Author Topic: Revell 1:28 Spad XIII as Luke's plane, at least the one he was photographed near (Read 24953 times)

smperry · « **Reply #90 on:** April 30, 2020, 08:47:40 AM »

I have several questions related to what is shown in the famous photo of Luke leaning against the lower wing of a Spad.

I don't want to step over the line on copyright rules, so I did not post the pic, but if you can help, send me a PM and I will send the pic direct. It is also on the inside of the cover of the Spad XIII Datafile.

First, I do not conclusively see an absence of any sort of screen over the opening in the side of the cowl. OTOH, if there is one, it is a fairly open mesh or what little I am seeing is just scratches on the negative or some such.

Second, the panel of the side cowl that surrounds the opening mentioned above looks like it is not painted in 5 color French camo. Is it bare metal or gray or the nebulous Ecru?

Third, what about the top cowl panel around the guns. Now that appears darker than the side. Any ideas on what color that might be?

Finally, there is controversy over the wheel covers. Were they "Yin Yang" black and white? or simply the color of the underside. What is shown in the photo is not enough to conclusively say one way or another. Any ideas?

Four pretty picky questions for sure, but now is the time to ask if there are any ideas or opinions rather than find out later that I definitely made the wrong choice. I pretty much have my own ideas about these questions, but I need to do my due diligence in asking around before committing paint to plastic.
Thanks
sp

smperry · « **Reply #91 on:** April 30, 2020, 09:26:56 AM »

Pretty much finished converting the wing tips from Early to Late versions and hiding the evidence. I think this one took 3 rounds of sand, fill and prime. This isn't easy plastic to work. The filled in strut trenches have disappeared and I still have to decide if I will use the kit struts or scratch build replacements. I am leaning toward dressing up the kit pieces since the goal with this project is to bring out the best in an old kit.
sp

RAGIII · « **Reply #92 on:** April 30, 2020, 11:03:01 AM »

The wings are looking great SP! As for your questions:
1.If mesh was used it is as you said, very open! I have seen at least one photo that pretty clearly shows No Mesh on another SPAD. That being said, most common was with a mesh.
2.Conventional wisdom says Aluminum but the Paint based version of Ecru or grey seems possible to me.
3. I am pretty sure the top panels around the guns are standard Brown camo as seen on Bleriot built SPADS.
4. The yin yang is not visible on the photo supplied with Aviattics Legends series decals. Richard pretty much suggests that the yin yang is based on a photo of Hartneys SPAD in which a Mechanic drew it in saying it was there in Hartneys aircraft. IIRC there are photos that show the yin yang on other 27th aircraft. Richard also shows the right outer wheel cover in C flight blue like the cowling. I am not sure where that comes from. Perhaps from some of the references he mentions in the booklet. As for the left cover Richard shows it as Ecru. IHTH, although you have said you have your own opinions. One thing looking at the photo that I have a question about is the surround/frame to the opening. It looks decidedly darker than the upper fuselage around the guns yet most profiles show it as brown. Perhaps an optical illusion

RAGIII

smperry · « **Reply #93 on:** April 30, 2020, 11:16:34 AM »

Rick, Thanks, your answers are what I had in mind and I will go with that. I appreciate you taking the time to answer.

First time I built this kit it was the earlier release in the white box and the top wing was badly warped. I had to build a box and run hot air through it and slowly heat the thick styrene so it would relax flat in the correct shape.

This release isn't so bad by half, but there is still a couple degrees dihedrall that shouldn't be there and will play hob with mounting the top wing. The airfoil sort of hides it but there is a distinct bens in the center.

I used my magnetic building board to make sort of a jig which is slightly higher in the center than the tips.

And now the nuclear option, ye olde Monokote gun. A hair drier on streriods...with an attitude.

I have been slowly heating the center and letting it cool. I will go a few more cycles and then check to see if it has lost it's dihedral.
sp

RAGIII · « **Reply #94 on:** April 30, 2020, 11:14:45 PM »

I remember that WARP well SP. I think I broke the wing on My first try as a young Lad

RAGIII

rhallinger · « **Reply #95 on:** April 30, 2020, 11:24:35 PM »

Sp, looks like you mean business with that .44 Magnum of heat tools! Good luck.

I am enjoying your build. I have he Aviattic Luke set, and want to do this aircraft in 1/32 from the HobbyCraft kit. Eventually.

Take care and carry on. Great work so far.

Best regards,

Bob

smperry · « **Reply #96 on:** May 01, 2020, 12:19:58 AM »

Thanks Rick, you couldn't have been too young, that is one solid piece of plastic to break.

