Iain

Haven’t posted an update for a while. Painting is pretty much done. Some touch ups required.

Dart logos added to the nose - and Air League 'sticker' on the rudder...
 

 

 
And a reprint of the engine - wasn't happy with the last - in process of getting some paint on the new one.
 
Oh, and the 'blank' for the instrument panel.
 

 

 
Have fun...
 
Iain
 
 

Time for some 'sticker' design...
 
Needed to create the Dart Aircraft Company logo - in silver - to go either side of the nose as a decal.
 
This would have been too fine for a stencil.
 
A suitable oblique image of the logo was dragged into CorelDRAW and used to draw up the logo as a piece of vector art.
 
This was then transferred to the positively ancient laptop (20 years old?) running Windows XP - anything newer is not supported by the ALPS Printer software!
 
The ALPS MD-1000 I've had for a long time. For those that haven't come across them, they are a thermal wax printer that can print directly onto decal paper.
 
But the *real* plus is that they can print white, gold and, in this case, silver!
 

 
Being so old it's a bit of a lottery - and a bit fiddly to get everything working together - but at lunch time today I managed to run off the following - both the Dart Logos - and some 'Air League of the British Empire'  stickers for the rudder:
 

 
So - next up a coat of Gloss over the airframe and we can add them.
 
Back soon!
 
Iain

A little progress over the last week - a mix of Airfix kit, Airscale and Quinta.
 
Photos have flagged up a few things I need to improve - but bear in mind most of these images will be showing at larger than life-size.
 

 

 

 

 
And with the seat section dry-fitted.
 

 
Now working on the seat - and the next two formers (partially drilled out).
 

 
Blue skies...
 
Iain
 
 
 

A little progress over the last week - a mix of Airfix kit, Airscale and Quinta.
 
Photos have flagged up a few things I need to improve - but bear in mind most of these images will be showing at larger than life-size.
 

 

 

 

 
And with the seat section dry-fitted.
 

 
Now working on the seat - and the next two formers (partially drilled out).
 

 
Blue skies...
 
Iain
 
 
 

A little progress over the last week - a mix of Airfix kit, Airscale and Quinta.
 
Photos have flagged up a few things I need to improve - but bear in mind most of these images will be showing at larger than life-size.
 

 

 

 

 
And with the seat section dry-fitted.
 

 
Now working on the seat - and the next two formers (partially drilled out).
 

 
Blue skies...
 
Iain
 
 
 

Back on the bench - going to try and take a run at it over next few weeks...
 

 
Tally ho...
 
Iain
 
 

Have been busy working on classic cars, motorcycles and aeroplanes of late - but, with the nights drawing in here, I've been back to the bench.
 
A little side-track from working on the interior: I wanted to see how the fitting of the wing spars/gear bays and initial ribs would go, as the instructions are very clear about not gluing anything until you have all of this loosely fitted.
 
The instructions then have you carefully bonding everything in place on the lower wing moulding in one go - being careful not to impart any warp in the lower wing.
 

 
The 'wheel' sections of the undercarriage bays were assembled and bonded to their adjacent rib, before laying everything in place (including main spar) on the lower wing and checking fit.
 
All good, so I bonded everything in place with 'Quick Drying' Tamiya Extra Thin solvent - working out from the wing centreline on each side.
 

 
Whilst everything drying I wanted to check everything was correctly aligned, so removed the upper-wing sections from their sprue and dry-fitted in situ.
 
Fit against the lower wing/wing internals was very good, so happy that the internal structure was straight.
 

 
And I couldn't resist a quick dry fit with the fuselage - just to see something a little 'Spitfire' shaped...
 

 

 
Back soon...
 
Iain

Hi all,
 
In further sidetracking news I've been asked to build in a scale I haven't played with since I was a child - 1:24th.
 
And from a manufacturer who's kits I built in my youth - but that was a loooong time ago.
 
The gentleman I've built the Two-seater Spit IX from the Tamiya kit in 1:32 for has asked me to build one of the new Airfix kits for him - with minimal changes this time - and, well, why not!
 
