SPITFIRE GROUP BUILD 2007-2008

I posted these pics over on the FAA GB, but thought I'd put them here as well.  Fuse is mostly done, and masked.  Took quite a while to get it masked!  I also decided to model the flaps up, as all of the photos I had show them up on the ground.  ( I read somewhere a while back that pilots who forgot to raise the flaps after landing paid a dear price!)  Here is how she looks:

John: very nice build ! So smooth !

Keep those picts coming plz 

I'm getting pretty close to the decal stage, so here are some photos of where I'm at.  The canopy frames and prop don't have a Future overcoat yet, but there are about three coats on the airplane overall, cured well and sanded between applications.  I recently bought a Badger gravity feed single action airbrush for doing detail work, and I used it to spray the canopy frames, worked pretty well, kept from getting too much buildup on the clear against the mask, and since it is difficult to mask the open cockpit the low air pressure helped control overspray well.  The prop is painted a mix of Dark Earth and Flat Black, the spinner is SNJ Aluminum.

Looks good, TLP.  Well Done.  That masking can take some time, but you seem to have it down.

I continue to work on the 1/32 K5054.  I painted up a bunch of detail parts and glued on the windscreen and rear canopy transparency, they fit well.  I would put some pictures up, but in truth they would probably be boring.  Without the decals it is just a pleasingly shaped featureless blob, I'm afraid.  The panel lines are not even supposed to be showing, because in the time period for which I am modelling it, it was in the Rolls Royce finish with filled panel lines, though that paint scheme did not last well, the filler cracked as the skins flexed.  Not on my version, no cracks.  At least I hope not. 

Here is an image that has nothing whatever to do with this group build, but it is a panoramic view of the museum I go to on Wednesday, at McClellan AFB.  Stiched together from 8 photos taken last Wednesday.

I need to get moving on my Mk. IX!

On a related front, I have picked up two Mk. XIVs, a Mk. I and a conversion set for a MK. XII. So even though I'm building slow, I'm collecting Spitfires fast!  

Progress so far on the VB, I never quite realized how labor intensive masking was, took me way longer than expected but im pretty pleased with the paint scheme so far.

This build is open ended, so there's no deadline. Thats the beauty of it, just two rules:

1. Build a Spitfire.

2. Have fun!

Just for the record, my build will be finished soon so I want the rest of you to keep this build gpoing and get stuck into those kits! And don't forget to post plenty of pics too-we like to see how everyone else is doing.

heya 

im wondering when is the deadline of this gb?  i havent start it yet since i have other gb to finish up and also my work hours sucks argh  so let me know  thanks   appericate it

jwb wrote:

gzt wrote: You right Rich. Mr 500 is nowhere to be found (in the US). I am looking for it (to try) for last two months - zero success Maybe you good get a bottle of Mr. Surfacer 1000, and simply divide it into two bottles. 1000 divided by 2 is 500 right?

why did not I think of that ? 

gzt wrote:

You right Rich. Mr 500 is nowhere to be found (in the US). I am looking for it (to try) for last two months - zero success

Maybe you could get a bottle of Mr. Surfacer 1000, and simply divide it into two bottles. 1000 divided by 2 is 500 right?  

squeakie wrote:

Daywalker wrote:  gzt wrote: Mr Surfacer 500 is another one - I heard - but I can not get it anywhere. Swanny shows it in his DVD - and it seams to be great, the only problem - who knows where to get it in the US ??? Greg, you can usually find it here, thought they appear to be out of it right now.  Rich- the our GB!  As Ruddratt stated, it's a great place to learn and have fun.  A great bunch of guys always willing to help. Rich, not sure just where in centeral Indiana you are at, but I recently picked up a couple jars of Mr. Surfacer at Hobby Town near US31 & Shelby street in Southport. I also found Liquitex at Hobby Lobby, but Hobby Town dosn't carry it. gary

Gary, could you give me their phone # ?

THanks

John: Thanks for the tip. I will get some of those as well.  

Greg 

You right Rich. Mr 500 is nowhere to be found (in the US). I am looking for it (to try) for last two months - zero success

I finally ordered Mr White Putty - and I hope it will be what I need. I am still using Squadron White Putty - but this stuff cracks so easily, I can not even make panel line restoration on it. Hopefully squadron.com will send it soon . My next Spitfire will be done with "Mr White Putty"

squeakie wrote:

Daywalker wrote:  gzt wrote: Mr Surfacer 500 is another one - I heard - but I can not get it anywhere. Swanny shows it in his DVD - and it seams to be great, the only problem - who knows where to get it in the US ??? Greg, you can usually find it here, thought they appear to be out of it right now.  Rich- the our GB!  As Ruddratt stated, it's a great place to learn and have fun.  A great bunch of guys always willing to help. Rich, not sure just where in centeral Indiana you are at, but I recently picked up a couple jars of Mr. Surfacer at Hobby Town near US31 & Shelby street in Southport. I also found Liquitex at Hobby Lobby, but Hobby Town dosn't carry it. gary

I believe that was Greg looking for the 500. For the record I did check my local HobbyTown USA in Castleton out of curiosity, and they only had the 1000 and 1200 in stock.

Daywalker wrote:

gzt wrote: Mr Surfacer 500 is another one - I heard - but I can not get it anywhere. Swanny shows it in his DVD - and it seams to be great, the only problem - who knows where to get it in the US ??? Greg, you can usually find it here, thought they appear to be out of it right now.  Rich- the our GB!  As Ruddratt stated, it's a great place to learn and have fun.  A great bunch of guys always willing to help.

Rich,

not sure just where in centeral Indiana you are at, but I recently picked up a couple jars of Mr. Surfacer at Hobby Town near US31 & Shelby street in Southport. I also found Liquitex at Hobby Lobby, but Hobby Town dosn't carry it.

gary

razordws wrote:

What do you have for an air source?  Hopefully you have a regulator to control the air pressure and I find that about 20psi is good for most applications.  If you have any old models kicking around that you don't care about its good to use them to practice on.

I have what amounts to an older version of this small Campbell Hausfeld compressor for my air source. It does have a regulator and moisture trap, so I'm hoping it will suit my needs quite nicely.

John,

Let's see some pics!

Nice progress John.

As of my Mk Vb of Zumbach's largest Duck , I just painted bottom side last night - and now waiting for paint to cure enough so I can mask the whole bottom side. (I did a SKY band and yellow leading edge already)

Wheel wells and doors are British Interior Green.  I use Model Master enamel for that.  I'm told it is described as grey-green.  The bottle with the name on it works for me.

I'm nearing the finish of putting the blue grey color on K5054.  I'm using Tamiya XF-23 Light Blue for the color.  Looks OK to me!  1/32 sure is a lot bigger than 1/48 when it's time to put the paint on.

Spitfire Video Walkaround

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EYzNaz9nNw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0AKKbKUnQI (PART2) 

ok one more questions for the color guru's. on the wheel wells and wheel well doors as well as a few other spots the kit calls for a color that is 2parts dark sea grey and 3parts sky grey anybody have any idea what color this is? im not the best at mixing paint and I wont be able to hit the hobby shop til next weekend so I would like to see if it came in the RAF paint set(which im doubting at this point because nothing else seemed to) thanks ahead guys