Steve's Spitfire Mk.IIa. Revell 1/32

[stona]

So, I'm going to build the world's oldest airworthy Spitfire, P7350, an aircraft that actually fought in the Battle of Britain. It is usually reckoned to be the fourteenth aircraft to have come off the line at Castle Bromwich, not a million miles away from where I sit as I type this

I intend to build the aircraft not as the air show queen it is today, as part of the BBMF. I will attempt to present it as flown by Gerald 'Stapme' Stapleton in the Battle, which he and No. 603 Squadron joined 27th on August. The squadron was based at Hornchurch. Stapleton shot down one of my earlier subjects, Franz von Werra ('the one who got away'), so there is a pleasing symmetry in the choice.

Edit: Von Werra's Bf 109, obviously not part of the GB



I will need to find or make some markings for Stapleton's aircraft (XY-L), at least the code is all straight lines. I already have the kit, so once the starting gun is fired, I'm good to go.

I'm looking forward to this, and to seeing what everyone else comes up with!

Cheers

Steve

 

[colin m]

Those Revell Spitfires do seem quite nice from what I've seen, especially when you look at their cost.

 

[stona]

Those Revell Spitfires do seem quite nice from what I've seen, especially when you look at their cost.

The last one I built I took back to a Mk I which did require a bit of work. Since this one will be a Mk II it should be straight forward. I'll still have to remove the strange lozenge shaped plates on the top and bottom of wings, but that's about it.

 

[colin m]

I'll still have to remove the strange lozenge shaped plates on the top

Even Tamiya and their Mk IXc got a few details wrong I believe, not that I let it bother me.

 

[tr1ckey66]

I’ve built about 6 of these kits. I really like them, despite their criticism in some circles. Also, there’s something really special about building a Spitfire. The moment you attach the wings and just marvel at the beautiful design - elliptical Gull wing, gorgeous lines - perfect.
Good luck with the build Steve.
Cheers
P

 

[stona]

Right then, the day of battle has dawned and I've made my preparations!



I like to be organised and have everything to hand, rather than in the draws and cupboards in which they live. To that end I've taken the kit out of the original box (which opens at one end) and put the sprues (we'll call them that Jakko ) in a more accessible container, removed the bags and labelled them up.
I've also pull the paints etc. that I know I will be using from the draws in which they are stored. This ensures both that I actually have them and that I won't have to go rummaging through four or five draws to find them when I do need them. There is always more I need, but it will be two or three, not fifteen or twenty!

This is now the bit where I stare at the kit for ten minutes, then fit some fresh scalpel blades, and then decide to watch the cricket for a bit

I also like a bit of a think. For example, I'm thinking of posing this in flight, on the point of touchdown as it lands after another sortie. That means, rather obviously, that I need a pilot! It also means that I will need to cut out the flap actuator doors on the upper wing, scratch built the actuator parts (easy) and put the flaps down. If I pose it thirty seconds after landing, Stapleton would have retracted the flaps...decisions, decisions...

Per ardua ad astra, as the old motto goes!

Cheers

Steve

 

[stona]

Definitely going 'in flight'.

A previous Spitfire from this Revell kit, expensively converted to a Mk I, had a pilot in and recently became a category E write off at the hands of a toddler. Here he is in his original aircraft. I reckon with an amputation or two and a bit of repositioning that he'll fit the bill nicely



I definitely saved him, though not the harness which I'll have to make again, but can I find him? Can I f*@k!

I've contented myself with removing some unwanted detail on the wing tops and bottoms (I think Revell 'scanned' an aircraft that had been suspended and had these plates fitted over and under the wings, on the main spar) and re-scribing some lost detail. I also drilled/hacked out the flap actuator doors which were in an area of rather thick plastic. I'll make some new ones later to be fixed in the open position, showing the actuator gear (this is 1/32 after all). There's not much to see, but at least I've started.

I've arrowed the areas where the strange 'plates' used to be. I failed to take a photograph of them before I removed them. They shouldn't be there, and anyone else making this kit really should file/sand them off.



Cheers

Steve

 

[stona]

I've made a start on the interior and have very quickly discovered why this kit costs thirty quid, and a Tamiya version coast almost a hundred quid more!

There is a lot of flash and seam lines to clean up, but that's okay. What is not okay is what I discovered as I started the seat frame. Part 19 is shown as it should be in the instructions.



