1/32 Spitfire Engine

[Miccara]

Hi folks!

Just posting a few pictures of the finished Merlin. Putting it here so the gentleman I'm building it for can have a look at the progress. Ok, I admit it's not quite finished... but its pretty close!

Edited January 7, 2010 by Miccara

[kaysersoze]

aaarrrggghhhhhhh, dude, i hate you!! (only kidding ;) ).

i broke open the packing on my 1/32 tamiya spit earlier, and the first thing i began building was the engine. i was thinking i was doing good unil i saw this :unsure:

[Miccara]

aaarrrggghhhhhhh, dude, i hate you!! (only kidding ;) ).

i broke open the packing on my 1/32 tamiya spit earlier, and the first thing i began building was the engine. i was thinking i was doing good unil i saw this :unsure:

They all look good in pictures!

I'm sure yours will look great!

[Jamie Cheslo]

That looks most excellent. I just picked this kit up today myself. Took a look at the sprues the engine parts are on. That engine is really a kit on its own, isn't it? Hope mine turns out as well as yours did. Are you going to continue posting progress pics of the rest of the bird? Whose markings are you going to do it in? I was thinking I would do Johnny Johnson's bird simply because he was Canadian.

(Edited for a stupid spelling mistake)

Edited January 7, 2010 by Jamie Cheslo

[Av8fan]

WOW!!!!

It looks like it has turned over a few times..

That is great.

Soooooooo care to share your techniques?

Time and patience..and?

[Jennings]

Nice!! I've fiddled with the main engine parts on mine, but haven't gotten as far as paint yet. Looks smashing though!

J

[Miccara]

That looks most excellent. I just picked this kit up today myself. Took a look at the sprues the engine parts are on. That engine is really a kit on its own, isn't it? Hope mine turns out as well as yours did. Are you going to continue posting progress pics of the rest of the bird? Whose markings are you going to do it in? I was thinking I would do Johnny Johnson's bird simply because he was Canadian.

(Edited for a stupid spelling mistake)

Hey Jamie. Thanks.

I'll probably post some of the progress as I go along. I'm going to build the Johnny Johnson bird too.

Larry

[Miccara]

WOW!!!!

It looks like it has turned over a few times..

That is great.

Soooooooo care to share your techniques?

Time and patience..and?

Really it's pretty basic stuff anybody can do. I used M&M Black Chrome Trim for the engine, dry brushing and chips in the paint using M&M Chrome. The rest of the paint (framing and stuff) is acrylic. Loaded up a brush with some thinned out oil paint of black and brushed the frames with it. Then splattered it alone the bottom and sides as well. The greasy look comes from some stuff I found in a hobby shop, it's called The Detailer. I have 4 colours of it red, black, brown, yellow, but in this case used the brown on the engine with some dabs of red here and there to mimic grease or fluid spills. Brushed on some black Mig powder over the engine to give the black some variation in colour. Generally I just try to imagine some mechanic putting his greasy hands all over it, spilling stuff and using a dirty rag to wipe it up! In the end... the sloppier I am in the engine compartment, the better it seems to look!

[toadwbg]

....must resist temptation to whip out credit card and purchase 1/32 Tamiya Spit online while SWMBO is sleeping....!

[aviationpic]

I was thinking I would do Johnny Johnson's bird simply because he was Canadian.

Sorry Jamie, this is not fully correct. He was English, but was Wing Commander of two Canadian wings within the RAF.

On of them was the famous Kenley Wing, which he took over in March 1943, the second one was the 144 Wing in March 1944.

Regards,

Greg

[Jamie Cheslo]

Sorry Jamie, this is not fully correct. He was English, but was Wing Commander of two Canadian wings within the RAF.

On of them was the famous Kenley Wing, which he took over in March 1943, the second one was the 144 Wing in March 1944.

Regards,

Greg

You are right, Greg. Sorry for the sloppy history. Thanks for the correction.

[cksh]

Those pictures make me think I need a new hobby! I can see I need a lot of practice.

Great work!! Thanks for sharing your techniques. It really does look as though it has seen some miles. I would love to be able to replicate that.

