Airfix 72nd Spitfire XIX

[Col.]

Thanks Martin, it's a nice wee kit to work on without any major vices other than the wing to fuselage fit but that may be partly due to my constant manipulation of that area while test-fitting, dare say you'd do a grand job on one having seen what you've acchived with the TSR.2

Still working away on the wheelwells so hopefully have something to show tomorrow once everything is fitted and dry. Next on the list is replacing airframe details that are a little softly moulded and improving the fit of the two spinner components. On the subject of fit I noticed the fuselage halves from both kits where slightly different around the front of the cockpit and fitted better if kept in their respective pairs. Seemed strange as I'd have thought both kits came from the same mould.

[Col.]

This is where both models are after a short session last night;

Drooped the elevators and replaced the slightly shallow actuators, the separate rudder was glued on at a slight angle, the trim tabs were also set at a slight angle and the tailplane ones were replaced as I damaged them.

Wheel bays were boxed in and a little detail added to the second kit thus bringing both to the same point. A touch of filler was also required to tidy up the carburetor air scoop trailing edge.

Still a few more small airframe details to add but next main task will be fixing the under-wing radiator cowling shapes.

[Miggers]

Folks are right,you can't have enough Spits.

Th'Airfix XIX is a little gem and can be made into a real corker as you're doing.

I thought the rads were a bit suspect in shape and my cousin(Edgeler on here)reckons the prop is too.

The rocker covers need a bit of a fettle,just to take off the sharpness of them,but other than that......

When I did mine I also cut out the rad flaps and replaced them with very,very thin plasticard flaps

set at a wider opening.

Check you references carefully for a wartime and a "modern" Spit with regard to the over wing wheel bulges and

the wheels especially.

As a general rule,wartime aircraft use the four-spoke wheels without the overwing bulges,post-war and"modern"

use the larger diameter,wider three-spoke wheels with the over wing bulges(developed to accomodate the three spokers).

Some "modern" PR's don't have the underwing fuel pump fairings either,the leading edge tanks of the bowser wing

have been removed,negating the need for those fuel pumps and their fairings.

Pete Teichman's PR.XI,PL965/R is an example of this practice.

My usual trick with Airfix wings(and any other manufacturer's fighter wings that follow the same pattern)is to fit the upper

wing panels to the fuselage first thus ensuring a nice clean joint.

Then,(with Spits especially)fit a small length of sprue just aft of the main spar position to give the fuselage a bit of support.

After that you can make the underwing panel fit nicely.

All the best,Mark

[Col.]

Thank you for the kind words and information Mark.

At the moment I'm trying to make the radiator cowls look more like the real thing, as kitted they have bulged sides whereas the real machine's had flat sides, first attempt was to cut off the sides and replace them with plastic card but now thinking scratch-building would be less trouble and more accurate. With regard to the upper wing bulges; I've added a set to the one I want to build as 'PS853' based on Tony Taylor's photos that form my main reference source and intended leaving the other alone to represent a wartime machine but having trouble finding information on these so will likely bring it up to the same standard.

While I'm on the subject of Tony's photos - has anyone heard from him? Tried to contact him but a PM wouldn't send and ain't seen him around lately

[Col.]

Spent most of this evening fussing over two areas of the Spit XIX, namely the radiator baths and position of the fuselage side camera window, only to find there was no way I could modify the former to accurately represent the real thing and no reason to bother with the latter since Airfix got it correct.

After a few failed attempts to correct the kit underwing radiator fairings it seemed best course of action is a scratch-built replacement. Prior to starting those I also made the cockpit air scoop along the nose as the kit one seems a bit shallow and a few other small bits around the airframe. I'd also found mention in a thread on another forum that the fuselage side camera window was too high. After a bit of research I'm satisfied they are in the correct position so at least it set my mind at ease.

Once the radiator faces are firmly glued I'll trim them down a little as I've made them a bit too high then get on with the fairing. Think that leaves only the undercarriage and canopy to sort out before painting.

[Giorgio N]

The two spits are looking good !

I'll be very intested to see your solution for the radiators, I'm building one of these soon myself and I'm ttrying to decide what to do with them

[Col.]

