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Spitfire MkXVI, SL721


Dpgsbody55

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It's long overdue on my part that I updated this.  Alas, I've been afflicted with a case of modeller's block.  I've been following Chuck540z3's Spitfire build http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=72158&page=1  as my source of inspiration for the engine, and have come to realise that my eyes just aren't up to doing this, which is a bit depressing.  I've also been hampered by a deficient set of drill bits, but that has now been rectified.  So I have been getting back into it over the last couple of weeks, and here's where I'm up to now.

 

Firewall:

XrrtDq.jpg

 

Engine bearers:

HTkmpY.jpg

 

Wn6u6U.jpg

 

Here's a couple with the firewall in place.  I wanted to check the fit, without the engine to worry about as well, but it makes an interesting shot anyway and provides some inspiration.

 

Oa7Zzy.jpg

 

MabMBC.jpg

 

A little more detail added and this alone might make for the basis of an interesting diorama.

 

The propeller is finished, and I've also started on the engine plumbing.  It won't be as well detailed as Chuck's, but I'll do what I can.

 

RBkFvS.jpg

 

Incidentally, as I put the engine together, I added some more magnets in an attempt to boost the attraction to the cowlings, as I've read that the cowlings don't always want to stay on.

 

oPkTJn.jpg

 

I'm now working on the ignition system using plastic rod and 0.3mm wire.  The spark plug wiring to the sides of the engine are almost done and will be in place by the end of the weekend, but the top set is giving me some grief.  I shall plug on :D :D

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

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Thanks for the kind words.  Got a bit more done this weekend, but not as much as I'd like to.  Isn't that always the way, though?? :(  It's not going to be as detailed as I'd like, but the good news is I still have a Mk8 and Mk9 to build, so practice makes perfect.  A new set of eyes would also help  :lol:  :lol:  :lol: .  

 

Got one side of the ignition harness on, after an awful moment when 1 wire fell out.  But that's fixed with a lot of holding of breath.  The other side is ready to be mounted, and that will take a few days as I need to mount the harness, let it dry, then connect it to the magneto.  Then on to the top set of 12 wires, which I still have no idea how to tackle.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

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  • 2 weeks later...

I got the engine finished last night, and now I can finally turn another page on the instructions.  It's taken 2 months to get the engine and cradle to this point, and I'm a lot more pleased with the results than expected.  A good quality pin vise for tiny drill bits and a new set of tiny bits have been a huge boon to this build.

 

Here's the finished engine.  Unfortunately, the paint got a little damaged during the build process, but it's sorted now.  I also decided to mount the header tank on the engine before adding it to it's cradle and this saved some alignment issues I may have had.

rRZvHJ.jpg

 

kxpQXe.jpg

 

kBAopV.jpg

 

Here's the engine cradle.  I've added a line from the engine hydraulic pump which is connected after engine installation.  It's the black/unpainted wire you can see that goes no where.

 

oPE0IV.jpg

 

WqXoHb.jpg

 

Header tank attached.

 

zMJ29R.jpg

 

Engine and cradle together, and the paint patched up.

 

sowhMf.jpg

 

ULXflB.jpg

 

YaXse2.jpg

 

I may build some the hoses that come off the header tank and go to the inlet manifolds.  This area of the engine is the one poor part of this kit that I have found so far.  The propeller constant speed unit should be attached to the timing case at the front of the engine whereas it is cast into the propeller backing plate, and the 2 missing coolant hoses I mentioned are the only areas in this kit which is lacking.  Considering the attention to detail Tamiya offers in this kit, this is quite poor.  In every other respect, it's easily the best Spitfire kit on the market.

 

Next up is the air intake and oil sump which are almost complete, and should be attached in the next day, together with the cowling frames and exhaust.  Once complete, I can attach this assembly to the almost complete model, then a couple more details and it's done.  With luck, I should get this one finished before the deadline for this group build.  Wish me luck :).

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

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I must have some small misalignment as my engine seems to be mounted a little to the left.  It's fine when mounted in the plane with the top and bottom cowlings added, but the cowling frames don't fit, especially on the left.  I expected to have to do some filing on the cowling frames behind the exhausts, due to the spark plug wires I've added, but pushing them in further has helped.  The right side cowling frame now sits well and I've test fitted the right side cowling in place, so all good here, but the left side is giving me a lot of grief.  I may have to "modify" the engine a bit further.

 

Stay tuned!! :unsure:

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

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Looking mighty fine to my eyes Michael - talking of which, I feel your pain regarding your eyes not being up to so much fine work in your earlier post.

 

I'm slightly longsighted and that's only going to get worse as I get older :unsure: - I couldn't attempt any modelwork nowadays without a headband optivisor and my glasses so if you haven't already tried one, deffo worth a go.

 

Looking forward to seeing this one finished

 

Torben

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Thanks Torben.  It's turning out better than I expected a couple of months ago.  That misalignment has me scratching my head, as the whole assembly lines up well in the air frame.  Wierd!!  But at least I have some ideas to build a better model for the next Tamiya Spitfire, as I have the Mk IX and Mk VIII yet to build.

 

I have the same longsighted problem with my eyes.  Trust me - it does get worse as you get older. :o   Thanks for the tip re the optivisor.  I'll definitely look into that, if you'll excuse the pun.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

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I concur with Torben's comments, on both the very very nice work, and the Optivisor need (see my avatar ? :) ) My most useful tool on the bench. Mine has a varity of lenses which can change the magnifying ratio. Very useful in some circumstances.

