forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
Modelers Lounge => The World of Scale Models => Topic started by: Brad Cancian on October 09, 2020, 03:01:54 PM
-
Hi all - here is my next project - the Airfix 1/72 Spitfire F Mk.22. I've had this kit in the stash for a few years, and have collected some odds and sods for it over the years... so now, it's time to build it!
(https://i.imgur.com/wryMf1h.jpg)
I have a deadline with this one - I need to get it done within the next ~6 weeks before I pack up my house to move interstate... hopefully it shouldn't be a complex build from what I can see.
Anyone have any tips for this kit?
Ok, ready.... steady.... go!
Cheers
BC
-
Enjoy the Spit, Brad.
Good luck with the move ;)
vB
-
Thanks Bob!
here is where things are at after the first 24 hours - cockpit is done. The Arfix plastic is quite soft, but that makes it easy to work with for things like removing the cockpit door (as I did). The Pavla set is a very good fit and doesn't require any extra trimming. The primary components are the seat, seat back and rear bulkhead, and the instrument panel / bulkhead, floor, rudder pedals, compass, control column, cockpit door and crowbar. There are no etched parts in the Pavla set, which is a shame - this meant I had to source RAF seatbelts separately. The kit sidewalls are left as is with the Pavla set, so that's what I stuck with. The Airfix kit does have some annoying (and large) mould release pin marks on the inside of the fuselage; they are all hidden bar one, right in the middle of the starboard cockpit sidewall. I managed to clean this one up but it was slightly fiddly.
(https://i.imgur.com/7EKIBKL.jpg)(https://i.imgur.com/BJY43iA.jpg)(https://i.imgur.com/GeYom95.jpg)
The fuselage halves went together with no problems and are currently drying... I also got the wheels painted, and the prop will go into the spray booth tonight :) Clean up of the fuselage seam will hopefully be done tomorrow.
(https://i.imgur.com/5rnTyIB.jpg)
It looks like the wings should be a good fit, but I might be cautious and glue the top halves to the fuselage parts before the bottom wing part.
Got some momentum up...!
Cheers,
BC
-
Go Brad Go ! , quick work on this one already :)
Terri
-
Not much progress, but the big 'bits' are together. I tried something slightly different, in that I attacjed the upper wing halves to the fuselage first before I glued on the single piece underside / belly. This worked well for the upper side of the wing, i.e. no filling or rescribing needed, but not so great for the underside. The way the wing is moulded, along the flaps and inboard from the wingtips, means that there was quite a bit of a step here and at the leading edge which needed a bit of filling and smoothing. It wasnt too bad in the end, but I suspect I would have had more troubles if i'd tried it the other way (i.e. wings together then mate the fuselage). At least this way I had minimal rescribing.
(https://i.imgur.com/B9YdnCH.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/nutMCCV.jpg)
The resin tailplanes went on with no issues. The barrels also fit well, but the stubs didn't seem to be completely moulded on the Airfix wing parts. Oh well.
Now onto priming.
Cheers,
BC
-
Very fine progress, Brad. It seems that everything you touch turns into gold. Watching with great interest.
-
Mission accomplished, she be done :)
(https://i.imgur.com/F43KUy7.jpg)
The decals are Xtradexcal set X72-128; I liked the looks of the silver machine, so I went with PK570 from 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron, Royal Auxilliary Air Force. I did find that the Xtradecals crinkled under microsol, and didn’t fully flatten back out in places. I pondered what to do with this but left it ‘as is’; it’s not really noticeable until you spot it under the right light.
I painted the kit overall in Alclad RAF High Speed Silver, as the real machines were painted and not left natural metal. The one picture I had of this machine showed it very clean and well maintained, so I kept weathering to a minimum.
(https://i.imgur.com/OwXrrYi.jpg)
Overall, I had a good time with this build; the kit captures the lovely sleek yet pointy lines of the penultimate mark of spitfire.
Anyways, here are some pictures, starting with the interior and moving to the final product:
(https://i.imgur.com/7tycU7i.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/HNpEVZO.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/m292RTp.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/d47mKlI.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/YdlIoe4.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/tUKJj5t.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9TikU2J.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/WzEMLy4.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/rqnYmqz.jpg)
And in a more scenic setting:
(https://i.imgur.com/2RuYsxM.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/AAyH2mv.jpg)
And for size comparison:
(https://i.imgur.com/PjL2eSZ.jpg)
And lastly, because I couldn’t resist (and please humour me), here is my interpretation of the kit boxing if this one had been released 25 years earlier, back in the mid-80’s Palatoy days :)
(https://i.imgur.com/cLjWk3d.jpg)
I did a similar tick with the old Airfix Albatros D.Va, here - https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235078105-tribute-to-a-simple-time/
Thanks again – all comments and feedback welcomed.
Cheers,
BC
-
Beautiful job Brad, and the detail is very impressive for such a small subject. The beauty of this design (in all it's versions) never ceases to impress me, what a "mean" looking machine!
Cheers,
Lance
-
Some how I missed this one , excellent job Brad on your tiny little spitfire :)
Terri