dylan the rabbit Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Flashback about 3 years ago. I was in a bookshop, and saw some Airfix kits. Not built one of those in YEARS I thought, and as we were in the middle of a long, drawn out, quiet Dubai summer, I thought "I wonder what it might be like to build one of these?" So I did. I had a basic knowledge of kit building from childhood, and picking up a few tips from this site I found called ARC, I built this.. I thought it was the dogs bollocks, and I was really proud of myself. I started buying a few more kits, and then the bug hit me. Once I had been on ARC enough, picking up tips, etc, I realised there were so many techniques I could have employed on the Spit that could have made it a real winner, that I thought, why not try it again? So, I stripped the kit down with oven cleaner about a year ago, and left it to languish on a shelf, looking like this.. In August last year, I decided to take it off the shelf, and relook at it. The oil cooler was refixed at a less jaunty angle, and filler applied in the gaps. I put the instrument panel decal on (tricky on a closed fuselage with control stick in the way, but done) and have just Futured the interior prior to giving it a really basic chalk wash. The surface area was smoothed down enough to spray on a test coat of silver. I decided to use Tetrosyl silver. I shook the crap out of the rattlecan, but probably sprayed at a time of day when it was too hot. The paint fixed itself onto the unprimed surface (I kept a foot distance from the model) flaking/pebbling/plain horrible. Yuk. So, armed with my new best friend (320 grit sandpaper), I rubbed the whole bloody lot off. Bloody Tetrosyl. Can never get the hang of that brand. Always had crappy results with it. Anyway, the downside to this sanding is that I weakened the root joins, which needed to be redone. The model then went back to the shelf for another 3 months! Earlier this month (you still with me?) I gave the kit a going over with cotton buds and rubbing alcohol to try and lift off some of the acrylic from that glop fest day, which seemed to work, as I was then able to go over all the panel lines with a needle to get the crap out of them. I then went through each one of the rivet holes one by one doing the same! I glued on the bits for the cylinder head bulge (that's what it is right?) and blended that in with my home made filler goo, which I also used to strengthen the wing join which had become rather crap. I ordered a set of Eagle Strike decals for it, and decided to finish it off as an all silver Spit used by the South Rhodesian Air Force in the early 1950's. I decided to use Citadel paints Mithril silver for the airframe, as I didn't want too shiny a finish for the kit. The clothes peg? Ah. I wanted to use a small paintbrush handle to stick in the nose to hold onto whilst spraying. Spit the fuselage open. What a dipshit. It resulted in my only spraying the front of the old girl to see what work needed doing as I was holding it by the rudder. A few days ago. I painted the airframe as much as I can do. Two or three coats of Mithril silver, and in between coats, sanding down any imperfections. It's not as smooth as a baby's bottom, but as my first attempt at a silver airframe, it'll do. I gave it a coat of Future this morning. The props were sprayed in Chaos black, and the spinner's been finished in Tamiya X-7 red. The exhausts were drilled out yonks ago, and I sprayed them silver. I'll drybrush them to make them look like exhausts later! Tyres were sanded down, and again, sprayed silver in preparation for painting. I put some of the Eagle Strike decals on today as I'm impatient, and here's how she looks so far. Getting there! Thanks for your patience in getting this far.. Cheers, Nick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jamie Cheslo Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Whoa! She was a beauty before, but in silver she will be even more gorgeous! Looking forward to seeing more of your progress on this. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dylan the rabbit Posted April 17, 2008 Author Share Posted April 17, 2008 Cheers Jamie. Liked how your Raiden turned out btw. Here's some more shots.. Slathered in Promodellers dark dirt.. Washed off, wheels on, exhausts in.. I'm still scared of cutting the Aeroclub canopy, and that's still in the surrounding vac form. I'll try to get that out this weekend, along with a bit more tarting up of the cockpit. Cheers, Nick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Big Kev Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Nick, that is gorgeous! What a stunner. Good luck with the canopy - I'm in a similar situation with my current build. Kev Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dylan the rabbit Posted April 17, 2008 Author Share Posted April 17, 2008 Nick, that is gorgeous! What a stunner. Good luck with the canopy - I'm in a similar situation with my current build.Kev Cheers Kev. You got a vacform for yours too? What are you building? Nick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jamie Cheslo Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Ditto regarding the canopy, Nick. Vacform scares the bejeesus out of me too! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dylan the rabbit Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 A bit more progress, but I've been really stalled by doing other builds.. Anyway, the prop and spinner's been painted and decaled, and will just need weathering and de-shining! The door's on, and I should get round to finishing the canopy this weekend, wife and kids permitting! Cheers, Nick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LaNdStOrM Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Looks hot. Brave to redo a decent model in the first place. Nice one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jack-Swiss Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Really nice!!!!! Cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dylan the rabbit Posted August 1, 2008 Author Share Posted August 1, 2008 (edited) Finished! Spitfire Mk22 of No.1 Squadron, Southern Rhodesian Airforce, 1953. The decals are Eagle Strike "End of the Line Mk 22/24, part 3" and the canopy's from Aeroclub (well the bubble is). The front part's the original Airfix one. In keeping with the story behind the kit, I hated the photos I first took of it, so binned them, and replaced them with these. Hope you like it. Thanks for looking. Cheers, Nick Edited August 3, 2008 by dylan the rabbit Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChernayaAkula Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 Seriously nice work! Cool subject. Gotta love the 22/24! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jack-Swiss Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 It came out reaally nice!!! well done dylan! Cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dylan the rabbit Posted August 3, 2008 Author Share Posted August 3, 2008 Cheers guys. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RKic Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 thats one hell of a rebuild. Late model spits just look lovely in NMF, do they not? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aggressor Supporter Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 beautiful reworking of your Spitfire. I have to say I like that metal finish better. Big Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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