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Airfix/Eduard Spitfire 22/24


geoff m

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I have just started this kit which is my first attempt at using resin. Has anyone built this particular kit and are there any pitfall? So far I have cut out all the resin for the cockpit and washed and primed it. Does this stuff go together well or is it tricky? All help and advice gratefully received.

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The basic kit IMHO is the best Spitfire that Airfix have done. It goes together really well and quickly. I must admit not having built the Eduard release but my big failing with resin generally is forgetting to wash off the mould release agent before starting to attack it, which I see you have already done.

Tony :clif:

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If you're not displaying it with flaps down, it will pay to ditch the blanking plate (I can't remember the part no.) If you use the plate, carve away the centre, otherwise the bulkhead will foul it, and won't sit down properly.

Edgar

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Thanks for that. I built the basic Airfix kit first as a dry run and it is indeed a joy to build and looks great. Have now primed all the resin bits and will try to fit it all together with pva and see if there are any major issues before I pull it apart and paint it.

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If you're not displaying it with flaps down, it will pay to ditch the blanking plate (I can't remember the part no.) If you use the plate, carve away the centre, otherwise the bulkhead will foul it, and won't sit down properly.

Edgar

Edgar, is the plate you refer to a kit part or a resin one? I assume that when fitting the cockpit a fair bit needs sanding off the kit walls. Is this enough or does the resin need thinning also.

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Edgar, is the plate you refer to a kit part or a resin one? I assume that when fitting the cockpit a fair bit needs sanding off the kit walls. Is this enough or does the resin need thinning also.

It's a kit part; I've never had one with resin parts. One other thing I forgot; Airfix hit a problem with the sliding part of the canopy (they forgot about the rails, I think.) The Aeroclub replacement canopy is well worth the investment.

Edgar

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It's a kit part; I've never had one with resin parts. One other thing I forgot; Airfix hit a problem with the sliding part of the canopy (they forgot about the rails, I think.) The Aeroclub replacement canopy is well worth the investment.

Edgar

Thanks Edgar. I have identified the part you refer to. I know about the canopy from my build of the basic kit and have a set of Falcon canopies. Never done a vacform canopy before so it will be interesting to see how I cope. Thanks for the help.

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I have just started this kit which is my first attempt at using resin. Has anyone built this particular kit and are there any pitfall? So far I have cut out all the resin for the cockpit and washed and primed it. Does this stuff go together well or is it tricky? All help and advice gratefully received.

Geoff I have built the Eduard/Airfix Spitfire 22/24 and there are a couple of things that you do need to watch out for:

1. The Airfix fuselage on my kit was quite badly warped which made dry fitting a real pain in the butt. I've heard about the warped fuselage from other people with this kit as well so check yours out.

2. Dry fit the Aires resin parts with the Airfix plastic parts over and over and over again.

3. You will need to do some serious grinding of the Airfix fuselage plastic parts as well as some serious wet sanding of the Aires resin parts in order to get them to fit together. The is especially true of the cockpit side walls and instrument panel parts, make sure you can dry fit the two fuselage halves along with the Aires resin cockpit inserts and the lower wing piece comfortably.

4. Resin and plastic can be sanded down to fit together; PE parts on the other hand are much more difficult. Take this into account when deciding which piece needs more grinding.

5. ALWAYS WEAR A VENTALATOR MASK when sanding resin, the resin particles and your lungs are not meant to be introduced to each other ever....

Hope this helps.

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Geoff I have built the Eduard/Airfix Spitfire 22/24 and there are a couple of things that you do need to watch out for:

1. The Airfix fuselage on my kit was quite badly warped which made dry fitting a real pain in the butt. I've heard about the warped fuselage from other people with this kit as well so check yours out.

2. Dry fit the Aires resin parts with the Airfix plastic parts over and over and over again.

3. You will need to do some serious grinding of the Airfix fuselage plastic parts as well as some serious wet sanding of the Aires resin parts in order to get them to fit together. The is especially true of the cockpit side walls and instrument panel parts, make sure you can dry fit the two fuselage halves along with the Aires resin cockpit inserts and the lower wing piece comfortably.

