard's kit), but failed to find the decal sheet, it seemed to be sold out everywhere. So mine went French instead. 

 

I read up on 350's history, still going strong with F-16s and evidently very proud of their wartime roots in the RAF. All their XVIs, including this one, were apparently returned to the RAF by spring 1948 and they finished up with XIVs before converting jets with the Gloster Meteor in 1949. The markings are certainly very striking.

[fightersweep]

Looking good Tony! Do like a Mk XVIe having worked around one for a few years, and this one is looking great in the Belgian markings. Nice paint job too.

 

Pet hair in the cockpit? Has a certain Jack Russell been trying his hand a being a pilot on the quiet?

[lunarhighway]

Anyone looking to do wartime and post war 350 squadron spits might have a look at this:

 

http://www.syhartdecal.fr/references.php?lang=ENG&ref=Syhart 908&page=description

 

I've used these on a few projects, and you can get at least 3 kits out of and it spans the major spitfire fighter variants.

 

interestingly AZ models had a mk IX high back with the same markings (pictures of both aircraft exist). something to do with xvi's being swapped for IX on account of the American build engines (i don't rectal if this was for practical or bureaucratic reasons.

 

 

After the war Belgium had XI and XIV spits as fighters and later as trainers which where and attractive silver with yellow stripes and black anti glare. later on they where again camouflaged in standard NATO colours of the time which was again green and grey.

 

That being said, looking forward to seeing her complete!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TonyOD]

1 hour ago, lunarhighway said:

Anyone looking to do wartime and post war 350 squadron spits might have a look at this:

 

http://www.syhartdecal.fr/references.php?lang=ENG&ref=Syhart 908&page=description

 

Oooh I feel a bit of a project coming on. Syhart also do a sheet of 50s/60s 350 squadron jets...

 

http://www.syhartdecal.fr/references.php?lang=ENG&page=galerie&ref=Syhart 904&numero_ref=904&nom_fichier=real&extension=jpg

 

...as well as the rather nice 75th Anniversary F-16 with a commemorative "Mike November" paint job (RAF roundels port, Belgian starboard).

 

http://www.syhartdecal.fr/references.php?lang=ENG&page=galerie&ref=Syhart 904&numero_ref=904&nom_fichier=real&extension=jpg 

 

2 hours ago, fightersweep said:

Has a certain Jack Russell been trying his hand a being a pilot on the quiet?

 

Who knows? Poppy (for this Jack is a she) is a dog of many talents.

 

 

[TonyOD]

With the end in sight, this.

 

Schoolboy error. Used little strips of Tamiya tape to mask for the wing tip lights, put one on the decal, tore a quarter of it off on removal. Managed to retrieve some of it, but will require a touch up.

 

Several quid in the swear box 🤬🤬🤬

 

Edited February 4, 2021 by TonyOD

[TonyOD]

Well, that wraps up my third and final build for the GB. Bit of a "fell at the final fence" affair, what with the roundel mishap (inexpertly touched up) and the usual hell of adhesive and swearing that comes with a tiny. tiny landing gear. Plus I managed to slightly open a wing root seam just as i was sticking on the last bits. Still, overall it doesn't look too bad. I'll have a crack at some galler pics tomorrow. Cheers!

 

Edited February 5, 2021 by TonyOD

[fightersweep]

Nice one Tony. Your Spitty looks great, especially in those colours and markings. Nice work! I know what you mean about the undercarriage. One thing I've rediscovered in this GB is that Heller's undertrollies seem far more fiddly and vague than most other manufacturer's kits. They don't like locating pins either!

 

Steve 

[TonyOD]

8 hours ago, fightersweep said:

One thing I've rediscovered in this GB is that Heller's undertrollies seem far more fiddly and vague than most other manufacturer's kits

 

With a bit of patience and strategic thinking I could probably have found a way to make it easier for myself but it's aways the same at this last stage of the build, I want to get the darn thing done.

Edited February 6, 2021 by TonyOD

[lunarhighway]

That's a very nice model! Well done, and a very cool representation of what is perhaps the prettiest spitfire variant.

[TonyOD]

Gallery pics are here:

 

 

[Johnson]

Really nice to see a Spit in different markings! Great to see her in the Gallery, the underwing roundel looks fine now.

[JOCKNEY]

Congratulations Tony

Not a kit I've built before but, having seen yours, that will soon change  !

Really great to see this in Belgian markings making it all the more unusual and special. 

Cheers Pat 

[TonyOD]

She is now no longer Belgian!

 

[fightersweep]

Crikey! Why the change of plan?

[TonyOD]

On 3/11/2021 at 3:59 PM, fightersweep said:

Crikey! Why the change of plan?

Sorry Steve, I missed this. I've had some (mis)adventures in weathering the last few months and I've pretty much decided it's not for me, I haven't the time, the patience or the skills, I just want my builds to look reasonably smart and tidy. I put an oil wash in this one and something happened between it and the Klear coat, made the whole thing look drastically overweathered, I wasn't really happy with it. I want a nice little Spit in the cabinet but also for it to be consistent in build style with my other stuff. So it's in the process of rejoining the RAF!