Bob Tuck's 65 Sqdn Spitfire - Finished

[Dpgsbody55]

After the abject failure of my Hellcat GB build, I need to do something special.  So I'm doing this:

 

 

Way back in 1968, a very good friend gave me a copy of Bob Tuck's biography, "Fly For Your Life" which really sparked the imagination of thirteen year old me.  I still have the book, and this picture is reprinted in it, so of course I really wanted to build a model of it.  Around that time, a friend of my Dad was turfing out some old books, and he gave me a copy of William Green's books Famous Fighter's of WW2 and Famous Bomber's of WW2.  These were early editions and I still have these too.  So my early teenage imagination was really dominate by thoughts of the planes I still build models of to this day.  Happy days indeed, back then. 

 

And now I can, thanks to the release of Kotare's early Spitfire Mk.I and Art Scale Distribution doing a decal set with FZ-L as an option.  Here's the obligatory box shot.

 

 

And the aftermarket stuff I'll be using.

 

 

I have previously built this back in 2024 to represent the model on the box top, but this one will be a little different, with the bulged canopy and three blade DeHavilland "bracket" prop.  I'm debating whether or not to fit the reflector sight which was fitted to his plane during that summer, as hilariously recounted when he suggested that one be gift wrapped for a visiting German general when it was still top secret yet demonstrated to said general by the escorting officer.

 

At the moment, I'm busy drilling out the cockpit frames prior to painting the bits, so nothing really to show.  So expect cockpit shots next time.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

 

[geedubelyer]

This should be a tidy way to get over the Hellcat woes Michael. 

Simply shake the box, tip it out, prime,  paint and stickers. Voilà....a Spitfire 

 

Good to see you start this. I'm looking forward to seeing another Kötare Spitfire build. Have fun. 

 

 

[Biggles87]

Bob Tuck is one of my all time heroes, and you’ve chosen an excellent kit for the project, so I will be following this.

I have a PCM 1/32 Hurricane with Bob Tuck’s markings which I haven’t started yet and I’m waiting to see what options Kotare offer.

Looking forward to the build.

 

John. 🇺🇦

[dennismcc]

This should look great, early Spitfire, Kotare, and some modelling magic, what's not to like.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

[Citadelgrad]

I read his book at about the same age, and it lit the same fire in me.   

 

[Out2gtcha]

Neat good story to boot....

 

Will follow along!

[Dpgsbody55]

23 hours ago, geedubelyer said:

This should be a tidy way to get over the Hellcat woes Michael. 

Simply shake the box, tip it out, prime,  paint and stickers. Voilà....a Spitfire 

 

Good to see you start this. I'm looking forward to seeing another Kötare Spitfire build. Have fun. 

 

 

 

Thanks Guy.  I had it in mind to do two passion projects this year, one being the blue Hurricane finished a couple of months ago, and the other being this one.  It's nice to do a simple kit where everything just fits.

 

21 hours ago, Biggles87 said:

Bob Tuck is one of my all time heroes, and you’ve chosen an excellent kit for the project, so I will be following this.

I have a PCM 1/32 Hurricane with Bob Tuck’s markings which I haven’t started yet and I’m waiting to see what options Kotare offer.

Looking forward to the build.

 

John. 🇺🇦

 

I've built DT-A, one of the Hurricane's that Tuck flew as CO of 257 Squadron.  It's the Trumpeter kit, which I found a bit disappointing.  And those white squadron codes....   I'm hoping Kotare will do a late Mk.I Hurricane with these markings in the box, then I can replace this.

 

 

20 hours ago, dennismcc said:

This should look great, early Spitfire, Kotare, and some modelling magic, what's not to like.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

 

I'm hoping it turns out well too.  Thankfully, Kotare make this easy (ish ).  It all depends on whether or not I run out of talent at some stage .

 

12 hours ago, Citadelgrad said:

I read his book at about the same age, and it lit the same fire in me.   

 

 

Yes, it did light that fire, though there were embers catching before.  I remember well watching Vulcan bombers roar overhead when I lived in Bristol in 1960.  A assault on the senses.  After reading this, I started collecting all the famous aces books I could.  It was a fortunate time in that regard, with the Battle Of Britain movie coming out in 1969 which seemed to really kick of interest in that period, which was all to the benefit of this hobby.  

 

5 hours ago, Out2gtcha said:

Neat good story to boot....

 

Will follow along!

 

Always good to have company on the journey.  I hope you enjoy it.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

[Dpgsbody55]

First proper update on this project with some work on the cockpit.

 

The first thing I did was to assemble the pilot's seat, using the part without the seat belts molded in.  I used the cockpit frame to ensure it fit together properly.

 

 

I didn't mention in my 2024 early Spitfire build, but this is the paint I'm using on the cockpit, as Supermarine used a greener green, more like the colour of a granny smith apple.  So I'm using this again.

 

 

I've painted the actual seat in the normal RAF cockpit greyish green as I've seen this on other builds and like the look.  It's also possible that Supermarine bought in the seats from a sub contractor who used the stock RAF colour, in an effort to help ramp up production.  I've again used Eduard Look etch seatbelts as I get on with these much more than I do with other types which only succeed in raising my blood pressure .

