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Czech Spitfire LF. Mk. IXE


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Hello,

finnaly I can start with my project in this GB. It will be the Czech 1/72 Spitfire LF. Mk. IXE from Air Base Brno - Slatina (Slatina is district of Brno city)

BTW Brno is my born city and this is the reason why I have choosen that marking.

Let me write some history about Czech Spitfires:

In the middle of July 1945 the three Czech squadrons in RAF (310,312,313 - actually Czech wing) obtained new Spitfires LF Mk IXE for comming back to home country. The celebratory day of the arrival of Czech pilots in cockpits of those Spitfires was on 13th of august 1945. In 1948 most of Czech Spitfires were sold to Israel, but this is another matter.

My choice is Spitfire belonged in 1946 to 1st flight, 8th air regiment, 3th air divisinon located in Brno-Slatina Airfield. Before arrival to Czech country in 1945, the RAF cockades on all aircraft were overpainted by Czech insignia. Later were also changed the fuselage codes. Therefore you can see some little bit different shades of colours on the aircraft on that points. Most of Spitfires also retain its former squadron badges used in RAF. In this case it is a badge of 313 squadron. All marking is part of very nice Tally-Ho decal sheet

Spitfire_LS6_uvod.jpg

spit_000dec.jpg

I have available the 1/72 Hasegawa kit, which is version with wing type C. So there is neccesary make some conversion on the wing. As you can see in the picture bellow, I have to change the possition of guns and its bulges and remove the bulge for the gear wheel as well. My friend gave me new bulges from old Spitfire Kopro Kit (on the left side in the picture bellow), but as you can see, it seems to be little bit short. I found in my stash the pieces for short wing end from Směr Spitfire Mk V. I thing it is more appropriate to use this one, but I have to sand it.

spit_001.jpg

spit_002.jpg

spit_003.jpg

I also decided to improve the spinner (some filling) and use aftermarket seat belts.

I had to change the way of sticking the propellers for better filling the spinner. I have cutted each propeller out and stick improved shaft to the spinner part ...

spit_004a.jpg

spit_004b.jpg

spit_005.jpg

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Good luck with the convirsion, I hope all goes well. I am planning to build a Czech Mk IXe as well but I bottled out of cutting up the beutiful Hasegawa kit. I will use the Kopro kit that you refered to.

I will post some pictures when I gat started.

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I have just ordered the Pavla correction set for the KP kit to use with my Hasegawa kit as it has better size and shape spinner and prop blades. Hasegawa's props are too skinny and the spinner is too pointed.

Note that as well as moving the gun outboard, it has to be shortened as the actual weapon sat further back in the wing and the fairing was changed from the tapered style to a more cigar-shaped style. I found that by using good plans and removing the tip and then reshaping, you get a better look. I still have to replace the barrels using some fine copper tube I have.

There are also some panel line corrections on the wing needed. I wil try an get some photos of mine up to illustrate.

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I have just ordered the Pavla correction set for the KP kit to use with my Hasegawa kit as it has better size and shape spinner and prop blades. Hasegawa's props are too skinny and the spinner is too pointed.

Note that as well as moving the gun outboard, it has to be shortened as the actual weapon sat further back in the wing and the fairing was changed from the tapered style to a more cigar-shaped style. I found that by using good plans and removing the tip and then reshaping, you get a better look. I still have to replace the barrels using some fine copper tube I have.

There are also some panel line corrections on the wing needed. I wil try an get some photos of mine up to illustrate.

OK, thanks for comment.

I am also waiting for some photos from Hurricane 363 and I will see.

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Today I have done some progress.

I decided to improve the rear section of the cockpit, because it seems to be too empty. The first way was to put the bulkhead into the fuselage. I have done almost all, but it pulled off, when I wanted do some sanding and finish it... :worship:

So you can see in the pictures bellow the second way how I did that again. I have cut off part of the fuselage and glued the whole bulkhead. Then I did the shape with holes and finally put in the lower part with holes too. Unfortunatelly my second attempt to make the holes symetric was not succesfull. But considering its scale and its visibility behind the canopy, I hope it is OK.

spit_006.jpg

spit_007.jpg

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Good luck with the convirsion, I hope all goes well. I am planning to build a Czech Mk IXe as well but I bottled out of cutting up the beutiful Hasegawa kit. I will use the Kopro kit that you refered to.

I will post some pictures when I gat started.

It will be nice to see another Czech Spitfire. :worship: . I am already looking forward to see it...

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Today, my friend told me Czech Spitfires had not the head rest in the cockpit. It is also seen on the photos, but I didnt notice that detail. So I did little "surgical intervention". I had to fill the hollow. It is still little bit visible. In fact not the best result, but I hope it is satisfactory. Note for the Israel Spitfire builders- Look at photos, because Israeli Spits are ex-Czech Spitfires...

spit_008.jpg

spit_010.jpg

I also previously didn´t notice a little depression on the both wings. It is seen in the picture above and it goes through little bulge close to the wing root. So I decided to do an experiment. One wing is filled with Tamiya Puty the second one with Tamiya binary? putty. Which will be sanded and finished better?? I will see...

spit_009.jpg

Best regards to all :thumbsup:

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Looking awesome already! What colour did you use for the seat and how did you make the harness?

