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

[BarryW]

I totally agree about painting the walkways, it is so much easier. I also paint the red patches, as I find that easier than decals as well.

She is looking great Steve.

 

[stona]

I totally agree about painting the walkways, it is so much easier. I also paint the red patches, as I find that easier than decals as well.

She is looking great Steve.

I like to do decal patches as I can then leave them intact, and they will conform realistically to the gun port opening, or I can pierce them to simulate the guns having been fired. I can also apply them not too precisely, as I've noticed they were not always perfectly aligned!

Something like these on one, in Blue Peter style, I completed earlier.

 

[colin m]

Looking great Steve. Nice spot with the camouflage detail, something I certainly would have missed. Maybe I trust kit manufacturers a bit too much.

 

[yak face]

Looking good Steve , the wing walk lines are a useful reference for my build as the starter kit doesnt supply any decals or any indication of where they should be either. Cheers tony

 

[stona]

I've been applying decals this morning.

I used the ones with the appropriate codes and serials from Kits-World (sheet 132103), who I have never used before. The decals were very good, thin but not unreasonably fragile, and seem to have reacted to a first application of Microsol very well, so I'd definitely use them again.

Here's 'Stapme's Spitfire, as the decals snuggle down.



There was the usual nonsense with heavily raised detail over which the decals will not conform. I simply cut the decals to get the air out and allow them to settle before applying softener. I can touch up the damage later, with paint.

 

[stona]

I'll just add that I have been asked the correct orientation of the 'steadying trestle' stencils.

Officially, they should be as I've done them, the outboard one readable from the wing tip and the inboard one readable from the 'aircraft axis', meaning the fuselage. A quick look at The spitfire hanging in the IWM, which still sports wartime paint, will show that this was by no means always the case in practice. You can do them however you like...prove me wrong

 

[stona]

I've done some weathering this morning and applied the final varnish.

I want the Spitfire to look used, but not abused. The Squadron was busy, but this machine was only a couple of weeks old.

Here's the underside.


Here's the top. As I expected, the sliding hood does not fit properly (it's just resting in place here) so I will have to fix it in the correct place eventually.

 

[stona]

The Fuhrerin has left me alone to continue bringing this one to a conclusion.

The flaps will be deployed, they had two positions, up and down. When deployed the actuator mechanism pushed a little door open on the top of each wing, looking like this.



I have attempted to replicate this with some bits of plastic and a bit of wire and have come up with this.



Which, frankly, is good enough for me

 

[spanner570]

...me to - and how!

Fabrication of the highest order.

Isambard K. Brunel

 

[spanner570]

Sorry, I can't edit my stuff after a set time, and I've just spotted a missing 'O' in my above post......

 

[stona]

This is done.

I'm still debating the antenna wires. I reckon that a Mk II with an 11 Group squadron in October/November would have had the new(ish) TR1133 VHF wireless fitted, so I'm not doing a wire from fin to mast.

I am still debating with myself whether I should fit the antennae from horizontal stabilisers to fuselage for the IFF system.

Here's a quick shot, I'll do a proper set of photos in a 'done' thread, hopefully tomorrow.

 

[papa 695]

That’s looking great Steve, and very nice work on the scratched parts.

 

[scottie3158]

Steve,
A lovely bit of scratchery to compliment a great build.

 

[BarryW]

Outstanding Steve