Hobby Boss Spitfire VB

[dmthamade]

It's been a long time since i've done an aircraft or participated in a GB, looking back, it was 2021. Anyway, going to try and do a Hobby Boss Spitfire, looking in the box, there's not a lot in there compared to a tamiya kit. This is going to be OOB, starting simple, seeing if i can do planes again. Have to relearn stuff, i'll see how it goes.

 

[dennismcc]

Nice kit, I built two of those a while back and enjoyed the builds, though I did have some AM to help them along they are well engineered and build up well.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[geoawelch]

Will be interesting to see how this stacks up vs. the older Hasegawa kit, which I bought dirt cheap online.

 

Best wishes with your build.

 

George

[dmthamade]

16 hours ago, geoawelch said:

Will be interesting to see how this stacks up vs. the older Hasegawa kit, which I bought dirt cheap online.

 

Best wishes with your build.

 

George

I had the Hasegawa kit in the stash a long time ago.It was simpler than the HB kit is but the HB kit is probably 20 yrs+ newer, and its detail and engineering reflects that. Have most of the pit assembled, will paint soon. So far so good.

 

Don

[dmthamade]

Apologies for no updates, been difficult getting back to the bench. Had time this weekend to get the cockpit built, assembled and painted. Have built a Tamiya Spit before, the HB pit isn't as detailed as the Tamiya kit, but for a casual builder like me it's absolutely fine. The belts were supplied as PE, spent about 15 minutes on one lap belt unsuccessfully...no belts on this one, will be a shelf sitter so it's ok by me. Fit on the pit was fine with no issues. When i looked for color refs for the pit, i looked online as the kit instructions are poor for color callouts. How painted my pit, i found different builds on line with different detail colors, so i picked one, and painted away. Also had time to assemble enough of the engine to support the prop and exhaust manifolds, panels will be sealed shut. Assembled the control surfaces, again the fit was fine. I glued all hatches for the radio, cockpit door and wing ammo boxes shut. Here again the fit was fine, but due to my  carelessness all sunk below the surface by a slight amount, i blame it on being out of practice.

 

Hopefully i'll have more time to participate in the GB.

 

Don

[DugyB]

That office looks suitably business like …. 

[dmthamade]

Well, it's all one color...Have slowly been picking away at the build, 30 minutes here and there. Have to say everything fit relatively well, used a small amount of Mr. Dissolved Putty on the fuselage and all trailing edges. Some odd stuff, HB did have the doors for the flaps molded separately as if the flaps were dropped, but there were no linkages provided and no instructions given how to assemble flaps dropped. Not a big deal, just odd..Haven't really given them a careful look or compare to references, but the prop blades look odd, too thin? 

[dmthamade]

Been a long time taking pics and posting, have some relearning to do.

 

Don

[MikeMaben]

Looks OK from here Don ...

[dmthamade]

Well, it's 4 colors, now. Finally had a chance to put some color down on the build. I used Tamiya paints for this, stuff worked great as usual. Have to say, i don't know if their accurate, but the panel lines and rivets look really nice under paint. Next will be the yellow on the leading edges and prop tips, glosscoat then decals. Hopefully i should have this done before the end of the GB. I'm semi retired, now, but there always seems to be something that needs to be done over model building, fingers crossed i'll "git er done"

 

Don

[dmthamade]

Well crap, fuselage sky band is too wide...

 

Don

[dmthamade]

Long time since updates!! Funny how life goes, always stuff to do before the fun stuff in life. I did manage to complete the build, not the nicest one i've done. The kit itself was a fairly straightforward build, no major fit issues, most were self inflicted. The instructions were a little vague, could have had better color callouts. Showed the under wing pitot installed backwards. flaps moulded separately but doesn't show how to assemble down...nothing too big, just a little annoying. Surface detail looks nice, but when you put a heavy coat of gloss coat down and fill in the rivets and panel lines so a wash doesn't show...Lots of mistakes done on this build, i have to remember and relearn a lot of stuff. Enough talking...

[dmthamade]

More

 

One more thing, Installed the gunsight, glued canopy down. Finished build, gunsight came loose. If i hold build upside down, it sits on the canopy, laughing at me...

 

Don

[dennismcc]

Looks pretty good to me, that Gunsight would have driven me nuts, for me it would be either put it on the shelf and forget about it or get it out.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[dmthamade]

17 hours ago, dennismcc said:

Looks pretty good to me, that Gunsight would have driven me nuts, for me it would be either put it on the shelf and forget about it or get it out.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

Yup!! The gunsight was a big disappointment, on top of everything else that went off. Been 3 years since doing an aircraft, seems i forgot some stuff. Mostly retired, now so hopefully have more time to do some relearning. Pictures i took need work as well. Have to figure out the settings i used before, pics aren't as sharp as i remember they were.

 

Don