Only planned changes at this stage are the Airscale Cockpit Interior and Sutton Harness with, perhaps, some aftermarket decals - we'll see!
 
Opening salvo has been some work on the cockpit - nicely rendered by Airfix in my humble opinion.
 
Still early days - and still at almost blank canvas stage, but I'll try and post some semi-regular updates here.
 

 

 
I'm not worrying about the ejector-pin marks - I really don't think they'll be seen!
 

 
And dry fitted in place:
 

 

 
More when there's more I guess...
 
Tally Ho!
 
Iain
 
 
 

Grandfather on my mother's side served with 640 Squadron at RAF Leconfeld - a BiG Mk.III Halifax would be a must have for me...
 
Iain

A little progress over the last week - a mix of Airfix kit, Airscale and Quinta.
 
Photos have flagged up a few things I need to improve - but bear in mind most of these images will be showing at larger than life-size.
 

 

 

 

 
And with the seat section dry-fitted.
 

 
Now working on the seat - and the next two formers (partially drilled out).
 

 
Blue skies...
 
Iain
 
 
 

Back on the bench - going to try and take a run at it over next few weeks...
 

 
Tally ho...
 
Iain
 
 

Have been busy working on classic cars, motorcycles and aeroplanes of late - but, with the nights drawing in here, I've been back to the bench.
 
A little side-track from working on the interior: I wanted to see how the fitting of the wing spars/gear bays and initial ribs would go, as the instructions are very clear about not gluing anything until you have all of this loosely fitted.
 
The instructions then have you carefully bonding everything in place on the lower wing moulding in one go - being careful not to impart any warp in the lower wing.
 

 
The 'wheel' sections of the undercarriage bays were assembled and bonded to their adjacent rib, before laying everything in place (including main spar) on the lower wing and checking fit.
 
All good, so I bonded everything in place with 'Quick Drying' Tamiya Extra Thin solvent - working out from the wing centreline on each side.
 

 
Whilst everything drying I wanted to check everything was correctly aligned, so removed the upper-wing sections from their sprue and dry-fitted in situ.
 
Fit against the lower wing/wing internals was very good, so happy that the internal structure was straight.
 

 
And I couldn't resist a quick dry fit with the fuselage - just to see something a little 'Spitfire' shaped...
 

 

 
Back soon...
 
Iain

Hi all,
 
In further sidetracking news I've been asked to build in a scale I haven't played with since I was a child - 1:24th.
 
And from a manufacturer who's kits I built in my youth - but that was a loooong time ago.
 
The gentleman I've built the Two-seater Spit IX from the Tamiya kit in 1:32 for has asked me to build one of the new Airfix kits for him - with minimal changes this time - and, well, why not!
 
Only planned changes at this stage are the Airscale Cockpit Interior and Sutton Harness with, perhaps, some aftermarket decals - we'll see!
 
Opening salvo has been some work on the cockpit - nicely rendered by Airfix in my humble opinion.
 
Still early days - and still at almost blank canvas stage, but I'll try and post some semi-regular updates here.
 

 

 
I'm not worrying about the ejector-pin marks - I really don't think they'll be seen!
 

 
And dry fitted in place:
 

 

 
More when there's more I guess...
 
Tally Ho!
 
Iain
 
 
 

And “La Furie” is reborn!
 

 

 
This is a decal I made myself (because it's too difficult to do with masks + airbrush) with the help of a transparent blank decal sheet and a laser printer. 

Hi there!
 
I am a bit late, the EME was back in March, but now it's time to show you my photos of the large plane models. The was a surprisingly large number of LSP models this year, also a good number of newly builds. Even a whole Ju-88 diorama!
 
But let's start with some gossip
 
Revell: They had a booth for one day, but I missed them on that day. Too much other activities. So I was not able to renew the question for a new LSP kit by Revell or a re-relaease of the Ju-88 kit(s).
 
