Dave's ICM 1/48 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VII

[Dave Ward]

One of several 1/48 Spitfires from ICM, This one is a bit different - extended wingtips & tail and a unusual colour scheme.
Sprue shots

Decals, transparencies & AM pilot:

Instructions b&w line diagrams ( some a bit small )


Two colour schemes, both Medium Sea Grey over Azure Blue

A few detail shots

I have a Eduard PE set for the Hasegawa Mk.IX - The IX was a VII with a later engine - I'll see if the bits fit the ICM model..................

That's it - all ready for the GB to start!
Dave

 

[peterairfix]

Plenty of detail on that one I am looking forward to seeing your build.

 

[Dave Ward]

Plenty of detail on that one I am looking forward to seeing your build.

Peter,
I won't be using any of the engine detail, just enough to locate the exhaust stubs & propeller shaft - I've done one ICM Spitfire before & trying to use the engine complete in the fuselage is like herding cats!
Dave

 

[adt70hk]

Looks good on the sprue!!!

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Peter,
I won't be using any of the engine detail, just enough to locate the exhaust stubs & propeller shaft - I've done one ICM Spitfire before & trying to use the engine complete in the fuselage is like herding cats!
Dave

"Herding Cats".... Never heard that one before....
.... Love it!!!

 

[Tim Marlow]

"Herding Cats".... Never heard that one before....
.... Love it!!!

You mean you’ve never seen this Andy…..

 

[The Smythe Meister]

You mean you’ve never seen this Andy…..

NOPE.... Not til now!......
..... Cat`s ain`t my thing at all to be honest,horrible little parasites IMHO..... but that is quite funny!!

 

[The Smythe Meister]

..... Very sorry to having contributing to the derailment of your thread Dave......
...... Getting back on course now mind...... SO .......
Looks like you have a cracking little kit there.... not seen that particular mk before,so find it very interesting,
I see you have a couple other builds on the go at the moment,but hopefully you`ll manage to find the time to crack on with this one,
Cheers for now,
Andy

 

[Dave Ward]

..... Very sorry to having contributing to the derailment of your thread Dave......
...... Getting back on course now mind...... SO .......
Looks like you have a cracking little kit there.... not seen that particular mk before,so find it very interesting,
I see you have a couple other builds on the go at the moment,but hopefully you`ll manage to find the time to crack on with this one,
Cheers for now,
Andy

Andy,
my Tuscaloosa will be finished in the next day or so, so I'll be moving on - I might just start with the Spitfire Floatplane rather than the Mk.VII - I'll open both the boxes tomorrow & see if one talks to me!
Dave

 

[BarryW]

An interesting one this, Dave. I will be looking in.

 

[Geoffers]

Good luck with your build Dave

Geoff.

 

[Ian M]

Interesting scheme. The plan of dropping the motor parts is a good one. I have built a couple of ICM Spitfires and building them sans motor is the way to go.
I made up some plastic card 'shelves' to hold the exhaust stacks. You will need the mounting frame though to hold the panels in place and have a place to glue them to!

 

[Dave Ward]

Interesting scheme. The plan of dropping the motor parts is a good one. I have built a couple of ICM Spitfires and building them sans motor is the way to go.
I made up some plastic card 'shelves' to hold the exhaust stacks. You will need the mounting frame though to hold the panels in place and have a place to glue them to!

Ian,
yes, the first ICM Spitfire I built, I tried to fit the whole lot in! Not a good idea - I spent ages chopping bits off that engine & dry fitting the cowling. I know better now!
Dave

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Ian,
yes, the first ICM Spitfire I built, I tried to fit the whole lot in! Not a good idea - I spent ages chopping bits off that engine & dry fitting the cowling. I know better now!
Dave

Hmm, picking up some useful tips here for when I start my ICM one
Cheers Dave and Ian !!
Andy

 

[Jim R]

Looks a good choice Dave and a bit unusual as well. Detail looks good.
Jim

Tim - that is an amusing video.

 

[Dave Ward]

After the Nissan GT1 - onto my second bite of the cherry in the SpitfireGB
After an hour or so at the bench..............
The fuselage interior ready for paint. I have a 3D printed pilot to be in control - no need for rudder pedals or seat belts. The propeller assembly is made difficult by no positive location for pitch on any of the blades.
After a bit of fettling, the gun bay doors were fitted, then the ailerons & the extended wingtips which disfigure the graceful Spitfire wings.
The tips aren't a great fit, and there is a linear sink mark on the top wing just in front of the aileron hinge:
Putty needed - hopefully without the need for major rescribing.
The colour scheme is easy enough Medium Sea Grey uppersides & azure blue undersides ( or PRU blue according to some sources )
It's nice to see what other makers specify - this is the AZ model 1/72 Mk.VII

I reckon I have some PRU Blue in the paintbox.............
Dave

.

 

[Dave Ward]

The fuselage is closed up - the cockpit can be added from below afterwards. The interior has been given the grey-green & black wash treatment, not that you'll see it! The wing tip joints have been filled & rubbed down ( PPP ).
The cockpit has an Eduard control panel added - The pilot will be added, with the control yoke before sliding into the fuselage.
This is one of the early ICM models, the original dating back to 2001, not up to their later standards - hence the use of filler early in the proceedings!
Dave

 

[adt70hk]

That's quite a bit of filler Dave but at least they've learnt from early kits like this.

Looking forward to the next stage.

ATB.

Andrew

 

[Dave Ward]

That's quite a bit of filler Dave but at least they've learnt from early kits like this.

Looking forward to the next stage.

ATB.

Andrew

The extended wingtips weren't in the ICM earlier marks of Spit, so they are almost an afterthought & not very well fitting ones! The sink marks forward of the ailerons are weak mould design, or incorrect injection temperatures. Either way you wouldn't see that on any ICM model tooled in the last five years or so
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

Pilot & cockpit, with Eduard PE panel ready to fit

Adding the fuselage to the wing needs a lot of fettling, trimming, dry fitting - repeat, repeat, repeat.
Eventually I got a good fit - I might need a smear of filler, but I;m happy with that.
The upper cowling is a part I've had problems with in previous ICM Spitfire builds, so I'll be super careful with this! I've missed out the engine totally - which was probably where I went wrong before.........
Dave