Spitfire GB

Hi guys... posted this below link in the general area as some might help that aren't actually building a Spitfire atm.

Can anyone here plse??

/forums/t/141186.aspx

VanceCrozier

 

I'm still in summer mode (yardwork + softball playoffs), despite the temps over the past few days. You can start to feel fall now, only 46 F here overnight Saturday. Anyway, I'm picking away at some smaller items & lurking. I'm hoping to get a Seafire in here at some point.

Nah youre not weird mate, Im just a joker. Love seeing all sorts here so plse dont take my "jest" to heart

Got my resin cannon covers and after market decal all the way from Barracuda yesterday, great service. Thanks heaps Roy

JOE RIX

OK, The Ocean Gray is on, now for the masking. I'm going to try and cut out the mask from the scale drawing provided with the kit, stitch it together and tape it on. Here is a pic of my progress thus far.

                                                 Joe

Very nice, I cant want to see the end result!

OK, The Ocean Gray is on, now for the masking. I'm going to try and cut out the mask from the scale drawing provided with the kit, stitch it together and tape it on. Here is a pic of my progress thus far.

                                                 Joe

Jester

Youre weird.

 

So guys............ anyone else building??? Seems like Doogs has completed his and this threads stagnating =(

I'm still in summer mode (yardwork + softball playoffs), despite the temps over the past few days. You can start to feel fall now, only 46 F here overnight Saturday. Anyway, I'm picking away at some smaller items & lurking. I'm hoping to get a Seafire in here at some point.

I'd have to check, but I don't believe Pacific Spitfires used the yellow leading edge ID marking at all.  That marking was for the Northern European Theatre.  Early Spitfire deliveries to the Far East were to Australia in 1943 and generally in the Desert Scheme.  Most were repainted from Dark Earth & Middlestone to Dark Earth and Foliage Green (a better shade of green for that part of the world compared to RAF Dark Green used in Europe).  Later Spitfires delivered in Dark Green/Ocean Grey/Medium Sea Grey were repainted before distribution to a squadron to either Dark Green/Dark Earth/Medium Sea Grey (China-India-Burma theatre) or Foliage Green overall (Australia).

Instead of yellow for an ID marking, the RAF used the white ID bands on the wings and tail.  The RAAF used the white tail and white leading edge.

Regarding patches or no patches -- I've read the patches were reliably used with the .303 gun ports until after hostilities when the squadrons returned to concrete runways.  Some later Spitfires (with the "e" wing") didn't have the .303 caliber guns, so if the wing had the ports the patches were painted the same as the basic camo.  Eventually the "e" wings were not built with .303 capability (as in no holes in the leading edges for the guns).  The "e" wing still had the cannon and .50 caliber guns, but those used a different means of protection.  So check your photo/painting.  If it didn't have patches, it's probably of a later Spitfire that didn't have the .303 guns.

Tim

Thanks for the info on the patches and lead edges.

I'm willing to bet that they treated all guns as if they are loaded and chambered.

 I asked because I've seen pics/paintings of the early Spitfires without either. I guess the red fabric could completly be blown off? I'll darken some red and try to mask off the ports.

And as far as ID goes, I'm supposing that is why the UK put the edge on the outboard half of the edge as opposed to the Japanese whom used the marking for the inboard half (assuming pacific Spitfires used the same id stripe). I wonder whom used the marking first?

I've also read, and it's an unproven theory, the presence of the patches prior to the sortie indicated the guns were loaded so therefore stay clear of the front, whereas the holes told them it was safe to be around the plane.

Tim

Just to add to Tim's comment about the red patches over the gun ports - it also offered protection from the cold air.  I also remember reading somewhere that upon return from a sortie, the ground crew could tell right away if the aircraft required re-arming as the patches would of been blown through from gunfire.  At the same time, if any were still intact while others not, this would indicate gun jam(s). 

regards

Jack

Jester

So guys............ anyone else building??? Seems like Doogs has completed his and this threads stagnating =(

I see a number of updates every day or so on builds.  Not stagnating at all...

Tim

I hear many comments re: 72nd and small pieces...I've got many friends who build only 48th, 32nd or even larger.  I'm always amazed at how many small pieces they have!  Doog's engine alone has more parts than some kits I've built.  Same with some cockpits in 32nd.  In the larger scales a viewer can "see" more at arm's length so (my opinion) it deserves more detail.  One can certainly buy a 72nd kit with the same parts as the larger ones, usually via aftermarket, but once done little can be seen even from an open cockpit.  Good for competitions or for someone who likes that, but not my cup of tea.

Tim

The red markings are actually doped patches of fabric to cover the holes for the guns.  Dating from 1940 through the end of the war it was used to keep dust/dirt out of the gun barrels because the squadrons mainly were operating from dirt/grass fields.  They were a rusty red color because that was the basic color of the treated fabric used for aircraft.

The yellow leading edge dates from 1942 when the RAF switched from the early roundels (equal widths yellow/blue/white/red) to the "low viz" roundels (thin yellow, thick blue, thin white, thick red).  The RAF actually changed the roundels and then a few months (2-3) later added the leading edge yellow stripe.  It was for recognition (look in your rear view and if you see yellow wings he's friendly, if not, BREAK!).  The yellow leading edge was part of the Day Fighter Scheme, a formal directive for RAF fighters operating over Northern Europe that used Dark Green & Ocean Grey upper surfaces, Medium Sea Grey lower surfaces, and Sky squadron codes.

