1/32 Kotare Models Spitfire Mk 1a (Mid)

[KiwiBob]

Hi all

 

Being fortunate enough to live in the same city as the head office of Kotare Models, I received my pre-order delivery last Thursday evening.  Decided, despite many other models on the bench, to move this one to the top - might even get it finished this year (since the birth of my daughter 8.5 years ago I've started many, finished 2....).

 

Has been a pleasurable build so far, nothing out of the ordinary with putting it together. Only thing I have struck is very tight tolerances - so those familiar with Wingnut Wings will know to keep gluing surfaces free of paint. I used thin strips of Tamiya tape to mask areas that would be glued (bulkheads-to-floor for example).  Spent a few hours painting, masking, then painting again. Not so sure on some of the colour call-outs - but knowing the people behind the model I'm sure the references and call-outs are accurate - just can't personally bring myself to paint the pilots armour plate black for example. Modelling is a lot about perception I guess (looks like a Spitfire, smells like, etc, etc - in my mind, early Spits have always been green-ish...).

 

Anyway, here is where I'm at so far with the cockpit - a few things still to add, flat coat to apply overall and gloss details to be added to instrument panel. Also still to tension the cables (although I did debate the point of them given the limited visibility - used 0.2 braided fishing line coloured with a silver sharpie - slightly too large but it was either that or .1 which seemed a bit thin...).  I've also assembled the wings, wheels, tailplane and fettled some other minor parts ready for final assembly.

 

Cockpit painted with Tamiya paints, some mixed to the Kotare Models guidelines, some not. SMS Silver used for the fuselage. Mig/Ammo and Vallejo paints used for the details. Citadel washes used to cover up my mistakes...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changing cameras...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just goes to show how we can't trust colour images (let alone black and white war time images) for colour accuracy - same lighting, two cameras - one Canon, one FujiFilm - yet the tones, shadows, colour cast, etc, are completely different.

 

Hence I model for enjoyment and don't fret too much about the colour shades and the correct number of rivets! 

 

Cheers

 

Bob

Edited March 20, 2023 by KiwiBob
Change of image host

[Robin-42]

I don’t actually need this kit-I ordered one two days ago! Wow. That panel alone!

[wschurr]

Your detail painting is stunning. It amazes me how a single kit can arouse so much excitement and I’m glad! I hope Kotare sells thousands!

[RichieW]

Nice to see this on the bench after such a long wait. The cockpit looks stunning. 

 

I don't need the kit either but have it on pre order from Hannants.

 

Richie

[Chaotic Mike]

Not seeing no pictures, just the 'spacer.jpg' holding image.  Is it only me?

[bigbadbadge]

Phwoar what a cracking kit and great work by you, looks fantastic so far.

 

@Chaotic Mike I have had tge same issues with a few threads this morning, if on a phone tap on the image and wait for it to open in another tab , once one appears go back to the thread and they will all gradually appear.

 

Chris

[Chaotic Mike]

I suspect it is to do with the hosting site not supporting HTTPS, because when I did the new tab trick, Chrome gave me a warning message that probably gets suppressed for inline images.  I'm sure there's a setting somewhere that can be used to whitelist the images.

@KiwiBob, you could probably resize the images to be more browser friendly, without losing any optical fidelity given that we are using browsers and not printing A2 high definition hard copy

 🙂.  They'd certainly load faster!

 

Mike

 

PS, I should *also* have said "What stunning work!"

[europapete]

Thanks Chris, will try that. Just getting green boxes too. ( looking on my phone)

Yep, that works. I tapped the green box, it opened on a new tab with a green box, tapped the new green box and it opened the picture.

Edited March 19, 2023 by europapete

[KiwiBob]

Thanks all for the comments. I’ll have a look at the images tomorrow - probably a better image host for a start. I think each is about 1.2MB so will load a smaller version as well… 

[Whitewolf]

I opened the images ok and this looks absolutely superb! The best Spitfire model yet?

[KiwiBob]

Hi all

 

Some more progress - buttoned up the fuselage after tensioning the cables and adding a few minor parts (radiator flap lever and rear of the seat harness). A tip if you choose to run the control cables - connect, but don't glue one of the side panels to the central floorpan and frames, then tension the rigging. The reason is the cables run through holes provided on a piece connected to the flare chutes - which is connected at the top, underneath the radio (?) box - so the lower part of the flare chute is floating. If you tension the cables without preventing the last frame from moving (as you tension the cables, the flare chute can be pulled forward), you risk over-tensioning the cables - if that makes sense.

 

Glued the wings together - no surprises although the wheel wells were a very tight fit and I did have to open the small slots that fitted over the main spar.  Don't forget the gun barrels.

 

Next step is the spine, fuselage to wing, tailplanes, etc. Cleanup and paint...

 

Cheers

 

Rob

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 20, 2023 by KiwiBob
Change of image host

[treker_ed]

@KiwiBob I'm using edge browser on Android, and not seeing any images. Only getting spacer.png😟 I'll have another look shortly using my win 10 tablet.

 

 

***Doing the same from my Windows 10 tablet as well (running on an x86 system not an ARM processor that most other tablets use.***

 

 

 

[Scooby]

What a revolutionary way to join the wings. Beautiful build.

