224 Peter Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 I acquired the PM Model Spitfire Floatplane kit and planned to build it. That decision didn't survive the first hour... the kit is crude and lacks any detail, it also looks undersized when compared to a completed 1/72 scale Spitfire in my collection. My first thought was to use the new Airfix Vc as a basis, then looking at my books I realised that the only Mk IX version, MJ892, might be more interesting. I will use the floats and rudder / under fin from the PM kit, the rest will be the Airfix Mk IX. Colours will be standard grey/green as the aircraft flew in 1944, but the question is the undersurface. There are few photos, but IWM HU 1675 shows the aircraft clearly with a yellow P in a circle between roundel and tailplane, and the tone of the P matches the underside colour on the lower fuselage. So I'm going for Yellow.... More as it happens... 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 Sounds interesting, good luck with the kitbash. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted June 23, 2022 Share Posted June 23, 2022 It's a floatplane, crack on. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
224 Peter Posted June 24, 2022 Author Share Posted June 24, 2022 (edited) Unable to find the old Airfix Spitfire IX I've purchased the new Spitfire Vb... what a kit! Im looking forward to making this, the amount of cockpit detail that Airfix has managed to include is amazing! There were a number built... Thread title changed! Edited June 24, 2022 by 224 Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
224 Peter Posted June 25, 2022 Author Share Posted June 25, 2022 Here we have the key parts of the Airfix Kit, blue grey and PM Models Kit, darker grey..... The level of detail on the Airfix kit is simply unbelievable, the cockpit is detailed with a mix of moulded in details and a finely detailed tub, the first time I've needed magnifying glasses to assemble a seat, armour and controls. Overall I'm very impressed. Externally the PM kit has raised surface detail, the Airfix one us a mix of recessed and raised. It is interesting that the airfix kit has a larger cannon blister than the PM one, I'm not sure which is correct. I recall that the cannon were modified to allow aless draggy blister, but which is correct? More on this stunning little kit as it evolves. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
224 Peter Posted July 6, 2022 Author Share Posted July 6, 2022 (edited) A few weeks later.... W3760 is on her legs...but the wing isn't glued to the body....yet. The journey was interesting.. The PM kit floats and 4 blade prop are the only parts I have used, the under fin fairing from PM was far, far too thin, thick so 20thou plasticard it was, plus of course, filler and sanding, there is more to do. The PM kit was delightfully vague about fixing the floats to the wing, but first I had to fill the wheel wells. That done a short metal pin was epoxied into the wing and the floats super-glued on. It all looks just about right. I now have a decision. W3760 started out with a Vc tropical type air intake and no guns. She was later modified to have 2 x 20mm in the outboard position, a standard IX type nose with long air intake and an upper fin extension. So do I take her to the final form or the initial form? It would mean more scratch building and filler, both the tail and the nose. Edited July 6, 2022 by 224 Peter Correction 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted July 6, 2022 Share Posted July 6, 2022 Looking good, great to see it up on it's floats are you using the new Airfix Vc kit for this? It will be interesting to see which ever form you decide on . Great work Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted July 6, 2022 Share Posted July 6, 2022 That is looking good Peter, I've long had doubts about the PM floats, to me they seem a bit too long in the front & too short in the tail, moving them rearwards puts the step in the wrong place though, yours don't look too bad though, maybe I'm over thinking this. Here is a link to a good photo to see what you think. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
224 Peter Posted July 7, 2022 Author Share Posted July 7, 2022 @Chris.. yes, it is the new Vc, really excellent kit! @Steve... thanks for that...I need to move the floats about 2mm forward. Then I'll take photo from the side to compare.... Peter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted July 7, 2022 Share Posted July 7, 2022 59 minutes ago, 224 Peter said: @Chris.. yes, it is the new Vc, really excellent kit! @Steve... thanks for that...I need to move the floats about 2mm forward. Then I'll take photo from the side to compare.... Peter That depends in relation to what. If the step then you're about right but that will give you even longer front ends which are already too long, moving the floats rearward about 4mm will put them in the right place but put your step too far back. It will look better ignoring the step I think. I know all this because I dug some kits out & measured them this afternoon. Have a look at this somewhat waffley thread. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
