Ratch Posted August 5 Share Posted August 5 My approach to building this will be to use a 1/24 stand and have the aircraft in flight. My chosen subject is option A – the aircraft of Sqn Ldr Bruce Watson, No. 457 ‘Grey Nurse’ Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Morotai, 1945. I have located a pilot from my spares box, as there is not one on the runners. I will see whether he will fit into the cockpit. The seat and cockpit interior were assembled and sprayed. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valhalla Posted August 5 Share Posted August 5 Looking forward to this Ratch, nice start. I'm wondering if your pilot actually fits in the seat rather than the cockpit, as I remember the old Airfix Spitfire seats being far too big Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john redman Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 No pilot?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topcat_Ern Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 Well, I'm armlessly sitting on my cork awaiting my new ride to be delivered. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted August 7 Author Share Posted August 7 I found some more 1/24 pilots in another box today, so now I have options. The office details have been picked out with a brush and decals added. There are 26 just on the instrument panel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modeling maniac Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 Oh dear the o e in the middle had a really bad day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted August 9 Author Share Posted August 9 I applied the decal to the binnacle under the instrument panel and fixed the transparency using PVA. Having fully dried, the decal is clearly visible. I followed my previous build and fitted the sidewall sub-assembly to the floor before adding the instrument panel. At step 18, I referred to the position of the decals on page 4. There is a nipple on part #D34 that prevents the tiny decal conforming over it, so I sliced it off. Maybe not anatomically correct, but tidier. Most of the detail painting was undertaken prior to assembly, but I tried to ensure that mating surfaces were kept paint-free. The whole cockpit is well detailed and precisely fitting. I found the painting advice very useful. Well done Airfix for the information included on the instruction sheet. None of my spare pilots fitted well in the office, so I resorted to surgery on one, changing the position of his legs. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valhalla Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 That Instrument Panel looks fab Ratch Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted August 11 Author Share Posted August 11 Thanks Ian, straight OOB. My pilot is not a perfect fit, so I will not fix him in case he needs to be removed later. I did not fit the supplied harness straps, substituting foil, painted and fixed with cyanoacrylate. My build progress is leaping forwards and backwards as paint needs to dry, decals to set, and glue to cure. It may seem chaotic, but essentially, I am still building in the sequence of the instructions. A semi-circular hole is required to be cut into each half of the fuselage for the camera port. A former is cleverly provided as a guide. Great care must be taken when cutting these holes out, not only to cut correctly, but safely, and not to slice into fingers, hands, or anything else. I also used rounded files to clean up the edges, but I anticipate some filler will be required when everything is joined up. Going back to the control column, the pilot’s legs are too close together for it to slip through. It was necessary to shave the inner thighs for the column to sit at the correct height. Because the pilot’s arm was fixed some time ago, I cannot get the ring into his hand, which is unfortunate. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modeling maniac Posted August 11 Share Posted August 11 That might be a problem if you take it to a show and the judges are really picky, but model making isn't about perfection. You could make it that he has just got in and he has banged his arm or something like that. Good Job so far though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted August 11 Author Share Posted August 11 This won't be entering any competitions. Step 34 is a preparation for posing the model with the canopy closed. It is my intention to have the canopy closed, so a piece must be cut from the starboard fuselage. Another template is provided to aid cutting. There were more instruments to add to the fuselage and these required painting, and some had decals applied too. All these sub-assemblies are like little models in themselves. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted August 12 Author Share Posted August 12 I found fitting some parts difficult to fit in steps 37 and 38 with the pilot in situ, but perseverance paid off. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted August 16 Author Share Posted August 16 I've applied the decals to the side walls. The fuselage was closed using masking tape to hold the mating surfaces together. The tail and rudder were assembled ready for their addition. Although it may be tempting to position the rudder at a dramatic angle, the actuating arm determines its position against the fin. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A J Rimmer Posted August 16 Share Posted August 16 Great progress Richard! That does look like a nice kit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modeling maniac Posted August 16 Share Posted August 16 Nice job so far ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted August 16 Author Share Posted August 16 Construction now turns to the wing. The lower wing was prepared with the removal of a bracket on the port side and the drilling of a 1mm hole. I assembled the wheel wells and airbrushed the lower surface colour in Vallejo Model Air 71049 Medium Sea Grey. I’m unsure whether this is necessary as I’m going wheels up, but I did it just in case. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted August 17 Author Share Posted August 17 I cut a slot in the lower wing for the stand to fit into. It is a little oversized, but it should work. There now follows a spell of semi-assembly where some sub-assemblies are cemented together but not yet fixed to the main spar and wing. I’m not going to paint these pieces as the wing will be closed and nothing will be seen, so only the bracing pieces will be fitted. It remains essential to clean up the parts to ensure a good fit. Experience has taught me that paint can affect the fit, so those parts that will not be seen need not be painted. The interior of the wing is delightfully detailed and precision fitting, but I.m leaving off everything that isn’t required structurally or visually. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted August 18 Author Share Posted August 18 I had difficulty fitting the lower wing to the fuselage. I didn’t have this problem when building the Mk.IXe, and think that the cockpit tub may be a little askew. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valhalla Posted August 18 Share Posted August 18 That,s coming on nicely and I do like the rib detail in these new Spitfires Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Mediocre Modeller Posted August 19 Share Posted August 19 Hi Ratch, when I built my Mk IX I set the cockpit interior very slightly off centre and had exactly the issues that you just described, definitely something to watch out for. PMM 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted August 19 Author Share Posted August 19 Having secured the lower wing I find that the stand will not fit into the slot because of the cockpit tub! I fill the slot with plastic putty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A J Rimmer Posted August 21 Share Posted August 21 Interesting that there's a clash. You're going great guns though Richard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted August 21 Author Share Posted August 21 Well Stuart, I had guessed where the slot might be best positioned. Nowhere on the instructions does it indicate that it might be mounted on a stand, so a problem of my own making. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A J Rimmer Posted August 21 Share Posted August 21 2 hours ago, Ratch said: Well Stuart, I had guessed where the slot might be best positioned. Nowhere on the instructions does it indicate that it might be mounted on a stand, so a problem of my own making. Oh I see - so it doesn't come with a stand - gotcha. I take it you'll reposition it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted August 21 Author Share Posted August 21 I may just suspend it from the ceiling 🤪 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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