Airfix 1/24th scale Mk.IX Spitfire........March 2024. All done

[geedubelyer]

13 hours ago, CraigH said:

Hi again Guy

Somewhere in the back of my now Stuka obsessed mind, I remembered checking the oleo extension to scale while building my Spitfire last year. The font of all knowledge, Monforton, kindly gives us the extension with the full weight of the plane sitting on it at 12.45cm which back of a fag packet maths gives us 5mm at 1:24. I think you'll find Airfix are spot on with their extension, no chopping needed

Hi @CraigH, excellent information and good to know. Thanks for your explanation. 

 

13 hours ago, Timmy! said:

Got dang GW.  You consistently nail the random variation of finish with your models.  Well done brocheese!

Hi @Timmy!, thanks man. That's a really kind comment and much appreciated. Glad you're enjoying things so far.

 

5 hours ago, mozart said:

Where’s the missing starboard exhaust Guy, or am I “missing” something?

 Hi @mozart As @Nighthawk Calling 1 explained I inadvertently fed the carpet monster a snack. 

I'm going to use a kit part for now but leave it unglued in the vain hope that the errant Eduard part is regurgitated at some random time in the future 

 

5 hours ago, Nighthawk Calling 1 said:

Reading above he feed it to the carpet monster lol.

 Carpet monster's gotta eat, right?

My builds are not complete unless I lose some part or other or break something 

 

[geedubelyer]

As it turns out, this build is getting perilously close to completion 

I keep looking for jobs to do and realise there's not alot left 

 

One thing I had been mulling over was how to recreate the gun port coverings often seen on WWII RAF aircraft. 

After help from the Aviation resource forum I learnt that the tape squares were pre-formed and 8"x8". My calculations made this equivalent to 8.4mm in 1/24th scale. 

Airfix provide decals which I could have used but you know me, why make anything simple, right?

So instead, I mixed up a brick red shade and painted some cigarette paper. Cut that into squares and used diluted PVA glue to adhere them to the airframe. 

 

 

 

The intention was to create a little more texture than the decal would have given. 

As you can see, I intentionally haven't been too careful with the placement in an attempt at realism. I doubt the fitters in the field got rulers and squares on these. 

[chuck540z3]

This Spit really looks terrific Guy!  I really like the chipping on the wings, which looks like a lot pics of the real deal for intensity and pattern.  The gun covers look very realistic as well- and a lot better than decals or thick tape.  This model will be my next build, so I’ll be sure to archive your detailed efforts as a great reference.

 

Cheers,

Chuck

 

 

[LSP_Kevin]

Nicely done, Guy!

 

Kev

[PEYSSON Gilles]

3 hours ago, geedubelyer said:

As it turns out, this build is getting perilously close to completion 

I keep looking for jobs to do and realise there's not alot left 

 

One thing I had been mulling over was how to recreate the gun port coverings often seen on WWII RAF aircraft. 

After help from the Aviation resource forum I learnt that the tape squares were pre-formed and 8"x8". My calculations made this equivalent to 8.4mm in 1/24th scale. 

Airfix provide decals which I could have used but you know me, why make anything simple, right?

So instead, I mixed up a brick red shade and painted some cigarette paper. Cut that into squares and used diluted PVA glue to adhere them to the airframe. 

 

 

 

The intention was to create a little more texture than the decal would have given. 

As you can see, I intentionally haven't been too careful with the placement in an attempt at realism. I doubt the fitters in the field got rulers and squares on these. 

 

Hello

 

I think so too

Great job ...

 

Gilles

 

 

[geedubelyer]

On 3/3/2024 at 6:31 PM, chuck540z3 said:

This Spit really looks terrific Guy!  I really like the chipping on the wings, which looks like a lot pics of the real deal for intensity and pattern.  The gun covers look very realistic as well- and a lot better than decals or thick tape.  This model will be my next build, so I’ll be sure to archive your detailed efforts as a great reference.

