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Spitfire Mk VIII


Dpgsbody55

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My next project.  It's way too long since I built anything Tamiya, so here goes.

 

azQQns.jpg

 

Most of the after market I will be using on this.

 

J3M0wX.jpg

 

The Master gun barrels are actually left overs from the Spitfire XVI I built for the Colour My World Blue group build.  I bought two of these and used the cannon stubs from both kits for that model, and I'll be using the main cannon barrels from one in this build and the other will be used in the Spitfire IX when I eventually build that.

 

I've spent a little time today drilling out the lightening holes in some of the parts, but still have a ways to go with that having otherwise had a fairly busy day.  I hope to get to some gluing and painting in the next couple of days.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

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I've not made a lot of progress this last week, thanks to trying to get my new flight simulator installed.  I bought the top line version and only got the standard version, and Microsoft can't seem to tell me why despite many others having the same issue.  That saga will continue for a few more days until I delete it and demand a refund. :BANGHEAD2::BANGHEAD2:

 

So...  The Spitfire.  I've been preparing some of the parts for painting of the interior colour, and sprayed the bare metal insides of the fuselage.  In this MkVIII model, there's a part to be fitted into the lower fuselage behind the cockpit for some sort of orange light.  I've no idea what this is, and I can't see any sign of it on the pictures I've looked at, so I'm hoping someone here might be able to tell me what this part (DD4) is supposed to represent and was this light fitted to all MkVIII's. 

 

This arrived today too, so it should enhance the cockpit nicely if I don't break it. :rolleyes:  I bought two, but the second is for my future Spitfire IX project.

 

Hysfli.jpg

 

I've also been working on the engine.  I glued the block together, along with the sump and have painted that silver.  Some Merlins seem to have unpainted blocks, so mine will have one also if for no other reason than to be different from Spitfires I've built in the past.  Next, I glued the cylinder heads together, adding in an extra magnet to each to help with retaining the cowlings, and added some photo etch fro the Rolls Royce name plate missing from the rocker covers.  After that, I glued the supercharger assembly together. 

 

uWcpFr.jpg

 

Each was painted separately, then assembled once dry.  Here's the result.

 

EKRSxl.jpg

 

There's lots more work to be done on the engine, but at least it's in a form I can use to put the engine bearer together so I can detail that also.

 

So in between wrestling with Microsoft and Christmas preparations, I'm hoping this weekend I'll get a chance to spray some RAF interior green on this model and then I can properly get stuck in.  Until next time, by which time I hope my headache has gone. :lol:

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

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Nice progress! That really makes me want to start one of my Tamiya Spits.

If you're intrigued to go into super detailing, you might want to take a look into Gary's WiP:

There you'll find some pictures from Vincent's build, too. Long story short: Tamiya's interior resembles a Mk.IX but not a Mk.VIII.

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On 12/5/2020 at 2:04 AM, Fanes said:

Nice progress! That really makes me want to start one of my Tamiya Spits.

If you're intrigued to go into super detailing, you might want to take a look into Gary's WiP:

There you'll find some pictures from Vincent's build, too. Long story short: Tamiya's interior resembles a Mk.IX but not a Mk.VIII.

 

Thanks for the link.  It certainly makes for some pertinent and interesting reading, and will give me some direction on this project.

 

And said direction seems to have been lacking so far as I've spent many hours flipping back and forth through the instructions deciding on the best method to tackle this.  But that's largely stopped now, brain is in gear and a little progress made.  I like to paint all the interior parts at the same time, so some work has gone into preparing them for that.  I have started on the interior, with the sides glued to the fuselage rather than the floor as suggested by the instructions, the instrument panel is under way, as is the seat mounting frame.

 

The seat mount has been glued to the relative frame, and photo etch attached to the sides, then the lightening holes were drilled.  There's still a little more work to do here before attaching it to the floor.  All the lightening holes have been drilled on this and all other frames.

 

4zlp4U.jpg

 

I've also spent some time on the fuselage sides, drilling more holes, painting and drilling holes for cables etc to be added later.  Here's the left side:

 

k6dBDj.jpg

 

And the right side:

 

p0bS23.jpg

 

From here, I can start adding more details.

