- Thread starter
- #61
Crimea_River
Marshal
Thanks all!
**** DONE: GB-62 1/48 Spitfire Vc Trop - Spitfires
- Thread starter Crimea_River
- Start date
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Nicely done so far Andy!
- Thread starter
- #63
Crimea_River
Marshal
Work from yesterday and today included making the fuselage seams disappear and getting the wings on.
First an overview of how things looked about an hour ago after adding the wings. See anything wrong?
Close-ups of the wing joints reveal an excellent fit.
Here's the fuselage seam, now smoothed out:
It wasn't until I got to the stage of adding the one-piece elevator that I panicked after realizing that I had prepared and glued in the wrong horizontal stabs, one of the downsides of getting so many optional parts that are not to be used (see first photo). I incorrectly glued in the ones meant for the later mark Spitfires with the larger horn balances so I ripped out the stabs (fortunately the glue was still curing), quickly glued the proper ones together, and inserted them into the slots. I was glad that the still-soft glue hadn't made a mess of the joints and so the proper ones went in fine along with the elevator. I did, however, have a mishap with the glue and accidently got a droplet on the vertical stab so you can see a smudge of surface primer there that will now need to fully cure and get sanded smooth.
And here's where a fit issue did creep in. The large Vokes filter assembly did not fit well and would have needed excessive force to get it to sit flat on the bottom as seen in this dry-fit:
The problem stems from the fact that the thing is made up of three pieces where 2 full halves would have been better. As it is, the angle that rear section makes with the front part is too flat and so the filter won't fit into the slot cleanly. To remedy this, I cut open the glue joint to allow the thing to flex:
Then I glued and clamped it in place and filled the cuts and the remaining gap at the back.
It's still not perfect but a lot better than when I started. Some careful filing should get the profile flat against the underside of the wing.
Thanks again for following along.
First an overview of how things looked about an hour ago after adding the wings. See anything wrong?
Close-ups of the wing joints reveal an excellent fit.
Here's the fuselage seam, now smoothed out:
It wasn't until I got to the stage of adding the one-piece elevator that I panicked after realizing that I had prepared and glued in the wrong horizontal stabs, one of the downsides of getting so many optional parts that are not to be used (see first photo). I incorrectly glued in the ones meant for the later mark Spitfires with the larger horn balances so I ripped out the stabs (fortunately the glue was still curing), quickly glued the proper ones together, and inserted them into the slots. I was glad that the still-soft glue hadn't made a mess of the joints and so the proper ones went in fine along with the elevator. I did, however, have a mishap with the glue and accidently got a droplet on the vertical stab so you can see a smudge of surface primer there that will now need to fully cure and get sanded smooth.
And here's where a fit issue did creep in. The large Vokes filter assembly did not fit well and would have needed excessive force to get it to sit flat on the bottom as seen in this dry-fit:
The problem stems from the fact that the thing is made up of three pieces where 2 full halves would have been better. As it is, the angle that rear section makes with the front part is too flat and so the filter won't fit into the slot cleanly. To remedy this, I cut open the glue joint to allow the thing to flex:
Then I glued and clamped it in place and filled the cuts and the remaining gap at the back.
It's still not perfect but a lot better than when I started. Some careful filing should get the profile flat against the underside of the wing.
Thanks again for following along.
fubar57
General
Good catch on the stabs and looks like a good solution on the intake. Right now I'm preparing an Italeri/Special Hobby Mk.Vc and the intake fit is horrendous. I've got the fix but there are other issues with the kit as well
Vic Balshaw
Major General
Nasty little problem with the air intake but a good solution, looks good. 
le_steph40
Chief Master Sergeant
Excellent work Andy 
looks good Andy, seem to have sorted the filter
Done good mate...!
- Thread starter
- #70
Crimea_River
Marshal
Thanks guys. Anyone building this kit might want to leave off the back end of the filter until the lower cowl intake is fitted rather than gluing it all together first as the instructions say.
Lovely work so far Andy!
- Thread starter
- #72
Crimea_River
Marshal
Anyone care to guess what colour to paint the inner gear doors and u/c struts? Silver? Azure Blue? Sky Blue? Eduard says silver.
Vic Balshaw
Major General
My bet would be Sky but some folks also say aluminium. But checking back on a Terry comment, sky was the go.
le_steph40
Chief Master Sergeant
IMHO Sky Blue or Silver... 
T Bolt
Colonel
Good fix there Andy
Well known pic here Andy.
Suggests azure blue, though not sure if this is original or coloured photograph?
Suggests azure blue, though not sure if this is original or coloured photograph?
- Thread starter
- #78
Crimea_River
Marshal
Thanks guys. Not much further ahead I'm afraid as you've all picked one of the three choices! Going to need to do some more reading on this. The betting money is on this aircraft having received the mid stone/dark brown uppers before leaving the UK and then having dark blue applied over top on the USS Wasp. I don't know yet but I suspect light blue was applied with the desert uppers and then left on the bottom during the repaint on the Wasp. I THINK Azure Blue came later once it was realized the sky was much bluer but I don't know for sure and need to read up on that.
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
Could the painting of these aircraft be mentioned in surviving logs of U.S.S. Wasp?
- Thread starter
- #80
Crimea_River
Marshal
Maybe but apparently not found yet. Theories abound that the dark blue uppers were an RAF paint brought on board or an experimental US Navy colour. I have to admit I have never heard of the light blue cclour before this build. Sky, yes. Azure Blue, yes. Medium Sea Grey, yes but I've never heard of the Sky Blue til now.