4. Resin and plastic can be sanded down to fit together; PE parts on the other hand are much more difficult. Take this into account when deciding which piece needs more grinding.

5. ALWAYS WEAR A VENTALATOR MASK when sanding resin, the resin particles and your lungs are not meant to be introduced to each other ever....

Hope this helps.

That is really useful. I have been lucky cos I had heard that a lot of the fuselage halves are warped in this kit but mine are fine.

I stuck the main parts of the cockpit together with pva and tried them in the fuselage and it looks like I need to thin them overall by about 4mm. most of this will be moulded detail in the kit parts ( I hope ) but still some serious sanding to do.

Thanks for the warning about the resin dust. I do wear a respirator cos its amazing how much dust does get thrown off even a quite small part.

Geoff

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well I have now finished the cockpit and after much sanding and thinning I have got it to fit. Tha problem now is that the cockpit walls are about 6" thick!! Is there an easy fix for this or is it something I will just have to live with. It wouldnt be too noticeable with the canopy closed but I had intended to leave the canopy open to show off the detail and it will stick out like a sore thumb. Any advice anyone?

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Well I have now finished the cockpit and after much sanding and thinning I have got it to fit. Tha problem now is that the cockpit walls are about 6" thick!! Is there an easy fix for this or is it something I will just have to live with. It wouldnt be too noticeable with the canopy closed but I had intended to leave the canopy open to show off the detail and it will stick out like a sore thumb. Any advice anyone?

I've fitted Cooper Details and Cutting Edge cockpits to the Airfix kit. The Cooper Details cockpit was a breeze, but the CE job was going to produce overly thick sidewalls. The solution is quite easy - copy the Cooper detail technique. Cut the sidewalls at the datum longeron. Remove any important detail from the upper parts and build the upper detail directly to the kit plastic. Next, build the lower canopy shell and offer it up to your scratch built parts. Dry-fit, adjust and fit. It sounds bad, but really takes no time.

Dave

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I agree with Dave about the CE coxkpit, cut the upper sidewalls away and transplant the details. The lowwr wals will need some thinning with coarse wt 'n' dry on a sanding-block and frequent test fitting.

Edgar is spot on too, cut or omit that flap bay insert.

The Cooper cockpit is much easier to fit but still needs a fair bit of grinding and sanding to get in without spreading the fuselage and wing roots.

Test fit the wing after the cockpit is in place and check the dihedral, if its flat then you haven't taken enough off the resin and inside the fus'.

Hope this helps.

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Thanks for the help and advice. Unfortunately I had glued the cockpit tub together before I realised how bad the problem would be. If I try to cut it all apart I fear I will completely ruin it. Am going to bash on with this one as is and get some practice with resin and photo etch. May see if I can get hold of another kit and try a completely different approach.

So far as the flaps are concerned it is my intention to show them dropped. I realise that this is heresy but I tried to close them when I did the Airfix version of this kit and they are such an appalling fit that I dont think I can get them to fit properly or at all.

It may not be quite the heresy that people think cos I have seen a photo of a Mk24 on the ground with flaps down. Its on p15 of Peter Marsh Spitfire story though I do admit this is the only photo I have ever seen of a Spitfire on the ground with flaps down.

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So far as the flaps are concerned it is my intention to show them dropped. I realise that this is heresy but I tried to close them when I did the Airfix version of this kit and they are such an appalling fit that I dont think I can get them to fit properly or at all.

They are really quite a good fit if you glue them to the lower wing half and suitably thin the trailing edge. I've done a couple that way.

Dave.

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I agree with Dave about the CE coxkpit, cut the upper sidewalls away and transplant the details. The lowwr wals will need some thinning with coarse wt 'n' dry on a sanding-block and frequent test fitting.

Edgar is spot on too, cut or omit that flap bay insert.

The Cooper cockpit is much easier to fit but still needs a fair bit of grinding and sanding to get in without spreading the fuselage and wing roots.

Test fit the wing after the cockpit is in place and check the dihedral, if its flat then you haven't taken enough off the resin and inside the fus'.

Hope this helps.

Ayup Les,

How's it going mate. Long time no hear.

Regards,

Dave.

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