That pit looks really good! Thanks for the quick tutorial on scratch building. I defiantly want to give it a go on a build soon. Looking forward to more!

It's shaping up to be a great build. Good Job.

Rick

Complicated styrene sizes, digitil calipers, special tools.  That's what I thought was needed to scratch build.  Thank you for the tutorial!  I think I can do some of what you described.  Just don't laugh when you see my feeble attempts.  I will try my best.  Thank you M.Brindos!

Toshi

Super job on that spitfire 

Nope, scratch building things isn't that difficult. Just like any other skill we posses, you just have to keep doing it to get better at it.

Thank you for the compliments!  :)

Toshi, no you don't need any special tools. I do have a set of calipers, but I don't ever use them for this stuff. I do use a Pico Meter, which is normally used in the printing industry to make sure your prints are in register, but it also has milimeters on it as well and that is what I use to measure things with.

I dont think anyone will laugh at any attempt you make to improve something on one of your models, my friend. Not if you're trying. You've shown great determination to work on every new skill you've decided to try and I think you'll like the results if you give it an honest effort. You don't need to go into super detail. But a few basic bits to show something better represented than a kit part always looks cooler and more realistic.

You guys take care and have a great day!  :D

Edit: Thanks Crown!  :)

A lot of great cockpits going around FSM these days. This is one of them.  Nice work Mike!

Thank you, Allan.  :)

Yesterday I thought I was at the point where I could move forward so I glued the fuselage halves together. After some time in the clamps I checked to make sure my seams glued together well enough and I was satisfied with the results. But something was missing. You know that feeling in the back of your mind that tells you, you missed something.

I'd forgotten to install the seat belts. Well, as the fuse was closed up this made it difficult to do, but not impossible. I made these from Tamiya tape and made catches with that bread tie wire I mentioned before. I made a total of five of them in all because the first two went without a hitch. The third one was too big, but four and five turned out good enogh to use.

I've been wanting to see if I could make these and it wasn't too hard. Just a lot of careful bending. After that is was easy to set my belts and CA those around the catches.

Painting them in the pit was a mistake, but I got excited and set the belts before I thought of it. How is it, that with all of our need for patience, sometimes we just can't help ourselves?  lol

Anyways, it turned out alright after all. They're not as detailed as I could have made them, but patience didn't hold out for me.  :/  I guess that's the way it goes sometimes.

They look great!  I've always admired the perfection you and your peers strive for, so when you had that uh, oh moment, I was some what in disbelief.  I guess we all make mistakes and it's how we approach the situation that makes us better modelers.  

I've never heard of bread ties for the seat belt.  One more thing I'd like to attempt.  That is so cool!

Toshi

LOL! I have LOTS of uh, oh moments, Toshi! It IS all about how you approach them. You've got that right! LOL

Here is an example of a few of my typical "Go-to" scratch building supplies. They are all different sizes and such. The bread ties are almost the exact same size as these yellow garbage bag ties.

Then I have an example of the the left-over meterials used to make those seat belts. The belts were made from Tamiya tape cut down to 2mm in width and that extra buckle was a reject because it turned out too wide.

I really enjoy building this stuff and usually I like the extra detail they can provide to a stock kit. I simply don't NEED to buy all of the AM, but when I do have it, generally its a lot simpler to use lol. I am definitely not opposed to using PE or resin pieces. They make life a little easier sometimes ;)

Thank you so very much for the photos of everyday items you use.   OMG!  I can't believe it.  Yes, AM is really a simple concept yet what you're teaching me can be complex and very gratifying.  Even as you so rightly describe the artistic spur of the moment epiphany.  

You've got my mind thinking now.  Hmm...  LOL!

Toshi

Toshi

Thank you so very much for the photos of everyday items you use.   OMG!  I can't believe it.  Yes, AM is really a simple concept yet what you're teaching me can be complex and very gratifying.  Even as you so rightly describe the artistic spur of the moment epiphany.  

You've got my mind thinking now.  Hmm...  LOL!

Toshi

 

I guess I've only shown you the door. You are the one who must open it lol.

***********************

For my last update tonight I will leave you guys with this;

Those are my scratches into the fuselage. They cleaned up much better than they did on my Stuka. I started using my home made scribing tool a little differently and I'm getting much better results because of it. Another bonus is that my scribed lines are a bit more uniform in depth. If I can keep my hands steady for the other side I should have some really great results.  :)

You may also note that I have the rear glass installed, and you may wonder why I have no protection over it yet. The reason is quite simple.

