Big Tony Posted January 30, 2018 Share Posted January 30, 2018 Hiya Folks, It has been a while, due to ill health, operations and hospital stays but I`ve got one finished at last,...... Well I`ve finally got around to finishing my Pacific Coast Models Spitfire Mk.XIV after deciding which scheme I wanted to finish it,..and eventually opted for the aircraft flown by Sqn. Ldr, James `Ginger' Lacey at the time he commanded 17 Sqn in Singapore during 1945, just after the war had ended. First a bit of background; As commanding officer of No. 17 Squadron in India and flying Merlin engined Spitfire VIII`s, Sqn. Ldr. James `Ginger' Lacey claimed his last aircraft on 19th February 1945 by shooting down a Japanese Army Air Force Ki 43 “Oscar†using only nine 20mm cannon rounds. Lacey was one of the few RAF pilots on operational duties on both the opening and closing day of the war and his final tally was 28 confirmed, four probables and nine damaged, which was displayed under the cockpit of his Griffon engined Spitfire Mk.XIV, with which 17 Sqn was re equipped for the proposed invasion of Malaya. With the war coming to a close before this invasion could take place Lacey led the unit to Singapore instead when the colony was re occupied and in 1946 he took 17 Sqn to join the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces in Japan, still with Spitfire XIV`s,....although after a failed attempt to strip them to bare metal they were repainted in overall Med. Sea Grey with Dark Green sisruptive camouflage on the upper surfaces,.....but digress!. Here are some photos of Laceys `real' Spitfire Mk.XIV, from the time in Singapore....it has often been replicated in Dark Earth and Dark Green with white SEAC bands before,....but it was in fact a faded but very well kept and clean (hardly any exhaust staining or dirt) Ocean Grey and Dark Green with Medium Sea Grey undersides aircraft which had the original European style RAF national markings over painted using Dark Green which was blended into the existing camouflage where possible and note the white codes thinly outlined with black, the 17 Sqn Gauntlet insignia on the nose and Laceys scoreboard and command pennant under the cockpit,...the spinner is often depicted as being black but it has also been said to be blue too and judging from available photo`s it does seem to match the blue sections of the Sqn. Ldr.s pennant.; And here are some other unit aircraft from around the same time,...some had SEAC bands applied and some `may' have had the Dark Earth/ Dark Green camouflage,..although faded Day Fighter green grey colours with painted out markings do appear to be more common; And now the model; The PCM kit seemed to come and go from sale very quickly and unfortunately has not been available for some time now,....so I`m glad that I got mine when I did. The construction was mixed media with plastic main parts supplemented by resin and brass and it went together quite well really although the wing centre section was quite a struggle to match to the fuselage, especially along the undersides,.....but a bit of fettling here and there did the trick! Colour wise,...the model was brush painted using my dwindling stock of Polly Scale acrylic`s,.......and Humbrol enamel Trainer yellow was used to try and replicate some of the outer wing leading edge colour showing through after this had been over painted on the real aeroplane along with the European style RAF national markings. Polly Scale US Sea Blue was used to replicate the blue spinner with Humbrol enamels used for the interior, propellers, wheels etc. Anyway,....without any more waffling on,....here is the model; DSCF2411 by Tony OToole, on Flickr DSCF2410 by Tony OToole, on Flickr DSCF2408 by Tony OToole, on Flickr DSCF2409 by Tony OToole, on Flickr DSCF2412 by Tony OToole, on Flickr DSCF2420 by Tony OToole, on Flickr DSCF2421 by Tony OToole, on Flickr DSCF2426 by Tony OToole, on Flickr It really is an excellent kit and I wish that I could have afforded to snaffle away a couple more while they were available,....oh well!! Cheers, Tony Bill Cross, Lud13, Rocat and 30 others 33 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aircare84 Posted January 30, 2018 Share Posted January 30, 2018 Tony, What a nice Spitfire! I can't believe you brush painted it. How did you get the paint so even & smooth? I have trouble leaving brush marks on small pieces. Hope you are finished with the hospital & health issues. Thanks for sharing. Big Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DONG Posted January 30, 2018 Share Posted January 30, 2018 I know what you mean about health and hospital stays going thru it now. Beautiful Spitfire well done. Don Big Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Tony Posted January 30, 2018 Author Share Posted January 30, 2018 Thanks Fella`s,....glad you like it. Hopefully the operations will hold out for now,......but it was to help treat my old Army injuries which are getting worse as I get older. They have shored up the worst of the damage although it is still extremely painful,....but hey ho,..crap happens!! Regarding the painting,.....it is just years of practice,......I use wide flat brushes for larger areas and don`t apply the paint too thickly,....preferring to build up 3-4 coats and I sand the model in between each one. For the last coat a dry brushing technique is often enough, depending on the colour and I use this technique with both acrylics and enamels,....whichever is the most suitable colour. I apply a coat of Humbrol 35 gloss varnish ready for the decals,....seal them into place with more varnih and then apply the matt varnish in the same way as the paint......thats it,.....not exactly rocket science, just what I ended up with over the years! All the best and cheers again from the UK, Tony LSP_Kevin, MikeC, Sepp and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shan Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 wow, thats amazing!! Brush painted? no way, thats got to be airbrushed? Big Tony, Tnarg and Jeff 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cees Broere Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 Beautiful XIV Tony, my all time favourite Spit. Powerful yet graceful. Cheers Cees Big Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alaninaustria Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 What a beautifully done bird!! Outstanding! That Griffon engine and five blade prop just scream power!! Outstanding!! Cheers Alan Big Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodgem37 Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 My favorite Spitfire. Nicely rendered. Good show. Sincerely, Mark Big Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan_G Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 great build Tony! really like it jan Big Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunda Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 Oh yeah! Love it! Same as the others I love the XIV- looks like a total beast while still looking graceful. You still see these kits on fleabay quite regularly but they aint that cheap and mainly in the US. Same as you, I wish Id snapped one or two up when they were available for reasonable money. Big Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grissom Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 Beautifully executed, Tony - Love the result. As others have said, you are highly skilled in brushed finishes. All the best with your modelling endeavours and here's hoping that you return to good health soon. Wayne Big Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Molitor Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 Lovely looking late Spitfire Tony. Wishing you a speedy recovery or at least the worst part being over sooner rather than later. All the best wish here. Again lovely Spit. Troy Big Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haggis9444 Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 That's a fantastic build. Not the usual stock paint scheme which is great. I bought another PCM XIV when I heard the company was closing down as it's a fantastic kit. Well done.. Big Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Tony Posted February 1, 2018 Author Share Posted February 1, 2018 A fine piece of work Tony, I must say . There appear to be a few more PCM Spitfire XIVc s available here in the states if you're interested : https://www.kitlinx.com/cgi/display.cgi?item_num=PCM32015&title=British-Spitfire-MK%2EXIVc Wow thanks, both for your kind comment and also for the heads up on the PCM Spit`s. I will certainly chase them up and hopefully the postage and import tax into the UK will not be too much. All the best Tony MikeMaben and Shaka HI 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Tony Posted February 1, 2018 Author Share Posted February 1, 2018 Thanks again everybody for your very kind words and glad you like my hairy brushing,....some of us are still stuck in the dark ages,......although as I have to model on a tea tray on the couch I don`t think my lovely missus would take kindly to an air brush, even she isn`t that patient!! Cheers Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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