Beyond The Sprues
Modelling => Completed GBs => Group and Themed Builds => 2018 Clear your workbench GB => Topic started by: Robomog on June 24, 2018, 01:01:11 AM
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Hi All
Throwing a second hat into the ring.
I recently purchased a stash of spare parts off evilbay and amongst the parts was a box containing mainly Spitfire cast offs which included a part started second generation Airfix mk 9 Spitfire. The wings and tailplanes had already been glued to the fuselage and also the pilot and his seat.
Unfortunately the pilot seat was not of the kit and had been glued in too high so the canopy wouldn't fit, also the wings were horizontal and not at a dihedral as it should be (6 degrees I think).
If I can get the wings off and the pilot out I will try and model "The Silver Spitfire" as described in the excellent book of the same name by Tom Neil.
I'm not going to attempt to correct any of the inaccuracies of the kit but I may substitute some parts from other kits to make it look better.
Here's the starting point, the scratch marks on the wing root are mine as I attempt to part the wing from the fuselage without causing too much damage.............
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/888/42909125712_1775e1f5b6_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/28nJu9h) (https://flic.kr/p/28nJu9h) by Robomog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54032744@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1785/29086245318_b550097bac_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/LjfBof) (https://flic.kr/p/LjfBof) by Robomog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54032744@N08/), on Flickr
Thanks for Looking
Mog
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Subjecting the kit to extreme cold temperatures might assist in breaking the adhesive down a bit. Try it by putting the model in the freezer overnight.
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Thanks Jeffry, I will try that tonight.
Mog
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Great advice Jeffry, putting it in the freezer stiffened up the plastic and stopped it bending, a few more knife cuts and a bit of careful persuasion and it all came apart.
Raided the box of bits and I think I've got a complete kit here, so the Silver Spitfire is go!
Here's the parts I'm going to use ..................
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1800/42909248802_a662d75569_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/28nK7Jw)20180621_192750 (https://flic.kr/p/28nK7Jw) by Robomog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54032744@N08/), on Flickr
I've treated it to a decent pilot figure and seat, and made a control panel, I also have a decent pair of wheels but will hold fire on a decision to use them in case they appear overscale. I would have liked to have replaced the prop but did not have a spare in my stash.
Thanks for looking
Mog
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That's a great start and some nice prep work, Mog!
I like what you said about not attempting to correct the kit's inaccuracies. Very wise.
Brian da Basher
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@RoboMog,
Great to hear that it worked. It can be a crapshoot when it comes to the properties of some plastics and temperature extremes. There is always the chance that the glue bond is stronger than the plastic that it is bonded to but in most cases, it does break before the plastic will.
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Brian, thanks for the comments, appreciated.
Jeffry, yea thats what I was experiencing, after making some cuts and gently bending the wing you could see the fuselage begin to whiten as the plastic became stressed. After freezing two more scrapes and they both parted. The joints now are very rough and will need a lot of PSR (suprise suprise !) but at least I can set the wing dihedral properly.
Thanks all
Mog
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More Progress
Having removed the wings I have now stuck them back on with some dihedral. The joint is, however, appalling and needs some serious filling before the PSR really begins.
Setting the dihedral ...............
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1770/41305436110_76db68af3d_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/25W2a6y) (https://flic.kr/p/25W2a6y) by Robomog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54032744@N08/), on Flickr
I thought I might try a home made filler of sprue dissolved in liquid glue as suggested on various forums and made a hurried mixing. The next night I used it to fill the gaps and waited for it to dry. Results were patchy I filled the gaps level but it shrank quite badly and needed further layers it also dried quite hard and was a bit hard to sand so my conclusion is, its great for gap filling but is back to green or grey Putty for finishing.
A treated joint before it sunk..........
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1804/42398293124_e3f9cd7d2d_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/27AAkpS) (https://flic.kr/p/27AAkpS) by Robomog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54032744@N08/), on Flickr
And the finished article after PSR...............
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1785/43066677502_3b1f3c4825_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/28BDYNs) (https://flic.kr/p/28BDYNs) by Robomog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54032744@N08/), on Flickr
There was also the usual delay for cat fussing duty.........
