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1/48 Revell Spitfire Mk II (Completed - pg. 6 update)

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  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
1/48 Revell Spitfire Mk II (Completed - pg. 6 update)
Posted by M. Brindos on Sunday, July 31, 2016 10:40 PM

Starting something new again. The P-40 needs a complete fresh makeover from scratch and I just don't have the patience right now. I'll get back to it some other day.

For now, I have started this Spitfire. I've gone and drilled out the gun sight in preparation for further detail, such as an actual lens and such. I cut out the half compass that was molded to the IP and replaced that with a bit of sprue. I thinned the rudder pedals down A LOT and added straps. I wrapped the control stick with Tamiya tape and added a little more wiring detail to it.

And that's just the start. The paint is a 50/50 mix of Dark Green and Sky Grey which looks about right. Not as pale as it could be, but it's looking like it will work regardless.







Its not much so far, but its just a start.

Thanks for looking.  :)

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    March 2015
  • From: Streetsboro, Ohio
Posted by Toshi on Sunday, July 31, 2016 10:49 PM

This is very exciting.  You've really have my attention!

Toshi

On The Bench: Revell 1/48 B-25 Mitchell

 

Married to the most caring, loving, understanding, and beautiful wife in the world.  Mrs. Toshi

 

 

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Monday, August 1, 2016 1:15 AM

Well thank you, my fiend. I'm literally just getting started lol.

Paint is 95% done on the IP. Its not turning out too badly for a kit piece. The camera on Macro is showing me that there is a little refinement to take care of, but that's at least mostly done.

The guages are a little more rough looking at this distance, but the compass looks decent enough.

The green Vallejo wash changed the tone of the base color, but I like it.

Well that's it for tonight. I've got an early start in the morning and its already late.

More to come. :)

 

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    August 2013
Posted by Jay Jay on Monday, August 1, 2016 8:31 AM

Mike,

TY for posting this , another inspiring build.

Your IP looks stellar . The green wash you used made the color very realistic to my eyes for sure.  Looking foward to the next installment of your WIP.

 

 

 

 

 

 I'm finally retired. Now time I got, money I don't.

  • Member since
    December 2010
  • From: Salem, Oregon
Posted by 1943Mike on Monday, August 1, 2016 10:13 AM

Mike,

I'm very envious of your painting skills! When I look at your work compared to mine I almost want to give up. Now that's not going to happen so I'll just have to keep looking at marvelous work like yours and try to emulate some of the techniques you so aptly display.

The only Spitfire I have in my stash is the Occidental Mk IXe which, I've read, is not at all accurate as far as shape is concerned and not very detailed. How do you rate your kit?

 

Mike

"Le temps est un grand maître, mais malheureusement, il tue tous ses élèves."

Hector Berlioz

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Monday, August 1, 2016 4:58 PM

Jay Jay

Mike,

TY for posting this , another inspiring build.

Your IP looks stellar . The green wash you used made the color very realistic to my eyes for sure.  Looking foward to the next installment of your WIP.

 

Inspiring? Thank you! I think that IP is turning out pretty good myself, and I do like the color after the wash. It looks right to my eyes as well. I'm pretty sure its wrong, but I still like it lol.

I'll update as soon as I can.  :)

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    April 2016
  • From: Parsons Kansas
Posted by Hodakamax on Monday, August 1, 2016 5:12 PM

Ah, cool new project and looking good. I built the Tamiya version so try not to make mine look too bad. Keep up the good work and I may post mine after I see yours. LOL

Max

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Monday, August 1, 2016 5:14 PM

1943Mike

Mike,

I'm very envious of your painting skills! When I look at your work compared to mine I almost want to give up. Now that's not going to happen so I'll just have to keep looking at marvelous work like yours and try to emulate some of the techniques you so aptly display.

The only Spitfire I have in my stash is the Occidental Mk IXe which, I've read, is not at all accurate as far as shape is concerned and not very detailed. How do you rate your kit?

 

 

No need to be envious of my skills, lol. They certainly are not up to my satisfaction at times lol. NEVER give up! Just let things rest a while before returning to them. SOme of my best work has come from setting things aside for a time and working on something else till I feel like working on it again.

I think I'll try showing you how I painted that color. It could come in handy, eh?

As for rating this kit...

I've just started it and I've never built this one before. The level of detail is rather nice for an older kit. It certainly was amazing for its time. The fit of parts needs a little tweeking and sanding before the few parts I've worked over fit without any issues. Which is typical.

There is plenty of room for scratch building up more details though. This kit comes with all the basic structures and parts but lacks all the seriously good details such as the wires or basic throttle controls. The throttle is molded to the side wall and really lacks depth, but I'll fix that with alacrity!

Basically you get enough to work with without having to buy a whole set of detail kits to make it look right. But if you wanted to, there would certainly be no problem with that. lol

Also it looks like the canopy is designed to actually slide open and closed. Nice feature, but it makes the pit sides look off. I think I can work with it and give it a little improvement however.

