Spitfire 1a, September 1940 - 1/72 scale
Discussion
WAtching James May's programme on Airfix, and reading all the comments about it on here, reminded me that I had a half-built Spitfire sitting on my workbench, and that I hadn't photographed the last one I built, so here it is. It's the old Airfix one which, let's be honest, is getting a bit long in the tooth now. Interior detail is sadly lacking for example. I have the Tamiya version too and the difference is amazing, almost like a 1/48 kit scaled down.
This one decided to warp after most of the assembly had been done so it was out with the hair dryer.
Couple of details were added; I cut out the elevators so they could be reattached with a slight droop, and did the same with the rudder so it could be turned slightly. Turned the tailwheel to match.
Red covers to the gun ports were missing from the decal sheet (I've noticed they usually are!) so a sheet of red letters provided them (cut a capital I into four and it's about right).
Aileron and flap lines were drawn in with a Gundam Marker.
Decals came from an Aeromaster sheet called Battle of Britain Spitfires which contains markings for eight aircraft although I'll only be doing four of them. This one was flown by a Pilot Officer Johnson of 616 Squadron based at Kirton-in-Lindsey, where I actually lived as a child. It was also where they filmed the formation takeoff for the film The Dam Busters in 1954.
All paint Tamiya acrylics. One down, three to go.
This one decided to warp after most of the assembly had been done so it was out with the hair dryer.
Couple of details were added; I cut out the elevators so they could be reattached with a slight droop, and did the same with the rudder so it could be turned slightly. Turned the tailwheel to match.
Red covers to the gun ports were missing from the decal sheet (I've noticed they usually are!) so a sheet of red letters provided them (cut a capital I into four and it's about right).
Aileron and flap lines were drawn in with a Gundam Marker.
Decals came from an Aeromaster sheet called Battle of Britain Spitfires which contains markings for eight aircraft although I'll only be doing four of them. This one was flown by a Pilot Officer Johnson of 616 Squadron based at Kirton-in-Lindsey, where I actually lived as a child. It was also where they filmed the formation takeoff for the film The Dam Busters in 1954.
All paint Tamiya acrylics. One down, three to go.
You criticised mine, so I'll criticise yours 
You haven't put on the wing walkway markings.
It looks very pristine for a BoB example. They really were thrashed during the three months of the battle and looked very worn and scuffed by the end of the summer - if they hadn't already been written off by enemy action or accidents.
I suppose your's could be as they looked fresh off the production line. Mine is as it looked after 12 weeks intensive use. Both are valid options and it is up to the modeller to decide to what extent they want to weather their model.
I recently bought an Aeoclub Watts two blade prop as I intend to make the Airfix kit again but this time as a pre-war example.
Alhough rather crude and "old fashioned", the Airfix Spitfire I is actually recognised as one of the mopst accurate in outline of ANY if the 1/72 Spitfire kits available and is a great basis for a quick build. It is also cheap (usually around £4.99 max these days).
You haven't put on the wing walkway markings.
It looks very pristine for a BoB example. They really were thrashed during the three months of the battle and looked very worn and scuffed by the end of the summer - if they hadn't already been written off by enemy action or accidents.
I suppose your's could be as they looked fresh off the production line. Mine is as it looked after 12 weeks intensive use. Both are valid options and it is up to the modeller to decide to what extent they want to weather their model.
I recently bought an Aeoclub Watts two blade prop as I intend to make the Airfix kit again but this time as a pre-war example.
Alhough rather crude and "old fashioned", the Airfix Spitfire I is actually recognised as one of the mopst accurate in outline of ANY if the 1/72 Spitfire kits available and is a great basis for a quick build. It is also cheap (usually around £4.99 max these days).
Eric Mc said:
You criticised mine, so I'll criticise yours
You haven't put on the wing walkway markings.
It looks very pristine for a BoB example. They really were thrashed during the three months of the battle and looked very worn and scuffed by the end of the summer - if they hadn't already been written off by enemy action or accidents.
I suppose your's could be as they looked fresh off the production line. Mine is as it looked after 12 weeks intensive use. Both are valid options and it is up to the modeller to decide to what extent they want to weather their model.
I recently bought an Aeoclub Watts two blade prop as I intend to make the Airfix kit again but this time as a pre-war example.
Alhough rather crude and "old fashioned", the Airfix Spitfire I is actually recognised as one of the mopst accurate in outline of ANY if the 1/72 Spitfire kits available and is a great basis for a quick build. It is also cheap (usually around £4.99 max these days).
Possessive pronoun trap there You haven't put on the wing walkway markings.
It looks very pristine for a BoB example. They really were thrashed during the three months of the battle and looked very worn and scuffed by the end of the summer - if they hadn't already been written off by enemy action or accidents.
I suppose your's could be as they looked fresh off the production line. Mine is as it looked after 12 weeks intensive use. Both are valid options and it is up to the modeller to decide to what extent they want to weather their model.
I recently bought an Aeoclub Watts two blade prop as I intend to make the Airfix kit again but this time as a pre-war example.
Alhough rather crude and "old fashioned", the Airfix Spitfire I is actually recognised as one of the mopst accurate in outline of ANY if the 1/72 Spitfire kits available and is a great basis for a quick build. It is also cheap (usually around £4.99 max these days).
Sorry... 
I'm not sure the decal sheet included the wing walkways - I may be wrong, didn't look at them too closely as I was using aftermarket ones.
Guilty as charged with the absence of weathering, I always build mine in factory fresh condition. Having said that I have a Whirlwind in the pipeline and photos of those showed them to be very mucky, paint flaking off etc, so I shall certainly have a bash.
Guilty as charged with the absence of weathering, I always build mine in factory fresh condition. Having said that I have a Whirlwind in the pipeline and photos of those showed them to be very mucky, paint flaking off etc, so I shall certainly have a bash.
As I said, how one finishes a model is totally one's own choice. Up until recently I was reluctant to weather but the more I look at photos of real aircraft the more it is obvious that very, very few aircraft are pristine (with the odd exception).
There is a very good article on weathering in the first edition of a brand new aviation modelling magazine called "Model Aviation World".
As for the wing stripes, I have a set of generic black stripes which I cut to size.
There is a very good article on weathering in the first edition of a brand new aviation modelling magazine called "Model Aviation World".
As for the wing stripes, I have a set of generic black stripes which I cut to size.
Edited by Eric Mc on Wednesday 11th November 09:26
Eric Mc said:
As I said, how one finishes a model is totally one's own choice. Up until recently I was reluctant to weather but the more I look at photos of real aircraft the more it is obvious that very, very few aircraft are pristine (with the odd exception).
This is what bothers me about many museum collections. They're nearly all "restored" and pristine, and therefore look like big models.Whereas the unrestored Corsair down at Yeovilton looks very real. I used to enjoy weathering my models, I really should post up some pics of them.
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