Crown, get some Tamiya Lacquer Thinner and a few Q-Tips. That stuff will take anything off with no impact to the plastic. Just be careful with clear plastic, it's usually OK, but occasionally isnt.

Cheers

Tony

Greg: Looks fine from the photos. Sucks about the stabs but looks like you've got things under control.

Mark: Yuck, sorry to hear about your issues but the NM looks flawless now.

Nick and Gammy, thanks for taking the time to comment on my meager progress. Trying to finish this on time. GB time, that is.

Mark, the Spit is looking neat in metallic.

In GB's and WIP's I tend to share my goof-ups as well as progress. I goofed up on my Tiffy.

After a record-settting primer coat within 48 hours of buttoning up the fuselage and wings and stuff, I was spraying the prop spinner and the fuselage stripe in sky grey or whatever the color is (pretty color, I like it).

Something wasn't right, but instead of stopping and thinking, off I went. I forgot to reset my compressor regulator down to standard Vallejo pressure (20-25 psi), and did the spraying wide open from where it was when I tore down the other airbrush and cleaned it.

I guess you could say I got the runs.

Not the dumbest thing I've ever done. I was tempted to just leave it alone until I saw the pic.

In a way this is a decent testimonial to how well Vallejo dries down and conforms to the surface. It could be worse.

Ouch, that blows Greg. Hopefully you can sand it out without much trouble.

Greg

In GB's and WIP's I tend to share my goof-ups as well as progress. I goofed up on my Tiffy.

After a record-settting primer coat within 48 hours of buttoning up the fuselage and wings and stuff, I was spraying the prop spinner and the fuselage stripe in sky grey or whatever the color is (pretty color, I like it).

Something wasn't right, but instead of stopping and thinking, off I went. I forgot to reset my compressor regulator down to standard Vallejo pressure (20-25 psi), and did the spraying wide open from where it was when I tore down the other airbrush and cleaned it.

I guess you could say I got the runs.

Not the dumbest thing I've ever done. I was tempted to just leave it alone until I saw the pic.

In a way this is a decent testimonial to how well Vallejo dries down and conforms to the surface. It could be worse.

 

Yep, done that one Greg, does not look to bad in the pic, should be able to sand that down.

I'm not certain, i think that colour is Duck Egg blue as used on the undersides of some aircraft.

Mark, no worries,life hasa habit of getting in the way of things. The Spit is looking good in the metal despite the issues, hope the masking goes ok this time. I am always knocking off anything that sticks out, pitot tubes are my most common victim.

Bish

 

 

Greg

In GB's and WIP's I tend to share my goof-ups as well as progress. I goofed up on my Tiffy.

After a record-settting primer coat within 48 hours of buttoning up the fuselage and wings and stuff, I was spraying the prop spinner and the fuselage stripe in sky grey or whatever the color is (pretty color, I like it).

Something wasn't right, but instead of stopping and thinking, off I went. I forgot to reset my compressor regulator down to standard Vallejo pressure (20-25 psi), and did the spraying wide open from where it was when I tore down the other airbrush and cleaned it.

I guess you could say I got the runs.

Not the dumbest thing I've ever done. I was tempted to just leave it alone until I saw the pic.

In a way this is a decent testimonial to how well Vallejo dries down and conforms to the surface. It could be worse.

 

 

 

 

Yep, done that one Greg, does not look to bad in the pic, should be able to sand that down.

I'm not certain, i think that colour is Duck Egg blue as used on the undersides of some aircraft.

 

Greg, a little bit of an oopsy, but it looks good. You can probably buff out the heavy paint drip, and just lightly reintroduced the panel lines.  The strengthen strips aren't that prominant a detail, so they should be ok.

tempestjohnny

 

 The color is Sky Type S. or Duck Egg Blue by the American

 

 

TJ, are you saying the Americans coined the phrase Duck Egg Blue - haven't heard that before.  The US did have their own RAF equivalents to be used on lend lease aircraft built in the States, known as Sky Type S Grey, but was actually more grey.

regards,

Jack

Hello everyone,

Well after a weekend and a bit, and of as much plastic time as I could, I have today finished the 1/72 Eduard Spitfire Mk XVI. It is finished in the markings of No 601 (County of London) Squadron when based at RAF North Weald in 1949. As a Londoner and ex RAF it was a no brainer.

The Spitfire was painted with a mixture of Alclad High Speed Silver and Aircraft Aluminium and Duralinium. A wash of mixed Flory Models Black and Grey was added post two coats of Alclad Aqua Gloss. A final coat of Xtracrlix Matt coat was added after declaing and weathering. Decals were a mixture of Eduard kit supplied, Freightdog Weekend Warriors and the Airfix PR19 Spitfire set.

