| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
airfixteen
Group Build Leader Model Portfolio
Airfix Modelling SIG Member
Bronze Star


Joined: 18 May 2006 Posts: 1598
Location: West Midlands
|
Posted: Mon 24 Mar 2008 11:23 am Post subject: RAF 90th Anniversary GB-Sgt Squareheads Build |
|
|
Sarges progrees will be reported here
Hurricane and Spitfire right Andy!
Good luck _________________ You must listen to what the baked potato say.....
Luke |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Sgt.Squarehead
Moderator Group Build Leader
Two Gold Stars


Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 9223
Location: Rainy Worcester
|
Posted: Mon 24 Mar 2008 19:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
That's the plan!
All the best |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Sgt.Squarehead
Moderator Group Build Leader
Two Gold Stars


Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 9223
Location: Rainy Worcester
|
Posted: Thu 27 Mar 2008 13:22 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I have accquired an Airfix 1/72 Spitfire Ia.....It's quite a basic looking kit, not as nice as the 1/72 Vb which was the last Airfix Spitfire that I built.....When it was a new release!
Still it looks very much like a Spitfire and as it's being built wheels up with Biggles aboard, lack of a detailed cockpit interior or wheel-wells probably won't be too much of a worry!
All the best |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Sgt.Squarehead
Moderator Group Build Leader
Two Gold Stars


Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 9223
Location: Rainy Worcester
|
Posted: Tue 01 Apr 2008 18:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
What is it with me and aircraft decals.....The set of roundels in my Spitfire are covered in little white scratches!
I assume the lack of under wing roundels is accurate, but what is the yellow blob on the port fuselage supposed to represent? I suspect that I will be buying either another Spitfire kit (Any suggestions for a good one with plenty of spare decals? ), or some aftermarket decals in the near future.
What interior there is has been painted a suitably interior greenish shade and Biggles has been undercoated in black. I will now set about removing the not inconsiderable quantity of flash from the parts before trying a bit of test fitting.
For what it's worth & all the best |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
peebeep
Guest
|
Posted: Tue 01 Apr 2008 19:13 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Andy, PM me your snail mail and I will sort you out a sheet of Spitfire decals. I could find you the 234 Squadron sheet, an old Frog sheet with a 19 Squadron machine + Bader's Va, or a BBMF scheme.
The yellow blob is a personal insignia, also there should be a 'Dirty Dick' moniker with a two fingered saluté above it somewhere on this machine.
peebeep |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
TopGun
Model Portfolio
Silver Star


Joined: 01 Feb 2007 Posts: 2481
Location: Hampshire, UK
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
peebeep
Guest
|
Posted: Tue 01 Apr 2008 19:35 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Of course, the saluté is on the badge.
peebeep |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Sgt.Squarehead
Moderator Group Build Leader
Two Gold Stars


Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 9223
Location: Rainy Worcester
|
Posted: Tue 01 Apr 2008 19:41 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Well I definitely can't model that one.....The Hun got their grubby mitts on it!
PM on the way Paul.....Cheers!
All the best |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Sgt.Squarehead
Moderator Group Build Leader
Two Gold Stars


Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 9223
Location: Rainy Worcester
|
Posted: Thu 03 Apr 2008 17:43 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I'm still painting 'Biggles', along with one or two others.....The new series one pilot is a much healthier looking chap than his scrawny predecessor so I'm actually hoping he might look quite good!
For what it's worth, all the best |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
morgandude1
Green Star

Joined: 27 Nov 2007 Posts: 315
Location: Harrow
|
Posted: Thu 03 Apr 2008 18:28 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Sgt.Squarehead wrote: | What is it with me and aircraft decals.....The set of roundels in my Spitfire are covered in little white scratches!
I assume the lack of under wing roundels is accurate, but what is the yellow blob on the port fuselage supposed to represent? I suspect that I will be buying either another Spitfire kit (Any suggestions for a good one with plenty of spare decals? ), or some aftermarket decals in the near future.
What interior there is has been painted a suitably interior greenish shade and Biggles has been undercoated in black. I will now set about removing the not inconsiderable quantity of flash from the parts before trying a bit of test fitting.
For what it's worth & all the best |
This is what you are building:
Yes the kit decals are rubbish, mine were covered in scratches too, but I had replacements to hand.
The kit is actually a VERY good representation of a Mk1 Spit, better than many 1/48 kits!
It's a good one!  |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Sgt.Squarehead
Moderator Group Build Leader
Two Gold Stars


Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 9223
Location: Rainy Worcester
|
Posted: Fri 04 Apr 2008 03:44 am Post subject: |
|
|
Nice build!
I have to say.....What a great little kit, many thanks to all who suggested it!
I really did have some doubts about this kit because of it's quick-build origins and these were only reinforced when I compared the box contents with the similarly priced Revell 1/72 P51B & P47D.
However the few parts this little kit does contain go together very swiftly to create something that is unmistakably a Spitfire. While waiting for various coats of paint to dry on various pilots, I built the entire fuselage, getting a good seam from nose to tail.....With absolutely no filler whatsoever!
I had so much time left over that I built and painted the two part spinner & propellor.....It's a reasonable part for a quick-build kit, but it's not much cop compared to a proper three piece spinner & propellor, to be honest.
Because the cockpit assembly can be fitted from below I decided to paint and fix the canopy too.....I should know better than to rush any kit, even a so called quick-build, but I forged on and made a bit of a hash of the inner canopy frames. Hopefully my efforts on the outside have hidden the worst of it!
For what it's worth & all the best
PS - I forgot to mention that I replaced what should be the clear part of the rather dubious gunsight with acetate and very carefully painted the framing for it! 
Last edited by Sgt.Squarehead on Sun 06 Apr 2008 23:47 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
morgandude1
Green Star

Joined: 27 Nov 2007 Posts: 315
Location: Harrow
|
Posted: Fri 04 Apr 2008 07:05 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Sgt.Squarehead wrote: | I replaced what should be the clear part of the rather dubious gunsight with acetate and very carefully painted the framing for it!  |
Looks good so far!
I tried 4 times to put a new gunsight in the flippin thing!
Gave up in the end!  |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Sgt.Squarehead
Moderator Group Build Leader
Two Gold Stars


Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 9223
Location: Rainy Worcester
|
Posted: Fri 04 Apr 2008 14:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Cheers morgandude!
It was a bit of a struggle getting the acetate to stick to the plastic.....My first attempt came unstuck and vanished, but my second eventually stayed in place while it was painted and Kleared. Hopefully the Klear will serve to further secure it in place.
I'll try to get a better picture so you can see the gunsight, unfortunately I misjudged the inner canopy framing the most at the thick armoured glass section so the front on view is a bit limited.....But with amazing 3D!
For what it's worth & all the best |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Sgt.Squarehead
Moderator Group Build Leader
Two Gold Stars


Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 9223
Location: Rainy Worcester
|
Posted: Sun 06 Apr 2008 20:26 pm Post subject: |
|
|
'The Wing-Commander' is now permanently installed and I can continue with the assembly:
You can just about make out the acetate gunsight in this enlargement:
My dreams of a fillerless fuselage were shattered by a nasty groove along the top of the engine cowling.....Squadron Green soon sorted it out, so now I itch like hell!
All the best
PS - Enlargements make things look horribly rough!  |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
plane mad
White Star

Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 93
Location: uk south
|
Posted: Sun 06 Apr 2008 20:45 pm Post subject: |
|
|
looking good so far!!!!! _________________ is he mad about planes or just plain mad,
dunno but my moneys on both!!! |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Heinkel51
Model Portfolio
Bronze Star

Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 1131
Location: Australia
|
Posted: Tue 08 Apr 2008 13:32 pm Post subject: |
|
|
PS I'm trying a new filler for small cracks, scraps of plastic card disolved in liquid cement applied with an old brush or tooth pick as the situation demands. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Sgt.Squarehead
Moderator Group Build Leader
Two Gold Stars


Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 9223
Location: Rainy Worcester
|
Posted: Tue 08 Apr 2008 16:38 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Cheers Peter,
Your tip may well come in handy, as the fit of the wings is not a patch on the fuselages, in fact I'm having a bit of a struggle with them.
All the best |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
plane mad
White Star

Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 93
Location: uk south
|
Posted: Tue 08 Apr 2008 20:15 pm Post subject: |
|
|
lol, Ive buit this kit before at least a few times, and in fact I won another on ebay minutes ago...... nd yeah as seems to be a recuring theme with spitfires.... the wing fit seems to always leave an anoying seam to fill!!! _________________ is he mad about planes or just plain mad,
dunno but my moneys on both!!! |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Sgt.Squarehead
Moderator Group Build Leader
Two Gold Stars


Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 9223
Location: Rainy Worcester
|
Posted: Tue 08 Apr 2008 22:46 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Well so far the wings haven't fallen off:
&
No filler has been used on the wing assembly so far!
There has been a fair amount of filing and sanding done though!
All the best
BTW - What colour should I paint the wheel wells and wheel hubs on this thing? 
Last edited by Sgt.Squarehead on Wed 09 Apr 2008 19:53 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
peebeep
Guest
|
Posted: Tue 08 Apr 2008 23:10 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Sgt.Squarehead wrote: | BTW - What colour should I paint the wheel wells and wheel hubs on this thing?  |
Assuming the bird has been through a MU then everything would be undersurface colour - wheel bay, legs (apart from the oleo strut itself) and wheel hub. Undersurface colour for BoB period birds has become a contentious topic, but I would stick with good 'ol Sky.
Did the decs arrive? They were posted last Saturday.
peebeep |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|