 

Cheers,

Chuck

 

 

 

Thanks for the kind words Chuck. I very much look forward to seeing an Airfix Spitfire "kicked up a notch" 

 

On 3/3/2024 at 8:40 PM, LSP_Kevin said:

Nicely done, Guy!

 

Kev

Thanks Kev, glad you like it.

 

On 3/3/2024 at 8:48 PM, PEYSSON Gilles said:

 

Hello

 

I think so too

Great job ...

 

Gilles

 

 

Hi Gilles, many thanks. Much appreciated.

 

Just a quick update on the misaligned flat spots. 

I've had a go at sanding them back a bit. 

As @JayW pointed out earlier, there's plenty of meat left. 

I didn't go all the way flat though. Just enough to be disguised by a grassy base so that the tyres don't actually look punctured. 

 

 

Hopefully it looks ok. The flock of this grass mat is very short. The final base is likely to be longer and more in scale but I needed to get a flavour of how it will look.

 

As you can also see, I've added the gear doors, wheel centres and dust covers. 

All that's left to complete on the undercarriage is connecting the brake hoses. 

 

 

[Biggles87]

Looks good to me.

 

John

[mozart]

Yep, that works Guy, congratulations on a fine solution.

[CraigH]

On 2/23/2024 at 5:36 PM, Shoggz said:

Intruiging!

The first bit of my "sworn to secrecy" from 1ManArmy is out ...1:24 FW190.(Reviewed by Nige) The second bit will follow soon

[geedubelyer]

Hello folks.

 

I'm into the last few finishing bits now.

 

I've fettled the pitot as the kit bit is a bit "chunky".

 

 

 

Speaking of chunky......the kit door looks to be quite thick.

 

Also, in this scale the door catch mechanism lacks fidelity which is a shame. 

After attempting to scratch build one without success I've ordered a Buchon models replacement.

 

I think that's about it 

 

Well, almost. I'd like to make a base for it so RFI will have to wait until that's done. For now here are a few quick and dirty overviews

 

 

 

 

 

May I take this opportunity to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who stopped by for a look and contributed with words of encouragement, sage advice and oodles of information.

I genuinely couldn't have done it without everyone's help. 

Hope you enjoyed it. 

See you over in the Silver Jubilee group build. 

 

Cheers,

 

Guy 

Edited March 10, 2024 by geedubelyer

[mozart]

Congratulations Guy, can’t wait to see the whole deal ready to display. It’s been a pleasure to watch this all develop. 

[geedubelyer]

Here's a pic of the Buchon models replacement Spitfire door. 

 

 

This has greater fidelity than the kit part and feels to be more in scale. 

 

I'll add a comparison pic when it's painted so you folk can judge for yourselves. 

 

 

 

 

Cheers. 

 

Edit*

Here are a couple of bonus images taken outside on a grassy base until I can get some proper ones. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 22, 2024 by geedubelyer

[CraigH]

1 hour ago, geedubelyer said:

Here's a pic of the Buchon models replacement Spitfire door. 

 

 

This has greater fidelity than the kit part and feels to be more in scale. 

 

I'll add a comparison pic when it's painted so you folk can judge for yourselves. 

 

Cheers. 

Oh that's nice. Wish I'd waited for all the AM now

[CraigH]

1 hour ago, geedubelyer said:

Here's a pic of the Buchon models replacement Spitfire door. 

 

 

This has greater fidelity than the kit part and feels to be more in scale. 

 

I'll add a comparison pic when it's painted so you folk can judge for yourselves. 

 

Cheers. 

Actually, I could still fit it

[chaos07]

On 3/3/2024 at 11:12 AM, geedubelyer said:

o instead, I mixed up a brick red shade and painted some cigarette paper. Cut that into squares and used diluted PVA glue to adhere them to the airframe. 

Cigarette paper . . . that's something I'll have to add to the kit to have on hand for future use.  Awesome idea, and you pulled it off quite well - awesome work so far.