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Kotare 1/32 Spitfire I 'Brian Lane' Edition


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Hello gents, here's my eighth (and no doubt final) completion of the year – my second Kotare Spitfire I, this one the 'Brian Lane' edition. It's OOB apart from the ASK 3D Printed exhausts and their canopy masking set.

 

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Having already built the first release of this kit I got a bit complacent and thought I could just use the instructions as a rough guide and reference, consequently I didn't initially remove the cockpit door rims (as you need to if you are planning on not having the door open) and then wondered why the closed door did not fit properly; I didn't install the prop shaft before joining the two fuselage halves, which means I don't have a successful model – i.e. the propeller does not spin. I also managed to slightly misalign the spine part but somehow only on one side. However these things aside I enjoyed building it as much as I did the last one, indeed I'm slightly more pleased with this one. The next one should be great ;)

 

The paints used were Colourcoats of course - for the 'apple' green cockpit colour I used ACRA08 Verde Mimetico 53192, uppersurface camouflage was ACRN09 Dark Green over ACRN10 Dark Earth and the undersurface camouflage was done in ACRN01 - Sky "S" Type. I painted the spinner yellow as per the instructions; in the most widely-reproduced picture of this aircraft it looks white

 

...but Brian Lane's fitter John Milne apparently told Dilip Sarkar that it was yellow and I didn't feel I could really argue with that. I did use a paler yellow than RAF trainer yellow so that there is a difference from the roundel surround as the original photograph suggests, but in the photos I took of my model it looks exactly the same shade :huh:

 

There is also this photograph, apparently of the same aircraft. Doesn't look like a white spinner there (and it does prove Kotare's assertion that it didn't have doped covers over the gun muzzle openings, though I imagine they would have been applied after the first time it was armed up, I'm pretty sure it was standard practice by September 1940).

 

TLDR, I went with a yellow spinner; it's your choice what colour you do yours :D 

 

The markings are from the kit transfers, they are beautiful to use (they're made by Cartograph) and can take repeated applications of decal softener (and you may well need it to get them to settle down over the bumps on the gun covers and the rivets on the rear fuselage). My only gripe is that the grey for the codes looks far too light, the side-view photo linked above shows nothing like that level of contrast between the camouflage colours and the codes.

 

The final touches were a coat of AK Varnish (Satin with a little bit of Ultra-matt mixed in); an RT wire from Infini lycra thread – slightly underscale I suspect but I prefer the wires not to be too obvious; some wing-root chipping with Prismacolour pencils in a mid- and light-grey; a little exhaust staining from a brownish-black mix; navigation lights in red and blue Tamiya Clear and some staining from the cartridge ejector slots using black-grey pastel powder as this appears to be present on the original aircraft.

 

Apologies for all the verbiage, thanks for stopping by :) 

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

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A beautiful aircraft very nicely finished. I enjoy reading creators explanations. I learn a lot from them. Thanks for taking the time. A magnificent job.

 

Cheers...Rich 

Edited by Armorrich
Poor grammar
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I have this kit on my wish list and am glad to see it built up.  Not just built up, but built up to a wonderful representation.  Thanks for sharing.  Did you have a go at painting the included figure?

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1 minute ago, Stew Dapple said:

Thanks George, yes I did. Let's just say it didn't go well and draw a discreet veil over the subject :D

I was wondering.  Painting figures is my bane as they always look like a nursery school project to give to a parent at Christmas.  I've got the boot part down pretty well, but everything north of the boots seems to get messed up and not very realistic looking.  My faces look like a Halloween mask.  Must work on this figure painting stuff more.  Your model looks great though.

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