discussion ICM 1/48 Spitfire Mk.XVI

[Dave Ward]

Whilst waiting for the finishing touches on my Bugatti to dry ( pictures later today ). I decided to start another build, as the Knyaz Suvorov will have long periods waiting for the sea to dry.............................

It's a bit of a mainstream subject for me - I can't remember the last time I made a Spitfire, it must be decades ago! The ICM XVI dates from 2009, and it's not one of their latest mouldings - it has the option of displaying a full engine, open gun bays, but I'm dong it buttoned up. I'll be putting up some sprue shots before I start. One immediate comment is the instructions, an A4 sheet folded in half with the assembly, and another with the colour schemes. The construction sheet has tiny spidery drawngs - I had to get my magnifying glass out to see some of them! I have downloaded the instructions from the ICM website, so, at least I can blow them up to a readable size ( for me ).
Dave

 

[Steven000]

Nice choice Dave, that range of kits has tiny instruction-sheets indeed :nerd:
Have fun!

 

[Lee Drennen]

Nice Dave Spitfire Fever must be in the Air I re- visited my Spitfire build yesterday. Keep us posted looks like it might be a great build if you can get pass the small bits.

 

[Dave Ward]

Sprue shots.......................


No flash to speak of - perhaps just the hint of a sink mark here & there, but nothing disastrous.......
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

A few detail shots


There are a lot of parts to be used on other marks - including gun bay doors..................

The engine - which I will only be useing a few parts to locate the exhausts



Reasonably crisp, the panel lines are rather shallow, and may vanish under paint.
I'm going to make this with cowlings & gunbays closed. There are two marking variants, I haven't decided which to go for, yet, but there isn't any physical difference between the two.
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

Oops - started on this & forgot to take any pictures. Well cockpit assembled & detail painted ( don't bother to fit the two oxygen bottles in the port side rear fuselage - they get in the way, and are invisible! ), seat belts added from masking tape, then the fuselage halves joined.......................

The cockpit is well detailed & fits pretty well, after edge clean up - follow the instruction sequence, and it should go together easily ( I didn't! ). The exhausts are attached to the outer parts of the engine banks - so that they will fit nicely behind the cutouts in the cowling & give some gluing area. I think the front cowling will be the next area of assembly, as I suspect there will be a load of chances to mismatch parts
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

Further progress - the fit is a not as good as I thought - the gunbay covers needed a lot of filing & trimming to get a good surface. I thought I was going to have a bit of a tussle with the cowlings - and I did, but not where I expected. I had to fill the rear.............

I then realised I had to fit the wings, before adding the lower cowling - oh well - I added the rudder & elevators as well. I think any fit problems are due to the age of the moulds, as there is a lot of hairline flash which needs careful removal, but dry fitting shows the dodgy areas. I could have helped myself by fitting the engine ( albeit a stripped down version ) to locate the exhausts & prop shaft. As it is the front end was just flapping around & needed careful help to be aligned............
Dave

 

[adt70hk]

Coming on nicely Dave.

ATB.

Andrew

 

[Dave Ward]

After filler & a rubdown - overall light grey primer.........................

.....which immediately shows areas that need a little extra work. Hopefully, I'll be able spray the underside with Medium Sea Grey tomorrow. The upper surfaces are Ocean Grey & Dark Green with one sprayed & the other brushed masking off the lower surfaces...............
Dave

 

[langy71]

Very nice Dave, you've gotta love a Spit.

 

[ozdell]

After filler & a rubdown - overall light grey primer.........................

.....which immediately shows areas that need a little extra work. Hopefully, I'll be able spray the underside with Medium Sea Grey tomorrow. The upper surfaces are Ocean Grey & Dark Green with one sprayed & the other brushed masking off the lower surfaces...............
Dave

HI Dave very nice indeed , was that the last spit ever made, , sure come a long way since the Mark-1A I am building, very close , will have to get that model one day, I be at my build for at least 12 months , keep the good work up Tony from down under, my model is the third Spitfire

 

[Dave Ward]

HI Dave very nice indeed , was that the last spit ever made, , sure come a long way since the Mark-1A I am building, very close , will have to get that model one day, I be at my build for at least 12 months , keep the good work up Tony from down under, my model is the third Spitfire

Tony,
the Mk.XVI was the last Merlin engined Spitfire ( actually a Packard Merlin ), after that the Griffon engined models went up to the last variant, the Mk.24 ( 1948 ), and were in front line service until 1952.
Dave

 

[stona]

Hi Dave, first you've definitely beaten that into shape, it's looking really good.

On another note, the Mk XVI I've almost finished (TE203) was still being used in a training role in the early 1950s. It was finally declared Category 5 (beyond economic repair) in September 1954!

You are right that they were largely replaced in a front line role by the early '50s, but there were still plenty on the roster in other roles.

 

[Dave Ward]

Hi Dave, first you've definitely beaten that into shape, it's looking really good.

On another note, the Mk XVI I've almost finished (TE203) was still being used in a training role in the early 1950s. It was finally declared Category 5 (beyond economic repair) in September 1954!

You are right that they were largely replaced in a front line role by the early '50s, but there were still plenty on the roster in other roles.

A lot of them soldiered on in the Auxiliary Air Force, until that was disbanded in 1957. My XVI is TB673, serving with 74 squadron in 1945
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

Sprayed the underside with MSG, then masked up & sprayed the upper surfaces with Ocean Grey. I then brush painted the Dark Green Camo patches.....................

Just a little more masking, for the yellow leading edges, then an overall gloss spray before decalling - this is now going at a rush!
Dave
ps the white blob on the nose in the upper picture is an errant piece of masking tape, that I didn't notice until I posted the piccy!

 

[Steven000]

Looking good Dave, nice progress :thumb2:
Steven

 

[Dave Ward]

Yellow leading edges & prop tips painted, then overall gloss varnish, ready for decals

I actually won another ICM 1/48 Spitfire on ebay - one bid, that I placed last week very nice discount, - it's the HF Mk.VII in a high altitude finish, that is rather unusual...............
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

All decals added - unusual for me, as I generally leave off the smaller items................... the wing walk decals are a real fiddle to get straight, but luckily, the ICM decals are pretty tough.

I'll leave this overnight, then seal with gloss varnish. I'll add the undercarriage and the bombs, then a touch of weathering - The next pictures will appear in the 'completed' section.....................
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

Completed - here.................https://www.scale-models.co.uk/threads/icm-1-48-spitfire-mk-xvi-completed.37284/
Dave

 

[ozdell]

Tony,
the Mk.XVI was the last Merlin engined Spitfire ( actually a Packard Merlin ), after that the Griffon engined models went up to the last variant, the Mk.24 ( 1948 ), and were in front line service until 1952.
Dave

HI Dave, thanks the spitfire had a great run lasting that long , did she fly in the Korean war , you did a great job of the painting , I am glad my build comes painted already. Tony