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davecov · Last edited by davecov on Tue 06 Mar 2007 13:33 pm; edited 3 times in total

Progress of my build can be followed here

Dave
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airfixteen · Posted: Sat 20 Jan 2007 18:48 pm Post subject:

Good Luck
Hope it’s a good one for you
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481 Squadron ATC
Classic British Kit SIG Photo Recce SIG
Leading the RAF 90th Anniversary GB
Luke and Joe The 48th Buddies

Luke

davecov · Posted: Fri 26 Jan 2007 18:19 pm Post subject:

I intend to build at least one of two kits:

- the HobbyBoss 1/72 Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb or

- the Airfix/Heller 1/72 Supermarine Spitfire Mk XVIE

Not sure if I will be able to build both though but if I do have time then I will give it a try.

Dave

JackJ · Posted: Fri 26 Jan 2007 18:40 pm Post subject:

davecov · Posted: Thu 01 Mar 2007 02:55 am Post subject:

I will be building both the HobbyBoss and Heller Spitfires. The HobbyBoss build will be reported in this thread and the Heller build can be followed in it's own thread, here.

Dave

davecov · Posted: Thu 01 Mar 2007 03:30 am Post subject:

This will be a rather quick build (for me) being a HobbyBoss kit. I have already made a HobbyBoss Mustang and so I knew what to expect on opening the box -

As with other HobbyBoss kits, this Spitfire is well packaged -

Four page instruction leaflet which is full colour on the outer pages...

...and black and white on the inner

Alternate markings are provided for two RAF machines - a 1941 Spitfire of 317 Squadron in green/brown/grey camouflage and a 1942 machine of 303 Squadron in grey/green/grey camouflage. Decals are crisp but the red is slightly off register, being most noticeable on the fuselage and underwing roundels.

Main sprue containing crisp and flash free parts. There is something missing though - the main undercarriage doors! Interestingly, the black pre-formed box insert has an unused door-shaped section. Makes you wonder if they either forgot to package them or decided to leave them out on purpose! I will scratch build a couple from plastic card.

The fuselage comes as one complete piece and not two halves. The wings come as another complete piece and the third part in the picture is the under-engine section of the fuselage.

As with the Mustang, HobbyBoss provide both open and closed canopies.

That's the introduction out of the way. I will start the build proper later on today (once I've had some sleep!) and will be building the 317 Squadron machine.

Dave

davecov · Posted: Thu 01 Mar 2007 15:54 pm Post subject:

Got some work done on the Spitfire today (after my snooze).

Here are the wings and fuselage before I got hacking!

Dry-fitting the wings and fuselage. The rear fuselage wouldn't sit right because the pin and hole at the back were very tight.

So, I removed the pin, removed the upright piece of plastic (what was that for? The Mustang had one too) and narrowed the outsides of the locating hole. This was the real cause of the tightness.

Wings and fuselage glued together. The fit at the wing/fuselage join was excellent with no need for filler.

At this point I fitted the under-engine part of the fuselage. It will need filler at the rear back end. I also dry-fitted the rads/coolers. These sit too proud and need sanding.

Before sanding them, I removed the locating pins as they are not really necessary.

I then got the trusty No.2 brush and splashed some H78 Matt Cockpit Green around. I also filled the bomb locating holes with pieces of white plastic card (don't like to see Spitfires abused like that).

The rear fuselage was almost as good after my modifications but it will require just a little filler.

I started painting an instrument panel...

That is it for now. Time for some filler and sanding before a coat of H64 goes on. Not too much of that to do, I am happy to say. Next time I report in, I should have scratch-built some undercarriage doors too.

Dave

davecov · Posted: Thu 01 Mar 2007 19:09 pm Post subject:

I told you I would have some undercarriage doors next time I reported in.... I used the Heller Spitfire doors as templates and cut the doors from .2mm plastic card.

As for the rest of the kit, I have applied some filler where needed and it will be left overnight before sanding. Nothing else to report for now.

Dave
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Little Kid Falky · Posted: Thu 01 Mar 2007 19:12 pm Post subject:

Your a machine Dave!
I haven't even got mine out the bags yet

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davecov · Posted: Thu 01 Mar 2007 19:17 pm Post subject:

Not really. I just have plenty of time.

