**** DONE: Spitfire Mk. Vb Trop. BS231 “D” of No 452 Sqn defending Darwin .

[Wurger]

Working, working...

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

I have a suggestion. What if you make a wooden mold of your gun blisters. Something you can put on the end of a pencil or small stack of wood. Then cut the ends off an old water bottle leaving the sloping ends on. Fit your wooden mold up against one side and adding bits of wood to the other end until you have a relatively tight fit. Then use a hot air gun over the plastic bottle until it shrinks around your mold. Let it cool and cut to shape. I think that should help.

 

[N4521U]

That's an eggggselent idea Nut! I have some kit blisters coming in the mail, but that is great food for thought! I wiull catalog that one......

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Good thinking Bill (Nut) always open to suggestions and helps keep the brain ticking over...................

 

[Wayne Little]

Good idea Bill!

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Very good idea Bill!!!!! Kudos sir!

 

[N4521U]

Well, as with the Typhoon, the casting stuff was contaminated by the bottle I used to pour from. So with fresh resin I am able to cast new blisters, in the picture the resin is starting to color and set. My cast is sitting on the wing. The resin ones I got had the panel surround attached and is very thick. I would have spent days trying to file this off the backs. If I had gotten these first I would have cut out the panel in the wing before the halves went together. But I used them for the panel lines pattern. So all is starting to take shape.

Now if I can just get rid of this dam catheter stuff!!!!!!!!!!

Am hoping the next post will be paint applied. Thanks to each and all for your kind words and encouragement. Your a very supportive group.

I sailor on.
Bill

 

[Wayne Little]

Glad you're on top of this Bill, looks good mate!

 

[B-17engineer]

Nice work Bill!

 

[Airframes]

Can't see the pic at the moment, but sounds like you're winning Bill.
I'll try again later.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Pleased for you Bill, it looks nice mate.

 

[N4521U]

Thanks guys.

Today I attached the blisters, in the picture above they are just sitting near attach location, inspected all the seams in the wings and fuselage, glued spaces, filled and finished them. Will move on to the major painting next, after attaching wings.

This is a pretty weather beaten well used plane so I may try silver undercoat and use a salt slurry under the top coats. I may add black to the camo colours for that old used look at dusk.? Or should it be all bleached out? It is in Darwin! Should the camo colours be the same as the Mk.22 I have going? Bill

 

[N4521U]

Thanks guys.

What the???????????????????????????????????

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

Good save there Bill.

 

[N4521U]

Final ruff fitting. Leaving the gun sight to last, it's already been knocked off once. Have to fit gun barrel to the wing and clearance lights.

 

[Crimea_River]

 

[Airframes]

Looking like a Spit now Bill.

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Excellent work Bill!!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Top stuff Bill it's looking damn good.

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

looking great Bill