 

Next is the instrument panel.  As mentioned, I have some Eduard etch kits to add to this model, but on looking at other's work lately, I decided to have a go at the kit parts, rather than use the etch pieces.  While nice and easy to assemble and get a good finish, there's a bit more of a challenge with the kit parts, so here goes.  After painting, and picking out some of the panel in paint, I added the decals to the clear pieces then glued them into place when the decals had dried.  The flight instruments were built in the same way, but the panel itself is a steel etch part provided by Tamiya.  Here's the results so far:

 

otoYjw.jpg

 

Main panel:

 

XdhkRb.jpg

 

Flight instruments:

 

jz0uwe.jpg

 

The panel is now mounted in place, onto the panel frame/firewall assembly:

 

muQ24J.jpg

 

There's still some more work to do on the panel, but it's getting there.  I'm not entirely happy with the compass either, which is OOB with some Micro Kristal Klear added to make a glass face that matches the gauges on the IP, and may yet use the Eduard part for this.

 

So that's it for now.  I'll be continuing on the instrument panel assembly so I hope there will be another update shortly with that part of the model finished.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

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Nice to see a Spitfire being built, I really like the VIII, I built on once using the Paragon conversion for the Hasegawa Mk. V as a base.

The downward amber identification lamp is discussed here https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234919599-spitfire-viiviii-downward-indetification-lamp/

According to the late Spitfire expert Edgar Brooks:

 

Posted 01 June 2012 - 02:25 PM

Note that, on the VIII & XIV, the amber under-fuselage light was moved back aft of the radio compartment (even further back on the XVIII,) so Tamiya got that spot-on.
Edgar

 

Lots more info in the link.

 

Edit, here is the light on a Mk.I

xtV0xm.jpg

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

 

Edited by dennismcc
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11 hours ago, dennismcc said:

Nice to see a Spitfire being built, I really like the VIII, I built on once using the Paragon conversion for the Hasegawa Mk. V as a base.

The downward amber identification lamp is discussed here https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234919599-spitfire-viiviii-downward-indetification-lamp/

According to the late Spitfire expert Edgar Brooks:

 

Posted 01 June 2012 - 02:25 PM

Note that, on the VIII & XIV, the amber under-fuselage light was moved back aft of the radio compartment (even further back on the XVIII,) so Tamiya got that spot-on.
Edgar

 

Lots more info in the link.

 

Edit, here is the light on a Mk.I

xtV0xm.jpg

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

 

 

Thank you, Dennis.  Some great info there.  I will put this part in my model since it was operational in early 1945.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

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8 hours ago, MARU5137 said:

Michael,

Instrument  panels is very NEAT..

Flawless work. 

:clap2:  :yahoo:

 

Dennis, Helpful  link .  :thumbsup:

 

Thanks, but the trouble with taking photos then enlarging them is that you start to see issues.  The panel is still a WIP, so hopefully I can fix the issues I've noticed in my pictures.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

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On 12/13/2020 at 6:36 PM, MARU5137 said:

Michael,

Thats very bold of you to say that.

I am sure , a modeller  of your calibre

will turn out a super  looking model.

You can do this.

 

:thumbsup:  :clap2:

 

 

Thank you, but there are some much more talented modelers here than me.  That said, they do inspire me and I think my modelling has improved thanks to them, as well as most other contributors here who make me think a bit more.  Which is the main reason for these forums, after all :D.

 

I've made a little more progress since the last update.  The panel itself is now finished.  As well as the flying instruments, I've added a little of the photo etch to spice up the kit panel; items such as switches and the wiring down the left side, as well as tidy up some of the painting.  I've also accentuated the undercarriage warning lights by firstly painting both silver, then over-painting in clear red and green.  Here's the result.

 

ejIAN0.jpg

 

I've also completed the rudder pedals, to which I've added the pedal details from the Eduard kit.

 

cvABlA.jpg

 

Next, the control column assembly is complete, and I've added some cabling for the ailerons and brakes.  This was made from lengths of 0.3mm pre-coloured wire.

 

Jp1vMs.jpg

 

And here are all three glued together.

 

8e57hO.jpg

 

aA7tnQ.jpg

 

To make sure all the components were lined up, I placed the assembly into the floor, then placed that into the fuselage halves and clamped them together.

 

ckoy44.jpg

 

I think it's starting to look reasonably convincing, if I do say so myself. :D

 

Next I will be working on the frames for the rear part of the cockpit then I'll glue them into place on the cockpit floor, along with IP/control column/rudder pedal assembly.  Then I'll put some more work into the cockpit sides.  I'll probably add the seat last, after the complete floor and undercarriage lever and associated plumbing has gone in, pretty much the same as I did when I built my MkXVI for the Colour My World Blue group build.  Hopefully, the result will be at least as good as that project.  Definitely loving this kit.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

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