discussion Another Spitfire Completed

[Guest]

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Details for any other beginners:

Airfix A0511A 1/48 Mk I Spitfire, out of the box except for items mentioned. It was operational before 1940. Wing roots needed filling, Eduard masks for cockpit, Vallejo Surface Primer (lightly sanded), Xtracryllic XA1007 RAF Sky, Vallejo Green Brown 71.030, Vallejo US Dark Green 71.016, Tamiya TS13 Clear Gloss (spray can), Decals, Tamiya XF 86 Clear Flat. Minimal weathering with Flory Dark Dirt (exhaust ports stains, gun stains). Rust on exhaust ports. All airbrushed unless otherwise stated, chipping (silver "pencil" — wet). Aerial: Prym Knitting-in Elastic (the 200m will do 2,000 models!). Whitemetal undercarriage glued with Evostic Contact adhesive (not Epoxy)

This, my second model, is the partly finished model mentioned in:

http://www.scale-models.co.uk/threads/comments-on-weathering-please.19350/page-2#post-169704

which was more heavily weathered. I didn't like it because, especially on the underside, the panel lines were very shallow and the wash missed some of them, making an untidy mess, so I removed it and replaced it with the above minimal effect (all of which has not been caught by the camera).

Mistakes made: Chose an old mould kit; Vallejo Green Brown is too strong and gingerish looking at the actual model (a 50/50 mix with Xtracryllic 1002 RAF Dark Earth seems a better match); Silver paint for the chipping got on to one of the horizontal stabilisers and I had to clean down to plastic using Isopropyl Alcohol; starboard upper decal smudged due to too heavy gloss varnish but disguised; front and rear undercarriage broke off (my carelessness) and replaced by Aircraft Conversions white metal (Hannants); wheels lean outwards towards the wing tips (I had glued them on the undercarriage before fixing the undercarriage to the model); inside of canopy dusty, not cleaned properly. That's all I think. Its been very instructive. Thanks for all the help.

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[flyjoe180]

Nicely finished Spit Steve. For an old mould kit you have done a great job on the build. The dark earth I agree looks a little too bright but the overall paint work is top stuff. Nice subtle weathering on what would otherwise have been a very well maintained aeroplane pre-war. Great work!

 

[aaron]

Great spit Steve..ive shelved a spit build due to failed masks and running paint.Yours looks excellent my friend.

 

[Dave W]

That's turned out good Steve.Its an old mould and not the best spitfire on the market.If you fancy another spitfire give yourself a treat and get one of the Tamiya kits.Ive built both and the Tamiya is a far better kit for a similar price.In fact you could back date the Tamiya kit to an early mk1 by using the prop,canopy and aerial from this kit.I may do that some day.

 

[BarryW]

I really like this one Steve. Good work.

 

[Guest]

Well done Steve you have put a lot of work into that & it will sit nicely with all the others to come.

This business of colours can be difficult. Building a Lysander with I suspect the same colours. Getting to a point where I choose the intesity of the colour which looks best when completed on the shelf. Definetly not the depth of colour of the original machines as it looks to me to stark. I take a wing from my stock of spares & produce a mock up which I find works (mostly). Using the ame colour but have mixed 25% white in the brown & about 20% in the green.

Like your explanation as well. Advocate that all displayed models should have the colours & what was used added what went wrong etc as it is a help & very interesting.

Laurie

 

[eddiesolo]

Wonderful looking Spit Steve, the colour scheme works well and the light weathering is very subtle yet enhances it so much. Well done.

Si

 

[mossiepilot]

Nice work Steve, she's a beautiful looking spit, and I never worry too much about exact colors (think the spell checker is American), on real aircraft paint availability, age and wear changed the official colors (still American!) to a multitude of shades, see any discussion on Duck egg blue/green or zinc chromate green.

It's top work in my book and worth its 5 stars..

Tony

 

[spanner570]

Nice looking Spitfire Steve, but what I like and admire most about your initial post, is your willingness to write so openly about your mistakes...and how you got over them.

Full marks for your frank opinion of your own build.......

Ron

 

[Guest]

Yes ... a very Frank post about your issues ... I wont call them mistakes because we're looking at the finished article and it looks fine to me.

Much, much better than I would be able to produce ..

 

[Guest]

Thanks folks.

I am in Germany with my daughter´s family. I have been helping my 8 year old grandson to make a 1/144 F117 A Stealth fighter. Lots of enthusiasm!

 

[papa 695]

Ooops a little late just seen this Steve A very nice looking Spitfire if i may say so ,even with the troubles you had with it ( not mistakes )

 

[colin m]

Nice job Steve, and a really good review.

Colin M.