The colour is my personal mix of Tamiya paints. I used XF-64 (Red Brown) and XF-59 (Desert yellow). I don´t know the exact rate, because I mixed it straight in my airbrush. The harness is etched part from Extratech box see above (the last photo in my first contribution).

Edited by David Koktavý
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Today, my friend told me Czech Spitfires had not the head rest in the cockpit. It is also seen on the photos, but I didnt notice that detail. So I did little "surgical intervention". I had to fill the hollow. It is still little bit visible. In fact not the best result, but I hope it is satisfactory. Note for the Israel Spitfire builders- Look at photos, because Israeli Spits are ex-Czech Spitfires...

spit_008.jpg

spit_010.jpg

I also previously didn´t notice a little depression on the both wings. It is seen in the picture above and it goes through little bulge close to the wing root. So I decided to do an experiment. One wing is filled with Tamiya Puty the second one with Tamiya binary? putty. Which will be sanded and finished better?? I will see...

spit_009.jpg

Best regards to all :wave:

I only help my friend with translation - the second part is filled with Tamiya two component epoxy putty

Edited by olda homola
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Today, my friend told me Czech Spitfires had not the head rest in the cockpit. It is also seen on the photos, but I didnt notice that detail. So I did little "surgical intervention". I had to fill the hollow. It is still little bit visible. In fact not the best result, but I hope it is satisfactory. Note for the Israel Spitfire builders- Look at photos, because Israeli Spits are ex-Czech Spitfires...

The early ones were. The later ones were Italian, but they did not have the headrest either.

I also previously didn´t notice a little depression on the both wings. It is seen in the picture above and it goes through little bulge close to the wing root. So I decided to do an experiment. One wing is filled with Tamiya Puty the second one with Tamiya binary? putty. Which will be sanded and finished better?? I will see...

That "little depression" is actually correct and is present on the real aircraft.

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The early ones were. The later ones were Italian, but they did not have the headrest either.

That "little depression" is actually correct and is present on the real aircraft.

Hello mate,

that´s good news! I was thinking of filling that on my kit....

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That "little depression" is actually correct and is present on the real aircraft.

:) :) :P Hmmmm, I see, my hasty decision to fill it. Olda was thinking about its filling, and I am just thinking about removal the putty. But am afraid it will be better to keep it as it is and concentrate on other thinks...

Edited by David Koktavý
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Interesting build.

Have you decided which putty you liked best?

Well, I am not decided yet. The two component putty is new to me. I have to try it for longer time and get use to it. Then I can make some conclusion. But I can say now, that the two component putty is not too bad and in some cases I can replace the silver-grey putty, because it is odourless.

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Some progress this weekend. I am still fighting with filling,sanding,filling,sanding... :thumbsup: :wacko: But it seems to go to the end.

spit_012.jpg

spit_013.jpg

When Mr. Surfacer get dry, I correct some mistakes and then I will start to make the camouflage...

spit_014.jpg

I have the colours shades prepared. It is my personal Tamiya mix. I try to make the shades close to shades of the pattern from book British Aviation Colour of world war two.

spit_011.jpg

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Hi VG33

do you know Austerlitz? I had lived very close to it for 10 years..

Hi

Yes I went to Czech Republic 6 years ago.

I had the opportunity with a friend of mine to visit people from Extratech in Brno and as a a History addict Frenchman I went to Austerlitz battle field. The Slavkov pallace is also a nice place to visit.

Next I went to MPM factory in Praha, so that was a very "modelling" week.

So now back to the wonderful Spitfire Mk IX...

Patrick

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Which two part Tamiya putty did you use? Tamiya has at least 4 2-part putties. They have 2 polyester putties and 2 epoxy putties. Each is different with different properties.

It is this one: http://www.modelwholesaleuk.com/catalog/pr...oducts_id=23531

I have no knowledge about the others and its properties. May be I will try those in the future...

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David,

sorry to say,but it seems to me you installed tailplanes wrong - the left to the right and vice-versa.. the cover in the middle should be on bottom side..

Oooooh :doh: , thank you for the notice :coolio: . I corrected it in 10minutes... I hope it is last mistake in my build...

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It is this one: http://www.modelwholesaleuk.com/catalog/pr...oducts_id=23531

I have no knowledge about the others and its properties. May be I will try those in the future...

Ok, the smooth type epoxy. This one has a smooth and rubbery consistency. In my experience, it doesn't seem to set very hard and can be difficult to sculpt. If not properly cured, it can bead up when sanded. It's probably best to attempt any shaping with it before it sets up. Not really a fan of this one, but maybe I'm just not using it properly.

I much prefer their quick type epoxy. It sets hard in about 30 minutes, but you can vary that with water. It smooths pretty well and can be sculpted while curing with a wet toothpick. It carves very nicely when set and can be milled.

I have both their polyester fillers, but haven't used either as yet. I've heard they smell bad. I'll probably give one a try on the next major filling I need done.

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