SPITFIRE GROUP BUILD 2007-2008

Since theres no deadline to join this GB, count me in! I had an awesome find at one of my LHSs a couple weeks ago. I picked up a kit called "Wings of Fame: Allied fighter aviation in Europe" by ICM for $28 and change. This kit includes not one.....not two.....not three.....but four, count 'em four 1/48 scale complete kits. One of them just happens to be....you guessed it....a Spitfire! A Mk VII to be exact. Too cool!

The others are: Yak-7DI/Yak-9(early), Mig 3, and a P-51B Mustang.

The worst things I could find about ICM seem to be their decals. Does anybody have a good idea where I could find an unusual set in AM decals? I want to get away from OOB, but I figure I'll take baby steps and use AM decals for now.

Thanks all! There are some awesome builds on this thread. I hope to be able to build to the level of the people here someday.

Sorry for rambling on....I must be getting tired!

nice paint job !

did you use enamels or acrylics ? 

Stayed up REALLY late last night working on my Mk.46.  I finally managed to finish the camo on it, and now just have to wait a lil' while before putting on the clear.  Here she is, the gray really looks blue in the photos but it really is a dark gray.

What do you think ? Should I leave the exhaus as it is or replace it with AM

Frank,

more infor for you over on FAA GB.

darson wrote:

I was having a look at some shots from the Tokyo Toy Fair when I came upon this http://www.tamiya.com/japan/hobbyshow/report/news2.htm Have a look at the third item from the top, it features the Tamiya Spitfire packed up with ICM's very nice RAF crew figures and features the same Donald Duck markings that Greg is currently doing. I will definitely be picking up a couple of those. Cheers

Well spotted! Now thats another kit I have to buy!

Gents, I have a querry for you...

I am in the process of painting my Seafire Mk.46, and am not sure of the colors on it.  The Aeromaster decals I have (Thanks again Jon!) call for a two tone upper of dark slate gray and extra dark sea gray, but the only book I have on Griffon powered Spits mentions that they were painted extra dark sea gray on top with sky on the bottom.  The only photo I have is a black and white photo which seems to show a solid upper color, confirming what my Warbird Tech book states.  Are the Aeromaster color recomendations incorrect?  The Airfix instructions call out for a solid upper color of the dark gray.  This seems right to me, just wanted to get your opinions before I continue.  Right now the gray is on, waiting for a decision to paint the green or leave it all gray.  Thanks fellas!

I was having a look at some shots from the Tokyo Toy Fair when I came upon this

http://www.tamiya.com/japan/hobbyshow/report/news2.htm

Have a look at the third item from the top, it features the Tamiya Spitfire packed up with ICM's very nice RAF crew figures and features the same Donald Duck markings that Greg is currently doing. I will definitely be picking up a couple of those.

Cheers

Hi everyone, I have started the MKXIVc and will post progress when I find out where Jr. put the camera. The Academy kit is really nice, the quality is great, the parts are molded very thin where they should be. I am currently working on the office.

Tony

Thanks Darren ! I appreciate it and I hope this model will stands for itself. I have to wait for decals though ...

The picture is really great. Thanks 

Thanks Darren. I appreciate your kind words about this Spit. Just trying to make it better than the previous one...

TLP: the panel lines were "highlighted" with water based black paint (with a bit of dishwashing soap - it is a MUST a drop or two) and very thin brush. Than when I take a drop of paint on the brush I just barely touch the panel line, letting the paint to take its own flow. When it stops, I move a new drop few milimiters further and do the same. Paint is just flowing itself within the panel line. Same with rivets. This way I do not have much paint to clean. To make effect of dirt I put it on some places, but I like the plane kind of clean with just a bit of dirt where it should be. Not too much.

and one more thing: this is done after the decals are sealed with a gloss coat. It is a last process before placing a flat coat. The whole thing is very nicely shown on many articles but I like Swanny's DVD (part 1) where this andother techniques are shown on P-40. I remember how I watched it for 4 hours streight when I got the copy. It saved me a lot (could be more if I get it earlier) with my learning process (I got back to the hobby just few months ago)

gzt wrote:

Greg,

superb work mate! The wash is very impressive and your markings are very striking-I can't wait to see this one finished!

TheLastPriest wrote:

Finally some clear pictures of my work, my buddies dad finally sent some.  enjoy!.......or dont, im not really here to tell you what to do. If you look close you can see where I opened up the exhausts with a dremel.

Hey Chris,

Lovely work my friend. The camo paint job looks very well done. Glad I got to have another look at this one.

jwb wrote:

Well- I finally finished my Hasegawa Mk. IXe, which I did as a c wing version. The kit comes with parts for both..... even a Mk. VIII can be built from the kit. It's finished in both the kit's decals- which were good, and Johnnie Johnson's markings from the ICM Mk. IX- which were awful. I published a full build report here.  This was a good kit- very detailed, good fit.... costs a bit more than the Airfix Mk. IX, but it's a much nicer and detailed kit overall.

Jon,

I've just caught up with the last few pages and WOW! Your Mk.IX is beautiful!

Very nice work indeed! I just have to build me one of those.........

Gary: decals are made by Techmod Poland http://www.techmod.pl but they do not distribute retail from there. Some of them are available even through squadron but all of them are available from flightdecs.ca

You have to call them (phone is shown on their site) bacause the site does not show all the inventory he has. A nive guy, found me a lot of unusual decals including austrian swirl for my albatros DIII.

 I like to buy stuff from Jadar Hobby shipping sucks a bit but its 20% cheaper for most items anyway (due to VAT tax exemptfor out of EU purchaser).

here the decals for Vb

TLP:  I make sure during masking that the trailing adge is exposed for paint. I put a tape on the bottom side and trim it at the adge using scalpel (not exactoknife) a real scalpel. It does the trick to protect the bottom side and is not blocking paint from reaching the edge. I am using enamels what may help a bit as well.

gzt wrote:

where did you get those decales?

gary

TheLastPriest wrote:

amazing work on those panel lines and rivits, how did you get such clear yet understated definition?

I did not do anything diferent than rest of you here , just trying to keep up. The panel lines and rivets (and fasteners) were just "washed" with water based dilluted black paint (with soap as Swanny said: its a must ). I just use a very fine brush and brushet the paint into panel lines - mostly using capillar effect to keep the kit clean. With Tamiya it works just great.

BTW: here is the "Angy Donald Duck" gefore I damaged his leg ..

 and now

Thank you Gentlemen ! :) however it is my second Spit (Mk IIa was first) and stil a lot of work. I had a dissaster with an "Angry Donald Duck". During my cleanup I damaged his leg and remove few "kills" from Jan's score board . I might just not seal the decals properly and now have to wait for new set of decals to fix this problem.

I hope this one will look better than the Mk IIa I made few months ago.