Despite my trials and tribulations both externally and during the painting of the kit, I must say I have really enjoyed it and the GB. If you want to get the Eduard Spitfire go  for it and do it, you wont be dissapointed, it is a lovely kit to build and very well engineered.

Thanks to everyone for the comments and who kept me encouraged and to Bish for organising a fantastic GB, next build will be the Airfix Gloster Gladiator.

Thanks for looking.

Mark, very nicely done, wasn't expecting to be finished that soon. Really nice job on the NMF and i like the difference in the panels above the engine.

I have updated the roster with your build, and i hope you will join in the Commonwealth GB, which i may well bring forward to the start of May. And i lok forward to seeing that Gladiator, i plan on building that next yera when i host an Airfix GB.

Aero, your Spit came out gorgeous! An  absolutely first class finish! 

Mark, that is a great looking Spit you have there.

regards,

Jack

Wow Mark, simply beautiful!!! 

Love the NM! 

Mark, your Spit looks fantastic. Quick to the finish line, surprised me too.

Nicely done 1/72 kits never cease to amaze me.

Gamera, to my surprise it (my boo boo above) did sand out rather nicely. You were right, thanks!

Bish, Duck Egg blue, eh? I'm thinking I used it on the belly of a German fighter at some point, it looks familiar. And you were right too, sanding and repaint was no problem.

Johnny, spot on. The instructions do call out Mr Color C368 "Sky". I have no idea where I came up with the Vallejo equiv. I researched it, made a note on the instructions, and forgot already.

Jack, that's some might fine detail you have going there! I'd been wondering, btw, what those strips are. Strengthening strips makes perfect sense! Thanks. .....and your advice was spot on and everything is ok.

I think for my variant (night fighter is the way I think I'll go), I'm supposed to remove those strips. I'm not going too. Shhhhh, don't tell anyone.

Thanks for the encouragement, gents.

Greg, glad to be of some help. 

The photo I had linked of the typhoon's tail section is from  a museum - not a scale model.  The strengthening strips (or fish plates) were added after a flying accident in August 1942.   

Not at all familiar with the night fighter version, but I suppose if they were still being used in that capacity after the date of said accident, it's possible they were repaired in the field?

regards,
Jack

jgeratic

The photo I had linked of the typhoon's tail section is from  a museum - not a scale model.  The strengthening strips (or fish plates) were added after a flying accident in August 1942.   

Not at all familiar with the night fighter version, but I suppose if they were still being used in that capacity after the date of said accident, it's possible they were repaired in the field?

regards,
Jack

 

Well, don't I feel silly. A museum aircraft. And here I was all set to make an appointment with you to teach me how to detail with that amount of precision.

Interesting about the 1942 accident leading to the strenghthening strips. It amazes me how much history many of my peers here have of various aircraft.

I know nothing about the night fighter variant I think I will do except for the Eduard narrative.

I have not heard of a night fighter Typhoon eitehr, that will be interesting. I didn't know about those straps until i was about to get the Brengun 72nd kit and read some reviews. That kit does not have them but the PE set they sell seperatly does. On;y very ealy aircraft would not have them, those already in service were with drawn and modifie.

Hi mark beautiful job on that bare metal spitfire . I use post it notes for masking Especially when I use testors Metallizer paints it’s real low tack stuff

Looked up the Eduard profile for the night fighter Tiffy - and yes it did exist, but was short lived.  486 (NZ ) squadron began replacing it's Hurricanes with Typhoons in July 1942, where it continued the experiment of working in tandom with No. 1453 Turbinlite Flight.  This latter unit were Douglas bombers carrying radar and a searchlight in the nose, but no armament.   In September though, the Typhoon unit was re-assigned as day fighters.

regards,

Jack

What I don't understand it what a NZ sqaudron was doing in GB. And does this still qualify for the GB.

And yes, they were apparently unarmed, except for the wing cannons, I presume. the underside looks funny in black with no armament hanging around.

Greg, perhaps too simple an answer, but after the fall of France, Britain was the only Allied country where air forces could operate from in support of the Western front?

There is also this which should answer the second question:

Article XV of the Empire Air Training Scheme

regards,

Jack

Greg

What I don't understand it what a NZ sqaudron was doing in GB. And does this still qualify for the GB.

And yes, they were apparently unarmed, except for the wing cannons, I presume. the underside looks funny in black with no armament hanging around.

 

And to answer your question, yes it does qualify. The NZ Sq's, as well as Australian, Canadian, Polish, Czech and other were under RAF command.

It should be remembered that the UK has very close links with its Dominions and Colony's. Even now anyone from a Commonwealth nation can join the UK's armed forces.

jgeratic

Greg, perhaps too simple an answer.....

Oh, no no, Jack. Not too simple at all!! I should be careful around this group, I am not a good student of history and expecially not of the two world wars, though I do continue to learn albiet at a slow pace.

