James H Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 (edited) Hi all, I'd like to add my new Academy 1/48 Spitifre Mk.XIVe with Eduard cockpit and landing flaps to the build if there's room for a little one. Cheers, Jim Edited February 17, 2009 by James H Quote Link to post Share on other sites
James H Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 I still need to do some research on this, but I'm looking at doing Johnny Johnsons Spit Mk.XIV. I'm sure it's a bubble canopy 'e' variant, and I'd still need to source decals etc. I still have time yet as the Eduard stuff hasn't surfaced from Hannants yet. In the meanwhile, I've downloaded the PDF instructions from Eduard and today I have prepared the airframe parts for the flaps and cockpit and it's almost stalemate until I get the bits. I can do a little cement work in the meantime to keep me off the streets! Anyways here's some shots of the butchered parts before Mr Eduard visits Jim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RKic Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 It fits like a glove! I'm building the same kit, and so far have had 0 trouble with it. What markings will yours be in? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
James H Posted January 14, 2009 Author Share Posted January 14, 2009 Not sure yet. I think I may source some AM decals and go for something a little more unusual. Done more work on her today and build about half of the Eduard PE cockpit. Fiddly little blighter, but looking real good. I'll pop some pics up tomorrow. What markings are you finishing yours with? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RKic Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Not sure yet. I think I may source some AM decals and go for something a little more unusual. Done more work on her today and build about half of the Eduard PE cockpit. Fiddly little blighter, but looking real good. I'll pop some pics up tomorrow. What markings are you finishing yours with? I'm thinking either the all silver RAF bird from the late 1940s, or the Indian Airforce version, also in NMF Quote Link to post Share on other sites
James H Posted January 15, 2009 Author Share Posted January 15, 2009 I'm pretty sure I won't be going with an all silver scheme unless I dabble with Alclad. I was thinking of perhaps a camo'd commonwealth machine or similar. I might try and source some decals this week, unless you can point me in the direction of some good ones. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
James H Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 Time for an update I reckon. As I've been off work for a few days, I've done some serious graft on this kit, and managed to get a lot of the etch into place. The only large parts of etch not yet done are the instrument panel and the actual moving half of the landing flaps that lowers. The other part is now firmly attached to the kit. The instrument panel is first waiting for me to airbrush the lower part in cockpit green before I proceed to adding the metal plates and dials etc. The work so far has been dead straightforward, and I've also cut away the rudder so I can fit a wide chord rudder from a KMC resin pack. The exhausts are also being replaced with a set of fishtails from the KMC set. No worries there as I have 2 complete KMC sets, and more than enough to build 2 more Spitfires. Here you go: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
James H Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
James H Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
James H Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimz66 Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 This one looks great Jim. Keep it going. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RKic Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Wow! It puts the kit cockpit to shame Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hurricane363 Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 (edited) Just want to point out, the trim tab on the resin rudder looks like it's made out of fabric. I don't know how far you are going with this kit, but you may want to change it so it looks like the kit version. Mat P.s. Looking good!!!!! Edited January 18, 2009 by Hurricane363 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
James H Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 (edited) The rudder looks correct to some pics I've seen of this, such as this one: PIC 1 Can anyone confirm? Jim PS, cheers for the comments guys! Edited January 18, 2009 by James H Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hurricane363 Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 when i'm in work tomorrow, i'll take some pictures and post a couple here...... Mat. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
James H Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 Work is progressing well, and I'll try to get some pics up in the next day or so. I decided I couldn't live with those empty, sparse and unrealistic gun bays, so I've scratchbuilt some with plasticard and used the trusty old riveting tool. I've just sprayed them up and when I've done them in Klear, I'll do an oil wash. Until then, I'll go add more cockpit detail. Jim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
James H Posted January 22, 2009 Author Share Posted January 22, 2009 Ok, the gun bays are built, and just need to pigment and graphite to finish them now. I've added coper wire for the cannon firing mechanism, and roughly copied a couple of pictures I have. It looks alright alongside the pics I have so I'm relatively happy with it. I used lead solder formed along the inside of the wing to get the shape I needed to cut out a card template which I then tuned to fit into place. The ribs were then cut from plasticard. Rivet detail was done with an RB Rivet-R tool. Jim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RKic Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 very impressive metalwork on that one. Those flaps will look amazing Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thom Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 That gun bay mod is nice - this one's coming together really well. Thanks for the update. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wally7506 Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Who makes those aftermarket fishtail exhausts? I could use some for my PR.XIX! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
James H Posted January 28, 2009 Author Share Posted January 28, 2009 Time for an update: The interior was primed with Alclad grey primer and Humbrol 78 sprayed throughout. I added some WEM Elefenbein to the mix and highlighted the centres of panels and painted other details in a mixture of either Vallejo or Tamiya acrylics. I sprayed Klear over the lot and when dry, added an oil wash to the interior. Varnishing was done with Xtracolor flat XDFF and then a little drybrushing done to weather further. MIG pigments were used to finish the weathering. There is still a thin Eduard curved cockpit floor to add in there yet. The instrument panel and gunsight are Eduard too, with film sheet used for the instruments. I scratch built a compass also, if you can ignore the fact that the compass decal is a Luftwaffe compass! Jim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
James H Posted January 28, 2009 Author Share Posted January 28, 2009 Time for an update: The interior was primed with Alclad grey primer and Humbrol 78 sprayed throughout. I added some WEM Elefenbein to the mix and highlighted the centres of panels and painted other details in a mixture of either Vallejo or Tamiya acrylics. I sprayed Klear over the lot and when dry, added an oil wash to the interior. Varnishing was done with Xtracolor flat XDFF and then a little drybrushing done to weather further. MIG pigments were used to finish the weathering. There is still a thin Eduard curved cockpit floor to add in there yet. The instrument panel and gunsight are Eduard too, with film sheet used for the instruments. I scratch built a compass also, if you can ignore the fact that the compass decal is a Luftwaffe compass! Jim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thom Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Looking good under a coat of paint. I had the same issue with the lack of kit compass- why did they bother putting in the struts for it and then not provide a little bit of plastic to go between them? Bizarre. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RKic Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Wow! James, that is out of this world! Very wonderful work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
James H Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share Posted February 2, 2009 (edited) The main airframe is now assembled, and tidied up and all the sub assemblies built and furnished with etch metal. Today I primed the model with Alclad grey primer and rubbed it to a finish with micromesh cloths. Got to say I love those micromesh cloths! Smooth as a babies butt it is! I've masked the tansparencies with Mr Masking Sol Neo, using tamiya tape to edge the canopies. Having finally decided what finish it's to be in, I've ordered a set which fits the non-clipped, large chord rudder FR.14e that I'm building. This is the set I've ordered, and I'm building the 3rd one down with the black and yellow nose stripes: Better go get some paint to spray the camo on I suppose Jim Edited February 2, 2009 by James H Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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