T Bolt
Colonel
Not too bad of a slip up. I really like what you've done with the weathering.
**** DONE: 1/72 Spitfire Mk Vb - Aircraft in Foreign Service WWII
- Thread starter imalko
- Start date
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Vic Balshaw
Major General
As you say Igor, easy fixed but yes, annoying. Looking good though and how HB managed to overlook the wheel bay covers……………….the mind boggles.
Looks great so far Igor!
Shame about the little slip up but easily repairable as you mentioned.
Shame about the little slip up but easily repairable as you mentioned.
Crimea_River
Marshal
Coming out alright Igor.
Looks pretty good Igor despite the slight mishap....
- Thread starter
- #46
imalko
Chief Master Sergeant
Well, I finished this model earlier today and still need to sort out pictures for official "finished" thread, but here are few to show how it turned out. Word or two on the build - it's a Hobby Boss kit, but I used replacement propeller, cockpit canopy and main wheels from old Airfix model, these parts being more accurate then the original HB offering. Also wheel bay covers and pitot tube scratch build by myself. Decals are spares from Italeri kit.
Thanks everyone for your comments and continuing interest.
Thanks everyone for your comments and continuing interest.
Attachments
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Very nicely done Igor.
I don't know if you want to bother, before posting the 'Finished' thread, but the starboard wing, and the fin, showed fresher paint where the RAF roundel and fin flashes had been painted over. Also, it's probable that VHF radio was fitted, but I'd need to double-check (RAF Spits had it at that period), so no antenna wire from the mast.
Other than that though, a very nicely finished model, more so in the small scale.
I don't know if you want to bother, before posting the 'Finished' thread, but the starboard wing, and the fin, showed fresher paint where the RAF roundel and fin flashes had been painted over. Also, it's probable that VHF radio was fitted, but I'd need to double-check (RAF Spits had it at that period), so no antenna wire from the mast.
Other than that though, a very nicely finished model, more so in the small scale.
- Thread starter
- #48
imalko
Chief Master Sergeant
Thanks for your input Terry. I know some American Spitfires had freshly repainted RAF roundels. Actually I raised this very question when I started working on this model.(Just check my first post in this thread.) However, as no one offered any input and I hadn't a picture of this specific aircraft I decided just to fallow Italeri's painting guidelines.
As you could probably understand I'm not very keen to bother with any big changes at this stage when so much effort was put into painting, weathering, etc.
As you could probably understand I'm not very keen to bother with any big changes at this stage when so much effort was put into painting, weathering, etc.
I agree with Terry. The image below is of quite poor quality unfortunately. The antenna wires can't be noticed and the top of the rudder where one of the attaching points was too. But in other images of the 121st Squadron Spitfires Mk.Vbs these aren't seen as well. So it would suggest lacking of them and using the VHF radio-set. Another thing I would like to pay your attention to is the colour of code letters. I would say these were of the same one as the spinner and the quick ID band. It could indicate the Sky S-type. And finally the Gamma correction done to the picture ( the bottom shot ) reveals that the wheel hubs were of solid type.
- Thread starter
- #51
imalko
Chief Master Sergeant
Well now, all this should have been discussed during the build and not when it is finished don't you think?
No worries mates. Your input is always very much appreciated and noted for future reference. However, I've already decided not to change anything with the model now. Code letters and wheels are the way they are, can't change that anyway. Codes could very well be in white as well as sky. Picture is of poor quality and to my opinion therefore inconclusive regarding the antenna wire. Considering the scale I actually put a lot of effort placing the wire on the model and wouldn't want to remove it regardless how easily that is. Also looking at the picture tail fin doesn't seem to show traces of over painting so presumably there isn't any on the wings either.
Cheers!
No worries mates. Your input is always very much appreciated and noted for future reference. However, I've already decided not to change anything with the model now. Code letters and wheels are the way they are, can't change that anyway. Codes could very well be in white as well as sky. Picture is of poor quality and to my opinion therefore inconclusive regarding the antenna wire. Considering the scale I actually put a lot of effort placing the wire on the model and wouldn't want to remove it regardless how easily that is. Also looking at the picture tail fin doesn't seem to show traces of over painting so presumably there isn't any on the wings either.
Cheers!
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Yep... it should have been. Unfortunately it took me a lot of time to find the picture via the net. I have almost forgotten about that. Sorry.
Anyway please don't change anything,. The model looks great especially it's a 1/72 scale one. You can be proud of it. Really great.
Anyway please don't change anything,. The model looks great especially it's a 1/72 scale one. You can be proud of it. Really great.
- Thread starter
- #53
imalko
Chief Master Sergeant
Thank you my friend.
Vic Balshaw
Major General
You have done a great job there Igor, it really looks good.
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
I agree - don't change anything at this stage. Unfortunately, I don't get to look at every post, and even those I do see, it's easy to miss points which have been questioned.
The one thing which is certain, is that VHF radio was fitted to USAAF Spitfires at this period, and had been in RAF use since late August/ early September 1940, something which should show up in general research, and this is evidenced also by the lack of the wire-mounting prong on the top of the antenna mast.
As for the code letters, they would have originally been in Sky, although white was eventually adopted to come in line with standard USAAF practice, at which point the proportions of the letters was also brought in line with US standards, and these were 'heavier' than the RAF equivalent.
The Sky tail band was retained at first, but this was also removed later.
Those aircraft which transferred to the USAAF squadrons direct from the RAF 'Eagle' squadrons, would have had the roundel and fin flashed painted out, which can be seen in most contemporary photos, although your example photo lacks enough contrast to see if their is evidence of this.
However, replacement aircraft coming direct to the USAAF may not have had the RAF roundels initially, although this is unlikely, as they were painted at the factory, and then the roundel filled in with blue, retaining the yellow outer circle, and the stars added, at unit level.
The one thing which is certain, is that VHF radio was fitted to USAAF Spitfires at this period, and had been in RAF use since late August/ early September 1940, something which should show up in general research, and this is evidenced also by the lack of the wire-mounting prong on the top of the antenna mast.
As for the code letters, they would have originally been in Sky, although white was eventually adopted to come in line with standard USAAF practice, at which point the proportions of the letters was also brought in line with US standards, and these were 'heavier' than the RAF equivalent.
The Sky tail band was retained at first, but this was also removed later.
Those aircraft which transferred to the USAAF squadrons direct from the RAF 'Eagle' squadrons, would have had the roundel and fin flashed painted out, which can be seen in most contemporary photos, although your example photo lacks enough contrast to see if their is evidence of this.
However, replacement aircraft coming direct to the USAAF may not have had the RAF roundels initially, although this is unlikely, as they were painted at the factory, and then the roundel filled in with blue, retaining the yellow outer circle, and the stars added, at unit level.
Crimea_River
Marshal
Nice build Igor!
