Airfix Spitfire MK II

I'm a little nonplussed as to why you complain about the prominence/depth of the panel lines, then fill them in with thick black lines, making them stand out even more. This phenomenon didn't occur on the Spitfire, except where there were removable panels. The Spitfire was largely constructed with overlapping panels, which had primer and then top colours added, which filled the lines, and made it impossible for dirt to get through (or even stick.)

To be thoroughly realistic, many WWII models should not have engraved lines, but imagine the uproar if the manufacturers returned to raised panel lines, though, in 1/72 scale, the depth of the overlaps would be less than the thickness of tissue paper.i165.photobucket.com/.../IIA_zps2c48e88b.jpg

Thanks a lot Dave, I appreciate it!

Brian

Excellent job NH! Finish looks really good

Dave

Thanks Aleksander!

Brian

Congratulations! Nice looking Spitfire!

Heh heh, I hear ya.  Normally I would choose 1/48 over 1/72, but after all this time of folks talking about the new tool Airfix kits in this scale I thought I would give it a try, and the price was perfect.   I will say, the cockpit is rather well detailed for a kit of this size, though the effect is spoiled by a single piece canopy only option.  Only thing I did to the cockpit was add a harness.  Looks pretty great through the "glass" at least.

Brian

+1 thats a fine looking Spit, and in a scale I try to avoid unless its something BIG lol

Thanks Devil Dawg.  I worked on it for probably the better part of a couple months, but only because it was an on again-off again kind of thing while I did various other projects.  But the bulk of the work got done in about 2 weeks.  I had a double hernia operation, so I had A LOT of free time then to finish things up.

Brian

Great work, NH! Yep, those panel lines are definitely a bit on the wide side, but, other than that, you have a beautiful model. How long did it take to complete?

I've been there!

Theuns, the Gladiator and Vampire are two kits I am actually interested in as well.  Good to see those too are regarded as good kits.

Antoni, thanks for the corrections.  I wish I had known about the antenna beforehand.  I won't tell you how many times it took me to finally get the darn aerial correct.

Brian

The new Airfix Spitfire makes a fine model. I have built four so far. All the parts for an early Mk I are left over so you can save a few pennies by buying a MK I kit and using the parts with that, if you want an early MK I. Then you are left with the spare oil cooler that you can use to make a Mk Va.

The only remark I can make is that in 1941 VHF radios were used and the aerial was inside the mast and there was no lead from the mast to the fin. IFF would also have been fitted so there would be a lead from each tailplane to the fuselage. Like so:-

Hope you can see it.  

Nicely done!

If you like the new tool Airfix stuff get yourself the 1/72 Gladiator, Vampire Mk10  and the P-51d. They all build up really well.

Theuns

Thanks T3chdad!  I don't build many aircraft, but this one has put the bug in me to try out some more of those new tool Airfix kits.

Brian

Thanks Lawdog114.

All colors used for the camo and underside are Tamiya.  Dark Earth lightened with deck tan about 3:1 for the brown, and the green is Deep Green, again lightened 3:1 with deck tan.  Underside is Sky, also lightened with Deck Tan, only I went with a 1:1 ratio.  Everything got a filter of raw umber artist oils to tie it all together.

Brian

Yes, everyone except the Luftwaffe.  That's one fine looking spit.  The colors are dead on.  What did you use for your Dark Earth?

Joe