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Hi Guys, apologies for the non-appearance of the promised pics. I spent the weekend building instead of photographing :thumbsup: .

here's a quick one of the sub-assemblys. Next job is to Klear then paint the transparencies and then see if it will all fit together!

IMG_5945.jpg

One thing I must do is replace the upper wing roundels - the kit ones here are out of register and badly scuffed. I must say that the decal sheet was overall one of the more comprehensive Matchbox efforts (I know this was one of their last kits), but a lot of them have registration problems, which isn't something I associate with Matchbox. I guess this kit is the perfect example of the 'Matchbox tragedy', just when they were producing well made kits of interesting subjects it all went TU for them.

I'll post some more pics when there's material progress to report.

Steve.

PS Julien: I came across your build when I Was trying to find pics to pinch the rigging layout from :thumbsup: Nice job, and unlike me you appear to have used the correct camo' colours!

Edited by Bennygmanuk
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Looking good Steve :)

I had the same problem with decals out of registration on my last Tamiya Spitfire, its not until you get the decal off the backing paper and onto the dark camo of the wing that it shows up! :nanner:

Look forward to seeing more pics.

Doc

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Steve,

My colours were straight from the humbrol tins! and yes I had the same problem with my decals, wing roundels and the "L" were out of register. I just touched mine up with a fine brush.

Your colours look fine to me, a little lighter than mine, but perhaps yours was in the sun longer :) Talking of colours did you counter shade the lower wing?

My clear parts fitted ok, but I would fit the pilots screen before putting the top wing on, I did not and I fogged it up with glue :angry: also had to add some "padding" under the observer to raise his head above the coaming :nanner:

Julien

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Steve,

did you counter shade the lower wing?

Julien

By that, do you mean darken the colours to allow for it being 'shadowed' by the top one? If so, then no it would never have occured to me, but thanks for the suggestion for next time :thumbsup:

Spent time last night masking and spraying the transparencies (Julien will appreciate how much fun that was in the case of the windscreen in particular). Also replaced the Out of register roundels with some Aeromaster ones which look much better and Sprayed some Alclad on the metal areas of the engine.

I'm now running out of things to do in order to put off assembling the wings and rigging. I currently have two plans for this; one is to do it Saturday morning when it's quiet and I'm wide awake, the other is to do it Friday night after a large Scotch when I'm feeling relaxed and brave! :D

More news soon,

Steve.

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By that, do you mean darken the colours to allow for it being 'shadowed' by the top one? If so, then no it would never have occured to me, but thanks for the suggestion for next time :thumbsup:

Yes, colours on the lower wing are a shade lighter to allow for the darker shadow, dont know if this worked or not?

Julien

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  • 2 weeks later...

Some progress to report...

IMG_5949.jpg

Airframe is assembled and the rigging is about half-way done. I'm trying out the 'drill holes part-way through upper wing then thread the lines through holes drilled through the lower wing' approach. The technique is great, but my execution a little less so. Still I think I've learnt what went wrong with the starboard side so I'm approaching the port slightly differently; hopefully with better results.

All being well, I may well get this finished this weekend.

Steve.

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what you using for rigging?

Thanks Julien,

It's monofilament nylon thread from Tesco's, painted with Citadel acrylic. The problem I had with the first side was that some of the attachment points on the upper wing have two wires coming from them (ie, one for the 'x' running chordwise between the front and rear struts and one running across the bay. I thought it would be easiest to knot two threads together and fix them as one. Unfortunately the glue 'wicked' between them and caused them to glue together for part of their length, meaning that some of the runs are a little eccentric looking.

Lesson learned, and for the other side I'm fixing them individually so hopefully it'll look much neater and regular.

Steve.

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hope you succeed with the rigging battle!

I think we'll call it an honourable draw! :)

The second half went much better I think. Just attached the floats and she's currently 'setting up' in a home made jig (tools, paint pots, eraser, etc). Just a couple of struts to add now, but as the contact points between floats and fuselage are so small I'll give it 24 hours to set completely, so I won't quite be finished this weekend as hoped.

Incidentally, if anyone else build this one, there's a very good reason why they suggest you attach the top plate of the floats to the struts first and then add the hulls later. It would certaily have made the attachment easier with less weight on the end of the struts. Just shows that even kit design as good as that of Matchbox can't legislate for someone who wants to make life dificult for himself! :cheers:

Hopefully pics tomorrow.

Steve.

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She's done :thumbsup:

IMG_5950.jpg

Quite pleased how this one turned out in the end. Rigging certainly got better as it went along in that the second half took half as long and looked twice as good (to me anyway <_<). Really nice little kit and overall Matchbox did a great job with this one.

A few more pics...

IMG_5951.jpg

IMG_5952.jpg

IMG_5954.jpg

It was also a surprsingly quick build once it got going.

Steve.

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  • 5 years later...

Steve, Julien,

I know this is an old thread, but I'm tussling with the Seafox at the mo, and I have to say, both your examples certainly give something to aspire, well done.

I have a couple of questions though:

1. For both/either of you; where did you attach the inboard rigging to, the 'V' shaped ones? Was it in the centre of the chord of the wing roots, i.e. drill a hole, or to the trailing egdes of the wing roots?

2. For Julien; I used to have links to the thread of your build on another site(?), but it, and indeed the site, appear to have have disappeared. It maybe a big ask but any chance of a re-post?

Cheers now,

Billy

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