HMH Publications /Duke Hawkins books: Had a diner with the publisher at Bruxelles. Talking about some contributions to upcoming books as well as how to improve my photographs. Not to forget to taste a good share of Belgish beers (this was my part  ) (Heck, there are 1.200 different beers in Belgium!). Main news: HMH will come up with a Bf 109K-4 book at the release of the Kotare kit. 100 or so photos of different K-4, a lot of color profiles and so on. And with a set of large scale decals for the K-4, a la the Hurricane set. Side news: Another book about the 109 is pending. HMH would like to bring a book about the Fw 190 too, but they are lacking photos of an aircraft with a mounted BMW engine. Not on display stand, but bolted onto an airframe. Recent flying 190s are all equipped with Shevtsov engines, that's the problem here.
 
Copper State Models: Had a longer conversation with the owner. Well, the upcoming Hansa-Brandenburg (IIRC, not sure about the type) biplane looks very, very nice in the flesh. They had a 3D-printed prototype with them at the EME. The engine mold is at hand from another of the CSM kits. Talk about synergies. But, -but!- they just have to sell more of the older kits to earn the money needed to cut the molds for the new aircraft kit. It will come injetion molded as always by CSM, not 3D printed. The print was just the proof of concept for the new kit.
I did what I could and bought a Garford-Putilov kit with extras. The CSM owner did not hesitate to dive into his sources to advise me about the useful update sets for my preferred marking options and to tell me what AM is not needed too. I've also bought two sets of CSMs spoked wheels. No need to fiddle with PE spokes and tire halves, just ready to paint. Man, these are really, really nice wheels!
Insider stuff: Riga (Latvias capital) is not worth a visit. If you want to see the Baltic states, go to Tallin (capital of Estonia).
 
Next year the EME will become 25 years old! Don't miss to pay a visit!
That's it for the gossip. Photos next to come.
 
Regards
- dutik

Dunkirk - the last patrols: Morning, 1st June 1940 - 4 June 1940.
 
“Nieuport slowly appeared beneath my wings, and I turned to run back down the coast. I had just turned again at Dunkirk, and was heading back once more, when something moving  on my left fought my eye. I looked round in time to see an aircraft diving down toward the shipping off the harbour. Coming hard round I dived after it, the rest of the squadron chasing after me, The aircraft flattened out over a destroyer for a moment and then turned, climbing toward the coast. As I followed there was a terrific flash below and a huge fountain of water was flung high into the air, to fall slowly back into the sea. as the disturbance subsided I saw tht the destroyer had completely disappeared. So the aircraft in front of me was a hun. A blind fury gripped me.” 
 
Brian Lane ‘Spitfire!’
 
‘Pit Progress.
 
Almost all of the decals for the cockpit have been applied and the detail painting completed. I also put a wash over the cockpit to add to the chipping I had put on it to give the feel of a working cockpit in an operational aircraft. 

 
I had sprayed the cockpit in ‘Supermarine green’ and once that was completely dry I put a layer of clear acrylic floor finish over the top. It is claimed to be very glossy on the bottle but I found it dried to a nice satin sheen. I mixed up some sienna brown and black oil paints, suitably thinned with enamel thinner and got to work with the wash. Wherever it was too much I reduced the wash with a cotton earbud swab. I put the detail painting over this. Again I used enamel but only after it had dried thorough and only a very thin coat of enamel at that.
 
I had repainted the instrument panel three times before I was happy but then came time to decal it. There are 37 separate decals for the Kotare IP: I enjoy de calling so got on with it with my trusty bottles of Microset and Microsol close at hand. The Cartograph decals set down well and I thought I’d done a bang up job until i looked at the IP later on and found I misaligned two of the instruments. The Eagle of Eyed amongst our august company will note that the Rev Counter is on upside down! Bugger! What to do about it? @airscale decals will come to the rescue and I will put one of theirs on over the top. Likewise with the other instruments I misaligned.

 
Here is the thing: I had not realised just how good these decals are. I hadn’t appreciated just how readable they are until i started taking photos of the IP and zoomed in on the images. 
 
It’s nothing that can’t be fixed though. I know there are some touch ups needed for the Supermarine green too. To those building this kit: do yourself a favour and get some proper magnification to bear when decalling the IP. - you won’t regret it. 
 