Thanks Giorgio, if all goes to plan the radiators are my main focus today, will try to lay out the parts I need to make and let you see how I construct them. The radiator faces were cut 9mm wide and 4mm deep, although this is a little to deep and I plan to shave a 1/2mm off, then given a rub with rough sandpaper to create an effect of the cooling tubes. Next the side panels will get shaped from thin plastic sheet and glued to them before the bottom gets attached to everything. Final part is the rear flap but these will need to be made from three parts each since they also have sides to give a U-shaped appearance.

Sounds more work than it really is. I hope...

[Col.]

Made a set of 8 side panels based on the Airfix kit parts shape and cross-referencing to photos then glued them on and left them to dry.

Once the glue had cured the bottom panels were then glued on and the whole thing was left to dry. Tomorrow I'll get the units final shaping done and add the radiator flaps.

[Col.]

Got all the radiators sides and tops smoothed down and the side-panels of the flaps added inside. Once dry the final part of the flap will get glued on to finish them off.

Edited November 28, 2010 by Col.

[Giorgio N]

Nice job on the radiator ! Will keep this in mind when I build mine !!

One thing you might want to add is fairing them into the wing, as shown in these very good pictures:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.p...=54540&st=0

Ok, maybe you were going to do it without me telling you...

[Miggers]

Good work on the rads Col.

They look very close to correct to me.

With the exception of the XII,Griffon rads are hooje great wide mouthed slab sided affairs,

nowt like the dainty shapely jobs fitted to Merlin Spits.

Have a Google for pics of VP441,Jim Smith's FR.47 or for SX366,Tim Manna's XVII.

The rads are simply massive compared to Merlin rads..

Airfix's are close,but not right.

They curve up too much at the front,are almost the right depth in the middle,but when viewed in plan

the sides curve where they should be a straight line from front to rear.

It's actually the fairing that's shaped and curved,not the rad bath itself.

The "footprint"of the Airfix rads are pretty close lengthwise,but off at the front and rear on the

width.

Once you've cracked 'em Col,post up the dimensions.

Very handy to know.

Mark

[Col.]

Thank you again for the interest and information gentlemen. Nice to know someone thinks enough of what I'm doing to pass comment and offer assistance.

The flair where radiator side meets wing is last part on my list to do for them and will hopefully be achieved by a little filler and some work with a needle file. Your link proves is very much appreciated Giorgio and proves that, as Miggers says, my attempts are close but not quite right. I can hopefully post a full set of dimensions later this evening to give everyone a guide once they are finished.

[Martian]

Excellent workmanship! I'm beginning to get addicted to this thread.

Martin

[Col.]

Here's a quick sketch of the radiators as I've made them although I suspect the curve at the front is too pronounced.

The doted line is where I should have cut into the wing for a more accurate channel but didn't realise until it was too late. I'll leave off a photo of progress until the drop-tank hooks and a few other bits are done.

[Col.]

Added the tank hooks early this morning.

Also started modifying the undercarriage legs to sit better but that's still in the experimental stage.

[Giorgio N]

That drawing with the dimensions will be very useful, thanks for posting it !

Unfortunately the cut in the wing is something a lot of mafacturers always forget... not that is always that visible, at least in 1/72

Edited December 2, 2010 by Giorgio N

[Col.]

Glad they may help you Giorgio.

Between last night and this morning the undercarriage legs got some attention. As moulded they would sit vertically out of the sockets as if unloaded so a sliver of plastic was glued to the top and once cured this allowed the leg to be trimmed to sit at a more appropriate angle. The lowest part of the oleo is too thin because it continues straight from the slider so was trimmed off and replaced by some thick stretched sprue. The door edge got thinned down using the spare half wheel from the retracted undercarriage optional parts as a guide to scrape a little plastic off with a blade then the scissor link was also rebuilt with thin card while I was there. Excuse the poor photo but it's the best I could get at the moment. Still a few details to add once this lot has set.

The other parts tackled was the wing tip fuel tank vents using a little sliver of plastic and some thin wire.

[Nobby]

Hi Col!

Been watching a while but felt a bit unqualified to comment on the progress but i will now!

