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

The instrument panel / cockpit frame frame and details are now painted, and the bare edge around the instrument panel painted matt black. Some other small detail painting has been done on the seat frame and seat (photo of that once the seat assembly is completed).
I noticed that Revell have moulded the fuel cock, at extreme bottom right, beneath the 'brass' primer pump, in the 'ON' position, but I decided to leave it as is. Some 'highlighting' is yet to be done on this, after the decal has been added (from the 'Barracuda' set).
I used one of the make-up 'wands' for the detail painting, and they worked extremely well, painting four different enamel colours with one brush, which was cleaned with white spirit between colours, and the tip has retained its shape and flexibility.

The resin compass from the 'Barracuda' set has been removed from the casting block, and attached to a cocktail stick, using PVA, to aid in painting, which will be done once the glue has set.
Once painted, the two-part decal will be added, again from the 'Barracuda' resin set, the face glazed with clear gloss, and the compass fitted to the mounting bracket. The panel frame can then be fitted to the 'floor' section, and the resin gun sight fitted, without its scratch-built reflector screen, and then work can start again on the fiddly seat harness.

Pics below show the panel to date, and the compass attached to the cocktail stick, ready for painting.

Thanks again for your interest, and I should have some more progress pics sometime tomorrow evening.

Looks good so far Terry!

Nice

Great work (as always!) Terry

That's looking very sharp Terry.

Thanks chaps !

Got the seat and instrument panel completed, and part way though assembling the main cockpit components, with the walls yet to come.
I was struggling a bit with the fabric seat harness, again due to my hands, which are rather stiff at the moment (bl**dy damp weather !), so I only used the main parts, and 'simplified' things - missing bits won't really be noticed anyway.
One of the kit parts for the rudder pedal assembly needed to be altered, as it was inaccurate, and this is shown below.

PIC 1. The seat, with harness fitted, now attached to the cockpit frame. The harness tail strap will have the 'cables' added, using either nylon line or stretched sprue, once the remainder of the cockpit frames are assembled on the 'floor' section, and the shoulder straps will be properly draped. Some minor re-touching is required here and there, due to handling.
Pic 2. The rudder control rods (rather short) and pedals were assembled, the rough coat of paint being applied to show up mould marks to be removed. The white part from the kit is the inaccurate rendition of the support frames, which includes heel boards. I've never seen these on any Spitfire, although it's possible that the pattern aircraft for the kit may have had them retro-fitted. There should only be two, square section beams, running fore and aft.
Pics 3 & 4. The heel boards were trimmed down and sanded smooth, to replicate the beams mentioned above, before fitting to the rudder pedal assembly.. Once cleaned up, this was painted, some wear simulated on the pedals and rudder rod tubes, and toe straps added to the pedals, using thin strips of tissue, painted in a light brown colour.
Pic 5. After painting the resin compass from the 'Barracuda' set, the two part decal was added, the locking latch painted faded yellow, and the compass fitted to the bracket, before assembling the panel, bulkhead and 'floor', which is really the bottom of the fuselage - no floor in a Spit cockpit.
Pic 6. Before finally assembling these parts, the seat assembly will be dry-fitted, in order to check the length required to extend the kit's rudder control rod tubes, which will be done using suitable plastic rod. They should run back, under the seat, to the linkages further aft.
Once that's done, the resin control column will be assembled, painted and fitted, before fitting the seat assembly and rear frame.

All being well, I should have more to show sometime later this evening (as I've just realised that it's 01.50 hrs here !! )

Woohoo

Most excellent good sir.

Agreed, with an extra woohoo thrown in

Thanks very much chaps.
Looks like I lost the cover for the booster coil switch during handling. Darned thing is only about 0.75 mm. so no chance of finding it.
Might get a bit more done tonight, but been rather busy today, and feeling a bit stiff and tired, so probably not much will be accomplished.
Back when there's something to show.

Great work so far Terry!

Thanks Hugh.

A little more progress, with the rudder rods made, ready to fit once the frames are in place, and the 'cables' attached to the harness tail strap (pics later).
Work has begun on the superb resin control column, from the 'Barracuda' set, which needs to be installed before fitting the cockpit frames, to allow easier access.
Apologies for the poor pics, not showing the excellent detail on the resin parts, but I was using my little compact digital camera, and couldn't get the lighting at the desired angles (flash was too harsh.).

Pic 1. On the left, four of the five items provided for the resin control column, the fifth being the linkage rod, not shown here. The black object at extreme left is a length of black wire, with which to make the pneumatic gun firing hoses.
On the right is the incorrect, Mk.1 / Mk.II column from the kit, with the single machine gun button.
Pic 2. A fiddly job, especially the separate brake lever, but assembled, less the pneumatic hoses, which will be fitted after painting. I decided to fit the grip slightly offset to starboard. and the ailerons will be fitted deflected accordingly.

Work is progressing, and I hope to have this part of the cockpit completed by tomorrow.

Nice!

Thanks, Wojtek and Andy.

I seem to have woken up, so got on with the final bits of this assembly.
The resin control column was first painted, and then the pneumatic hoses added. I found the wire provided in the 'Barracuda' set a little difficult to work with, in such a small area, as it was rather stiff, so I replaced one side with lead wire.
The column was then fitted in place, and the seat frame and rear cockpit frame attached to the base section, before fitting and painting lengths of plastic rod to simulate the rudder and elevator push rods, which end short on the kit parts.
The harness cables were also added, using stretched sprue, and these will be 'anchored' in the mid fuselage later.
The pics show the various stages, and the completed assembly, although mixed lighting has affected the colour balance on some shots, with the brutal close-ups making the pant finish look much rougher than it actually is !

Good looking innards Terry

Stunning!