Supermarine Spitfire VB - "Paddy" Finucane Airfix 1/72

Supermarine Spitfire VB - "Paddy" Finucane Airfix 1/72

Author
Discussion

Eric Mc

Original Poster:

121,683 posts

264 months

Saturday 7th June 2014
quotequote all
Not another boring old Spitfire, I hear you say.

Well, having struggled for the last few weeks with a fiddly and time consuming decal session on an Airfix Trident airliner (it will be finished soon, I promise), I decided to fall back into my comfort zone and build something World War 2 and simple.

Well, you can't get much simpler than the 1974 vintage Airfix Spitfire VB.
The kit shows its age and is devoid of any meaningful cockpit interior. However, with the thick cockpit canopy in place, most of the interior will be completely invisible. So I have decided to scratchbuild a crude instrument panel and some basic sidewall detail but nothing else. I will also insert Paddy the Pilot ( you will see why I've chosen this title later) as he will help fill the void.
Overall, the outline of the kit is pretty accurate and when built it definitely looks every inch a Spitfire.

The version of the kit I am using is a recent release but it still contains the scheme for the version that was issued 40 years ago, i,e, Jan Zumbach's RF-D. However, as I built that version a few years ago, I decided I would have a go with with a plane that represents that of another immigrant RAF pilot, this time one from a bit closer to home.

Brendan Eamon Fergus Finucane was from Rathmines in South Dublin. His dad was an ex-member of the IRA and had fought against the British in 1916 and 1921. Despite that, Brendan and his brother Raymond were 'plane mad and desperate to join the RAF. His dad apparently had no problems with this and, in fact, the whole family emmigrated to London in 1936.

True to their ambitions, both brothers were successful in joining the RAF. Raymond ended up in Bomber Command and survived the war. Paddy (as Brendan became known to his RAF colleagues) became a fighter ace and eventually the youngest Wing Commander in the RAF (he was 21 at the time).
He was credited with downing 28 enemy aircraft.

Sadly, he was lost on operations in 1942 when he had to ditch his Spitfire in the Channel. He was unable to get out of the sinking aircraft.

This will be my tribute to Ireland's greatest World War 2 ace.









Halmyre

11,137 posts

138 months

Saturday 7th June 2014
quotequote all
I remember the Mark V kit as a new release! The great thing about it was the one piece lower wing moulding - no faffing about trying to set the dihedral angle. I note the box art shows a 4-bladed prop...

Eric Mc

Original Poster:

121,683 posts

264 months

Saturday 7th June 2014
quotequote all
Yep - a mistake by the artist. the kit prop is correct (as it always was).

davepoth

29,395 posts

198 months

Saturday 7th June 2014
quotequote all
You aren't using the supplied acrylic paints then?

biggrin

Eric Mc

Original Poster:

121,683 posts

264 months

Saturday 7th June 2014
quotequote all
Long since dumped.

I was given this model for nothing by a mate. The supplied paints were binned but the paintbrush was kept smile

I'll be using a combination of Xtracrylic RAF authentics and Tamiya Acrylics.

perdu

4,884 posts

198 months

Saturday 7th June 2014
quotequote all
I'll look forwards to this one Eric

Nice to have a tribute to Paddy, a great fighter pilot

Wacky Racer

38,069 posts

246 months

Saturday 7th June 2014
quotequote all
Following this with interest, look forward to seeing the finished result...smile

Eric Mc

Original Poster:

121,683 posts

264 months

Sunday 15th June 2014
quotequote all
A bit more progress today. Getting ready to apply the camouflage colours.

Ayahuasca

27,427 posts

278 months

Saturday 5th July 2014
quotequote all
Has it been shot down?

Eric Mc

Original Poster:

121,683 posts

264 months

Wednesday 16th July 2014
quotequote all
Ayahuasca said:
Has it been shot down?
Nope - just took a little time to finish - which I managed to do over the weekend.










I have a soft spot for this old vintage Airfix kit.

perdu

4,884 posts

198 months

Wednesday 16th July 2014
quotequote all
Another great model Eric

Very nice

Eric Mc

Original Poster:

121,683 posts

264 months

Wednesday 16th July 2014
quotequote all
Thank you.

I hope to do a few more with Irish themes.

mybrainhurts

90,809 posts

254 months

Wednesday 16th July 2014
quotequote all
Potatoes don't fly, do they.....? smile



































sorry

Eric Mc

Original Poster:

121,683 posts

264 months

Wednesday 16th July 2014
quotequote all
If only potatoes were Irish - then you might have the makings of a joke there.

mybrainhurts

90,809 posts

254 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
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Dammit...peat, I meant peat...hehe

Ayahuasca

27,427 posts

278 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
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Nice

davepoth

29,395 posts

198 months

Friday 18th July 2014
quotequote all
I think that more than anything, a 1/72 Spitfire really does show how good someone is at modelling - everyone's done one, so it makes a fantastic baseline.

I made my Vb when I was about 12, I think. It was woeful. biggrin