Love the work you are putting in especially the rads and the Sutton harness! Was going to be out of the box? LoL...I said that about the Airfix Sea Hurricane but got a touch of AMS for me trouble's!

Will keep watching!

Nobby

[Col.]

Cheers Nobby, I've seen your A-7, you've every right to make comment Must admit at one point I was starting to wonder why it was gaining over 3000 views while hardly anyone was talking to me about it!

Suddenly realised these are coming close to paint time and this throws up another question; what can I use to represent the colour used for the current Rolls Royce machine? Sure I read somewhere it and the BBMF machines are painted in Land Rover Blue as opposed to the PRU blue. This will make for an interesting visual difference between the two models but first I need to find a good match. Anyone know an enamel from the Humbrol or Revell ranges my LMS stocks that will do the job?

[Miggers]

Here's a quick sketch of the radiators as I've made them although I suspect the curve at the front is too pronounced.

The doted line is where I should have cut into the wing for a more accurate channel but didn't realise until it was too late. I'll leave off a photo of progress until the drop-tank hooks and a few other bits are done.

Dunno Col,pretty good I'd say.

Go here,3rd pic down,the one with a bit of right bank on.

http://www.condor49ers.org.uk/seafire.htm

SX336's rads

http://spitfiresite.com/photos/galleries/s...sx336/index.htm

Check out the drop of the rad flaps!!!

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/type.php?p=295

And finally.......

I reckon the Landy blue you're looking for is Marine Blue:

http://www.paintman.co.uk/paint-colour-chart-series-3.html

He can also do you a White Spirit or synthetic based colour:

http://www.paintman.co.uk/paintman-aerosols-paint-kits.html

Mark

Edited December 5, 2010 by Miggers

[Smiffy]

Some very impressive work going on here.

I've got a couple on the go myself, as a side project, while I wait for bits on my 48th Spit & 109 to dry/set.

Mine are just simple from the box builds though.

I love the cockpit work you've done. I went as far as adding belts, but yours is very smart.

Keep up the good work.

[Col.]

Thanks for the encouraging words Paul. Will we see your ones soon?

Thank you for those links Mark. Looking at the photos reassures me about my interpretation of the radiator shape and Marine Blue is certainly the colour I need for the restored machine. Strange to think that 20 years ago I was working on Land Rovers every day and now I can't even remember the paint colours.

Progress over the last few days has slowed but the canopies are on with a coat of Future on the inside to help clarity and the seals painted as well as all the seams and details given a brush over with Humbrol 230 to check fit. Once a few minor touch-ups are done that's as far as I can go until warmer weather allows spraying again.

[Miggers]

No probs Col.

Shows what absolute darlings VP and SX are too.

From what I gather about the famous PRU Blue,Landy Marine Blue is pretty acceptable.

PRU Blue was "mixed" from 4 parts roundel blue to 1 part light grey,usually in a bucket.

It seems there were as many variations to it as there is to Olive Drab.

BTW,the weather is also stopping my BBMF Mk IXe from making an appearance,it's too bloody cold

to varnish it up in my "spray booth"(the loft).

It's the same with my Airfix "PR.XI" and "XIV",too cold to blow'em over up there.

Mark

[Col.]

Progress at last!

Not going to take any photos yet but got the underside of PS853 sprayed Revell SM301 white where the invasion stripes are and the other model sprayed overall Humbrol 230 PRU Blue. Was a wee bit cold in the garage for spraying but think I've got away with it Wee bit of 'orange peel' to the white and a couple small runs down the fuselage sides with the blue but nothing that can't be rectified once dry.

Also found an ancient tin of Humbrol MC12 from their Authentic Colour range that looks a good match for what I recall Landy Marine Blue to be although I intend to mix a little 230 in to cut the contrast between both models.

Any luck making progress with your 3 Spits Mark? Would love to see them once finished. Aim is to get these two done before the year is out so I can concentrate on a few stalled projects during KUTA III.

Edited December 16, 2010 by Col.

[Inverted]

Hi Col... would you believe its only just now i've found this thread! Looking superb, and it was great to see them in the flesh at club night... if only i'd known how much work had gone into them

Will they be done for Jan??

Chris