Mjwomack Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 A week into the GB and I've finished deliberating about which of my numerous fails will get another chance. What I really need is a KUTA of KUTA GB😬. I've dragged out the Matchbox Spitfire First started in the &5th anniversary GB and being in memory of my Dad it's a long overdue commemoration. AND it was a Christmas present from my children many years ago, so that should add up to KUTA enough and this time I'm really going to do it! Be that as it may, my resolve is flagging already; I'd forgotten just how much of a child of its time the moulds are- at least the sink marks on the bottom of the fuselage are symmetrical. So, it's going to be a very basic out of the box build as the many defects in this kit are listed elsewhere and there's better modellers than me spent a lot of time to correct those. Next is the inevitable head-scratching trying to work out what I'd done and why and just how much of it was necessary! As dad was a mechanic rather than a pilot I'll probably leave all the hatches etc open to show what he worked with plus it'll save the problem later of how many of those same hatches don't fit. Per ardu ad astra, I'm going to do it!! 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted November 16, 2020 Share Posted November 16, 2020 On 11/14/2020 at 12:57 PM, Mjwomack said: I'd forgotten just how much of a child of its time the moulds are- at least the sink marks on the bottom of the fuselage are symmetrical. So, it's going to be a very basic out of the box build as the many defects in this kit are listed elsewhere and there's better modellers than me spent a lot of time to correct those. forget all the inaccuracies and build it as it was intended As a younger me, I had one of these on the top of the bookcase - unpainted but with all the gun covers removeable (I even found one of them last year) and the engine cowling could be lifted to show an engine. The size alone makes it still an impressive hunk of plastic that still manages to look like a late mark Spit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjwomack Posted November 19, 2020 Author Share Posted November 19, 2020 On 11/16/2020 at 9:59 PM, alt-92 said: forget all the inaccuracies and build it as it was intended As a younger me, I had one of these on the top of the bookcase - unpainted but with all the gun covers removeable (I even found one of them last year) and the engine cowling could be lifted to show an engine. The size alone makes it still an impressive hunk of plastic that still manages to look like a late mark Spit. It certainly is a mahussive lump of plastic- it's intended to replace my Airfix 1:48 one which is now 20 years old and badly faded. I'd not really taken on board how much bigger it is though! There is 'progress', that is to say that all the bits that had fallen off have now been refixed and some paint splashed around. My, some of the parts are so lacking in definition that if I'd lost them. I could have cut replacements straight out of plastikard. You're right about the numerous hatches though, even if the fit looks like its going to be a case of 'fits where it touches'. None of those tidy Tamiya magnets like on the mustang build that also going on. I'm quite sure that one part of the instructions seems to be saying fit in place with making tape!!! I think the weekend will see wine in me and filler in the numerous joins, I just wonder which I'll run out of first🤪 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjwomack Posted November 22, 2020 Author Share Posted November 22, 2020 Writing kit instructions must be a thankless task, always being ignored either by children who just want to slap it together and get the decals on, or by 'adults' who know better in any case! But these instructions are something else... time to fit the tailwheel and glue the fuselage together, so where does the tail wheel go? Yes, I'm fine with the general arrangement of 'at the tail' but I was hoping for more of a clue about locating lugs etc. Well, here goes! And looking ahead to all those hatches around the engine, (because I am going to get that far one day), what does this mean... That really does seem to be a symbol for use a roll of sellotape and polyfilla but I can't find them listed in the icons in the general instructions, not do the little 'nuts' with no part number seem to be connected to anything in particular, though reassuringly I have found them on the sprues. But it's better than watching I'm a celebrity 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted November 23, 2020 Share Posted November 23, 2020 Hi, have you thought of using a Tarot reader? I know a good one in London... At the end of the day, I am sure that an old salt like you can ad-lib the instructions! A bit like a jazz session... Let your hair down and glue!!!! Don't inhale too many fumes along the way! Good luck with the big baby! JR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjwomack Posted November 24, 2020 Author Share Posted November 24, 2020 15 hours ago, jean said: Hi, have you thought of using a Tarot reader? I know a good one in London... At the end of the day, I am sure that an old salt like you can ad-lib the instructions! A bit like a jazz session... Let your hair down and glue!!!! Don't inhale too many fumes along the way! Good luck with the big baby! JR 🤣Let your hair down and glue- it's certainly how I used to make them; too much angst goes into my model making nowadays, or maybe I miss the fumes! It's a big baby for me as I usually potter along in 1:144, but nothing compared to @Back in the Saddle's monster Harrier. I mean it's not like I've got to throw the kitchen sink at it. Indeed I did put the tail wheel on in a bit of a jazz session approach, but it looks about right and I'll never know if those blobs were locating lugs of just lumps because it's all battened down now. To my surprise (praise where praise is due), the fuselage seam is a really good fit. