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Tamiya 1/48 Spitfire "One Year On"

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  • Guest

    #1

    Tamiya 1/48 Spitfire "One Year On"

    As some of you may remember I completed my first ever model kit, a 1/48 Revell Spitfire, almost one year ago, so to celebrate me lasting this long I'm having a go at another to see how different they are after a year of trying to learn everything I can in a short space of time.

    I'm already cheating a bit by picking a vastly superior kit, a modern Tamiya, but back then I knew no better and try to be a bit more selective now.

    [ATTACH]379053[/ATTACH]

    I didn't take any shots but it contains 3 plastic sprues, 1 clear, one PE fret, canopy masks (marked but uncut) and a large decal sheet with 3 marking options. Since my fail ratio with decals is rather high I'm considering masks for the main marking, but with a bewildering array of choices I'll probably not be able to decide which ones to go for!

    The fit so far has been amazing, and there are plenty of options to choose from including different cockpit sides for open or closed canopy.

    Most of the cockpit is finished, just a few touch ups to do, a wash & some light weathering, then I can slap it together and have a go with the supplied etch seat belts.

    Hope you like it so far. I'd like to have it finished by the 12th, exactly a year on from my first one, but if it needs more time then so be it. And to be fair, my record of finishing hasn't been great lately so if it gets done at all I'll be happy, lol

    Cockpit side. You can probably make out where the separate upper panel is, which can be swapped for a different one if you wish to pose it with the canopy & door open.

    [ATTACH]379054[/ATTACH]

    t'other side. For some reason the silver on the inner fuselage isn't showing up well here, it looks almost black, but it looks fine in real life

    [ATTACH]379055[/ATTACH]

    Cockpit "tub", same issue with the silver on camera.

    [ATTACH]379056[/ATTACH]

    [ATTACH]379057[/ATTACH]

    Seat and framing. This still needs the flares(?) on the front painting when I can mix something coppery/brassy

    [ATTACH]379058[/ATTACH]

    Finally the IP and rudder pedals, with PE straps. Compass looks awful in these close ups, will amend that! The three instrument decals lined up and behaved pretty well. A couple of coats of matt clear buried most of the carrier film, then some drops of gloss on the dials finished it off. It may get another coat tomorrow.

    [ATTACH]379059[/ATTACH]
  • Peej
    SMF Supporters
    • Aug 2014
    • 919

    #2
    Looking great so far. I will be following this with interest.

    Comment

    • papa 695
      Moderator
      • May 2011
      • 22788

      #3
      Looking very nice

      Comment

      • Steven000
        • Aug 2018
        • 2830
        • Steven
        • Belgium

        #4
        Looking very good so far! :thumb2:
        Have fun
        Steven

        Comment

        • stillp
          • Nov 2016
          • 8105
          • Pete
          • Rugby

          #5
          Looking good Andy!
          Pete

          Comment

          • Guest

            #6
            Thanks for the comments everyone.

            I've got even more free time than normal at the moment so should be able to romp along with this.

            Comment

            • Guest

              #7
              This is an incredible kit. You’ll enjoy every bit of it!

              Comment

              • SteveH
                • Apr 2018
                • 1287

                #8
                Hi Andy

                Ooooh, the cockpit of a Tamiya Mk 1, that will help with my research for the Cosford under a fiver build.

                Lovely shots of the 'pit too

                Hopefully some time yo work on this one now?

                Have fun

                Regards

                Steve H

                Comment

                • Guest

                  #9
                  Chris - it does seem very well engineered with a near perfect fit so far, which appeals to me greatly. At the other end of the spectrum I'm also trying to build their Harrier, which is an absolute dog by comparison!

                  Thanks Steve. Yes, under house arrest at the minute so plenty of time for modelling and other things. Now would be the ideal time to strip out the shed and make it more useable as I really just put a piece of MDF on top of my router bench and am working on a bar stool up to that, but with the financial future of the whole country uncertain I think it's better to hang onto the pennies right now.

                  Comment

                  • SteveH
                    • Apr 2018
                    • 1287

                    #10
                    Absolutely true Andy

                    Check all the dark corner of the shed, Garage and attic to see what you might be able to ""MacGyver"" up to ease the back ache sat on a stool!

                    Could be a fun few hours

                    Have fun with the Mk!

                    Steve H

                    Comment

                    • Jim R
                      SMF Supporters
                      • Apr 2018
                      • 15799
                      • Jim
                      • Shropshire

                      #11
                      Hi Andy
                      A year ago - well done. You've certainly come a long way and are now a valued inmate of the asylum :tongue-out3:
                      Spitfire looks a great kit. Fine work on the cockpit.
                      Jim

                      Comment

                      • Guest

                        #12
                        Thanks Jim, no escaping now :smiling5:

                        Cockpit tub is now assembled and fits perfectly into the fuselage. Tamiya include a small jig to keep the seat frame and the sliver bulkhead behind it nice and square as you wrestle with the included seat belts, which is a nice touch.

                        Blurry picture (it looks better like that lol)

                        [ATTACH]379125[/ATTACH]

                        And from the opposite side

                        [ATTACH]379126[/ATTACH]

                        And a behind the scenes shot

                        [ATTACH]379127[/ATTACH]

                        It would be nice to have a dedicated area for taking pictures so that I don't have to faff around every time. I bought my son one of those fold up light box things for his miniatures ( slowkeypokeybob on Instagram) but it would only fit the smallest of model kits. Looks like being another DIY job when I get my cave rearranged.

                        Comment

                        • Vaughan
                          • Apr 2011
                          • 3175

                          #13
                          Great detail Andy. I use a soft box lights which you can buy from Amazon here's the link https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=photo+l...f=nb_sb_noss_1 not too expensive and they do a good job.

                          Comment

                          • Guest

                            #14
                            Thanks Vaughan. I've looked at those before and they'd be ideal with some kind of backdrop/enclosure, but with only around half of a 10' x 8' shed at my disposal, fitting it all in would be an issue!

                            Comment

                            • rtfoe
                              • Apr 2018
                              • 9114

                              #15
                              An artist doesn't need a prim and proper studio to work in. I find I get more inspiration moving my builds around although I have a dedicated man-cave so if you are improving and still enjoy your hobby in the setting you're in then so be it...just get a proper chair. We're all getting old and it can be bad for the back sitting on the stool.

                              Is it one year already Andy...thought you were part of the furniture already. :tears-of-joy: Looking forward to seeing both planes side by side.

                              Cheers,
                              Richard

                              Comment

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