OK, I've tiptoed into this build now with work on the cockpit. Not all the details are correct for a late Spitfire but I'm not going to fuss over that too much as I'm likely going to pose the canopy closed or slightly cracked open. Things started with the addition of the air bottles and a shot of aluminum that I had in the brush when I did the last few bits on the Lightning.
The landing gear lever was chopped off and moved to the DOWN position though it's hard to see in the above pic. I also would normally add the oxygen bottle on the starboard side but this time it will be hidden under the deck.
The floor and frame 11 were then assembled. Though it doesn't appear so, the lightening holes in the frame are drilled out. The back armour plate is from another ICM Spit and, rather than make a new one as I've done before, I simply rubbed this one on some 80 grit sandpaper to thin it down. I like the grey plastic a lot more than the white.
The seat has always been a sore point with me. Both my previous ICM Spits benefited from aftermarket Ultracast resin seats but I wasn't going to blow more cash on this kit. I thinned the walls on the kit seat to make it look a little more passable. The painted seat in the below pic is an unused one from one of the other ICM kits posed for comparison next to the one I modified.
There are still issues with the seat, namely the missing depression in the bottom and also the notch on the left hand side. However, I'm going to borrow a trick from Terry and scratch up a parachute pack that will occupy the bucket so none of this will matter.
Finally, I shot my mix of Tamiya paints for the cockpit grey-green, adding a darker coat in areas that will be in shade. I wasn't sure how much of the floor would be seen so I made sure to paint the inside of the lower wing half to hide this bright white plastic. The paint is basic at the moment and details will be picked out in the next steps.
Thanks for looking in chaps.