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back in the Saddle Posted November 24, 2020 Share Posted November 24, 2020 7 minutes ago, Mjwomack said: but nothing compared to @Back in the Saddle's monster Harrier. I really must get stuck into that one...! Like you, my KUTA needs a KUTA! Nice work on the Spitfire.👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjwomack Posted November 24, 2020 Author Share Posted November 24, 2020 30 minutes ago, Back in the Saddle said: I really must get stuck into that one...! Like you, my KUTA needs a KUTA! Nice work on the Spitfire.👍 'My KUTA needs a KUTA, one year there needs to be a KUTA of KUTAs!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjwomack Posted December 12, 2020 Author Share Posted December 12, 2020 First and foremost, local hobby shop has re-opened😍 Brilliant service from Model Junction in Bury St Edmunds🤩 and so I'm (re)stoked with paints and my mojo is fully engaged. Did you know that local model shops always have mojo in stock? Just as well about paint and mojo because after all my glowing comments about the fit of the fuselage, I've moved onto the wing assembly This is after two rounds of fill, spray, sand and I think there's a couple more yet as I work forward. The front of the main wing is particularly vexing, which is why I started at the rear. It just hangs there with no horizontal hold (like a television of the same vintage). I'm hoping that building up the wing and fixing to the fuselage might solve that. I certainly learnt everything about the emotion of a Spitfire from my dad, and as this is a model of a plane he worked on that will see me through; but my limited knowledge of the mechanics of them came from Airfix (other Spitfires are available), so I'm pretty sure these holes isn't meant to be there... Be that as maybe, It'll be some filler for the rudder, but that hole at the bottom is going to be ingored. In the words of Freddie Mercury, 'Don't stop me, I'm having such a good time'...or I don't want to squander my new found mojo on things like that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjwomack Posted December 26, 2020 Author Share Posted December 26, 2020 I have nothing but awe for the speed merchants of the Blistzenbuild, but would be way out of my depth at that rate of progress. So, over in the snail area, I've got as far as putting the wings on. Optimsitically the instructions say that 4 clothes pegs will do the job! After a huge fight, and a lot more clamps than clothes pegs, it's up to slapping on a ton of filler to, well err hide the cracks! Generally this kit doesn't have enough locating lugs and this is certainly the case for getting the wings together; it all rather fits where it touches! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjwomack Posted January 4, 2021 Author Share Posted January 4, 2021 Never in the field of aircraft modelling had one model consumed so much filler😒. Still plugging away at it, but I tell myself that I'm making progress. I'm back to smaller scales after this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Collin Posted January 4, 2021 Share Posted January 4, 2021 Kudo's to you for continuing on. This kit has defeated me twice. It's a terrific subject...even more in 1/32. Cheers Collin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjwomack Posted January 22, 2021 Author Share Posted January 22, 2021 It might yet defeat me again! It's back in destructive pressure to the sphericals mode😬 . I spend all my time sanding and filling. Then when I return from a few days later from a work-break, the seams have split, or something wierd like that and it's start again. Lesson learnt- I should have put some masti-strip along the seams (like for a vac-form) to make up for the inadequacy of the locating pins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjwomack Posted February 7, 2021 Author Share Posted February 7, 2021 On 1/4/2021 at 9:38 PM, Collin said: Kudo's to you for continuing on. This kit has defeated me twice. It's a terrific subject...even more in 1/32. Cheers Collin It's beaten me again! I won't be over the finishing line today. But I've made more progress this time than ever before and can start to imagine a time when it might be finished Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Tura Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 On 11/14/2020 at 11:57 AM, Mjwomack said: A week into the GB and I've finished deliberating about which of my numerous fails will get another chance. What I really need is a KUTA of KUTA GB😬. I I feel your pain. The KUTA of KUTA is a genius idea. We should start a pressure-group. Alan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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