Overall score in my book would be about a 5. Just average in comparison with what has been produced in this decade.

As far as the general shape... It looks like a Spitfire to me, lol. We'll see what I can make of it, eh?

Oh, one last thing; the landing gear look a little weak and fragile. About as bad as they were on the Me-109G10 I built a while back. I'll probably have to adjust the way they stand once I get to thet point. The gear on the 109 were way too far inboard and it made the plane sit funny. http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/t/165748.aspx

So now I'll get to work on documenting what I do with the seat section of the pit. ;)

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Monday, August 1, 2016 5:15 PM

Hodakamax

Ah, cool new project and looking good. I built the Tamiya version so try not to make mine look too bad. Keep up the good work and I may post mine after I see yours. LOL

Max

 

Bah! I bet yours looks fabulous, Max. I'll try not to? lol

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    December 2002
Posted by 7474 on Monday, August 1, 2016 6:39 PM

How did you paint the instruments like that? I can only dry brush them, looks very realistic. 

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Monday, August 1, 2016 6:56 PM

7474

How did you paint the instruments like that? I can only dry brush them, looks very realistic. 

 

I cheat! I use very fine tip artist's pens and fine tip sharpies.

Once you get your panel painted you just use a very small brush to drop in some very thin white paint. Capillary action fills it in. After that dries you start "coloring" your gauges in. It still takes a steady hand to make sure you stay withing the lines, but its easier than trying to use a tiny brush. Trust me, I know.

*********************************
 
Update! Because who doesn't like an update, right? lol

For those of you cheap bast@rds like myself, who would rather take a shot at building it up yourself, rather than shell out the cash for better parts to cut the build time down a lot, I thought I'd share this little idea for those of you who haven't already seen it.

All you need to replicate (Better than not doing it) some decent looking gun sights is a little bit of blister packaging. It comes from almost everything these days so you shouldn't have a hard time getting your hands on a bit of scrap.

You just need some sharp scissors and some sanding stick of some kind to first cut out a general sized piece and then shape it to your needs.





Affix the lens with some clear gloss and you've got a fairly good looking gun sight. The one tht cam ewith this kit was molded completely solid. It definitely needed this little bit of scratch building.





And that's your tip for the day lol.

Now I am going to do a little internetz diggin' to figure out how to better represent this box (Battery? Radio??) behind the pilot's seat. You should be able to see quite a bit of detail through the glass on this one so I want to make sure it doesn't look like generic block. Besides, this seat doesn't look like it has enough to it either, or maybe it does. I'll have to go find out.



Keep moddlin' my friends!

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    February 2011
  • From: Bent River, IA
Posted by Reasoned on Monday, August 1, 2016 9:45 PM

Fantastic start Mike! This is the old Revellogram MkII that is in every hobby store on the planet for less than $15, with raised panel lines etc.? Well keep the shots coming, this was my first kit after coming back to the hobby, she's austere at best.

Science is the pursiut of knowledge, faith is the pursuit of wisdom.  Peace be with you.

On the Tarmac: 1/48 Revell P-38

In the Hanger: A bunch of kits

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Monday, August 1, 2016 11:52 PM

I had the old Monogram kit when I was a kid. It had a pilot and no pit what-so-ever. The landing gear were able to swing down and click into place as well. This is not that old Monogram kit. I think this one is a classic Revell. But yes, it has the raised panel lines [sigh] which I plan on fixing some of them. Mainly around the engine, gun bays, and the hatch aft of the cockpit.

This kit does have the Monogram feel to it, but that kit didn't have anything on the inside of it. The pilot sat on a peg lol.

However, this is the kit that is available in almost every store in America, yes.

 

Now on to tonights last gasp.

I removed the odd structures from the seat that I could find no picture references for. Miraculously the seat fit like a glove after I removed the mystery bits. I then decided to detail the (whatever it is) behind the pilot's seat and add some detail to it. It looks decent enough without paint. I hope it looks better WITH paint lol.

Believe it or not, all of that carving took me quite some time to accomplish this evening. And here I thought I was going to get to piant something, lol, silly me.

A quick tutorial for making coiled wires for radios and such. Just incase some of you haven't seen this yet.  ;)

I like to use garbage twist ties that come with all of the cheap garbage bags. Sometimes you can snag them from bags of bread as well. I always save these because they have so many uses.

For coiled wire or radio cords all you have to do is simply strip the covering off of the wire and then coil it around something with the desired diameter, such as a drill bit.

Then remove the drill bit and stretch out your coil of wire/cable.

 

Well perhaps I can find my way to painting something tomorrow.  :)

Have a great night my fellow model addicts. Sleep well and dream of styrene lol.

