Four Spitfires at once...muwhahaha

Update - I've closed up the fuselage halves of the MK XIVs after superdetailing each of them. I wired the throttle quadrants, machined a pair of primer pumps in brass, added in the compasses, and wired the radios. I also had to relocate the throttle quadrants on both since they were too far forward and too low when compared to my photos. So now it's on to the other 3. Unfortuntely, it's now quite difficult to get decent photos with the fuselage halves closed up, but here's a couple anyway.







Jeff

Jeff,

I know, I know... Heather needs some TLC, but I'm not gonna be back that way until late summer. The Army's got me running in six directions at once. I'm headed to Benning in March for the Army-wide shooting competition and then to basic camp in June. Going to Vietnam for PhD credit for 2 weeks the week I get back from camp. After that, there's a chance I may go to Advanced camp for the remainder of the summer...

But the good news is, I'll be back in Jersey by Summer 2005 after I commission. Not sure if I'm gonna learn to fly with my unit or if I'll get sent down to Rucker for a year, but we'll see.

In any case, I wanna see those Spits when they're done!

Hey Jon,

MosquitoCon is March 13, and yes, that's the same workbench. Only thing is, the Cobra parts that were on it were 1:1 scale...which reminds me, when you gonna start updating the forward tub of Heather with that new instrument that's still hanging on the back of my office door???

Jeff

Ok gents, this is not why I'm posting to this thread. Let's forget it and move on, shall we?

Obviously, my initial plan to do D-day stripes isn't feasible, so...now, it's just a collection of late model Spitfires (and one Seafire).

Jeff

My appologies guys.
I was not attempting to be "rude" or "offensive". My bottom line was saying to "have fun" and if you want to build a Mk IX with four cannon that is up to you. I was simply reading Jeff's statement that he was having all of them in D-Day stripes. Sounded pretty silly to me.
Have fun.
Cheers
Bob S.

Coming along nicely, Jeff.

I think you handled the rude & offensive comments of Bob S. very well. In order to build a quality model, you need not be an "expert." I've always found this forum to be very helpful encouraging. What encouragement can be gained from comments like his?
Great question, Cobrahistorian !

Looking forward to the next round of pics.

I seem to recognize that workbench.... Looks better with a Cobra on it though
Very cool stuff Jeff. When is the Jersey IPMS Con? Not that I've got any time to build anything for it anyhow, but still. If I can be there, I will.

Swaddling, who peed in your cheerios?

Hello, I`m new here but not a new modeller ( I have been one 70% of my current lifetime). Well... an interesting collection and as a British aviation fan (hence BRITMEX) I`m impressed. BTW I build my kits the same way. I`m now painting a 1/144 Tristar, a 757, a 1/72 CF-18, a FW-190 A-3, and I have a Westland Wessex, an A-37 dragonfly and an Alpha Jet in initial assembly. The first one to exit my workplace is the Fw-190...
pictures to come!!!!

happy modelling and..... LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!!!!

ALBRECHT BARAJAS

Update...seatbelts have been installed in the two Academy XIV cockpits...with regards to being single, no, I'm not, but the wife has been sick and sleeping alot, and I usually start building about 9pm or so, and go until 2 or 3am...so it doesn't interfere with being a dad and husband. I also have the most understanding model wife you could ask for. She knows where I am, what I'm doing, and I'm not out trying to kill myself flying, racing, skiing, or playing hockey. Modeling is the most serene of my hobbies, most of the rest can get me killed if I try hard enough.

I see you are going for quantity rather than quality...

Hey Bob,

It's my build...and if you want quality, I got a wall full of awards to back it up, in ships, aircraft, figures, and armor. I build it all. Each of these aircraft will be researched when it comes time to paint and decal...if they don't have D-day stripes, then I don't care. It was my initial intention to have them in stripes. Obviously, that's historically incorrect, so guess what, they're not all going to be in stripes. And yes, I know there were no Seafire XVs at Normandy. Mine will probably be HMS Glory circa 1945.

I take the time to research my models, and simply because I'm not a Spitfire expert like yourself doesn't mean that I can't change things mid-stream when I find the information. I have my areas of expertise, if you ever care to debate the configurations of the 175 Fletcher Class destroyers in WW2, let me know, I wrote a book on them. These Spits are the first I've built since 1984...in any scale. Most of the books I have haven't been opened since 1995. I don't eat sleep and breathe Spitfires, so cut me some slack, eh?

PS: I run an aviation museum, this is crap I deal with at work, not with my hobby.

Jeff

Hey Jeff
There are a couple good books in your list and if you had read them you would know that there were no lowback Spits with D-Day stripes or four cannon IX's or a Seafire XV at Normandy. Maybe that John Deere green would look good with on the high back XIV.
I see you are going for quantity rather than quality. Have fun. That's the bottom line.
Cheers
Bob S.

The Spits look great Jeff - and I envy the amount of free time you have to undertake such a project.

I'm doing 4 Roden Gladiators at once with some Eduard PE.

Doesn't go quickly when you have 4 x 90-some parts to clean up !!!