 

Only, you have to adapt your working distance to the focal length ... Then comes the second most handy tool : an adjustable height seat. Rather than break your back to come closer to the bench, lower the seat ... If you want to see what I mean, look for pics of jewellers or watchmakers working at their bench... They sit very low ...

 

And you will also notice on these jewellers pics the third most useful tool : a jeweller's apron. No need for a leather one (theirs is in leather to collect easily precious metal dust and particles). But it has saved me hours on my fours fighting the carpet monster in a poorly lit corner under the bench ;) ...

 

Hubert

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You've sold me on the optivisor, Hubert.  And I have the other things you mention already covered.  My chair is a gas lift job, and my bench sits on 2 metres of carpet protector plastic mat, so I rarely have troubles with the carpet monster.  Now if you have a solution for tiny bits pinging off my tweezers and disappearing into the stratosphere, that would be helpful too :oops: :) .

 

Back to the model itself, the engine module is now complete.  The cowling mounting frames are fitted, along with exhausts and the air intake assembly.  First of all, I checked cowling frames for fitment against my engine, expecting the spark plug leads to be in the way, which they were.  I pressed these in as close as possible, but some adjustment with the file was needed.  The frames were thinned down behind the exhaust mounts and on the left side, they are very thin and now translucent.  They still didn't fit without bulging out and the left side cowling sat proud of the assembly.  Scratching my head on this, I attended to the right side which also needed some thinning behind the exhaust mounts, but not to the same extent as the left.  Obviously the engine has gone in to the mounts a little left, yet it looks straight in the plane with the top and bottom cowlings attached.  Wierd.  In the end, I decided to file a little of the engine away around the exhaust ports, and this did the trick.  Left side cowling sits properly.  A repaint of this area and you can't tell.  So the next thing was to drill out all the holes for the cowling dzus screws and attach the rubbing strips, courtesy of the Eduard detail set and paint them.  This assembly was attached and all I have left now is a little touch up before mounting the engine to the plane.  These pictures are a great help in the final details as you can see all the areas that need little repairs.

 

Here's the pics.

 

ZqNHAo.jpg

 

LTiIiH.jpg

 

XKmwFr.jpg

 

878xIA.jpg

 

MpRjOD.jpg

 

As you can see from the last 2 pictures, the spark plug leads on the outside of the V are just visible, so I think it was worth the effort.  In fact, this has become a model within itself and has taken almost as long as the rest of the plane.  Does this mean if I build the Tamiya Mossie, I'll spend 1/3 of my time on the plane, and 2/3 of my time on the engines???  That should be a challenge!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:  I won't be applying anything much in the way of weathering or dirt on this build, as it was the boss's personal plane so it was maintained to a very high standard. 

 

So now it's in the final stages.  Next up is to mount the engine and propeller after a little tidy up, fit the pitot and canopy then the cowlings and it's as done as it's going to get done.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

Edited by Dpgsbody55
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And now it's finished.  There was very little left to do after my last update.  The engine went on fine, but care needs to be taken with this step or none of the cowlings will fit.  I fitted the round exhaust outlets in the last update, after carefully examining photos of SL721 in it's early life.  To build it in it's 1948 iteration, it would be a Scheme D PRU dark blue and have fishtail exhausts as by this time, it had been refurbished after a landing accident by a different pilot, Air Chief Marshal Sir John Boothman.  The historians among us will remember that Boothman was the pilot who took a Supermarine S6B to victory in 1931.  I read recently that SL721 has recently been sold, and now resides in Belgium.  Perhaps she will fly over British skies again??

 

Here's the final photos.

 

3yccVV.jpg

 

RurSdn.jpg

 

alicZK.jpg

 

1N1YBM.jpg

 

4YOIWQ.jpg

 

xM40KX.jpg

 

So that it for this build.  I have two more Tamiya Spitfires to build, a MkVIII and a MkIX.  I'm reasonably happy with how this one turned out, but low back Spitfires are not my favourite version.  I prefer the high back versions, so this was always going to be something of a test build for the other two.  There's a few areas that I think I can improve on, so probably next year I'll do the second.  When I've finished them all, I think the 3 planes will make a nice display.

 

Now if Tamiya would just do a MkV and a MkXIV, that would round out the display really well. :please:  :) :)

 

On to the next build.  All I have to do is figure out what it might be!!

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

Edited by Dpgsbody55
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Thank you very much.  This kit is a pleasure to build, and the first of these Tamiya 1/32 kit's I've built.  I've read many other builds on these kits, so I'll have to have a go at another one soon.

 

I've posted some more pictures in the RFI forum too, plus a history of this plane.  https://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=75120

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

Edited by Dpgsbody55
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Great looking XVI there Michael!

 

Tamiya Spitfires are very addictive. I've built a hunch so far and still have three in the stash.

 

I'd love to have a XIV from them as well. Hopefully IconicAir will come out with his conversion soon.

 

As for the actual plane, so much if the collection has bee sold off I'm glad I got the chance to see them when I did.

 

Carl

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They certainly are, Carl.  I think Spitfires are the plane I've modelled more than any other.  This one was special because the actual plane still flies. 

 

After my next build, I'll probably start on the MkIX, and I have some after market decals for that one too.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

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