F Mk.8, 19 Sqn., 1953, Coronation Review...MPM 1/72nd scale...

[John Masters]

I have a 19 Sqn RFC SPAD VII over here...

I'll let that one sit for a bit while I continue my 'Personal 19 Sq Build' and dovetail it with this GB.  I'll start in a a bit, maybe this weekend.

I hadn't seen that this GB had even begun!

 

 

 

I hope there are not overwhelming airframe differences between the F Mk.8 and the Mk. 8...If there are, please suspend disbelief! 😁

Sprue shots coming...

 

-John

 

[franky boy]

Excellent choice of markings John. 

 

Looking forward to the build. 

 

James

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Welcome to the build John, very nice choice you've got there. 

[Celestialsphere]

A Coronation Review aircraft. Nice to see.

No weathering allowed or you'll incur Her Majesties displeasure...

[John Masters]

10 minutes ago, Celestialsphere said:

No weathering allowed or you'll incur Her Majesties displeasure

I know!  And a NMF.  I'll have to make sure it really shines.  Any tips without using lacquers?  

 

2 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Welcome to the build John

Thank you...😄

[stever219]

3 hours ago, John Masters said:

I have a 19 Sqn RFC SPAD VII over here...

 

I hope there are not overwhelming airframe differences between the F Mk.8 and the Mk. 8...If there are, please suspend disbelief! 😁

Sprue shots coming...

 

-John

 

There are no differences between F. Mk. 8 and Mk. 8 apart from the role prefix "F" having been introduced to the designation at some point that I can't remember just now.

 

Please note that Her Majesty's aircraft were painted High Speed Silver as an anti-corrosion measure and not left in bare metal.  The intake lips would have had to have been painted anyway as they were mahogany(?) covered with fabric and faired in with putty.

[81-er]

Nice choice, John. I'm taking a leap here, but are you ex-19 Sqn?

 

James

[John Masters]

7 hours ago, 81-er said:

I'm taking a leap here, but are you ex-19 Sqn?

 

Ha!  No such luck.  My obsession began during the Sponsored Hawk GB a while back.  I built the 19 Sq. commemorative aircraft, did some research and decided to build as many of the 19 Sq as I could.  It seems a worthy task.  Most of the kits are readily available in 1/72nd.  I even found a Gloucester Grebe from Merlin.  I like how the old Airfix Bulldog kit was already a 19 Sqn kit and KP has released a few Spitfires from 19 Sqn as well.  Even though I built a Sopwith Dolphin from ModelBud AZ has released a 19 Sqn Dolphin.  XtraKit has a nifty decal set that includes the big jets, Mustangs, Spitfires and a Gloucester Gauntlet.  KORA released a Siskin kit and I painted the Battenburg myself.  If you search around the Forum you'll find my various builds.  Some were part of existing GB and others personal, like the SPAD VII will be.  Here's a shot of what I've built so far.  I need a few more Spits.  I need to find a a Bristol Scout kit.  The list goes on...Thank you for asking.

 

 

Cheers!

John

[John Masters]

Here are some sprue shots.  This looks like a really nice kit and deserves a good build.  Some crisp looking resin, a bit of PE (which I may ignore), two different canopies and sleek decals.  I'll use the stencils for sure.  Now, if I only had another Mk.8 kit I could build the Belgian bird....

 

 

 

 

--John

[81-er]

That does look like a very nice kit there, John. I've not tried an MPM kit yet, but the few I've seen cropping up here look very nice. Thank you for explaining the 19 Sqn connection too, there's some lovely builds on your shelf

 

James

[John Masters]

6 hours ago, 81-er said:

That does look like a very nice kit there, John.

Thank you James.  I am pondering the idea of High Speed Silver and how best to achieve it without using lacquers.  Perhaps just 'silver' and then a high glossy finish?

[Marklo]

3 hours ago, John Masters said:

Perhaps just 'silver' and then a high glossy finish?

For highly silver silver I swear by ( or is that at) Lidl rattlecans, humbrol 11 silver rattle cans are also good but a lot dearer. Giving the whole thing a polish with a micro fibre cloth after painting also helps.