I decalled the rest of the cockpit and below you can see a dry-fit of the starboard side of the ‘pit

 
 

 
the two images above are, as before, a dry fit: not a single drop of glue has been used. The seat will be the next focus, followed by the control column and the small amount of rigging needed. And then, I am at the point of actually glueing something together! Heady stuff!
 
The two takeaways from this phase of the build are 1. using magnification for the IP (I’m going to try using my ipad on a stand with the screen in zoom mode) and 2. Scrape every mating surface very carefully: all parts are a tight, precise fit and even a thin layer of paint can spoil components’ fit if the paint overspray is not removed. 
 
Overall then I am pleased to make progress. I know I don’t have the finesse of some of you guys yet but I’ll get there. Until next time folks!
 
Kind regards,
Paul

I have always had a bit of trouble getting the dials to adhere well Paul, especially if they are slightly oversize (I've said in the past I'm useless with decals and it's true) so my answer is to make a thin solution PVA + water to get them to stick.  But this also means a good "glass-like" appearance most of the time:
 

 
 

Dawn Patrol: Dawn 1st June 1940
 
”…in front of us appeared a twin engined aircraft followed by eleven more, all heading to Nieuport.  I switched on the R/T: ‘Twelve Me110’s straight ahead’ I said, then opened the throttle and gave chase.
    The Messerschmitts evidently saw us coming, for they went into a circle and tried to get into the clouds. For once the odds were in our favour, and four to one at that.  I was still out of firing range when, to my astonishment, one of the enemy aircraft staggered and then plummeted down, down with a strange pendulum motion as its tail came off. None of my section had fired., and since we were leading and out of range still, I could not imagine how on earth the Hun had been shot down.
     By now we had closed with the enemy and turning right, I got on the tail of a Messerschmitt and chased him down as he dived away, the rest of my squadron fighting to get a target! It really was pathetic. By our standards of  training those pilots should never have left F.T.S, yet here they were; trying to fight four times their number and with no idea of how to do it.  War is war but I remember cursing the Hun for a cold-blooded devil in sending out pilots like these to fight us. Even as I cursed I realised what a queer thought this was: We ought to be thankful for cold meat like this!
I fired several bursts at the 110 I was after and saw his port motor splutter and stop. As he tried to turn away I pulled round inside him and gave him another squirt, this time hitting his starboard engine which was immediately enveloped in smoke. By this time we were pretty low, and as I pulled up I saw him go down into the deck.”
 
‘Spitfire!’ by Brian Lane 
 
Baby Steps:
 
The bench was cleared and then the appropriate tools, paint and references assembled. We are off!! 

Morgan and Shacklady are, of course, a shoe-in but Jeffrey Quill, Alfred Price and Bruce Robertson all provide valuable insights. The WIngleader books by Mark Postlethwaite and Richard Alexander are excellent picture references to supplement the instructions.
 
Kotare’s instructions are directly comparable in style, background information and layout to those produced by Wingnut Wings: They are clear and concise.  Construction of their Spitfire begins with the cockpit as one would expect. These first steps are easy in terms of assembly but Kotare recommend to drill out the lightening holes in fuselage frame Part A30 and A46.

 
No diameter bit is suggested for part A30 but I found a 0.9 mm drill did the trick. Note also to only drill out the  holes indicated in the image above. I was careful not to drill out those in the large red circle as these have a beautifully fine rendering of tubing or wiring within them which will later require picking out with paint and a wash.

For part A46, the cross-brace, Kotare recommend an 0.75 mm bit which is perfect but tricky to seat the bit centrally over each indentation that represents a hole.  For those who want to drill these out: you will be in for an hour of very fine drilling with a pin vise. Note: Cutting out part A46, taking off the sprue gates and finishing to remove the cut marks needs a decent tool. If you don’t already possess a pair: i recommend GodHand cutters. These are delicate but are fine enough to get into the smallest spaces and go through styrene like a hot knife through butter.

Result.
 
The first three frames, one of them being the instrument panel, and the first parts of the pedal assembly all fit together beautifully. The only remarkable thing about the photo below is that there is no glue on any part.

