**** DONE: 1/48 Spitfire Mk.IXb - Aircraft Nose Art GB.

[fubar57]

This is from IPMSStockholm.org - Webzine about plastic scale models, model building, modelling news, techniques and reference maintained by IPMS Stockholm of Sweden

Geo

 

[fubar57]

A sneak preview from future episodes....

I was forewarned, but, sigh...

Geo

 

[Wurger]

Yep.. a few parts of the ICM Spitfire kits are still suffering from inaccuracy.

 

[Gnomey]

Good work so far!

 

[fubar57]

Thanks Dr. Gnomey. Whilst waiting for paint to dry, a quick question about the nether parts. I've seen photos of the undercarriage, wheel wells, and the inside of the gear doors in either silver or underside colors or a combination of both. One of the photos Andy sent me shows about 6" to 8" of the top of the u/c and gear door and it looks like the bottom color. If so, would the wells be this color as well. Crappy photo I know, but it's enlarged.

Geo

 

[Airframes]

Good stuff on the cannon stubs, although on a preserved aircraft, it's often difficult to know what is, and what isn't, original equipment fit, or restored to 'representative'. I know of MkIXs which have been around for many years lacking both the cannon fairing and stub, and then have been restored to 'standard' appearance, with both being retro-fitted, as the 'warbird' community bring aircraft back to full WW2 appearance. I'm not wholly doubting the lack of the stub, but to date, this is the first I've heard, or seen of it.

The alternative wing tips on the ICM kit have caused the problem here - the 'clipped' tip fits OK, but the extended tip, and standard tip, need the gap filling, and you'll probably find that there's a 'step' between the tip and the wing, which will need building-up with filler and blending to achieve a smooth transition from wing to tip.
Note that on the real aircraft, the wing tip joint was covered by a visible, narrow, thin metal strip which, when removed, allowed access to the retaining bolts.

There were variations on the colour of the wheel well and inside of the door. The inner face of the door was normally painted the same colour as the underside, as were the side 'walls' of the wheel well, with the 'roof' in the interior Cockpit Grey Green colour, although there were of course exceptions, when the 'roof' was also the underside colour. Variations included door in the underside colour, and the entire wheel well in grey green.
The gear legs were normally finished in 'Aluminium', a paint mixed from clear dope and aluminium powder, giving a slightly greyish silver appearance.

 

[fubar57]

Outstanding info Terry. Would that metal strip be visible in 1/48?

Geo

 

[Airframes]

Just as an engraved, double line, about .75 to 1 mm wide. It should be visible on your other MkIX model, but if not, then just a single, feint line, engraved at the location of the joint will suffice.

 

[fubar57]

Ok, it's late. I glued the seat to the floor, let it dry, looked at it, and said,"Boyo, ya fergots the seatbelts." To compound this, because I decided to close the canopy, I was gonna make my own out of Tamiya masking tape. Almost an hour and a half of trying to add something that sticks everywhere but where I wanted it in about a one square inch space sent the dog scurrying to the basement. Lap belts tonight.

Geo

Crep....forgot to paint the buckles

 

[fubar57]

How Hobbycraft like. I'll concentrate on the wing tips and then work on the sink marks later.

Geo

 

[Wurger]

But some of sanding ahead of you.

 

[Catch22]

Don't envy you that Geo! Nice work on the belts though.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks Cory. The seat is done. And now to sand. This should be a piece of cake compared to some of my Hobbycraft odysseys.

(That black mark at the bottom of the belt is supposed to represent a slot in the seat)

Geo

 

[Wurger]

Looking good.

 

[Catch22]

That does look really nice.

 

[fubar57]

Merci, mon frères. First sanding complete. I tried to let the sunlight capture the slight steps left after my initial sanding but the stupid camera doesn't see what I see(stupid camera).

Geo

 

[Airframes]

Good stuff Geo, and that wing tip should be fine with a little extra work.
One thing regarding the seat harness though - sorry about this!
That lower 'Y' section, between the shoulder straps, should go behind the seat, and anchor to the lower cross member. The shoulder straps pass through the had armour, and form another 'Y' strap, running back to the rear, upper cross member in the next frame, where it attaches to a twin 'Bowden' cable, which passes over the cross member, and runs back to a pulley in the top of the mid fuselage.
I'd leave it as is though, rather than damage things now, especially if the canopy is to be closed.

 

[fubar57]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGThanks TerryAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGG

AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGI used this as a reference...

AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGG







Geo

 

[Crimea_River]

The belts look great Geo and could well be left as is. Here's a pic of what Terry is talking about, albeit from a Mk V.

 

[fubar57]

Serenity now, thanks Andy, very do-able, serenity now.

Geo