 

 

The fuselage and a couple of wing bits have been sprayed in Tamiya rattle can AS12, then the green cockpit colour airbrushed where needed.  I've gone with the same layout for the green paint as my 2024 early Spitfire, as I've read various pilot's recollections indicating that the green painted areas were reduced as time passed and production tempo was increased.  These early rudder pedals had "Supermarine" etched into them, and this is one of those details that disappeared during 1940.  Here we have various cockpit parts in equally various stages of completion.  The pilot's heel board is not glued in place on the floor at bottom left, but merely placed while the hell board is glued to the fuselage frame.

 

 

After the seat, the next bit completed was the instrument panel, which uses 3D decals for the instrument panel and compass.

 

 

With the IP glued in place, I could then glue the heel boards and rudder pedals in place.  I used one of the cockpit side walls to ensure the instrument panel was vertical, and left this to dry.  Incidentally, I've slightly thinned those side wall mounting tabs as I almost broke a sidewall in half trying to get it off the floor during a test fit.

 

 

That's it for the moment.  More cockpit work for the next update.

 

 

Cheer,

Michael

[geedubelyer]

It's always a pleasure watching a Kotare build and this is no exception.

 

Great stuff Michael, keep at it 

[Biggles87]

Good progress with the cockpit.

I agree with you on the colour variation, I think that parts supplied by sub-contractors would probably have varied in colour.

 

John. 🇺🇦

[dennismcc]

Nice start, that IP looks great.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Gazzas]

Nice start.  It's aways good to cleanse the pallet with a good kit.

[Dpgsbody55]

23 hours ago, geedubelyer said:

It's always a pleasure watching a Kotare build and this is no exception.

 

Great stuff Michael, keep at it 

 

Thanks Guy.  Kotare kits are pure fun.  

 

21 hours ago, Biggles87 said:

Good progress with the cockpit.

I agree with you on the colour variation, I think that parts supplied by sub-contractors would probably have varied in colour.

 

John. 🇺🇦

 

Thanks John.  I also have the Kotare PR1 Spitfire, so that will get the same treatment.

 

20 hours ago, dennismcc said:

Nice start, that IP looks great.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

Thanks Dennis, but I can only claim for my effort on the lower half of that part.  Eduard's 3d decal gets the gong for the top half.  Unless you credit me with excellence in filing off the kit detail, there .

 

3 hours ago, Gazzas said:

Nice start.  It's aways good to cleanse the pallet with a good kit.

 

Thanks Gary.  This is definitely what the French might call an "amuse bouche" after battling with that Hellcat.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

[Dpgsbody55]

Cockpit work continues with the floor and frame section now complete.

 

The next parts to go in were the control column and it's elevator operating lever long with the fuel tank/firewall piece.  The firewall had the holes at the bottom drilled out before fitting.  The control column is in two pieces, with the upper spade grip being separate from the lower part.  Unfortunately, this doesn't mean you can pose this to cater for aileron up/down as the brake hoses don't permit this.  The operating rod for the elevators also goes in at the same time, which is a bit fiddly trying to bring the two together and in the right slits on the floor and column all at the same time.  The elevator rod must be vertical too, as it slides into a slot on the seat frame.

 

 

 

 

The pilot's seat could go on next, after the seat and cockpit frame were glued together and allowed to dry.  I widened the slot in the frame a little for the elevator rods as they were a little tight.  Apologies for the dark pictures, but I took these pictures when sunlight was flooding into the room, and I couldn't edit out enough shadow.

 

 

 

 

The next parts to go on were the two back fuselage frames and flare launcher, together with the cross brace.  I'd have liked to drill out the lightening holes in that brace, but I've had too many disasters happen in the past to attempt it again.  They're not that visible once the fuselage is closed up anyway.  I also didn't rig the control cables as I have no 0.15mm wire and you have to peer down through the rear glass to see them after completion.  I did break the middle frame here,drilling out the lightening holes, and repairing this invisibly took a couple of attempts.  After all the glue had set on this, I put the Eduard steel seat belts in place.  These tested my patience a bit too as the instrument panel got in the way after I'd bent them into shape.  Oh well, they sit in place well enough in the end, but not easy with cold fingers.  It's winter here.  Sunny, but very cold with the south west winds having a big wind chill factor, having come up from the Antarctic and nothing but open sea in between.🥶

 

 

 

 

My next steps for the next update will be the cockpit sides, assembling the cockpit tub and shoving the lot into a fuselage. 

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

 

 

 

[Furie]

Very nice work on the cockpit, Michael.

The foundation provided by Kotare is excellent.

It's true that many of the details won't be visible anymore once the model is assembled, but who's going to complain about that?

As for me, despite a careful build, I ran into some major issues when it came time to close up the fuselage.

For some reason I still can't figure out, the two rear fuselage frames prevented everything from fitting together properly.

I had to sand down the upper part of those two frames to get the top section of the fuselage to sit perfectly with the fuselage halves.

Keep up the great work, Michael.

Edited June 15 by Furie