Man this is one outstanding project! Excellent scratch work going on here!  And yes, as you suspected earlier, this kit was of original Revell parentage, not Monogram. It was released in the late 70s along with a Me-109 G-10, P-51D, and a P-40E. The 109 is still being reissued like this one under Revellogram since they merged, while the P-40 was upgraded and reissued in a Pro Modeller boxing. The P-51D is not as sharp an Monogram's P-51D of the same vintage, and its' last boxing that I know of was with the T-6 as a pair of Reno Racers from Revell Germany.

This is the original Revell boxing from the 70s

Not to be confused with the older Monogram Spitfire Mk.IX that had no cockpit and the retractable landing gear...

Son of a gun. I did remember correctly. Thanks, Stik.  :)

****************

I finished off the panel lines on the right side of the fuselage.

I also added a 1/32in. spacer of card stock and recessed the nose a bit to give the illusion of depth where the panels should have some. This really helps to give the nose some much needed definition.

I scratched out the rear access panel on the right fuse tail section as well.

With the hub base and the propeller on there, it looks much better than it does stock.

I'll see what other trouble I can get into to slow down my progress when I get home later. That trip to Seattle wiped me out and now I've got to go to work lol.

I'm gonna watch this project of yours for ideas to spiff mine up when I eventually tackle it...

I would be honored, and more then a bit flattered lol.

I just scratched in a fuel filler door. Then I was just thinking, I hope that goes there. I mean, I just assumed because the fuel capacity stencil goes there. I hope I'm right about that lol. Otherwise I can just fill it back in.  ':/

I think you've got another winner there Mike, sharp work! 

BTW: I think the fuel is in or near the right place. I remember trying to figure out how to mask one for puttying the fusilage seam without destroying it. 

Thanks, Gamera. I don't have time to find out right now. I have to run to work. Not scheduled till 1:00, but the earlier I get in, the sooner I get done and it's my Wife's birthday today. Can't be lolligagin' any longer lol.

I hope you're right and my instincts are trustworthy enough this time lol!

M. Brindos

I would be honored, and more then a bit flattered lol.

 

I just scratched in a fuel filler door. Then I was just thinking, I hope that goes there. I mean, I just assumed because the fuel capacity stencil goes there. I hope I'm right about that lol. Otherwise I can just fill it back in.  ':/

 

 

Yes that is the fueling point for the fuselage tank.

Thanks, Stik!  :D    !!

That is looking super good, Sir. I love the details you've added. NICE!!

BK

Not perfect, but netter than nothing.

More access port panel scribing.



Scribing and shimming



and the hole for the landing light opened up for a real lens later.



Not much to look at. This part does go pretty dang slowly.

I love the way you scribe, it really does enhance the Spitfire!  This is some thing I've never done before and would like to apply it on my next build!

Toshi

Thank you VERY much, Toshi!  These older Monovell kits are really good candidates for practicing on. Plenty of room for improvement.

I've added some control cables to the rudder pedals and the control stick, but they are super hard to see without shining a light directly into the pit lol.

I've also got the wings glued on and I'm in the process of shimming all the gaps. I'm probably not going to get to sand any of it down till tomorrow morning though.

Pictures later.. :)

Top access wing panels are laid in. A little deeper than I wanted them, but they should take a wash really well lol.



I also laid down a panel so there are no gaps to see through the pit, plus it acts as a basic floor.



Control lines added tot he pit before I closed it up with the wings.



Wing root gaps stuffed with bits of card stock and stretched sprue. I'm going with this method because I want to add panel lines back to this area after I get this all sanded down and matched up.




I used a flashlight to get these pictures. You almost can't see anything in there now that its all closed up.





But hey, that looks pretty good. Better than a flat solid floor at the bottom of the pit.

Thanks for looking!!!  :)  Now I've got to wait for all of this glued stuff to solidify before I can mess with it or it will get really ugly. 

What an excellent WIP thread, Mike.

So much great stuff, no way to do it all justice in a comment.

I could kick myself for every bag tie I've tossed in my lifetime now. (and with every one, I've had a haunting feeling to keep it. Yes, every one)

That's just one of many thoughts crossed my mind perusing your thread.

Bob, Greg, thank you so much. I'm glad I could be of any inspiration.  :)

Well, round one of sanding, scribing, and puttying is complete and it loooks like rubbish. This is going o take a little more effort then a couple of passes it looks like.

I'm not going to be able to tell how well this is really looking until I can get some primer on it to check. I have a feeling this is going to be a lot of rechecking and correcting going on.

Round two is showing some promise. I think I may be able to get the dang panel lines to cooperate with me.

And this area under the nose looks like its going to work out rather nicely.

Now to get the other lines "in shape".