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1/32 Kotare conversion; Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk.Vb YO-A 401 Sqn RCAF.


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3 hours ago, mozart said:

Great idea Andy, and very brave but to quote Del Boy…..”he who dares wins Rodney!”

 

No going back now Max as the wing tips are off :clap2:

 

I think I have remembered everything I need to do on this one and if so I'm thinking everything will come together quite nicely.

 

Regards. Andy 

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I decided to spend some more time sanding the deleted gun covers on the upper wings as Kotare have these sitting slightly proud on the kits which gives some nice visual interest but definitely not needed on the B wings smoothed out as best as I can.

 

20240129-203607.jpg

 

and under a light coat of primer 

 

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very happy with how that has gone and now to the lower wing

 

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Initial sanding complete and then under some primer

 

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Pretty happy so far but will let everything cure and shrink back should it wish to before a final round of filling/sanding....how very painful.

 

Regards. Andy 

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Looking good so far.

I also started the Hobbyboss Mk5 a few years ago but gave up after a while. I just couldn’t live with that rounded fuselage spine and the general ‘clunkiness ‘  of the whole thing so I might follow your example when I eventually get a Kotare Spitfire.

Meanwhile I’ll follow yours closely.

 

John

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I finished the Hobbyboss kit a few years back as I wanted a Mk.Vb on the shelf, but I wasn't mad on it I must admit, and I wasn't terribly upset when the dog knocked it off the shelf and it fell to its death!

 

Just hope Kotare step up and do give us one this year - and a Vc would be fantastic too!

 

Failing that, I'll have to be brave like you Andy and attempt a Kotare conversion..

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On 1/30/2024 at 10:58 AM, Shoggz said:

I finished the Hobbyboss kit a few years back as I wanted a Mk.Vb on the shelf, but I wasn't mad on it I must admit, and I wasn't terribly upset when the dog knocked it off the shelf and it fell to its death!

 

Just hope Kotare step up and do give us one this year - and a Vc would be fantastic too!

 

Failing that, I'll have to be brave like you Andy and attempt a Kotare conversion..

My thinking is that I have all the bits and pieces to do this conversion and seems a waste not to use them  while I have a Spitfire building head on. Equally hoping Kotare go with a Vc rather than the Vb whenever but let's see.

 

Regards. Andy 

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Managed some good progress on the wings during the week. First up I needed to fill the oil cooler recesses and with the excellent fit of the Kotare part I figured why bother with filler and use the kit part instead as so much easier and cleaner and with that it was chopped apart

 

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and then the lower part glued in to place requiring minimal filler

 

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I then cleaned up the lower blisters from the AML set and realised they have dropped the ball a bit in making them symmetrical which they aren't so I taped them together and sanded them down as much as possible.

 

Before

 

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and after

 

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May need some more adjustment and it is quite subtle but on side is flatter than the other as well as the bottom of the teardrop being much rounder.

 

A quick test fit along with the HB oil cooler which needs some remedial work regarding the shape. I've also added the Hispanno cannon shell ejector exits

 

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Then on to the upper wing,  some re-scribing and test fitting th resin bulges

 

20240202-214046.jpg

 

Plenty of  clean up to do but have a very clear mind where I'm going with this.

 

Regards. Andy 

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Me too!

Good tip on the oil cooler, I probably wouldn’t have thought of doing that.

I dug out my partially completed HB Mk V yesterday to see what was worth salvaging. I had bought a few Grey Matters bits to correct the kit errors including a new lower ( slightly bulged ) nose cowling with better Aboukir filter, new prop and spinner and fishtail exhausts to  depict Ian Gleed’s aircraft as shown on the box. I’m hoping to get my Kotare Spitfire in April when some friends are coming to visit us from the UK.

Looking forward to the next instalment, keep up the good work.

 

John

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On 2/3/2024 at 7:11 AM, MikeC said:

This looks to be going well.  Making notes ...

I'm enjoying this one Mike, I really hope Kotare go for a Vc but if they do release  a Vb I do hope they include necessary parts for the desert!

 

Regards. Andy 

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On 2/3/2024 at 7:47 AM, Biggles87 said:

Me too!

Good tip on the oil cooler, I probably wouldn’t have thought of doing that.

I dug out my partially completed HB Mk V yesterday to see what was worth salvaging. I had bought a few Grey Matters bits to correct the kit errors including a new lower ( slightly bulged ) nose cowling with better Aboukir filter, new prop and spinner and fishtail exhausts to  depict Ian Gleed’s aircraft as shown on the box. I’m hoping to get my Kotare Spitfire in April when some friends are coming to visit us from the UK.

Looking forward to the next instalment, keep up the good work.

 

John

There isn't much salvageable from the HB kir really John as its so badly shaped in the fuselage. I think the only parts I've kept are some upper wing blisters which I chopped out of the sings and sanded suitably.

 

Regards. Andy 

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On 2/3/2024 at 2:33 PM, Uncarina said:

Masterful work Andy! Good catch with those lower blisters and excellent workaround using the Kotare part itself to fill the gap.

 

Cheers,  Tom

 

Thanks for looking in Tom, it's a very nice kit and being impatient I've gathered everything together to do this conversion, think I've got it all covered. 

 

Regards. Andy 

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Some work on the cockpit after noticing the shrinkage of the putty on the lower wings which recieved a good coat of Mr Surfacer 1000

 

First up I removed the instrument panel mouldings in readiness for the Yahu panel

 

20240204-141556.jpg

 

And then worked on getting the Barracudacast resin seat to fit. I removed the mounting points from the kit seat sides 

 

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glued these to the bulkhead and then fiited the seat

 

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Also worked on the cockpit floor and found some 2 level pedals suitable for the Mk.V in the spares box

 

20240204-161120.jpg

 

So far so good and coming along nicely.

 

Regards. Andy 

 

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6 hours ago, monthebiff said:

I'm enjoying this one Mike, I really hope Kotare go for a Vc but if they do release  a Vb I do hope they include necessary parts for the desert!

 

Regards. Andy 

If they follow the WNW release model I can see separate boxings for Vb, Vc, with and without assorted filters and other desert equipment.

 

Anyway,  don't want to derail your thread.  May I ask why you decided to replace the seat?  I was planning to go with the kit seat for mine.

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