discussion Andy's 1/48 Spitfire Mk1a

[flyjoe180]

Freehand in 1/144! My eyes hurt thinking about it. Nice work Andy.

 

[HAWKERHUNTER]

How on earth did you manage to free hand that Andy. Must have an incredibly steady hand and a remarkable airbrush set up. Great work.

 

[Andy T]

Thanks guys.

I did need my decent specs

The lines could have been tighter but at this scale I was just happy to get something resembling the correct pattern lol

I sprayed it with my 0.3 trigger 'brush, that gets used for just about everything and has a bent needle

https://www.scalemodelshop.co.uk/0-3mm-mr-procon-boy-wa-trigger-airbrush-mr-hobby-ps-275-p17101/

 

[Tim Marlow]

Looking good Andy. Lovely spray work as always.

 

[Andy T]

Thanks Tim.

As always it looks a bit strange with a gloss coat but hopefully the matt after decals should tie it all together.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Funnily enough, I alway like aircraft with a slight semi gloss myself, seems to bring out the shape of the airframe. Did a spitfire in flat matt once and it just looked dead……
Are you going to try and strip the Eduard decals on the 1/48?

 

[colin m]

Good lord, I'm having trouble keeping up here Andy. Great work, at an amazing pace.

 

[Andy T]

Yeah @Tim Marlow , when I say matt, I should say matt-er. I've done a few using SMS Matt, but with a bit of MLT added so it doesn't dry dead flat & lifeless.

And yes. I waz fairly successful last time I stripped Eduard decals but I seem to remember I didn't bother with the tiny ones as it was more trouble than it was worth.

Thanks @colin m. After a long break from the bench my mojo has come back with a vengeance

 

[Andy T]

'72 &' 48 now have their Dark Green.

The patterns don't match exactly, but then I've never been a stickler details like that. Close enough for me

 

[flyjoe180]

Nice paint work Andy, they're all progressing well

 

[Andy T]

Thanks Joe, decals next.

It took some hunting around to find aftermarket sets for the smaller two, but I wanted them to match the markings & squadron code of the 1/48

 

[Geoffers]

Great work Andy, it’s looking very nice

Geoff.

 

[Andy T]

Thanks Geoff.


I've got a bit of a production line going with the decals which is helping to speed up a process I don't like as it's so slow, laborious & fiddly. Definitely the longest part of any build for me.

As usual I'm having trouble with silvering, mainly with the Xtradecals on the 1/72, but I'll persevere.

 

[Steven000]

Nice production line you got there Andy, the 144 looks quite cute patiently waiting in the background for his buddies to get dressed goodluck!

 

[HAWKERHUNTER]

Looking great Andy. Should make for some interesting photos when completed.

 

[Andy T]

Thanks guys.

Yes Steve, I'll be having a go at some forced perspective shots.

 

[flyjoe180]

Speeding through these builds Andy, looking good

 

[adt70hk]

Wow Andy, you've not wasted any time. That cockpit looks the absolute business! A really quality job.

Not long and they will all be finished.

ATB

Andrew

 

[Jim R]

Lovely paint jobs Andy. Decals are generally a pain, sometimes they behave but a lot of the time it's grief of one sort or another.

 

[Andy T]

Thanks everyone.

Yes Andrew, I'm pretty much done after a good session today.

I'll not bore you all with the full sob story but the decals were a nightmare. There are now bits grafted on from the spares drawer, and some brush painted touch ups. It went so badly that I almost pulled the trigger on a Silhouette Portrait, to cut my own stencils


Despite the calamity, the two larger birds are looking okay I think, with a satin coat to seal everything in



So I added their boots



Somewhere along the way I've mixed up some of the parts



Here are all three, nearly finished. I'm contemplating adding the antenna wires, which run to the horizontal stabilisers on this version, but I'll need to pluck up the courage first!