I'm so looking forward to the day when I can put in 4x18 exhaust sections !!!

Actually the assembly line method allows for swapping of differing quality work so I'll end up with a couple really good ones, one with minor glitches, and one with a heavy coat of paint to sit in back of the others .... or I'll blow the paint job on the best constructed one & end up with spare parts ...

Ok! I'll ask.

Jeff; are you single, trying to become single or just plain NUTS!!!

My wife was reading this with me and said if I ever try anything like, it I'm out!
They look great so far. Keep it up and good luck!
Drew

Ps: I would do it with Corsairs though. NO i'm not trying to open another can glue!

take good care of the ocidental one i´ts made in Portugal, hehe, i never thought you would have it in the states. Hope its a good kit

take good care of the ocidental one i´ts made in Portugal, hehe, i never thought you would have it in the states. Hope its a good kit

Research?? Of course not. In fact, I'm going to paint them with John Deer green spraypaint...lmao...I'm kidding of course. Here's my Spitfire stuff...

British Aviation Colors 1939-45 (with paint chips)
Spitfires and Polished metal (color pics of Historic Flying's Spitfire projects)
Spitfire in Action
Spitfire - RAF Fighter by Ron Dick
Spitfire - Albert Price
Fighter and Bomber Squadrons at War - Andrew Brookes
Spitfire - Watanabe
Aero Details on MK I-V and Griffon Engined Spits.
Arco-Aircram Spitfire MK IX-24
Aircraft of RAAF 1921-‘71
Battle of Britain – Hurricane, Spitfire, Me-109 (Aircam 1)
British Air Force Colors of WW2 – Official RAF
RAF Fighters Vol. 1
Spitfire XII – 24 (Aircam 8)
Supermarine Spitfire – Profile Publications

I think that should just about cover things for me...

Jeff

Hi Jeff
4 Spitfires and 1 Seafire? Are you doing any sort of research at all?
Cheers
Bob S.

Good golly!! Thats awsome!

great stuff! looks like pix isn't the only mass production machine!
and you took Adolf Galland's advice to Herman Goring...
"We need spitfires!"

Wow, 5 now! Exciting stuff..!

Jeff tell how that ICM kit goes together. I just ordered 5 IXe,VIII,VII.XVI,LFIX you are right they are inexpensive now. JOHN

By the way the 5 are looking good so far!!!!

Update: All 5 cockpits are installed, painted, drybrushed and ready for me to close up the fuselage halves...here's a pic from about 3 hours ago. This was before I painted the seats their proper red-brown color...

From top to bottom: ICM Mk IX, Occidental Mk IX, Academy FR XIVe, Academy XIVc, and the Hobbycraft Seafire XV...

Jeff......I take my hat off to you. 4 spits in one go? It took me 6 months to build one!
Good luck! I can't wait to see 'em!

Darren.

Update...ok, I'm a glutton for punishment...I realized I was out of RAF interior green, so I run down to my local shop, and the owner has a table with a bunch of 'closeout' kits on it...and I bought the Hobbycraft Seafire XV for $6...so now it's 5 Spitfires, not 4...

Oh yea, all the cockpits are done, and I'm firing up the airbrush in a few minutes.

Jeff

4 at one time, because I want to build but I'm lazy (but ambitious)...so, I figured instead of 4 rounds of interior green paint through the brush, I'd only need one...same with all the rest. Typically, I build one at a time until it's time to paint, then I put the model aside until there's something else to paint that falls within the same color scheme...one-off building, batch painting. This time I decided to do them all at the same time...

All will be RAF squadron markings, and all will be wearing D-day stripes. The theme for NJ IPMS' contest this year is Liberation 1944, so that was my reasoning. It's a smaller component of my collection build for the Nationals, which is D-day aircraft of each of the air forces...the RAF group is first, I hope to have the 4 Spitfires, a Typhoon, Mosquito, and Beaufighter. In the USAAF group will be a P-51B/C, P-51D, P-38, P-47D-25, P-47D-30, A-20, and B-26. The Luftwaffe will a bit different, I'll be doing Bodenplatte aircraft, so it's a variety of 109s and 190s.

Jeff

QUOTE: Originally posted by djmodels1999 What made you decide to build 4 at a time? What schemes are you thinking of doing? Any Belgian ones..?

you tell him dj!!

What made you decide to build 4 at a time? What schemes are you thinking of doing? Any Belgian ones..?

FR - Flies Rapidly, Flaps Required...

J

UPDATE: I have 3 of the 4 cockpits built, the Occidental and ICM pits were easy, the Academy pits are a bit more tough because everything must be glued into the fuselage half...so here's the low-down thus far...

Cockpits:

Easiest to build - Occidental
Toughest to build - Academy
Best detail - Academy
Most confusing - Academy
Best engineered - ICM

I've found that the ICM kit gives you the options of doing just about every variant of the IX...so I think I'm going to do the late-production LF IXC with the 4 20mm. You can model the early and late rudders, C or E wing, and clipped, regular, or HF extended wingtips...I think I see another group project coming just from this single kit...they're actually inexpensive now...and it includes a complete Merlin as well.

Jeff