Tim

Not being a Spitfire aficiando, whats the deal with the red markings on the gun/cannon ports and the yellow leadind edge on the wings?

Ive got a base coat of green and have put some camo on mine, hopefull today I'll get through the rest of the paint and construction.

I orderd the 70th ann Battle of Britain Decals as I didn't have any. I'll let y'all know how they look.

Working on both mine right now. Was masking the canopies and then SNAP, the rear section of the Vb canopy broke in two. Anyone have an extra? otherwise I will be emailing tamiya this week.

jeaton01

Spitfires had metal props and also prop blades made of compressed laminated wood, that's what you will see snapped off.  The had metal reinforced leading edges and didn't show wear like a metal prop would.  Most Spitfire pictures show pretty clean blades, I don't usually weather mine.

Thank You John for the clarification.

Jester

So guys............ anyone else building??? Seems like Doogs has completed his and this threads stagnating =(

I'm still lurking, but new job + moving in six or so weeks + two kids + not too many updates to comment on has kind of led to me not posting on here much.

Hoping to dive in with another Spit...but outside of MAYBE the P-47N I've got waiting to go, I'm going to be out of the aircraft game until at least Thanksgiving since the bench will be packed away. Figure I'll kill the time building up armor kits. Won't need all the paints/weathering gear/airbrush stuff/etc to just build the things up.

Spitfires had metal props and also prop blades made of compressed laminated wood, that's what you will see snapped off.  The had metal reinforced leading edges and didn't show wear like a metal prop would.  Most Spitfire pictures show pretty clean blades, I don't usually weather mine.

Im working on mine, should finish the construction this weekend. I have some meds for an infection in my finger that allows me to burn easier in the sun so more bench time for me!

I'm still at it jester, it's just that I only have short blocks of time to get to the bench. I just finished masking the underside and will shoot the Ocean Gray this weekend. In addition, we don't have a computer at our home, by choice, and thus I don't get to the computer as often as most to consistantly post to this thread.

I do though have a question for the group that I hope provides some carifying discussion. I have noticed in my references that the props on spits all seem relatively clean and unchipped as opposed to many other aircraft. Photos I have of crash landed spits show some bent props and others that are snapped off. This leads me to wonder is this "clean" effect the result of construction material or maybe the quality of paint used on the props?

         Thanks, Joe

Youre weird.

So guys............ anyone else building??? Seems like Doogs has completed his and this threads stagnating =(

Noah T

I have a 1/72 Airfix Mk1a Spitfire that I'd like to join with.

I'm debating which color scheme to go with. I'm leaning towards a desert scheme but may just go with the std green/ brown. I'll put pics up on an edit soon.

This kit was thrown in a bag (loose parts) as a freebie when I bought a mixed lot years ago. No decals so I'll use my spares from old kits. I guess I could take this a bunch of different directions....

Youre in!

Idk how anyone can build 1/72nd. Im only 23 and I dont like staring at those small pieces. 1:48 tanks are hard enough at times. My opinion.

But LOLOLOL srsly 1/72 scale fighters are for kids hahaha sorry theyre so small 

Yeah, I got to thinking about it and the problem for me is the intake. You're right, I feel the same way about the trop 109's. Just doesnt look right.

I'm rebuilding my collection from near scratch. I built all the airplane 48 scale kits that wallmart and Kmart carried in my youth. When I could drive I went to Bobe's (Pensacola) and really admired the works displayed there, not too mention all the different kits.

I had a nice collection of thirty or so 72nd scale planes built while in my first house after I moved out. Then came marriage, a move, my son, and another move. I thought I carefully packed them, but it turns out almost ten years later what I have is a boneyard.

I saved all my box tops and instructions for all my kits. I cant believe some yahoo sells instructions for 3.50 a peice on ebay. I also saved all my spare decals and have bought a few aftermarket sheets since.

I'll save a desert scheme for an American Spit. I have a book comprised of memories in letter form from service members in all theaters. Our guys really seemed to have loved thier Spitfires.

I was just looking through the parts in this bag. No interior pieces. This is gonna be a quikie build I think.

I have a 1/72 Airfix Mk1a Spitfire that I'd like to join with.

I'm debating which color scheme to go with. I'm leaning towards a desert scheme but may just go with the std green/ brown. I'll put pics up on an edit soon.

This kit was thrown in a bag (loose parts) as a freebie when I bought a mixed lot years ago. No decals so I'll use my spares from old kits. I guess I could take this a bunch of different directions....

Thanks Buckeye. I really like this stand, I'm able to tilt my models in a variety of ways for painting ease. There is also the "table" stand that comes with it in the set that I really do not use that often. Another stand I like is the pair of PVC tees. You saw those in some of Doogs picks and they tend to be real handy also.

Looking good Joe!  How does that paint stand work out for you?  I've almost picked one up a few times.

Here is an quick update shot on my spit with the MM medium sea gray applied. Seeing everyones excellent builds and progress makes me feel like I'm moving at a snails pace. Yet, I make the best of the moments I get to sit at the bench.