 
The conundrum now is the overall colour of the cockpit: Standard interior green or ‘Supermarine green’. Kotare indicate this airframe could have had either. Time to hit the books…
 
Kind regards,
Paul
 
 
 
 
 

Dunkirk - First Patrol 26th May 1940
 
From behind a bank of cloud appeared twenty one Ju87 dive bombers, heading out to sea over Calais and looking like some sort of strange bird,with their big spatted undercarriages and upswept wings. We turned in behind them and closed in to the attack.
 
The Huns flew on unheeding, apparently under the delusion that we were their own fighter escort, until the leading section of Spitfires opened fire. Panic then swept the enemy formation. They split up in all directions, hotly pursued by nine Spitfires, while Eric & Co kept watch behind us.  I picked out one dive bomber and got on his tail., staying there as he twisted and turned this way and that, trying to avoid the eight streaks of tracer from my guns. Finally he pulled up and stalled, rolled over, and plunged headlong toward the sea out of control.
 
‘Spitfire!’ by Brian Lane
 
Hi Everyone,
 
My next build is Kotare’s Supermarine Spitfire Mk1a, kit number 32001.

 
Although you will have noticed that the boxing I am using is not Kotare’s 32601 ‘Brian Lane’ boxing, I am building Brian Lane’s mount P9386:

Supermarine Spitfire Mk1a, P9386 ‘K-QV’. This well-known photo was reportedly taken in Sept 1940.
 
This is because I have Fündekals sheet FD32014; ‘Spitfire Mk1s’.

 
The Spitfire Boffins amongst you will have noticed that Fündekals do not show P9386’s spinner as yellow whereas Kotare’s instructions for 32601 do via Ronny Bar’s profile below:

 
Both Fündekals and Kotare cite good reasons for their choices. I’ll not get into the debate over the spinner yet but will come to my own conclusion once I have done further research myself.
 
So why have I picked a Spitfire Mk1 and why Lane’s aircraft in particular? At the end of my previous build of my Matchbox Tiger Moth G-AIVW, I was dissatisfied with the paint finish and promised myself that on my next build I would make every effort to improve on that. I also wanted to build a kit that did not require a significant amount of modification nor extensive rigging. I wanted to build a monoplane and I just like Spitifres.
 
One could build hoards of these aircraft (just the Mk1s alone!), when one thinks of the exploits of Lane, George Unwin, John Ellis and others. I chose Lane’s aircraft because I have been reading ‘Spitfire!” which was written by Lane just months after the Battle of Britain and is as solid an authentic source about conditions as we are likely to have available to us. 
 
So….we’re off!
 
Kind regards,
Paul.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Looking absolutely fabulous Chuck!
 
Iain

Some people just have an axe to grind. It is a shame but there it is.  I just wanted to assure anyone that saw any of those posts that the kit is pretty damned good.
Arthur Bentley's drawings are some of the few that I do rely on. No drawing is flawless (I speak as a former draughtsman) because drawings get translated by the makers of the 1:1 objects they represent and because draughtsmen and women all make mistakes too. Arthur is however one of the most diligent researchers I have ever seen: he has captured several features about the form of the wing of the Me262 for example that have never appeared in kit form (but are entirely correct).
It is beautifully engineered and highly accurate in outline as far as I am concerned - I would not have bought it otherwise.
 
Kind regards,
Paul

Looking absolutely fabulous Chuck!
 
Iain

Sometimes they come back!
in the last few days I have been busy examining the shelf of doom trying to save from oblivion the works that were briefly incomplete.
in this case, after countless attempts to make a frozen puddle I gave up and was pleased (well, more or less) with the last attempt.

to begin with, some photos of the plane complete with the last missing details: doors, controls for folding the wings, air intakes. I added a little mud from below, without exaggerating.

 

 




the engine has the possibility of being partially - or completely - exposed, thanks to the magnets embedded in the thickness of the cowling.



 

 


and to conclude the whole story, some photos of the completed diorama, puddle or no puddle.




the officer won a scarf out of order


and all the other insignia, ranks and various insignia by Alliance Model Works decals, splendid.

 

 

 

and I fixed one... some other updates coming soon! Cheers everyone and thanks for participating, Paolo