Jens Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 (edited) It has been a rather quiet year for me modelling wise - no so on other fronts though. Anyway, one of the kits I have started recently is this Tamiya Spitfire Mk. I. I Decided to convert it into a PR Type A - a rather simple conversion which includes removing the guns, various panel lines and the aerial mast. Also, I have drilled a hole in each wing representing the camera fitted there. To be honest the hardest part was to figure out where precisely to put the cameras, and I am still not 100 per cent sure I got it right. After all, the profiles in the "On Target Profiles 8" book are the artists interpretation, and the one picture I know of the Type A is too dark to clearly show the cameras. Today I airbrushed the Spit in overall Humbrol No. 97. It's lighter than Sky but it still has that blue-greenish tone. Anyway, it's my out-of-the-tin interpretation of Camotint. Once the paint has fully cured I will brush on a coat of Kleer in preparation for the decals (either Model Alliance or Pavla). Comments or any advice or information on the PR Spits are very welcome! Regards, Jens Edited December 19, 2009 by Jens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old VG 33 Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Hi Jens Your PR Spitfire is very nice but I read in an article from Alfred Price in Air International Vol 39 N°1 July 1990 that : "...all skin joints were filled with plaster of Paris and then rubbed down to give a smooth finnish. As a result the modified aircraft had a maximum speed 10-15 mph greater than that of the fighter version." Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jens Posted December 13, 2009 Author Share Posted December 13, 2009 Thanks Patrick, I have read that part too, but looking at a picture of N3071 I clearly see some panel lines. I have filled most of the panel lines on the wings though. I guess you could call it a compromise. Regards, Jens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 I think we sometimes have to apply artistic license as filling in all the panel lines would make for a model that doesn't look as real IMO. Looking forward to seeing this completed, thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antoine Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 I've build lattely a PR spit myself, and I would have like to have this book at the moment: The PR spit operational story was written in a precedent volume, and this one deal with the technical side of the aircraft. Many pics, drawing, profiles, recommanded to any PR spit fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jens Posted December 13, 2009 Author Share Posted December 13, 2009 My thoughts exactly woody37. Antoine, I received that book earlier this week. While it's good it does not contain as much information on the early PR Spits as I had hoped. It sure will come in handy when I am going to build the other PR Spits. Regards, Jens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antoine Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 (edited) Yes, you're absolutely right. But I think that any search on technical information for early PR spit marks is nearly hopeless anyway (Too few arcrafts, quickly replaced by newer models, and quickly forgotten). So its starting with techs specs from late model could be interesting. From the pics, your interpretation of camotint looks good to me. Sad you didn't start with a step by step of your build. Edited December 13, 2009 by Antoine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jens Posted December 13, 2009 Author Share Posted December 13, 2009 From the pics, your interpretation of camotint looks good to me.Sad you didn't start with a step by step of your build. Thanks Antoine. Since we don't have a colour photo of the Camotint Spits we will never know what it really looked like, so anyone's guess is as good as mine. I just wanted my PR A to stand out from the crowd of Spitfires on the shelf so I painted it with a lighter colour than the standard Sky. As for the step-by-step build there wasn't much to it. Apart from the gunsight I built it straight from the box, and the camera holes have just been drilled into the lower wings. The canopy is from the kit (the PR A had standard armoured windscreen) except for the sliding part which is from Falcon. I will shoot some pictures of the next PR Spit once I start converting it. Regards, Jens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antoine Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 So, looking forward to see it finished, and also to your next build. I'll certainly doing some more myself. Already made a C, and there are conversion for a D, a F and a G in the stash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old VG 33 Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 When I did the same aircraft many years ago, I used the Airfix 1/72 Mk I kit and it was aesier to sand down the raised details. Anyway soma years later the Modeldecal roundels cracked. I think I will make another one later. Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jens Posted December 19, 2009 Author Share Posted December 19, 2009 Time for a small update. Since last time I have gloss-coated the model, and last night I put on the Model Alliance decals. The serial number and the white areas of the roundels are rather translucent so I'm glad the base colour is so light. The positive thing about the MA decals is that the conformed well to the surfaces and panel lines. Anyway, here it is as it looked after putting on the decals: I gave the model an overall semi-gloss coat earlier today. With a little luck it should be finished before 2010. Regards, Jens I forgot to mention that I have decided not to give the panel lines a wash as I think they stand out enough as it is. I will add some staining later though. Regards, Jens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_m Posted December 19, 2009 Share Posted December 19, 2009 Looks great Jens. Are you adding roundels on the wing underside too? I have seen some profiles without them, but they were there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jens Posted December 20, 2009 Author Share Posted December 20, 2009 Thanks Ben. AFAIK the Type A did not have roundels underneath the wings but I could be wrong. Where have you seen it with lower wing roundels? Regards, Jens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_m Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 (edited) Thanks Ben.AFAIK the Type A did not have roundels underneath the wings but I could be wrong. Where have you seen it with lower wing roundels? Regards, Jens Both of these photos are of N3071: Edit: Also note that the left U/C leg and wheel hub are black, and the right are white (from when the aircraft was painted in the white/black underside scheme). Edited December 20, 2009 by ben_m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jens Posted December 20, 2009 Author Share Posted December 20, 2009 Thanks again Ben. I have never seen the second picture before. The undercarriage is also painted black/white so that's good. I will have to find a pair of roundels of the right size for the lower wings I guess. Regards, Jens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old VG 33 Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 Hi This picture is killing my first attempt to make N3071 and I have to build another one Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabre_days Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Looks great so far... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jens Posted June 2, 2011 Author Share Posted June 2, 2011 Thanks god for WIP threads. I have moved the underwing cameras so I have to repaint the lower surfaces, but I was unsure which Humbrol tin to use. I hope I can stick a fork in this one soon! Jens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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