PCM 1/32 Spitfire Mk.XIVc

[stona]

This will be my next victim. Not my first from Pacific Coast Models,and it certainly looks good in the box.

Here's the box art.

I might need to get a V1 at some point!

The plastic is what I expected,done by Sword in the Czech Republic.

There are some decent clear parts. The nice looking photo etch is by Eduard.

There's a good load of resin from PCM,I've just pulled some of the cockpit parts out of the bag.

Finally decals giving six different aircraft and eight different options (different invasion stripes at different times) by Cartograph.

Work won't start in earnest until late this week. I'm posting now so that I've got no excuse not to get on with it when I get back home!

We'll see what a mess I can make of this one

Cheers

Steve

 

[Ian M]

I will look forward to you doing this one. If it turns out any where near as good as that Hurricane it will be great.

Ian M

 

[tr1ckey66]

I knew you'd get the Mk IV! This is yet another PCM that you've beaten me to. It does look a great kit and the Merlin engined Spit is a little bit different from the norm. The V1 is also on my list of kits as this would fall neatly into the face off builds. The Bronco 1/35 kit will do nicely or if you're feeling flush there's the Accurate Armour V1 and catapult.

good luck with he build Steve I'm sure it'll be a cracker.

Paul

 

[mobear]

love the doodle bug decal,looks like it could be an interesting watch this one

mobear

 

[stona]

Well fellow modellers I have made a very modest start!

I broke out my trusty razor saw and liberated the resin parts for the cockpit from their casting blocks. This is not one of my favourite jobs and I'm glad it's over!

I'm planning to make a start on building the cockpit today.

Cheers

Steve

 

[stona]

More progress. I had a few hours yesterday to get on with the cockpit parts.

I've reverted to using enamel paints which makes the progress slightly slower. I find I veer between acrylics and enamels and at the moment,after two or three years using acrylics,I'm enjoying using some old enamels. I've sprayed and painted most of this with the old Humbrol "Super Enamels" which I've had since they came out in the nineties IIRC.

Cheers

Steve

 

[stona]

Most of the instrument panel is done along with the seat (which seems rather large and overscale to my eyes). I've even made a start on fitting the photoetch harness (which I think is wrong for a wartime Spitfire,I think they had a late version of the Sutton harness fitted).

A bit of dry fitting suggests quite a bit of fettling lies in my future!

Cheers

Steve

 

[papa 695]

Looking good there Steve and i'm sure you will fettle it

 

[treyzx10r]

Great looking office Steve!

 

[flyjoe180]

Looking good so far, nice work.

 

[stona]

I've stuck a few bits together. The fit is a bit vague,you can see the filing that I've done on the instrument panel to get the two halves of the fuselage to go together!

Cheers

Steve

 

[stona]

The fuselage is now together.

If you build one of these remember to fit the tailwheel well before you join the two halves. The destructions are a bit vague and I nearly didn't!

All I've done in the picture above is give the seams a quick swipe,the fit is surprisingly good and there isn't much more to do.

A dry fit of the wings doesn't look too bad either,not what I'd heard,but that will be for tomorrow (with a bit of luck).

Oh Yes, I've also re-fitted the control column the right way around! I can't believe I did that (and noone noticed or was too polite to point it out )

Cheers

Steve

 

[mobear]

you are flying through this build mate,looking good though

mobear

 

[stona]

I am definitely on a roll! No work to interfere with progress.

I've built the wings now and whilst they are drying I plopped the fuselage onto them. I've been dry fitting all along but this is the first time I've fitted this crucial join with the fuselage glued up.

I built a PCM Hurricane a while ago and the wing to fuselage join was a bit dodgy to put it mildly. I've heard similar things about this model too,but this really doesn't look bad at all. Well done PCM/Sword.

Once I've cleaned up the wings I will attempt to fix them for real,a task I now approach without undue trepidation.

Cheers

Steve

 

[mobear]

oh thats a nice fit there,im jealous and this company should teach revell lol

mobear

 

[stona]

Sigh,it was all going so well. The mainplane fit is actually very good but when I came to fit the "gull wing"insert I discovered a bit of a fit issue. Front to back is no problem but when I line those up with the wing and fuselage respectively,to avoid a nasty step, I have this.

It's a bit exaggereated in the photo but will need a bit of attention nonetheless. It will have to wait until tomorrow (work) but then it'll be plastic card at the ready!

Cheers

Steve

 

[dubster72]

That's a nasty gap Steve! I'm sure it won't test you too much, but it would be nicer without the fiddling about.

Revell isn't so bad now Ole!

Cheers

Patrick

 

[stona]

It's not quite as bad as the photo which is (if I may coin a phrase) for illustration. The little fillet will push up to some extent but there is going to be a little bit of remedial work required.

When I built the Hurricane I had a much worse problem in this area so I'm not unduly concerned about this.

With this type of model you tend to compromise in construction. I went for a clean joint between the the upper wing and the fuselage and am quite happy to have this little challenge as a result!

I'm not a Spitfire expert by a long chalk but this model looks a lot more like a late Mark Spitfire than some others

Cheers

Steve

 

[stona]

I've stuck a bit of thin plastic card in the gap,squeezed it up,and cut off the excess.

A leeetle bit of filler and a quick sand should have this looking okay.

Cheers

Steve

 

[mobear]

yup you`ve cracked it steve,just noticed the rivet detail in the mold,its awesome

mobear