 

Lidl silver.

Edited October 23, 2022 by Marklo

[Paul J]

Will you be adding the LIghtning F2/F2A and Phantom to your 19 Squadron collection?

[John Masters]

29 minutes ago, Paul J said:

Will you be adding the LIghtning F2/F2A and Phantom to your 19 Squadron collection?

Yes.  Eventually.  I think the last two builds I will make will be the Henri Farman Shorthorn and the Phantom...the alpha and omega or 19 Sqn.  

 

2 hours ago, Marklo said:

humbrol 11 silver rattle cans

That was going to be my choice too.   

[stever219]

7 hours ago, John Masters said:

Thank you James.  I am pondering the idea of High Speed Silver and how best to achieve it without using lacquers.  Perhaps just 'silver' and then a high glossy finish?

I used to swear by Humbrol Metalcote 27001 Matt Aluminium but more recently I've been reduced to swearing at it, possibly because my remaining supply has been contaminated with FOD.  I'm presently trying out Sovereign Hobbies' Aluminium on a 1/48th scale Meteor 8 in 611 Squadron colours and, so far, it seems to be doing the job.

[John Masters]

16 hours ago, stever219 said:

Sovereign Hobbies' Aluminium

I hope it works out for you.  I'm trying to stay away from enamel paint as well.  

[Andwil]

Hi John, looks like we are building the same kit again, albeit with different markings.  Yours looks to have more rein though, ie the wheel wells.  Watch out for that coaming, its quite fragile and a straight forward job to get off the block.

 

AW

[John Masters]

2 hours ago, Andwil said:

Watch out for that coaming, its quite fragile and a straight forward job to get off the block.

 

Many thanks.  I'll look at it today just to see.  I'm happy you're building the Korean bird.  The Forgotten War...

[Andwil]

Just noticed a typo in my post, it should say not a straight forward job.  The block is quite large and the cut needs to be made at an angle.  Press too hard and the thin “wings” could snap off.

 

AW

[John Masters]

5 minutes ago, Andwil said:

 Press too hard and the thin “wings” could snap off.

I will be cautious!

[stever219]

3 hours ago, Andwil said:

Just noticed a typo in my post, it should say not a straight forward job.  The block is quite large and the cut needs to be made at an angle.  Press too hard and the thin “wings” could snap off.

 

AW

I take it you're referring to the coaming/glare shield?  I use my finest razor saw and cut in one direction only, I.e. just on the back stroke.  So far it's worked.....

[John Masters]

Meat-box  on the bench.  This first page is all resin and PE.  I was careful and nothing broke.  I'm amazed.  This would not be a BlitzBuild contender.

 

 

 

Leftover resin casting blocks...

 

 

Ready to assemble!

 

 

I gave the black bits (almost all black bits) some primer and attached the PE pieces, etc...I'll go back and use the hairy brush for some parts that are not black.

 

 

Phew!

 

--John

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Maybe not a blitz build but definitely looking good. 

[John Masters]

The resin cockpit tub is nice but it will cause a bit of gap in the nose.  I will have to grind down one side so it sits flush.  What I take off won't be visible.

 

 

I added some weight behind the cockpit.  No room in the nose unfortunately.

 

 

I will add the instrument panel after the fact.  It's an odd fit to do before hand.

 

 

Letting that all set up, I moved ahead to the wings, etc...

 

These will get some flat black primer and I'll hand paint the louvres...

 

 

 

The resin wheel wells are very nice.  A test fit with the top wing tells me that I should also sand down some of the inside top section of the resin.  They are tiny bit high.

 

 

It looks like this...

 

Some gaps need to be filled...

 

 

Here's what it looks like.

 

 

I also gave all the undercarriage bits, wheel well doors and the wheel hubs some aluminum.  Wing pylons too.  It'll be a subtle contrast from the eventual high speed silver.

 

--John

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[81-er]

This one's definitely going to keep you busy, but it's looking good

 

James