Spitfire GB

There are some impressive, outstanding Spitfires showing up here!

Rob:  your Mk IXc is fantastic; those colours really go together well, and the way you've accomplished the underside with the panel lines and weathering makes it really interesting to look at.

John:  your creation of the masking pattern is so detailed that the amount of work you put into it is obvious.  Eduard used to make 1/72 masks in the A and B patterns, but they seem no longer available; so I've had to resize some thumbnail pictures, then cut out of masking tape.  Your method is astonishing in the best sense.

I built up Brian Lane's Mk I for the Battle of Britain group build last year, using a 1/72 Airfix kit and aftermarket decals (from either Poland or the Czech Republic--can't remember which), that took no account of the white "K"--so live and learn, and usually too late.  Yours is an extremely attractive model of the real thing.

As far as roundel placement, seems I read somewhere they go at the point where the fuselage is widest (?).  Your placement certainly looks fine.

I've been working on my Spitfire(s) in fits and starts; had to wait for paint to come in the mail and now have some.  Once again, I've turned to the old Airfix version (which is so simple as to be actually relaxing to build), but have both Tamiya's pricier offering and the latest Airfix rendition that came out last year.  I hope to do all three.

Again, great work!   

Jeaton01 and Maxfax - Wow, those are stunning builds. I am duely impressed with your workmanship.

Jeaton01 = I too would be interested in a copy of your template. I've used silly putty in the past but nowhere near the accuracy of your templates.

I am still working on the cockpit of my Mk Vb. My work with my first PE detail set is indeed like others have described mind numbing, meticulous and time consuming. Yet I am enjoying the results. I hope to have the cockpit complete soon and toshare some pics.

John- nice work on the Mk 1! This is my favorite version of the Spitfire- I love the look of the large fuselage rondelle. I ended up getting the Mk 9 for my son at a model show for about $10, who never got past the first step, otherwise I would have bought the Mk 1 for myself.

Rob

DoogsATX

John - LOVE the mask! I may be borrowing that for my 32nd VIII...or doing something similar. 

Rob - Excellent work on the IX! Think I may have to pick that kit up...

 

Doog, you are welcome to use the mask.  I think I have all the options covered and would be glad to send you or anyone else here jpeg files for you to print out.  They are in 1/48 so for 1/32 scale them up 150%, or down to 67% for 1/72.  I've used them on the Tamiiya Mk 1 and the ICM Mk XVI.  Send me an e-mail if you like.

I have finished my Mk I, here are some more pictures.  Criticism is welcome except about that overscale antenna which I need to revisit.  I used e z line as usual but left it a minimum tension so it wouldn't be so likely to bend the mast, but it's too thick in the photos in the unstretched mode.  Thins down a lot when it is stretched.

I have wanted to do a series of 19 Squadron airplanes so I did Brian Lane's airplane with the yellow spinner and white K code letter.  Hope I got the right side letters placed right.  I know they are in the right grouping and sequence, but I'm not sure about the roundel placement.  Now that it is done I'm sure a brilliantly clear photo of that side will surface. 

Pictures:

John - LOVE the mask! I may be borrowing that for my 32nd VIII...or doing something similar. 

Rob - Excellent work on the IX! Think I may have to pick that kit up...

Inspiring work everyone!

Maxfax- sorry dont know what to tell you about the signature, hopefully someone can help you with it.

Nice Spit maxfax!

Very nice Mk IX, Rob.  Well done!

Here are the rest of my progress pictures before decals:

Thanks, yes it is 1/48.  The Tamiya Mk I kit.  Some time back I drew up paper masks for a Mark XVI with the bubble canopy.  I reworked them to include both bubble and Malcolm hood fuselages this time.  I put enough notes on the drawings so I don't have to go look through references to paint a Spitfire, and both A and B schemes are there in three view and template form.  I attach them with tape that fits over cutouts in the templates leaving the edges up for a nice soft edge.

I started on this about a week ago, and the kit really goes together nice.  I used parts from an Eduard Zoom set for the instrument panel, and the oxygen hose is lifted from a True Details Spitfire set.

Some pictures:

These jpgs are scaled to 72nd scale to keep file size down.  They are natively 1/48 as noted.

Thanks,

Speaking of badges, I can't add mine- I keep getting an error saying Signature length exceeds maximum 512 characters, or something like that. Any ideas on how to fix this?

Rob

Very nice maxfax! You earned your badge!

Psycho:  I am now done the Revell Mk IXc. I had to say this was the easiest model I ever built- absolutely no fit issues like I am having on my AM IL-2 (which is now on an indefinite hold). I used Tamiya RAF colours, lampblack oil washes, coloured the panel lines with a sludge wash with acrylic flat black, used Testor's Flat Acrylic and some burnt umber for oil leaks and pastels for the exhaust.

Thanks

Rob

jeaton01

I started a Tamiya Mk. 1 last week, do you guys mind if I join in here?  It is a crossover from the Battle of Britain GB, so that has to be OK with you, too.  I have progress pictures all the way thru which I can share, but it is almost done.  A really nice kit, just falls together.

Very nice work everyone! Jeaton01, you're more than welcome to join! Is it 1:48?

I started a Tamiya Mk. 1 last week, do you guys mind if I join in here?  It is a crossover from the Battle of Britain GB, so that has to be OK with you, too.  I have progress pictures all the way thru which I can share, but it is almost done.  A really nice kit, just falls together.

