Vic Balshaw
Brigadier General
Excellant Andy and great attention to detail as always. 
**** DONE: GB-57 1/48 Spitfire MK.XVIe Low-back - WW2 Foreign Service
- Thread starter Crimea_River
- Start date
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36feet10inches
Staff Sergeant
Looks fantastic. Those 2TAF roundels really pop!
She is really looking Nice Andy and I always thought it was just me and Tamy wash problems?
Good work so far Andy!
- Thread starter
- #205
Crimea_River
Marshal
Merci mes amis. Flat coat has been applied after a couple more details got sorted. First, I noticed that the profile on page 1 shows a patched-over flare ejector hole on the rear fuselage so I added that. I simply began drilling a hole, making sure not to go through, then attempted to "smooth" the edges of the hole with some PVA glue. Then I masked and painted the patch in a red dope colour. Not sure I like the result so may fix it, depending on my mood. Also, the serial number was noted to have been oversprayed when the Sky bands were painted over so I did that with thin Ocean Grey.
Same idea on the other side using the Dark Green. I should have obliterated the W/T stencil though. There's some silvering on the serial that needs to get sorted.
A couple of poses showing the overall finish at the moment. Quite happy with how it all turned out. One thing I need to confirm is whether or not these low-back XVI's had a fuel filler pipe behind the cockpit head armour. I know the XIV had it but there was something I was reading about the XVI's and the rear fuel tanks. If anyone has info I'd love to hear it.
Here's the finished prop. There are some file marks left over from the major reshaping that I did on these but I think I will let them go at this point. I may add a couple of brass-coloured chips on the leading edge of some of the blades but will keep it simple.
In addition to figuring out that fuel filler pipe, I do need to add the IFF spike and the whip antenna. The profile on page 1 also shows the small Rebecca antenna on the bottom of the fuselage that I'd have to scratch build. More soonish.
Same idea on the other side using the Dark Green. I should have obliterated the W/T stencil though. There's some silvering on the serial that needs to get sorted.
A couple of poses showing the overall finish at the moment. Quite happy with how it all turned out. One thing I need to confirm is whether or not these low-back XVI's had a fuel filler pipe behind the cockpit head armour. I know the XIV had it but there was something I was reading about the XVI's and the rear fuel tanks. If anyone has info I'd love to hear it.
Here's the finished prop. There are some file marks left over from the major reshaping that I did on these but I think I will let them go at this point. I may add a couple of brass-coloured chips on the leading edge of some of the blades but will keep it simple.
In addition to figuring out that fuel filler pipe, I do need to add the IFF spike and the whip antenna. The profile on page 1 also shows the small Rebecca antenna on the bottom of the fuselage that I'd have to scratch build. More soonish.
Vic Balshaw
Brigadier General
It really is looking good Andy.
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Really looking the par Andy.
Yes, there was a fuel filler pipe behind the seat armour. Pics below from the Aero Detail book.
Yes, there was a fuel filler pipe behind the seat armour. Pics below from the Aero Detail book.
- Thread starter
- #209
Crimea_River
Marshal
Thanks Terry. But that's a Mk.XIV isn't it?
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Definitely a Mk.XVI Andy.
Some "high back " Mk.XVI's also had the fuselage tank, with the filler visible under the rear glazing.
Some "high back " Mk.XVI's also had the fuselage tank, with the filler visible under the rear glazing.
- Thread starter
- #211
Crimea_River
Marshal
I ask because the brace detail behind the armoured headrest is a single rod as opposed to the plate with lightening holes seen on the XVI. At any rate it does seem some had the filler and some didn't. I may go ahead and add it since it's in the profile on page 1
Nice work Andy.
Nice work so far Andy!
T Bolt
Colonel
Beautiful work Andy
- Thread starter
- #215
Crimea_River
Marshal
In the one step forward category, the prop and exhaust stacks have been welded on:
And, the slot for the mirror has been filled, since I discovered that there was no mirror on this aircraft, probably due to the much better vision provided by the bubble top. The filler piece has yet to be cut, filed flush, and painted.
In the two steps back catgegory, the clear sliding canopy is giving me grief. After I removed all the masks, I noticed that there was some glue residue from the Tamiya vinly tape. I dipped a QTip in 70% IPA and started to remove the glue, only to find that it was also removing the Furure coat as well as the Tamiya Flat Clear that I had sprayed on the frames, so much so that some of the underlying paint also came away revealing the cockpit grey green that I had sprayed first and also leaving a foggy appearance. Damn, that's never happened to me before. So it was back to removing all the Future, re-dipping the canopy and startng over on the frames. Only now I need to somehow preserve the yellow dash decals.
The close-up also shows a cloudy area still present on the top rear portion of the clear part. Looks like sh!t.
I will need to address this when I'm in a better frame of mind so hopefully I'll be back later in the week with some progress FORWARD.
And, the slot for the mirror has been filled, since I discovered that there was no mirror on this aircraft, probably due to the much better vision provided by the bubble top. The filler piece has yet to be cut, filed flush, and painted.
In the two steps back catgegory, the clear sliding canopy is giving me grief. After I removed all the masks, I noticed that there was some glue residue from the Tamiya vinly tape. I dipped a QTip in 70% IPA and started to remove the glue, only to find that it was also removing the Furure coat as well as the Tamiya Flat Clear that I had sprayed on the frames, so much so that some of the underlying paint also came away revealing the cockpit grey green that I had sprayed first and also leaving a foggy appearance. Damn, that's never happened to me before. So it was back to removing all the Future, re-dipping the canopy and startng over on the frames. Only now I need to somehow preserve the yellow dash decals.
The close-up also shows a cloudy area still present on the top rear portion of the clear part. Looks like sh!t.
I will need to address this when I'm in a better frame of mind so hopefully I'll be back later in the week with some progress FORWARD.
T Bolt
Colonel
Too bad about the fogged canopy. Maybe brush on some more Future
- Thread starter
- #218
Crimea_River
Marshal
Don't think so Glen. It's already under the dipped coat so it all needs to be stripped again. Unless I leave it.
Looks good so far Andy!
Vic Balshaw
Brigadier General
Andy, I often use these more accurate cotton tips for such work, the pointed end helps to get your tip where needed.
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