**** DONE: 1/48 ICM Spitfire Mk IX AE-B Ian Keltie of 402 SQDN RCAF Commonwealth GB

[Crimea_River]

Thank-you kind sirs.

 

[Airframes]

Looking good Andy.

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks Terry.

Nothing to report other than the fact that I tried to modify the cockpit seat in two ways and nothing worked to my satisfaction. So I bit the bullet and went out and ordered a pair of resin seats from Utlracast. Since shipping cost as much as the pair of seats, I added a resin spinner and 4 Rotol blades to the order, plus a wheel well mod for my FW-190 Dora for the future.

If it weren't for that crazy indentation in the bottom of that seat, I would have been fine.

I'll be off to a project site for 3 days and won't be getting at this build until probably the weekend. Talk to you then.

 

[Airframes]

Have a good trip Andy. BTW, a quick way to cover the 'dish' in the seat, and also cover most of the seat, is to install the 'seat-type' parachute. Made from 'Milliput' and foil, it'll cover a multltude of sins !!
And of course, unless the aircraft was 'stood down', the parachute was more often than not in the seat - saved having to struggle to get the bl**dy thing on in a hurry!

 

[Crimea_River]

Good trick Terry, thanks.

 

[rochie]

looks great so far Andy.

i had to destroy the engine on mine as once it was fitted the top part of the cowl wouldn't fit so i had to cut off a greater part of the engine almost down to level of the exhausts !!!!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Definitely off to a flying start Andy and at least your new armour plate hasn't got any ejection pin marks in it. It's looking great my friend and I hope your trip away went well.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Lucky13]

Sweet!

 

[N4521U]

go man go!

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks guys. I'm back from the far north and returned to 15cm of snow. Winter is definitely here.

Karl, I don't plan on installing the engine at all as I've read about the issues you mention. I'll just need to make up a mount for the exhausts.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Looks great so far!

15cm of snow? Send some my way!

 

[Airframes]

15cms of snow eh? Don't you dare send any my way - I live on a steep hill and I can no longer ski these days!

 

[Crimea_River]

Looks great so far!

15cm of snow? Send some my way!

Gladly, as long as I can keep what's in the mountains. Oh, and I'll send you our low temp for tonight as well. -21C

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Gladly, as long as I can keep what's in the mountains. Oh, and I'll send you our low temp for tonight as well. -21C

Bu**er me, I'm staying here.........................

 

[vikingBerserker]

Oh, and I'll send you our low temp for tonight as well. -21C

ummm, on 2nd thought..............

 

[Airframes]

Andy, I've found the info I new I had lurking somewhere, concerning the upper surface grey.
It was commonly referred to as 'Mixed Grey', and was made from Medium Sea Grey with 30% black added. So I was more or less right with the dark bias. New I had the info somewhere, as I used it years ago on my 1/32nd scale Spit MkIX conversion!
Hope this helps.

 

[Crimea_River]

Great info Terry, thanks. The photo of Keltie's rig definitely seems to have a colour somewhere between Medium Sea Gray and Ocean Gray. Apparently before Johnson go this plane, it was repainted.

While waiting for the resin part to set on my He-219, I slapped the wings togther on this kit. Waiting on the resin seat before finishing the pit.

 

[Airframes]

you're welcome Andy.
Been looking at my kit's seat, and think I'll just try to improve it. Need to make a start on it very soon, just have to check some final info. Finally found some SEAC decal sheets too, so ordered those.

 

[Crimea_River]

The seat is defintiely "improvable" if, like you say, you can get around having to scratch build that crazy indentation on the bottom. I splurged on a pair from Ultracast as I have the ICM Mk VIII as well and the thought of doing the mod twice didn't appeal to me. So now I'll have the resin seats for both.

BTW, sent you a PM.