Dave

airfixteen · Posted: Fri 02 Mar 2007 15:28 pm Post subject:

looking good so far Dave
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481 Squadron ATC
Classic British Kit SIG Photo Recce SIG
Leading the RAF 90th Anniversary GB
Luke and Joe The 48th Buddies

Luke

davecov · Posted: Sat 03 Mar 2007 12:32 pm Post subject:

Bit more progress since my last report:

Filler sanded smooth, Radiator and oil glued in place.

Wheel wells painted H78 and main undercarriage legs fitted. These were extremely difficult to fit, being very tight. Rather than trim and glue them, I left them unglued. The tailwheel was also fitted. This is very fragile so be careful! The carburettor intake was also fitted.

The tailplanes have been fitted and the whole model given a bit of light sanding in preparation for a coat of H64. The cockpit received a second coat of H78.

The scratch-built undercarriage doors have been given a coat of H78 on their inboard sides. The exhausts were painted with a 50/50 mix of H53 Gunmetal and H70 Matt Brick Red. They look a little bit redder in natural light. The exhaust holes were picked out with black paint. Note that the tabs on the exhausts are different sizes so be careful - I will be cutting them off to avoid putting the wrong one in the wrong side!

Next step will be the H64 undercoat.

Dave

airfixteen · Posted: Sat 03 Mar 2007 12:43 pm Post subject:

Looking good Dave
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481 Squadron ATC
Classic British Kit SIG Photo Recce SIG
Leading the RAF 90th Anniversary GB
Luke and Joe The 48th Buddies

Luke

davecov · Posted: Sat 03 Mar 2007 13:14 pm Post subject:

Ron has pointed out to me that the small oil cooler has been fitted back to front. I had glued it the other way round first of all but then noticed that the instructions said it should be glued the way it has now been fitted!

Looking at the part again, it can only go the way I have glued it as the locating pins are to one end of the piece and putting it round the other way would mean it would interfere with the flaps! However, the shape of the part indicates that it is the wrong way round as Ron says!

So..... off it comes!

Dave

davecov · Posted: Sat 03 Mar 2007 14:13 pm Post subject:

Right! I've taken off the offending piece - the red line shows the extend of the tabs that sit in the recess in the wing. As you can see, the tabs are at one end and if you fit the piece according to the instructions, the left hand portion overhangs at front when it should go to the rear. Fitting the part the other way round means that it goes too far back. The obvious solution would be to remove the yellow portion of the tabs, not just outwards but upwards too. But then you would have to fill in part of the recess with a tiny part of plastic card.

It is much easier to fill the whole recess with plastic card...

... and sand off the tabs on the cooler completely. It then sits nice and snug (only dry-fitted here)

Problem solved! That's the great thing about this forum and GBs in particular - someone will prevent you looking a right doughnut when you complete a model with pieces the wrong way round!

Dave

davecov · Posted: Mon 05 Mar 2007 08:49 am Post subject:

The first of the painting done over the weekend. The whole plane got a coat of H64 first. Then I applied the first coat of H29 Dark Earth. It came out rather well:

The same could not be said for the first coat of H116 US Dark Green:

Still, it is only the first coat but I guess I will have to stir it for a lot longer than the usual 2 minutes of electrified stirring!

Dave

TopGun · Posted: Mon 05 Mar 2007 10:04 am Post subject:

It's coming together nicely

davecov · Posted: Tue 06 Mar 2007 13:29 pm Post subject:

Thanks.

Well, what a difference a day makes. After shaking the tin of H116 for what seemed like forever and stirring for a few minutes, I finally got it to cover quite well.

I now need to put another coat of Dark Earth on and then I can turn to the lower surfaces.

Dave
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TopGun · Posted: Tue 06 Mar 2007 16:09 pm Post subject:

Can't wait to see the finished model

davecov · Posted: Tue 06 Mar 2007 20:34 pm Post subject:

Neither can I!

Building two Spitfires at once does get a bit confusing....

Second coat of H29 Dark Earth has now been painted:

When dry, I will put a couple of coats of Klear on the top and then turn to the painting of the underside.

Dave
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