[anotherP51nut]

....must resist temptation to whip out credit card and purchase 1/32 Tamiya Spit online while SWMBO is sleeping....!

Resistance is futile...you know you will break...(I did)

That engine just looks so alive!! Exactly as you said, like a " mechanic putting his greasy hands all over it, spilling stuff and using a dirty rag to wipe it up!" Thanks for sharing the techniques.

Cheers,

Richard

[Av8fan]

Thanks for sharing the technique.

Now to practice on some poor unsuspecting engine from my test mules box

[Tim Prosser]

Ooh, that is really nice! I love the grime and general feel of oiliness imparted by a massive chunk of powerful machinery to every piece of structure in its vicinity. The Merlin was a notorious oil-thrower!

I'm still tossing up whether to do mine with the engine exposed or do it closed up. If I decide against building it 'in flight', I think I WILL do the engine. Have you test-fitted the cowlings yet? I'd be very interested to know how they fit before I make my decision.

So far this is looking very good indeed!

All the best,

Tim.

Edited January 7, 2010 by Tim Prosser

[blunce]

Alright Larry, spill the beans, how'd you do the exhausts? They look incredible (as does the rest of the Merlin).

[Miccara]

Alright Larry, spill the beans, how'd you do the exhausts? They look incredible (as does the rest of the Merlin).

Those are easy!

Painted inside with flat black, outside with burnt sienna, dry brushed with M&M chrome, applied black Mig powder to the tops and sides of each exhaust stack (all except the first one)! Done.

[blunce]

Those are easy!

Painted inside with flat black, outside with burnt sienna, dry brushed with M&M chrome, applied black Mig powder to the tops and sides of each exhaust stack (all except the first one)! Done.

What product was your burnt sienna? I'm going to have to get me some of those MIG powders. This months FSM has an article on them. I always thought dry pastels (chalk) were the same

[Scooby]

Sorry Jamie, this is not fully correct. He was English, but was Wing Commander of two Canadian wings within the RAF.

On of them was the famous Kenley Wing, which he took over in March 1943, the second one was the 144 Wing in March 1944.

Regards,

Greg

He was kinda correct, he took out a Canadian citizenship after the War. I have met both JEJ and his son (whom lives in BC).

[Scooby]

Beauty engine!

[Miccara]

What product was your burnt sienna? I'm going to have to get me some of those MIG powders. This months FSM has an article on them. I always thought dry pastels (chalk) were the same

The sienna enamel M&M.

I use pastel chalk most of the time and to be honest I find there is not much, if any difference. Although I not only scrap the chalk, I also grind it very fine in one of those things doctors grind up pills in, a mortise? mortar and pestal? Whatever the hell you call it! Fine is the key to good powder.

[blunce]

The sienna enamel M&M.

I use pastel chalk most of the time and to be honest I find there is not much, if any difference. Although I not only scrap the chalk, I also grind it very fine in one of those things doctors grind up pills in, a mortise? mortar and pestal? Whatever the hell you call it! Fine is the key to good powder.

I usually just rub mine on some sandpaper and use it from there, no need to grind it in a mortar and pestal (don't know either which one is the hand held part)

edit pestle is the hand held part

Edited January 9, 2010 by blunce

[Miccara]

I usually just rub mine on some sandpaper and use it from there, no need to grind it in a mortar and pestal (don't know either which one is the hand held part)

edit pestle is the hand held part

I used to believe that too, but it's a lot better when you grind it very fine.

[SBARC]

Sorry Jamie, this is not fully correct. He was English, but was Wing Commander of two Canadian wings within the RAF.

On of them was the famous Kenley Wing, which he took over in March 1943, the second one was the 144 Wing in March 1944.

Regards,

Greg

Quite true he was British......he was more of an "honoury" Canadian....most Canadians like to think of him as being Canadian because he was so well liked and respected by the Canadians.

The engine looks amazing Larry.

[richter111]

Very nice on the engine. Plenty of grease, rust and nicks.

That is the start of something beautiful!