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    August 2013
Posted by Jay Jay on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 7:48 AM

"The throttle is molded to the side wall and really lacks depth, but I'll fix that with alacrity! "

So where can I get this Alacrity ?  Does it cost much ?  I supose I hafta order it from the UK. Stick out tongue

 

 

 

 

 

 I'm finally retired. Now time I got, money I don't.

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 8:20 AM

I am not awake yet, Jay. But this is where you can find some alacrity;

a·lac·ri·ty

əˈlakrədē/
noun
noun: alacrity
brisk and cheerful readiness.
"she accepted the invitation with alacrity"
synonyms: eagerness, willingness, readiness;

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Wednesday, August 3, 2016 9:07 AM

Beautiful work Sir, you are off to a great start. I love the gun sight mod, great idea! 

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Wednesday, August 3, 2016 9:13 AM

Thanks, Brandon. Although I had thought I knew this kit, it turns out I've never built it before lol. I like it though. Just like the 109G-10, the kit has just enough detail to let me make it even more fun lol.

Just before bed last night I stayed up with the builder's bug and I detailed the radiator using some internet pictures for inspiration. I don't think this is accurate, but it sure as heck looks cool.





Of course copious bits of sprue and card stock were used. The results are pretty good, I think.





It looks like a radiator. 
   Now I just need to find a good picture of the actuator for the damper so I can add those in there as well.

Have a great day!

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: Central Nebraska
Posted by freem on Saturday, August 6, 2016 11:41 PM

Always great stuff, Mike!  I have been wanting to start this kit for a couple of years now and always end up doing something else.

As I have learned from several internet sources, the kit is of 1979 vintage and is a pretty decent kit.  The only real big issue is that it misses the gull wing shape of the wings under the fuselage.  If you look at a pic of a MkII and others i suppose from the underside you can see it clearly.  Other than that, spruce up the pit and she's good to go.

Spitfires just get my juices flowing!!!!!

Chris Christenson

 

  • Member since
    February 2012
  • From: Olmsted Township, Ohio
Posted by lawdog114 on Sunday, August 7, 2016 2:50 AM
This was the first model I built when I returned to the hobby. Yours looks waaaay better....

 "Can you fly this plane and land it?...Surely you can't be serious....I am serious, and don't call me Shirley"

 

 

 

 

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Naples, FL
Posted by tempestjohnny on Sunday, August 7, 2016 6:38 AM
What a great start. Nice to see skills in detailing rather then aftermarket.

 

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Sunday, August 7, 2016 4:03 PM

LOL Good comments, fellas! LOL

I'm working on painting the seat and I'm back into this model now. I'll post some progress pics later.  :)

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    March 2015
  • From: Streetsboro, Ohio
Posted by Toshi on Sunday, August 7, 2016 7:04 PM

As always, it's looking great!  I'm very excited to see more progress!

Toshi

On The Bench: Revell 1/48 B-25 Mitchell

 

Married to the most caring, loving, understanding, and beautiful wife in the world.  Mrs. Toshi

 

 

  • Member since
    March 2015
  • From: Streetsboro, Ohio
Posted by Toshi on Monday, August 8, 2016 2:39 AM

That's just incredible.  I just don't know where or how to start scratch building.  I can't imagine how you guys do it!

Toshi

On The Bench: Revell 1/48 B-25 Mitchell

 

Married to the most caring, loving, understanding, and beautiful wife in the world.  Mrs. Toshi

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Monday, August 8, 2016 12:05 PM

Some really nice scratch work in there Mike, its coming on really nice.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Monday, August 8, 2016 12:22 PM

Thank you, Bish.  :)

I'm not wanting to get too carried away with it all, but some basic control shapes are needed to make it look like a functional space. Same thing I did with the 109, but without as much detail as that one. For instance, I'm not going to add all of the little electrical boxes and the wiring, but I will be adding a floor with some basic details because the flaps will be down and that leaves big open holes through the pit.

The biggest problem I'm having so far is the canopy glass. The middle and rear glass fit fine, but the windscreen is rubbish and I'm going to have to add some card stock to get it to fit correctly. That going to give me issues with bits of white showing up in my canopy frames after paint, but I'll just have to live with it, or otherwise make it work to some small degree.

The only other option is to glue it on and leave it looking like mis-fitting junk. :/

I've already engineered a way to get the canopy glass to slide open and closed ;) So at least that's going to be neat. But its not going to be very cool if the canopy won't line up with the windscreen, now will it? Must fix, and early in the build at that!

 

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Monday, August 8, 2016 7:19 PM

I've got the office fully painted up and I think it looks preety darn good. Well, to me it does lol. Not nearly as detailed or well represented as what some of you guys do with the resin and PE, but for good old fashioned basic skills, this ain't half bad at all.  :)

I've got the canopy, and windscreen under control now. I just need to get further along in this build before I can attach the windscreen and do further work to blend it into the fuselage.

But they slide together and match up pretty good now.

By the time I'm done it should fit well enough.

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

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