This old kit, molded in hard styrene, takes brute force modeling at times. The top wing is one of those times. After several heat and cool cycles, I have most of the bend straightened out. I will keep at it, seems it is the cooling while in the jig that does the good.

sp

Borsos · « **Reply #97 on:** May 02, 2020, 04:40:02 PM »

Wow you did a great job at building the interior of this SPAD. Very nice!
Andreas

RichieW · « **Reply #98 on:** May 02, 2020, 09:25:59 PM »

Love the the industrial strength solution to the unwanted dihedral, it must have surrendered pretty quickly. The wing tip conversion looks brilliant.

Richie

smperry · « **Reply #99 on:** May 03, 2020, 05:06:17 AM »

Thanks Andreas, I appreciate the compliment.

"Industrial strength solution" I love it Richie. It took about a dozen heat/cool cycles to loose the dihedral. I think cooling under tension aided the process. Would have been quicker with a thinner wing, but likely wouldn't have worked at all with a two part, upper side/lower side wing like the D.VII of the series.

I mixed my paints for the 5 color camo. The dark green may be a bit dark, but the paint on the lid hadn't dried when I took the photo, so it may lighten up a bit. I have not put paint to plastic yet, so if you know a better shade for any of the colors, now is the time to holler at me and let me know what you think and why, I would definitely appreciate any and all feedback on this.
sp

smperry · « **Reply #100 on:** May 03, 2020, 05:58:40 AM »

Doh! I forgot to ask.
Are the color separation lines on French 5 color camo hard, soft or somewhere between? I cannot recall and need to know as I plan the masking process.
sp

Borsos · « **Reply #101 on:** May 03, 2020, 07:01:23 AM »

Quote from: smperry on May 03, 2020, 05:58:40 AM

Doh! I forgot to ask.
Are the color separation lines on French 5 color camo hard, soft or somewhere between? I cannot recall and need to know as I plan the masking process.
sp

They are hard

Andreas

smperry · « **Reply #102 on:** May 03, 2020, 07:27:03 AM »

Thanks Andreas, I have Parafilm that gives a good hard edge, ( as long as I'm very careful to press it down firmly along the edges)

Gee, now I'm running out of excuses not to start painting.
sp

smperry · « **Reply #103 on:** May 04, 2020, 05:36:07 PM »

I started to paint the upper wing, I am using the diagram in the Datafile and a diagram that came with the CSM Luke decal sheet. The only difference I have found so far are Stbd top wing tip being Light Brown on the CSM diagram and Light Green in the Datafile. The DF shows an early Spad with rounded tips. The CSM sheet shows late production squared off tips, so I went with the Light Brown tip.

The paints I am using are all acrylic artist's colors mixed with Pledge to thin for airbrushing and to get some of Pledge's magical leveling properties. They are sprayed on a white primed surface. First the whole model, (top wing in this case), gets a coat of Light Brown, then the other colors get masked and sprayed over that.

I used Parafilm to mask and all was going well as I put a coat of Pledge to gloss it. Looked so good that I had to set the decals. I have a sheet of CSM Luke decals. I used this same sheet on the first Revell Spad I built and I do not recall any issues. The decals look great, but that ends when they get wet. First it took an inordinate amount of time for the decals to slide on the backing and they are incredibly fragile. Out of 2 roundels, a checkerboard strip and a large number 26. Only the 26 got applied without shattering to one degree or another. I had to apply multiple coats of Micro Sol, the last of which is still drying as I type. Hopefully that will get those decals to sucker down around the raised details on the wing surface.

The rest of the decals will get a coat of decal film in hopes they can be gotten onto the model unbroken. For anyone using these decals or the CSM Rickenbacker sheet, you need to soak them at least 5 min and they won't break on the backing if you are careful, spray some decal film and trim close and you just might not break them while positioning them on the model. You will need all your decal skills in play to successfully get them applied. Also it might be a good idea to mix up a little bit of matching touch up paint ahead of time. It is likely you will need a drop or two, especially around the aileron hinge line.

It doesn't look too bad from 3', but close up you see a whole crop of preventable warts. Common sense and experience should have dictated stopping at the first broken roundel and breaking out the decal film for the rest. Don't get the Wife started on my lack of common sense.
sp

RLWP · « **Reply #104 on:** May 04, 2020, 06:02:03 PM »

There's a small bush growing out of the cockpit

That's the Bleriot scheme, the references I have (thanks Rick) have the wingtip brown

Richard