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Airfix Supermarine Spitfire MkI 1/72


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Hello all,

 

I started this project back in 2018. I decided to detail the cockpit using scratch built parts. The painel is the original decal enriched with some small wire circunfrences. After closing the fuselage the model was left to be painted.

 

Then in 2022 I decided to take another go at the model. My first issue was that the canopy was to thick. So I sawed it and thinned it considerably. It cannot be exposed open, but it is better than the original. Next I attended to the attachment of the wing root to the fuselage so as not to have a smooth finish. 

I also added some riviting to the model and proceding to paint stage (upper part only).

 

Here are some photos.

 

Best regards,

Octávio

 

 

 52282779862_6dd380f457_b.jpgIMG_7091 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

 

52282779942_aa3d2d3f7f_b.jpgIMG_7090 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

52284244395_cc7dbb994b_b.jpgIMG_8134 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

52283759656_4fb9eebdb3_b.jpgIMG_8138 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

52284242705_3b1591b6e6_b.jpgIMG_1230 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

52283759071_b59204d153_b.jpgIMG_1229 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

52283770298_23a3e6ae4f_b.jpgOriginal canopy thinned down by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

52284029599_11d6623662_b.jpg_MG_1643_2 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

52284029629_7a2d39648d_b.jpg_MG_1641_2 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

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  • 2 months later...

Hi all,

 

I have a question about the registration of this aircraft that I would like to ask the forum.

 

Apparently this aircraft (WZ T) had as registration number: K9794. 

 

The airfix kit does not provide andy registration decals but a previous AZmodel kit issued this decal. On the other hand there is a photo os this aircraft with the registration covered.

 

My question is: Was this registration number covered on the real aircraft or was this covered only on the photo (so as not to reveil sensible information to the enemy)? 

 

Photo os the AZ kit:

52475495959_79cda93e3b.jpgCaptura de ecrã 2022-11-03 212404 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

Photo of the real aircraft:

52474712537_4e10da2072_c.jpgwzt3 - Cópia by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

Best regards,

Octávio

 

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On 11/3/2022 at 9:42 PM, Octávio Mântua said:

Was this registration number covered on the real aircraft or was this covered only on the photo (so as not to reveil sensible information to the enemy)? 


I don’t claim any expertise on the matter, but by coincidence I’m building a near neighbour of your Spitfire, K9797, in an earlier (pre-war) scheme from the Eduard 1/48 Profipack. One of the other decal options is another 19 Squadron plane with a WZ code (before 19 switched to QV). This must be around the same time as yours. No serial number is on the plane. In fact out of the seven decal options, three have no s/n at all and three have it only in tiny letters/numbers at the top of the tail fin. K9797, the earliest, has it in full size on the fuselage and also

on the underwings. I seem to remember reading somewhere that serial numbers were painted out for a while because of the reason you state. Eduard’s research I think is pretty good.

 

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Hope this helps.

 

Tony

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Thanks Chris and Tony for your comments. By the way I just checked Eduards intructions and they gave me some more hints on how to detail the airfix kit 🙂

 

By the way I opened the following topic in the "Military Aircraft Modelling - Discusion by Era" (also received very interesting information):

 

 

 

Best regards,

Octávio

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Hi Octavio, this is looking absolutely superb. I have only just found the topic but am so glad I did. You are making a masterpiece out of the humble little Airfix 1/72 Spitfire. 

 

Richie

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  • 2 months later...

Hello everyone and hope you all have a great 2023.

 

I finaly made the update to the fuselage (front panel of the cockpit). I added two aluminum strips on the side of the fuselage and scribed a new panel line in front of the cockpit window.

 

Here are some photos of the change and after the painting.

 

Best regards,

Octávio

 

52631798100_28b1f225f4_b.jpg_MG_6395 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

52631360971_9ac4cd459b_b.jpg_MG_6430 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

52631839533_b8ae496f56_b.jpg_MG_6431 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

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  • 1 month later...

Hello All,

 

I am trying to replicate the hiding of the registration number (clearly visible on the left side of the aircraft).

 

I copied the airfix paint sheet and tried to simulate the position of the registration numbers on the fuselage. It looks that if the registration number on the right side is in the same spot than the one on the left, it looks like it would be covered by the WZ letters.

