Hasegawa Spitfire MkVb (rebuilding from an old MkVI)

[Enrico]

Hi guys,

 

while I have tons of wonderful, highly detailed, extra precise, very expensive new kits waiting for me... I decided to re-build my very first kit... that I put together something like 35 years ago. At that time I started as a large scale planes fan and I went for an Hasegawa Spitfire MkVI 1/32. Unfortunately my skill was not up to date for the job. Later the model passed through some home relocations and some parts were lost. I found it last year and quickly I started thinking how to re-build it.

 

The old Hasegawa seems a good kit, accurate plastic and detailed cockpit for that time, but to obtain a MkVI Hasegawa just put a four blade propeller and changed wing tips to the previous MkV. Unfortunately the main difference is that MKVI had pressurized cockpit and this means no door, different canopy and some other details. So I decided to go for an MkVb, making from scratch wing tips. I also rebuild the main canopy, antenna mast, pitot tube and a lot of cockpit details. Aftermarket helped me with the Rotol propeller, exhaust, Hispano cannons, undercarriage and wheels.

 

This plane is the  MkVb EP-461-FD flown by Wg/Cdr Frantisek Dolezal in 1942.

 

Cheers mate.

 

Before:

 

 

After

 

 

 

 

(w.i.p.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bill Cross]

Well, I'm not sure it's the best use of your time, but damned if you didn't bring it up to speed.

[Out2gtcha]

Indeed, a huge improvement on the original! We all need to build skills, and the only way to do that is practice. Much easier to do that with a rebuild than an expensive new tool kit. I think it can all be very worth while. 

 

Please do continue to share, as practice and modeling of any kind can build your skills a lot. 

[Bill Cross]

Agreed. I don't wish to imply the effort is anything less than outstanding. It's just "so many kits, so little time."

[Enrico]

Just added the mirror and taken some decent picture. This is my 4th model since I started modeling. Next project, already on the workbench, a very old and very odd Hurricane MkIIc Revell 1/32, straight from the '70s. After some work it should became an Hurry in VVS service, the test bench for white winter camo. The experiences go on.

 

Cheers from Italy

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mywifehatesmodels]

Fantastic "Refurb". WOW!

 

John