That is very interesting information, and I enjoyed reading the link about the Article XV squadrons. There is even a link to the 486 Squadron, the variant I am planning to model with the boring black bottom.

Thanks Jack!

And Bish, thank you for your additional info and I'm glad I still qualify. I was a bit baffled why a NZ Squadron had such RAF-looking markings, but thanks to all the info from you and Jack, now I get it.

Greg - since that's the only paint on the model at this point, if I were you and wanted to clear up the paint drip, I'd wet a paper towel with lacquer thinner and gently rub it off. That will take the paint down to bare plastic with a little elbow grease, and you can just re-shoot it. Just don't dunk the thing in thinner and you'll be ok.

-BD-

Mark, that Spit looks amazing, and on such a short build timeframe! Wow!

-BD-

I swear I haven't forgotten this build. For some reason, I tabled my Bristol F.2B after making the propeller for it, and I think it may have been because I didn't have a prop boss for it, but I got a set from Poland, and I pulled it out to get back at it.

I decided on the Brisfit for my first biplane because I got it cheap and I don't care about it compared to other biplanes, so it will be a good test bed for riggin.

What I DIDN'T know is that the lower wing isn't connected directly to the fuselage, but sits on four rods, augmented by the landing gear struts. I don't think I got the geometry 100 percent perfect, so even though the bottom of the fuselage is level with the lower wing, it looks slightly off to one side, which may pose some interesting fit when I attach the cabane struts. We will see. It's only a couple of millimeters, so hopefully not a big deal.

Anyway, it's starting to look like half an airplane now!

Next step is adding the exhaust, nose and working on the interplane and cabane struts for the wood effect.

-BD-

Greg, your welcome. Us Brits never like to make things simple, better to keep everyone else on their toes.

BD, that loks pretty damn good from here. Interesting about the fit of the lower wing. Does not seem like it would be the most secure way of attaching it.

Short history essay coming. I've long been paid for writing this kind of thing, so plunging into it is a kind of occupational hazard. Avoid if you like.

Commonwealth countries were viewed after WWI as central to any future British war effort - something London had to worry about during the late 30s. One of the reason that Chamberlain had such broad support for "appeasement" was that it was wildly popular in the Commonwealth countries. In all of them there was talk, often heard in the isolationist circles in the USA, warning their governments not to shed blood to save the British Empire. As it was Canada, Oz and NZ all declared war on Germany in 1939 with the UK. But they all supported the war effort with conditions. Full conscription for overseas service took place only in 1943-44 in Oz and Canada. There were, however, large numbers of volunteers. Oz insisted that their units be under Australian command, but allowed their people to directly join the RAF or RN. Bomber Command in particular was very dependent upon Commonwealth volunteers. (Should note that New Zealand was the most cooperative, probably because so many people were first or second generation immigrants. It was the only Commonwealth country that had strong supporters of a hard line policy against Hitler.) Pearl Harbor upset part of the applecart. Australia had raised four divisions of volunteers to serve overseas - Australian Imperial Forces (AIF). Three were serving in the Mideast. (6th, 7th, 9th AIF) Churchill lost his cookies and persuaded Canberra to send the fourth (8th) to Singapore at the last minute where it was lost in the debacle. Oz very publically seperated itself from London and appealed to the US for support. They brought home the 6th and 7th AIF immediately much to Churchill's dismay. They asked for Douglas MacArthur to serve as CinC figuring (correctly) that his high standing in the US would draw US forces to Oz. (Not many - the SW Pacific was not much higher up the strategic totem pole than CIB. MacArthur bowed to necessity and specialized in economy of force until Leyte.) Only with reluctance did Oz PM Curtin allow Montgomery to borrow the 9th AIF for Alamein - the price was the allocation to Oz of the badly crippled 1st Marine Division from Guadalcanal in December. (You can bet Montgomery would have cherished an Australian corps for the campaign in France. The 9th AIF returned to Oz immediately after Alamein. However he had a Canadian equivalent.) The result of all of this was the completely unplanned allied offensive in the Southwest Pacific which ultimately split Japanese defenses in two and largely explained what was considered by Marshall and company to be impossible in early 1944: the defeat of Japan in 1945. 

While all of this was going on Commonwealth volunteers (notably the Canadian Navy) were aiding British combat forces and helping to feed allied armies and Britain itself. They paid a price. Both Canada and Australia lost approximately 40,000 men KIA (50% or so of Australian battle casualties were in Europe: 7,000 perished in Japanese POW camps, the remainder of combat deaths came fighting the Japanese in New Guinea) and New Zealand suffered 11,000 killed, mostly in Europe. It's worth noting that the UK and Commwealth forces all participated in the Cold War. It's also worth pointing out that a major result of WWII was to accelerate the full psychological independence of the Commonwealth nations from Britain.   

Eric