**** DONE: GB-62 1/48 Spitfire Mk.IXC "Beer Delivery" - Spitfires

[Ralph Haus]

Username: Ralph Haus
First name: Ralph
Category: Advanced
Manufacturer: ICM
Model: 48060
Scale: 1:48

How fun is this?? I forgot a 'chamber' for my stash and discovered I have this one! I'll deviate from the stoic BOBs and later 'formal' builds for a this second Spitfire entry; and have some fun. I now need to go back and reread the build progresses of Steph and Bill; having the same mold paternity, too try and find/avoid any major pits!

 

[Crimea_River]

Very soft plastic, tricky cowl fits and poor wing to fuselage joints. What could go wrong?

Take your time and read the other ICM builds and you should fine Ralph

 

[Ralph Haus]

Very soft plastic, tricky cowl fits and poor wing to fuselage joints. What could go wrong?

Take your time and read the other ICM builds and you should fine Ralph

Thanks. Some great problems pointed out in Bill's and Steph's builds so far. Have plenty of putty though. But it seems that some of that can be minimize going in with knowing there will be issues.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

What a good subject, slightly different from all the rest. Nice one Ralph.

 

[Wurger]

 

[fubar57]

Nice one Ralph. I had an Italeri Beer Keg bomber but I couldn't find any photos Identifying which aircraft were involved. If I recall, Italeri markings were for Johnnie Johnson but his aircraft was in England at the time

 

[Ralph Haus]

Just now starting to separate the good stuff from the chaff. Wow, I have only one ICM build under my belt (a 1:72 I-16), but this is a rude wake up call from just coming off a Tamiya build! Kind of like having been set up on a blind date with a woman that hates men. Files are sharp and tons of sanding medium at hand.

Looking forward to doing the paint though. It seems it will be using every RLM color I have?? Lots of masking, and sub-masking. Should be fun.

The scheme chosen:

 

[fubar57]

ICM may have made a marking error.... Spitfire pilots and aircraft database - Spitfire MJ452

 

[fubar57]

Definitely an error. A better image https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/...-RCAF-with-250-lb-bombs--Heesch--NE--IWM.jpeg

 

[Ralph Haus]

Definitely an error. A better image https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/...-RCAF-with-250-lb-bombs--Heesch--NE--IWM.jpeg

Not sure I understand? No bands or wing stripes? Or what am I missing? What little I can find indicates these were used in Operation Overlord, mid 1944, to deliver the beer to advancing allied troops. Were the additional marking added for these special 'delivery wagons'? Were not these stripes and bands present on all aircraft during this operation (well, most)?

 

[Crimea_River]

Serial number MJ452 is for L not J according to the info.

 

[Ralph Haus]

Serial number MJ452 is for L not J according to the info.

Aaaah! I see. And of course the SN for 'J' is hidden by tail!

 

[fubar57]

According to this site, Canadian Warplanes 3: Supermarine Spitfire VZ⦾J s/n is MJ275

 

[Ralph Haus]

According to this site, Canadian Warplanes 3: Supermarine Spitfire VZ⦾J s/n is MJ275

Found this to confirm asn.flightsafety.org

 

[Ralph Haus]

In my stumbling around looking at info for VZ*J I did find this site that has WAY more info than I can absorb, on ALL aircraft. Some may be familiar with this site, but just in case...

Home

www.verliesregister.studiegroepluchtoorlog.nl

Arrived here via the https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/48941 link that had the VZ*J information.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Well spotted young George, nice bit of help for us old fogies.

 

[Airframes]

Ralph, just to clarify.
Your subject should be "L", and the black & white AEAF stripes would have been present from June 5th to around late July, 1944.
At this time, the stripes were removed from the upper surfaces and lower wings, leaving just the lower fuselage stripe pattern visible. These remaining stripes wold also be removed later, probably from around August /October 1944., although some aircraft retained them later, due to time constraints in the field.
The photo of your subject was, from memory, taken in Holland in early 1945, well after the removal of the stripes.
When carrying the beer barrels, the aircraft would have had the full "invasion" stripes, applied using "washable" paint.

 

[Ralph Haus]

Ralph, just to clarify.
Your subject should be "L", and the black & white AEAF stripes would have been present from June 5th to around late July, 1944.
At this time, the stripes were removed from the upper surfaces and lower wings, leaving just the lower fuselage stripe pattern visible. These remaining stripes wold also be removed later, probably from around August /October 1944., although some aircraft retained them later, due to time constraints in the field.
The photo of your subject was, from memory, taken in Holland in early 1945, well after the removal of the stripes.
When carrying the beer barrels, the aircraft would have had the full "invasion" stripes, applied using "washable" paint.

Good info. One of the readons I was attracted to this kit was the stripes. Well that, and the beer barrels!

 

[Ralph Haus]

Unfortunately, I'm able to recreate (verify) all of the issues that were noted on Bill's and Andy's builds of this same kit! I do appreciate the heads up, kind of makes it less painfull and somewhat knowing its not my fault; something I did wrong. Thoughts of just using the plastic from an Eduards IXc kit I have, and drilling the required holes for hanging the beer barrel's hardware. Would that be legal???

Having to assemble the motor is an unjustified pain. Won't see it but the exhausts will have an anchor as well as the prop!!!

Below are the conformation photos of the ICM fit issues. Dry fitting and cussing with trying to hold it together with tape. On the upper cowling (wish I had photographed) the area abobe the exhaust notches was a crude mold slide flash. No fastener markings. Poor quality control or just a worn out mold. I see the 'drag' marks on the edges of many of the molded parts, so that is an indication of a replacement needed! Or more mold release???

The wing root gap. I believe I will try and attach the lower wing panel and then the uppers, allowing a 'slipage', if you will, to close the gap on the trailing wing roots. I did play around with pushing the fusalage walls a bit and that did seems to work, but probably impractical when the pit is installed.

The front leading edge gap. Thanks to the heads up received, push forward the fuselage and the misfit is minor. Gaps seem to show, but pinches down to a managable misalignment and gap.

The trailing edges will require some major filling and sanding I'm afraid. Will see after all is glued in.

 

[fubar57]

I have no problem with you switching kits Ralph. This is supposed to be a fun hobby. That kit is for when you you have paint drying and need something to putter about with