And here is how it appears in the plastic.



I neither know, nor care what has happened here, apart from an obvious fail in quality control, and I will fix it, but it makes you want to chuck the thing in the bin!

Cheers

Steve

 

[stona]

Voila...courtesy of some plastic card, CA gel and a smidge of talc.



Luckily this bit goes under the seat and won't be visible, still shouldn't have to be fixing it.

 

[papa 695]

Nice fix though Steve.

 

[stona]

I've put together what passes for a cockpit in this kit. There are some equally unimpressive side panels to add.

I would never normally use the kit decal over detail, but there will be a pilot in this cockpit, I have now located 'Stapme', and not much will be seen.



Speaking of pilots, unless the one flying this aeroplane was a gibbon, there is no way he could be strapped into that seat and still reach the control column or rudder pedals. Something is clearly amiss. 'Stapme' is a normal looking chap of rather average proportions, and I have posed his arms in a way that makes it look like he's flying an aeroplane, but he won't reach that column!

Cue the Goodies!

Cheers

Steve

 

[AlanG]

Just keep thinking of the roughly £100 quid you've saved on buying this kit Steve. Whilst it's a basic kit. For £19.95 it's worth a punt.

 

[stona]

Just keep thinking of the roughly £100 quid you've saved on buying this kit Steve. Whilst it's a basic kit. For £19.95 it's worth a punt.

Yep, fair point, and it will be posed in flight (just) so all closed up apart from the canopy. I've still to see if the sliding hood will slide back...and fit. Almost all the WW2 footage I've seen of Spitfires landing they have the hood open. By half unlatching the side door the hood could be 'locked' open and it seems this was common practice. Nobody wants to be trapped in an aircraft following a landing or take off accident. The pilot notes for the Mk V note

"Two position catches are incorporated to allow the door to be partly opened before take off or landing in order to prevent the hood from sliding shut in the event of a mishap."

"Mishap" might be an understatement!

The overall shape is not at all bad. I think it's fair to say you get your twenty quid's worth

Cheers

Steve

 

[Fernando N]

Nice start with the office Steve

 

[stona]

Squadron Leader Basil Gerald 'Stapme' Stapleton is now strapped and glued into one half of his Spitfire, much to his surprise.

The other half is just taped on for now, but I've already done the minimal fettling required to make it fit nicely, as we can see. It was nothing more than mold issues on the mating surfaces.



Anyone else building this kit will notice that you are asked to fit the tailwheel strut as you join he two halves. That's a recipe for a broken tailwheel strut as you build the rest of the model, and I've just worked out that you can add it later, with a bit of fiddling.

You may just be able to see that I've drilled out the lightening holes in the fuselage frames. The holes are molded as depressions and drilling them out is a simple job to add a bit of realism, a no brainer really.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Steve Brodie]

I've put together what passes for a cockpit in this kit. There are some equally unimpressive side panels to add.

I would never normally use the kit decal over detail, but there will be a pilot in this cockpit, I have now located 'Stapme', and not much will be seen.

View attachment 392428

Speaking of pilots, unless the one flying this aeroplane was a gibbon, there is no way he could be strapped into that seat and still reach the control column or rudder pedals. Something is clearly amiss. 'Stapme' is a normal looking chap of rather average proportions, and I have posed his arms in a way that makes it look like he's flying an aeroplane, but he won't reach that column!

Cue the Goodies!

Cheers

Steve

Pilot would also need a neck like a giraffe to reach the head cushion

 

[stona]

Pilot would also need a neck like a giraffe to reach the head cushion

Yep! It's not quite as bad as it looks when viewed from the side

 

[Tim Marlow]

He’d probably need a cushion to see out the front Actually, it looks like everything is right, except the seat...which looks a bit small.

 

[stona]

I think I'm going to give him a Blutac cushion!

I never glue my pilots in. I'm too tight and it means, like this one, they can be re-used.

I think I'll be able to build a cushion up under his posterior with some suitable tools.

The seat is to small and low and the control column is much too close to the instrument panel. You can never be too sure about the exact scale of figures like him (I can't even remember where he came from) but a human being of normal proportions could not fly this aeroplane

 

[Gern]

Maybe he's a 1/35 figure which is making him too small. In 1/32 he'd be about 5mm taller. Would that difference be enough to bring him up to the right size?