**** DONE: GB-43 1/32 Spitfire Mk.VIII - Aces' Aircraft of all Eras

Thanks Andy.

I've now figured out how to mount the scratch-built armour plate - basically, the same way as the real thing.
The kit seat is designed to mount straight onto the frame, with the seat back resting against the upper horizontal frame, level with the main bearers (the wide, angled ones with lightening holes)., as illustrated in the extract from the kit instructions.
However, the seat on a 'real' Spitfire is attached to two supports at the top, running forward from the top of these bearers, with a similar arrangement at the bottom, the supports attached to the heavier, tubular cross beam.
The back armour is mounted directly behind the seat, between it and the seat frame. with the above mentioned supports passing through slots at the top of the armour, and through notches at the bottom, as shown in the factory drawings and the pic of the TFC Spitfire Mk.V below.
This means that I need to attach two short rods to the seat frames, indicated by (my) yellow arrows on the instructions pic, and drill two small holes in the seat back, shown by (my) black spots, as well as slightly altering the lower cross member to accept mounts for the bottom of the armour.
Note that the undercarriage warning horn is visible, behind the armour plate, so I'll also attempt to replicate this.

This is going to be a tad fiddly, and rather time-consuming, with lots of test fitting, so I'll post pics when I'm satisfied it'll all work out as planned.
EDITED to correct descriptions.

Great work Terry.

Fiddly indeed Good luck.

Yep, a bit fiddly, and somewhat prolonged, but getting there.

In order to check the placement and alignment of the seat, seat frame and back armour in relation to the base of the head armour, the kit part for the latter needed to be attached to the rear cockpit fuselage frame.
As this part includes a fairly hefty 'socket' for mounting the provided head pad, not fitted to the Mk.VIII (or some other Marks), this first had to be removed, and the surface of the armour returned to a smooth, even finish.
The head armour was then cemented in place, and the main seat frame cemented to the fuselage frame.
After carefully measuring for depth and width of the armour plate, in relation to seat, frame and head armour, a (paper) card template was made, which was then used to check fit and spacing, on the seat frame / fuselage frame. This will be retained, as I'll need to make another back armour plate for the Revell Mk.II Spit, when I eventually get around to building that kit.
With some minor adjustments to the upper seat-mounting slots, this card template can now be used to cut the back armour from suitable gauge plastic card, once the upper seat mounting bracket bars have been made, using either plastic or brass rod.

Pic 1. A rather poor shot of the kit head armour, showing the large locating socket for the head pad.
Pic 2. The part after removing the socket and cleaning the surface, Unfortunately, I destroyed one of the moulded mounting bolts, at top left in the photo. This will be replaced later, possibly with a sliver of plastic rod, or a spot of PVA.
Pics 3 & 4. The fuselage frame, main seat frame and head armour assembly. This has since been cleaned-up, and the sprue attachment points on the triangular frame removed (easier to do in situ), but the lightening holes in the seat frame have yet to be drilled out - something I may leave as is, as they won't really be seen once in place in the cockpit.
Pics 5 & 6. Making the card template for the back armour.
Pic 7. Checking general fit in relation to the frame assembly and head armour, with the card template loosely positioned.

Next stage involves making the upper seat mounting brackets, and fitting and adjusting the seat lower sub - frame, ensuring that the card template will fit as intended.
Once that's done, the seat armour can be made and fitted, and this assembly painted, with the kit parts for the electrical condensers, and the scratch-built warning horn, fitted to the rear of the fuselage frame. With that complete, the seat can be painted, detailed, including harness lap belts, and fitted in place, with the shoulder harness being fitted later.

Back ....... er ....... whenever !

Thanks Wojtek.

Very good Terry.

Thanks Andy.

More progress, and nearly there.
The seat sub-frame, port side support and starboard side support / seat adjuster have been fitted, and two short lengths of plastic rod added to the top, to act as the upper seat support brackets.
The back armour has been cut to shape, using suitable gauge plastic card, and allowing for some adjustment, and the undercart warning horn roughly scratch-built using plastic tube, rod and strip, with this now attached to the fuselage frame. Not muich of the horn will be visible, although its absence would be noticeable, so after clean up, and painted black, it should pass.
Test fitting of the back armour seems to have worked out alright, although very slight adjustment to the slots for the upper support arms is needed, hence the 'rough cut' appearance of these.
Once all of the assemblies have fully set, they will be cleaned up, all swarf and remaining sprue attachment spurs removed (easier to do as a complete assembly, rather than trying to trim tiny parts), and then the whole assembly can be painted, before final fitting of the back armour.
Following this, the seat will then be painted and detailed, and fitted to the frame, by which time the cockpit detail parts should have arrived, and I can get on to constructing the remainder of the cockpit area.

Apologies for the varied 'quality' of the photos - bulb in one of my desk lamps blew, and I haven't got a spare ... yet !


Pic 1 & 2. Sub- frame, side supports and adjuster fitted.
Pics 3 & 4. Upper seat supports made and fitted, with armour plate test fitted.
Pic 5. The undercart warning horn in place.

Looks great!

Thanks Andy.
All being well, I should get the armour final trim and sanding done tomorrow, along with painting and fitting, and get the seat done and fitted.

Good stuff Dogsbody.

interesting that my Academy kit parts has the seat, armour and frame set out exactly as you have built them !

Very nice next step!!!!!!!

Thanks chaps.

I'm rather surprised that, considering the very nicely produced detail on the cockpit frames, and some other parts, that Revell 'simplified' the seat mounting, and omitted the armour plate. I realise, of course, that most airworthy Spitfires today don't have the back armour, for weight saving and ease of maintenance, but it's a prominent feature on the WW2 aircraft, and the warning horn is still present on current aircraft - the kit, as it stands, although very nice indeed, is more akin to a replica of a current 'warbird', which was used as a 'pattern' for the kit.

Anyway, the seat armour has now been trimmed and painted, as has the cockpit and seat frame assembly, and the seat itself is painted, and awaiting detail painting and fitting of the harness, which I hope to complete by tonight - famous last words, as it'll take me bl**dy ages to fiddle with the buckles and adjusters on the fabric harness !
The detail parts have now arrived (shown below), although I'm still awaiting the resin, 'retractable' tail wheel conversion, which is on the way, so once the seat etc is completed, I can get to work on the rest of the cockpit area.
I hope to have some more progress pics later tonight.
Thanks again for your interest, and I'll be back soon (ish).

Looking forward to seeing what you do with the goodies.

Me too !

The 'Barracuda' resin set has excellent detail. For example, compare the resin cockpit walls to the kit parts. There's even a canopy latch, and a length of fine black wire with which to make the gun firing lines on the control column. The decal sheet provides placards and other decals, including the inscriptions for the radio channel selector and the undercart quadrant !
The 'Yahu' instrument panel is incredible, with PE parts to add for the smaller items, such as the flaps selector.
The photo below doesn't do justice to the fine detail, as the '3D' effect of the recessed instruments and raised switches etc is not immediately apparent.
Well worth the reasonably moderate investment, and even with the cost of the extra detail parts, and the initial cost of the kit, the total cost still works out at less than half the price of the Tamiya Mk.VIII kit - not that there's anything wrong with that kit, but unless one really wants to display the engine detail as a main feature, then £125 for a 1/32nd scale Spitfire kit is somewhat expensive.