224 Peter Posted July 7, 2022 Author Share Posted July 7, 2022 There is only one photo of MJ 892 that I've found, taken by Vickers in the summer of 1944 Clearly the Mk IX nose is longer which would make the floats look shorter. Alfred Price, in his book, says the LF Mk IX was converted back to a standard Mk IX but in the Spitfire Production lists on various websites there is no mention of the Airframe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
224 Peter Posted July 7, 2022 Author Share Posted July 7, 2022 This is the IWM photo, Reference HU 1669, showing a Spitfire floatplane in excellent side view. BUT no no serial is visible. It seems to be a Vb, with no guns and under fin extension, so probably W3670. The step in the float is slightly forward of the rear edge of the float pylon. Note also the normal nose, not the tropical one in the Vb kit. I removed one float from the pylon and refitted it but slightly too far forward: So I think i have to reposition it. The difference from the kit position is significant, as this overhead shows. Thoughts, comments welcome! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted July 8, 2022 Share Posted July 8, 2022 A little hard to tell from your photos Peter, I would be guided by the relationship between the position of the propeller disc to the floats, going by that photo, which I would be sure is W3760, it can be no other I think, you would be looking for a position very slightly behind the halfway mark from the floats nose to the pylon. I can't locate my copies of the Scale Models articles with the drawings in, which I believe the Brengun kits were based on, otherwise I could be more exact. Sorry. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted July 8, 2022 Share Posted July 8, 2022 Umm, I hate to bring this up now, but the Mk.Vs on floats were Vbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
224 Peter Posted July 17, 2022 Author Share Posted July 17, 2022 Yes, it is a Vb, but with guns removed and altered carburettor intake the external differences are small. U/S painted yellow (Humbrol trainer yellow does not cover well...3 coats over white primer!), Ocean Grey above done as well and then dark green tomorrow. It is going to be a neat little thing: I've never built a float plane before 😃 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallBlondJohn Posted July 17, 2022 Share Posted July 17, 2022 Hmmm, there must be something in the water this month for seaplane spitfires - Ed Nash posted this history on YT: I have the Brengun boxing in the stash, I think its based on an Eduard Spit. As this is confession time: I've never built a Spitfire before! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
224 Peter Posted July 21, 2022 Author Share Posted July 21, 2022 Interesting video: clearly the aircraft "evolved" through the project, particularly fin shape and carburettor intake shape and length, so any model has to be based on a photograph. I'm working on the IWM photo shown a few posts back. Here we are, painted, glossed and ready for transfers. I'd not realised that "Trainer Yellow" was quite such a strong colour! The green is Humbrol 163, the "New" #30 hass a strange blue/green tint and is somehow wrong. I have a Spitfire build from the 40+ year old (Frog??) kit, when it was released with a V1 and painted with the available paints of the time. It looks just like the above. My brush painting skills have not improved. Transfers and matt varnish next. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodmin Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 2 hours ago, 224 Peter said: The green is Humbrol 163, the "New" #30 hass a strange blue/green tint and is somehow wrong. Tell me about it. I went through the trouble during a previous model. Then I found an old tin of 30 and the difference between the two is stark. Don't know how they've managed it. I'm using 116 going forward but the 163 you used is another good substitute. Plane is looking good. Looking forward to end result. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 Looking good Peter, the repositioned floats look much more convincing, nicely done. 👍 Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
224 Peter Posted August 1, 2022 Author Share Posted August 1, 2022 And (almost) finally, finished. I had to wait for a sheet of new transfers covering a range of "Prototype" roundels as the ones supplied with the kit were so faint as to be impossible. The fin flashes are lifting, despite liberal use of setting solution, so they need replacing. The prop is almost done, a few more stencils to apply and the canopy to position and we are done. Would I recommend the original kit? NO! ... unless you must have a Spitfire on floats. The Airfix Vb is a joy, but very small.... I think my 1/72 scale kit days are done! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
224 Peter Posted August 7, 2022 Author Share Posted August 7, 2022 Finished.... More photos in "Ready For Inspection" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted August 8, 2022 Share Posted August 8, 2022 Came up looking good Peter, shifting the floats has improved the proportions of it enormously to my eye & given a very good looking result. 👍 Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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