Tamiya Supermarine Spitfire Mk 1 - 1/48

[topgazza]

My first proper build after the Airfix starter kit Hurricane which taught me a lot and was fun. I'll do my best to post pictures as the build progresses.

So far I have just started assembling the fuselage cockpit area as a closed cockpit. However, I am taking care to micro paint all the tiny components even they wont be seen as such. Its good practice and very relaxing and it feels good to do everything slowly and with care. The Tamiya instructions are a bit confusing at first but read 5 times do once is a good motto. Matching colours is fun and I am using Modelshade.com to help there. I dont intend to be 100% historically accurate especially in the hidden colours. But I'll get as close as I can as a matter of principal. The Tamiya plastic feels thin at first touch but thats deceptive as boy is it well made and makes no difference to the fit. Very nice kit

More later

 

[Peej]

Looking forward to following the build. Good luck.

 

[topgazza]

Spent half the day putting the seat and cockpit together. Talk about patience being a prerequisite !

The detail in these Tamiya kits is astonishing but again, so much fun. I'm an amateur photographer but even I found it hard to get this picture right but you get the idea.

 

[Peej]

Looking good. I'll be following this build with interest.

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Nice work Gary.

 

[JR]

Great work on the office Gary
Will take notes.

 

[topgazza]

The dials looked a little hidden so I dabbed a tiny touch of yellow on a couple to make them show a bit. I know I’m doing a closed cockpit but I know it’s there. Anyway it adds to the enjoyment to me.

 

[colin m]

That's a splendid looking 'office' you've built there Gary. Looking forward to the rest.

 

[topgazza]

Thanks. I have to keep resisting fiddling with it. It never looks "perfect". But fiddling is a downwards spiral so I'm moving on to fitting it in the fuselage and the no going back sticking that together.....

Couple more pics of this, "delicate" stage. Note the small black oxygen tank on the first pic, middle right, that was 1mm out on its location and meant the office wouldn't locate. Luckily it came off easy and I moved it. It's not 100% clear exactly where it should go. Small thing but important. If I did it again I would fit the "office" to the fuselage and then fit the tank after. Hope I'm not giving too much info.






Despite saying I'd stop fiddling I did retouch the uniform from its grey to a slightly darker grey/blue as per specs

 

[Komedy]

coming along nicely

 

[topgazza]

Wings on and bit of filler being used as you can see. Panels not quite fitting perfectly. Not bad to be fair but needed a bit of fettling. Will need to do a bit more around the base of the wings on the top as the panels dont quite level up. But thats ok. Next is to start painting the basic colours and do the camo. May use my new compressor etc for the first time. Not doing anything fancy but will try a bit of panel edging/weathering with the Flory clay wash.

 

[Komedy]

Filling is the bit I enjoy least

 

[topgazza]

Oddly enough I like it

Maybe because I spent 18 months in a car body shop owned by a friend many years ago and used tons of the stuff and it became second nature. But its not ideal in certain areas but the Spit is not too bad.

 

[papa 695]

Looking good so far Gary.

 

[topgazza]

Thanks.

I have to stick the fiddly bits and the wheels on, prop and other odds and sods. But overall I'm loving the slow, considered pace of doing this. Incredibly relaxing mistakes and all.

 

[Deleted member 7181]

Maybe because I spent 18 months in a car body shop owned by a friend

You were lucky to escape when you did. 25 years later I'm still trying to tunnel my way out of one

 

[topgazza]

I was back in the days of good old solvent based paints. I did enjoy it but then I knew it was just a year or so. Even that turned into 18 months. Must be the smell of thinners

 

[topgazza]

Ready for airbrushing for the first time ever. Building up the courage





Might just leave like this. Looks different.

 

[Steven000]

I'm not sure I can see what you're masking, but if you start with the bottom color you don't need to mask anything, just spray the bottom, (bit of overspray on fuselage) and when dry mask te bottom and spray the camo.

But if it works for you then you'll be fine

 

[topgazza]

Thanks Steven. Just took the masking off. What you say makes total sense. Thanks