[mick]

great work 

[Johnson]

Most impressive.

 

The cockpit looks superb. Are the placards, maps etc from the kit or did you add them?

 

Thanks,

[RichieW]

Looks great, I really like the way the top of the fuselage spine is added separately to show overlapping panels and no seam to fill. 

 

The photos are all visible to me and embedded in the thread.

 

Richie

[KiwiBob]

2 hours ago, Johnson said:

Most impressive.

 

The cockpit looks superb. Are the placards, maps etc from the kit or did you add them?

 

Thanks,

Hi - only thing I’ve added is some rigging for the control cables, everything else is out of the box - no photo etch or resin, just plastic and decals!
 

Cheers

 

Rob

[spitfire]

Looks great, ever so impressive, still waiting for Hannants to send me mine.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[rgb40]

Real nice. Looks to be a fabulous model.

[Biggles87]

Some rapid progress going on here.

I like that they have included the landing lamps control, something most kits miss even though it is a very noticeably piece of equipment on early Spitfires. I also like the inclusion of the pilot's true airspeed calculator below the remote contacter. I find early Spitfire cockpits a bit of a minefield in terms of which items to include as things changed so rapidly in the first year of WW II.

I had convinced myself that I had enough 1/32 Spitfires, now I'm not so sure.

 

John

[Phoenix44]

Wow, the black leather on the seat...

 

Utterly realistic, easily the best I've seen.

[k5054nz]

Bob, you make this Kiwi proud - exquisite work mate! She's looking superb in every way! Aspirational stuff.

[Max Headroom]

Oh. My. Giddy. Aunt.

 

I want, but it’s out of my price/justification range, so I’ll live vicariously through others like you. Small details like the crease in the head rest.❤️❤️❤️

 

I’m in awe.

[KiwiBob]

Thanks for the comments all - made a bit more progress - the lower parts count makes the build go pretty quickly.

 

I've now added the flying surfaces and masked/attached the canopies. No pics at the moment as I'm at work.... curses.  Hope to have some primer and lower surfaces maybe painting end of this week. Then I'm off-shore for a week so will have to wait till end of next week to continue.

 

A few notes on the build so far:

 

• Tolerances are very tight as I mentioned - I think I didn't get a few things sitting 100% which had a flow-on effect - an example is the rear frames that I'm not sure I got seated all the way down. As a result the spine insert sat a bit high, and the rear canopy then would not sit fully seated. I ended up having to remove a bit off the top of the seat and the support structure that runs from the seat rearward to the next frame.  Still have to fill a wee bit at the bottom of the canopy.
• I struggled a little getting the armour plate to fit behind the seat - you have to push it down and then slightly to one side - again paint was not my friend - but fortunately I was able to touch it up (which is behind the seat anyway - a little bit of wash hid most of that).
• The instructions are well detailed, but I found a few things not logically in the same place - page 7 has a lot of detail about the side panels decal location (panels around the fuselage tub and fuselage half detail) but then mode detail a few pages later on page 9.  So I found some skipping around to pick up all the detail and did have to backtrack a few times (or forward track...).
• Decal 142 is noted in a location on one page, but indicated as 141 on another - 142 is the correct decal (the compass).  Also decal 115 seemed to be too big for the location and seems to logically fit on a panel slightly higher up and to the right.  Decals are beautiful and clear, settle well with little solution needed - but some are so small you need a microscope and micro-tweezers - I skipped a few of those cause I just couldn't see them!
• Wing to fuselage is very precise but took a bit of wiggle to get the fuselage to seat perfectly - I seemed to get one side to fit then the other would pop out!  And then its so tight I could barely get any glue in the gap!
• I don't particularly like the top spine light inserting from the inside out - it's a nice fit and the mounting allows you to glue without worrying about getting any on the light itself - but now I have to mask the little blighter which is fiddly.  And I was constantly worried about holding the model and dislodging it by pushing it back in the model - which wouldn't be retrievable...
• I test fitted the landing gear before I put the top half on the wings on so I could see the fitting method - clever design that is a solid fit and guarantees strength and the correct alignment - but since putting the wings on I can't get the gear to slide in - I've trimmed, sanded, trimmed, etc - I'm afraid if I get them in I won't be able to get them out again. So I'll leave them to last and hope I can get them in once everything is finished. I think if I build another (looking forward to the Mk I (Early) - I'd also like a K5054 and a Seafire Mk.III please....) I'll install them before gluing the wing halves together - I usually loath that in a kit due to the risk of damaging the dangly bits (oo-er!) but it would ensure a good fit - or indeed just a fit...
• One last thing - the prop support is square, the base of the prop is round. Square peg in a round hole anyone...?  Not sure of the logic there...

But don't get me wrong, these are minor problems all self-inflicted and it has been a fun build so far. I've made more progress on this kit in a week than I have on any others for a few years!

 

Cheers

Rob

[malcolmlaird]

Hi Rob,

Great to meet you in Auckland over the weekend and see the build progress. Thanks for the useful comments, particularly re the decals of course. We make  judgement calls on things like "should a tiny decal be included" and tend to put items rather than leave them out. 

 

Cheers,

Malcolm Laird