 

From the examples of other Spitfires, it looks like the registration numbers were on the same spot. 

 

Any clues for this particular aircraft?

 

52695596398_12b9a608d6_b.jpgAirfix_wz_t_3 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

Best regards,

Octávio

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24 minutes ago, Octávio Mântua said:

Hello All,

 

I am trying to replicate the hiding of the registration number (clearly visible on the left side of the aircraft).

 

I copied the airfix paint sheet and tried to simulate the position of the registration numbers on the fuselage. It looks that if the registration number on the right side is in the same spot than the one on the left, it looks like it would be covered by the WZ letters.

 

From the examples of other Spitfires, it looks like the registration numbers were on the same spot. 

 

Any clues for this particular aircraft?

 

52695596398_12b9a608d6_b.jpgAirfix_wz_t_3 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

Best regards,

Octávio

On RAF aircraft the serial numbers were required to be panted a certain distance front a specified point on the airframe (as were national markings); assuming that your drawings are accurate this appears to be six inches ahead of the tailplane root leading edge and symmetrical on both sides.  During the early part of World War II the serials were often painted out as a security measure, often using the nearest available pot of camouflage paint, although Dark Green would give better coverage of the Night characters.

 

Squadron codes and aircraft letters could be, and were, applied either reading e.g. DW:K on both sides of the fuselage or DW:K on one side and K:DW on the other.They were often applied ver the serial numbers whether or not the latter had previously been overpainted with one or more of the camouflage colours.  To replicate the overpainting on your model you’ll need to mix up a very slightly darker shade of the camouflage colour(s) to be applied to an are approximately ten scale inches deep by thirty-one scale inches wide.

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19 hours ago, stever219 said:

On RAF aircraft the serial numbers were required to be panted a certain distance front a specified point on the airframe (as were national markings); assuming that your drawings are accurate this appears to be six inches ahead of the tailplane root leading edge and symmetrical on both sides.  During the early part of World War II the serials were often painted out as a security measure, often using the nearest available pot of camouflage paint, although Dark Green would give better coverage of the Night characters.

 

Squadron codes and aircraft letters could be, and were, applied either reading e.g. DW:K on both sides of the fuselage or DW:K on one side and K:DW on the other.They were often applied ver the serial numbers whether or not the latter had previously been overpainted with one or more of the camouflage colours.  To replicate the overpainting on your model you’ll need to mix up a very slightly darker shade of the camouflage colour(s) to be applied to an are approximately ten scale inches deep by thirty-one scale inches wide.

Thanks Steve! 

 

I will mask the registration locations and paint dark brown and dark green.

 

Best regards,

Octávio

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  • 3 months later...

Hello,

 

I have finished applying the decals (sealed of with a coat of future). I also applied a light wash to the model.

I applied one or two passages of yellow to replicate the coverved yellow ring around the fuselage cocardes. A darker color was applied oh the place of the registration numbers.

 

Best regards,

Octávio

 

52966727817_b1a64f6680_b.jpg_MG_6732 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

52967786468_0e37ec4c74_b.jpg_MG_6729 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

52967468049_2412dd976b_b.jpg_MG_6721 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

Edited by Octávio Mântua
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  • 3 months later...

Hello.

 

Small progress has been made since the last post.

I added a morse code light (top of the fuselage), part of the canopy and a satin varnish was applied to the model.

 

Best regards,

Octávio

 

53183176631_4915a21ba4_b.jpg_MG_9403 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

53183672108_6ae40c229a_b.jpg_MG_9401 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

53182585062_6d62698450_b.jpg_MG_9400 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

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  • 5 weeks later...

Hi all,

 

First of all thanks Johnson and Adrian for your kind remarks.

 

The bird is almost finished.

 

Since the last post, I have added the landing gear, canopy, exausts (SBS) and propeller (not glued yet)

 

Best regards,

Octávio

 

53252967157_e3424aa09f_b.jpg_MG_9481 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

53253849736_4691021892_b.jpg_MG_9482 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

53254201619_8c6a084575_b.jpg_MG_9485 by ZlinXII, no Flickr

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

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