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1764/43116839591_dd0ac1a23e_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/28G65f4) (https://flic.kr/p/28G65f4) by Robomog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54032744@N08/), on Flickr
Claude can be very demanding!
Thanks for looking
Mog
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Hi all
Gave the Spitfire a rattle can coat of white which showed up some sink holes over the wheel wells and a pin hole on the seam on top of the cowling, I have filled these with green putty and will give it another coat of white.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/921/28450571137_504bcf84fc_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Km5BAz) (https://flic.kr/p/Km5BAz) by Robomog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54032744@N08/), on Flickr
After my contretemps with painting Gerti, I decided to use rattle can silver for the Spitfire, however I made the rookie mistake of applying too much spray so although it looked good the paint stayed very soft and was easily scratched and damaged, I have got most of the damage repaired but there are a few blemishes that will be visible.
The Silver Spitfire is now ....er........silver?
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1790/43319641021_de5e0d3bd1_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2911u3r) (https://flic.kr/p/2911u3r) by Robomog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54032744@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/919/43319639911_988da219d2_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2911tHi) (https://flic.kr/p/2911tHi) by Robomog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54032744@N08/), on Flickr
More when it happens
Thanks for looking
Mog
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Spitfires always look fast and sleek in silver!
Yours is proceeding quite well!
Brian da Basher
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Thanks Brian, given the current progress I will probably finish this one before the Wellington.
Mog
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Just heard that Tom Neil a Battle of Britain survivor and celebrated pilot has died peacefully just short of his 98th birthday. He came over as as really genuine guy, I'm glad he got to fly a Spitfire one last time earlier this year. The Silver Spitfire was one of the aircraft he flew, it's nearly complete and I hope I do it justice. Rest in Peace Tom.
Mog
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Well I hope I've done Tom's aircraft justice, i'll let you decide.
Here's the finished article, as always any comments or criticism gratefully accepted.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/844/41604504470_dbb2118f5f_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/26orXGA) (https://flic.kr/p/26orXGA) by Robomog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54032744@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1827/43412290721_e9d6e38f13_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/299ckz4)[7 (https://flic.kr/p/299ckz4) by Robomog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54032744@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1787/43412288101_5ae77e0223_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/299cjMT) (https://flic.kr/p/299cjMT) by Robomog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54032744@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/919/43412280531_e31f297517_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/299chxn) (https://flic.kr/p/299chxn) by Robomog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54032744@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1806/28542707427_aab52f9591_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/KudQvi) (https://flic.kr/p/KudQvi) by Robomog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54032744@N08/), on Flickr
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1781/41604481760_0268f74815_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/26orQX3) (https://flic.kr/p/26orQX3) by Robomog (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54032744@N08/), on Flickr
Thanks for looking
Mog
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Shiny! :)
Glad that the repair efforts were successful and your Spitfire is once again display worthy.
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Beautiful!! You managed that finish very, very nicely.
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What the esteemed Jeffrey & Evan said! :smiley: :smiley: 8)
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You've done that silver finish very well :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:
Just an observation, did it have a serial number ?
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Thanks guys, much appreciated.
Kitnut617 - according to the book when the spitfire in question landed at Tom Neils airfield with engine trouble the serials were already obscured by the sky tail band, once stripped back to silver they never went back on, although it did get some squadron codes when it was taken over by the c/o of a Polish squadron. This seems to be born out by all the photographs I could find during research.
Hope this helps
Mog
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Simply magnificent!
Looks fast as quicksilver!
Brian da Basher
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:smiley:
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Thanks guys, when I was looking for a suitable finish I found that most of the spitfire colour schemes were quite dowdy so finding out about the Silver Spitfire was fortuitous. Also as Brian rightly points out the beautiful lines of the spitfire can be truly shown up with a bright finish.
Thanks again
Mog
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:smiley:
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Thanks!
Mog
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A belated "oooooooooohhhhhh!!!!!" what an awesome job Mr. Mog!
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Old Wombat - belated "oooooooooohhhhhh!!!!!" Gratefully accepted
Munster - Sorry couldn't get such a bright finish on Claude
Thanks guys
Mog
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