My two spits are in the final stages of construction.  Wings and fuselages are together and I'm filling and sanding seams.  I hope to use the last week of June to finish.  I'm gone all next week so it will have to wait for a while.

Satch

Does anyone have a spare contra prop from the 1/48 Seafire mk 46/47??  Am in dire need of one for my Mk.21 conversion.  HEEEEEELLLLPPPPP  please???

Nice looking work there jdice.  We've been busy with my son's graduation here but I should be able to get started on mine in the next week or two.

Mike

jdice1980

 

DoogsATX:

 

 

jdice1980:

Oh heck...the 1/32 P-47s are massive. I saw one built up for the first time at a show back in April and was really blown away...those things are monsters.

 

 

They are! This, more than anything, rammed it home for me when I was rummaging through the Trumpy box when it arrived.

Can't wait to build this big guy, but the Spit first!

 

 

Epic...I'm going to have to grap one of those at some point. I may not be able to build it until after we move to a bigger house with a dedicated hobby room, but the Jug is one of my favs....how can I not have one...lol. Think I'll head over to the 229 to get some pointers on how to justify that as a dining room centerpiece.

Yep that's a big bird but I'm not sure where I'm going to be able to put a 1/32 BAC Lightning when I build it! Now that is an enormous plane.

Cheers

jdice1980

Oh heck...the 1/32 P-47s are massive. I saw one built up for the first time at a show back in April and was really blown away...those things are monsters.

They are! This, more than anything, rammed it home for me when I was rummaging through the Trumpy box when it arrived.

Can't wait to build this big guy, but the Spit first!

jdice1980

Doogs: I so don't have room for a 1/32 plane and really want to keep my collection in 1/48....but I so want to go all out on one of those beautiful Tamiya Spits. I've browsed your gallery and liked what I saw. I would really love to see your process of putting that lady together.  

Thanks! 

I hear ya on 1/32 - I have a pretty decent amount of display width to work with, but my cabinet is only 11" deep. I've managed to fit a 1/48 Mossie and 1/32 109 in there, but I think the Spit might be pushing it. Don't even get me started on the Trumpy and Hasegawa Jugs I've got in the stash. 

Fortunately, we're moving late this year and a better display solution may just be in the cards.

Jdice- looks great. I'm almost done mine- meant to get a photo after the decals were on but I've only been doing it in 15-30 minute blocks then leaving it for a few days- I'm starting to get a little burned out with modelling. I'll hopefully get some finished pics by the week-end.

Rob

<~~~~ Lurking.. all looking good so far ! If I get caught up on my GB's... I might slide in with a Spit..

Nice work, jdice!

I still have every intention of jumping in with the big Tamiya Spit, just need to finish the Sopwith first. Still have to mount the machine gun and decal and seal the struts and prop. Hopefully it'll be ready for rigging this weekend.

Very nice guys! Glad to see some of us still working on theirs, I'll get to time again soon.

Looks nice! cant wait to see it done. I got a new camera yesterday so I can hopefully take pictures of the cockpits when im done now. Not sure if I'll have pics this weekend, going to try to finish two other models before doing anymore on the spits.

Steady progress.  Major construction is completed, primed and the yellow leading edges and sky band is painted; just waiting for them to cure fully so I can mask them off and begin the camouflage.

I decided the subject will be MA585, KH-B, 403 Squadron, 1943.  George Beurling.  References indicate this is an early Mk IXc without the wing bulges and with the early tailplanes.  So I sanded off the bulges carefully without losing detail:

And filled/re-scribed the elevator lines:

I also had to find some 5-spoked wheels as the kit has 4-spoked ones.  I had a pair of resin ones from the spares box.

Tim

satch_ip

Did you have a template for the cammo?  British cammo was very specific.  I used some vinyl masks from the guys who make Gator Glue on a P-40 in a Brit scheme.

Satch

I read in another post (I think) that they had two camo templates, basically reverse color images of each other.

Really really nice Rob! Especially the camo. I used the silly putty method on my Typhoon I just completed and I liked the results so I plan on using it on my Spit. I used MM enamels and I am pleased with their color register thus I will be using them again. Not a whole lot of progress on my part just baby steps.

Thanks, guys! I'm having better luck on this one than the IL-2 I'm doing. The colours are as Doogs pointed out. As for the camo, I just did a rough estimate using the blue tack material to deliniate the camo shape- it is not as accuarate as it is suppose to be, but I simply had neither the patience or drive to do so- but the camo is where is should be, not just following the exact shape.  I will use a lighter shade of the dark green II to create some post shading of the panel lines, then gloss it in a day or two. I'd like to try the different paints that Doogs will use, but the two hobby shops in town only carry Tamiya, Testors, and some humbrol colours.

Rob

Rob - that Spit's looking fantastic! 

Geez, I really need to get mine kicked off!

ww2psycho

 

 

I like a lot! What paint did you use? I might be using a different brand if I cant find the right colors for Tamiya around here.

Just an FYI that Tamiya's RAF-matched colors are higher in the XF range (Ocean Gray and Dark Green II I believe).

Personally I'll be using Gunze Mr. Color on my Spit, but Model Master, Vallejo, White Ensign and I believe Lifecolor all make a solid RAF color range. I'm going to assume Humbrol as well, but I've never used the stuff.