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1/24 Airfix Spitfire


Sparzanza

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I figured I might as well let you all in on this.

 

With things going the way they did with the Dora (which by now needs a complete strip and re-paint, as well as new aftermarket JV44 decals) and the Zero, my mojo hit an all-time low. That is, until I dug up the old Airfix Spitfire that my friend Holger gave to me last year. He had purchased it some time in the 70's, but never actually built it. It was missing a few clear parts - well, basically everything except the canopy bits, which Dave T generously sent to me. The decals are also shot, but I will order some paint masks for it when my wallet allows it.

 

Being such an old release of the kit, it is virtually flash free.

 

Started off with the seat, that, after removing some pin marks, looked a bit naked. So I decided to fashion its cushion with milliput.

 

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After that, I primed it with Vallejo's black surface primer.

 

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And then a coat of Humbrols 186.

 

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After painting the cushion with Humbrol 98 and the flareholder with 78, I did some drybrushing and light wash.

 

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I then figured I might as well go all the way and add seatbelts. I used my 1/24 Trumpeter Hurricane's PE sheet as "reference" onto some tape.

 

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Now it was just a matter of cutting it into shape and adding buckles made from stretched sprue, and paint it all up. Mind you, it's probably very

far from being accurate. But it still looks heaps better than the OOB seat.

 

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I then moved on to painting the firewall and propeller.

 

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Edited by Sparzanza
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I painted the cockpit walls with Humbrol 11 and 78, and picked some details out, clearcoated it, gave it a pinwash, mattcoated, and then some light drybrushing. It looks alright.
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The engine was a lot of fun to paint.
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And then it was just a matter of squeezing it into their slots in the right fuselage half, before gluing the whole thing together and commence the fill/sand process.

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That's basically how she stands at the moment. I have completed the filling and sanding, and now I await a custom made wingspar from a friend in the UK. This is to get the correct dihedral on the wings, but also because mine are slightly warped. So I reckon his spar will help heaps.

Thanks for looking in.

Edited by Sparzanza
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The lower portion of the wings had a couple of tiny holes in it. They appeared right where the holes for the stand would be, possibly because the plastic is thinner there. I don't know how it came off to begin with, but I filled them up at least... and also made sure not to lose any surface detail by sanding it, but use a cottonbud moist with acetone/nail polish remover and rub it over the filler until it vanished from everywhere but the holes. This is a neat little trick that I learned from Boris (BGB on these forums).

 

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Guest Peterpools

Sparz

Super start on the Spit and glad the juices are flowing again ..

We all go through these spills ...

Keep 'em coming

Peter

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Great job. Although there are many details missing from the Airfix kit I still think it is the best and most accurate Mk1 Spitfire with great surface detail. 

 

I agree, especially the cockpit looks a bit.. naked. But once assembled it's unmistakably a Spitfire Mk1. :) Thanks for stopping by.

 

Sparz

 

Lovely start on this old girl. I just love the big stuff and your skills will do her justice...

 

Best

 

Geoff

 

Thanks for your comment Geoff. I hope you're right about me doing her justice! :D I will certainly do my very best.

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