discussion Tamiya's 1/32 SpitfireIX

[Guest]

Yep, I am right... not a single one of those paints in my collection lol

EDIT (and to get to the point of the question) Would the Mosquito camo be the same colours for the upper-side, the green and grey? The sides and lower surfaces will be black

 

[stona]

What version are you doing? I thought that Mossies were in the DFS,same as my Spitfire.

Steve

 

[Guest]

The Mosquito is a B.Mk.IV. Of the three markings options there is two that are grey & green on top but black sides and underneath, Lancaster style. It is a mossie bomber not the more commonly modelled fighter. One is 627 Squadron based at RAF Oakington near Cambridge January 1944, just down the road from me, and the other is RAF Marham not far from me, 109 Squadron 1944. The third is grey-blue underneath (Revell say 90% light grey, 10% blue-grey underneath, they don't have the right colour in their range) with green & grey on top. This third one is also RAF Marham, 105 Squadron June 1943. I would imagine the top is the same as the Spitfire and the greyish underside one could be the same underside grey as the Spit. However, wanting to be different I want to do the black underside one, possibly the 627 Squadron.

 

[stona]

Graham I once had a book that covered Mosquito camouflage. It was by no less an expert than Paul Lucas if I remember correctly. I haven't seen it for ages but will mount a search. I gather that there were Mosquitoes with black undersides. The upper colours were still Ocean Grey and Dark Green. The grey underside would have been Medium Sea Grey. I don't know about the blue'grey underside. There were several blues in the inventory,from the mix it sounds like Azure or a Sky Blue (not to be confused with Sky!).

Cheers

Steve

 

[Gern]

Hi Graham,

For one mad moment there I thought you'd turned to the 'proper' scale for aircraft - 1/32 - and had to get my kit from the stash to check!

I have the Revell 1/32 Mosquito Mk IV which has similar colours to those you describe. According to their colour refs in my kit, the undersides and tail fin are flat black. The upper sides are camouflaged in Dark Green FS 34096 and Ocean Grey FS 36270.

I've no idea whether these FS references are correct, but if they are, it's a better colour guide than 10% of this and 90% of that. Unless I get other colours between now and when I build it, I'll be using Aqua colours 361 Olivgrun and 43 Mittelgrau for mine. They're the closest I have to the box art colours and close enough for me.

Gern

 

[Guest]

Cheers guys. As soon as I have cleared the desk, the mossie will be the next project. I would like to take the finished model to the site of Oakington airfild and take a picture with the site behind it. Sounds silly but it is just something I would like to do lol

 

[Ian M]

I did mine in the medium Sea grey and dark green top and night bottom and sides, All from Xtracryliks. Though mine was a XVII Fighter interceptor. Could be tempted by the bomber version still.

Ian M

 

[stona]

Ocean Grey is on the upper surfaces. I'll do a bit of shading,hopefully this evening as life has got in the way! Tomorrow,all being well,I'll mask it up for the Dark Green.

Cheers

Steve

 

[stona]

Got ahead of myself. Yikes! It'll be alright in the morning.

Cheers

Steve

 

[AlanG]

Lookin great Steve

 

[Guest]

Is that the blue tack sausages covered with Masking tape????

 

[stona]

That's exactly what it is Graham,I'm looking for a fairly hard edge. I've ripped off the masking to reveal........Ta Daaa.

Then the starboard side for which I have a good photo. The area of primer visible in that is still to be added.

Finally one of my spectacular close ups. If you squint you can make out the scale (hopefully) leading edge I.D. stripe.

There are a few touch ups and a bit of fine tuning to be done but overall I'm happy with this.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Guest]

Nice work mate, the blu-tack masking technique is great aint it? That looks (in the style of carter pewterschmidt - "SWEEEEEEEEET")

Stuart

 

[Guest]

Cool Steve. I will soon be doing a 48 size Mk9 and am glad to actually see the "worm" spray mask in action.What is the diameter approx of the worms and what are they made from?

Theuns

 

[Guest]

Sorry I only now saw it is Blue tack. What is that? Here in SA we have a product called Presstick that is used to put posters ect up on walls.it has an oil base though.

Theuns

 

[Guest]

We have two sorts Theuns, you may too. We have Blue Tack which is oil based and White Tack which is not oil based. However, I have to say that I, even using both, have never seen any detriment from using Blue Tack but I have not used it as a mask other than stuffing it into cockpits and jet intakes. I have read where you should not use it as it a mask on top of a finish coat or a coat where paint is to be applied but I have not heard or read anything where someone has had a real problem.

The camo pattern looks amazing Steve and it looks like you have captured a nice edge without the stuck on look that I mentioned with tape on its own. very nice and a technique I look forward to trying.

 

[Ian M]

Looking great Steve. Think I will have to get hold of some of that blue-tac stuff. Can it be used again and again, or does the paint muck it up (after a time)?

Ian M

 

[spanner570]

Class work Steve,

I know I have said it before but the amount of effort you aircraft people put into your work, whether it is hidden or not, never ceases to amaze me and this one is no exception...

A cracking build that I am following closely.

Ron

 

[stona]

Thanks Graham. I used Blu-Tac and to be honest had no idea that it was oil based! I've never had any trouble with the residue that some people report however I don't leave it on for any longer than I have to. Once I've used it as a mask I don't use it for that again. The cleaner bits I will use again for other purposes,the really manky bits go in the bin. I always make sure my hands are really clean before rolling out the sausages. They aren't all exactly the same but I'd say about 2mm. This is for a fairly tight edge. I tear up Tamiya tape to fill in,it always seems to rip on a curve which is helpful! You've got the width of the sausage to help you out so it's just a matter of making it fit,you can't rush and you need to try not to flatten the Blu-Tac too much.

Now for the story of the patch/repair behind the cockpit,clearly visible in the July '43 photo. Some say it is a fresh patch of Ocean Grey but it covers an area that should be dark Green. I think that if whoever applied it had the one camouflage colour to hand they would probably have the other and would have done it correctly. Based on this and knowing that the entire airframe was primed in a grey or grey green primer before painting I've decided that this area will be in the primer. I opted for a lightened RLM02 the Luftwaffe primer with which I am familiar.

It's come out like this.

In B+W it looks like this.

And that I can live with. There will be more about this area later. It's all to do with what they may have done and this affects aerials/antennae etc!

Cheers

Steve

 

[stona]

This is the bit where progress is determined by things drying! Here it is with two coats of Klear brushed on. I've even run out of fiddly bits to do though I'm psyching myself up to mask the canopy parts.

Tomorrow "ze vorld", well decals anyway.

One with the Merlin loosely fitted just to prove it is a Spitfire.

Cheers

Steve