**** DONE: Spitfire MkVIII, 136 Squadron RAF, Burma, 1944, Commonwealth GB.

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Looking great Terry!!

making what could be a tricky build look easy Dogsbody

Looking very sharp Terry! Keep up the excellent work sir!

The model started getting its shape.

Thanks very much chaps. Just preparing it for the first painting stage. Might have some pics later.

Looking good Terry. You might notice that slight step in the tail planes after you paint. I had the same probelm with the gun covers but added the spacers to the covers. I made them a bit thick and sanded them down until they sat in the hole correctly.

Thanks Andy. I've got the first coat of grey on, and haven't noticed a step on the tail planes, as such. There is, however, a very slight gap at the joint on the leading edge, but this can be tackled with a touch more PVA, as can a slight depression at the joint of the starboard wing. This was the reason I decided to paint the Medium Sea Grey overall, to show up any imperfections.
No pics yet, as, although it's painted, it's still... well... grey!
I hope to get the remedial work done, and the Dark Earth sprayed tomorrow, after masking for the code letters, so I'll post some pics then.

Really taking shape now Terry, it's looking good.

Looking forward to more mate!

Thanks Vic and Wayne. Should have some pics done later - if my hands will behave, and allow me to cut the tape for the code letter masks!

Well I managed it, although it took about an hour and a half to cut and apply the tape, after a couple of false starts. A minor problem when using very thin strips of Tamiya tape, is that it sometimes doesn't want to adhere very well on a matt-painted surface, and has a tendency to want to slide around, due to the minimal surface contact. Hopefully, I haven't disturbed any strips during handling!
So, the Medium Sea Grey has been mixed and sprayed overall, deliberately a touch lighter, to allow for some shading and the darkening effect of the following clear coats; the code letter masks have been applied, and the Dark Earth sprayed.
This was built up in a slightly 'patchy' manner, to simulate the effects of the Indian and Burmese climates. This aircraft had only been in service around a month at the time depicted, so weathering and wear would be minimal. However, the harsh conditions did make the Spitfires look somewhat dirty fairly quickly, especially in the dust of Rhumkhapalong, so a little weathering and wear will be added later.
Like Andy, I don't 'go in' for heavy weathering, unless of course there is evidence of this on a specific aircraft, as I personally think it is so easy to get it wrong, making the model look like a 'good model' perhaps, but exactly that - an exagerated model, and not a miniature replica of the real thing. This is especially true of panel and rivet lines, which in most cases, with some exceptions, can't be seen much unless literally on top of them.
Anyway, here's where things are up to at the moment.
PIC 1. The tape 'reverse masks' for the lettering, laid over the base coat of Medium Sea Grey. These are 9.5 mm tall, scaling out at approximately 18 inches, the size of the small code letters used. The space for the SEAC roundel will allow the two-tone blue roundel to be placed and aligned accurately (when the decals arrive!), the real thing being 16 inches in diameter.
PIC 2. The relevant areas of the underside were masked, and then the Dark Earth sprayed, built-up as described earlier. This was left for around four hours, before the demarcation for the Dark Green areas was lightly pencilled in. I noticed, whilst doing the pencil lines, that the paint still felt fairly soft, and had a 'dusty' texture to it, another example of the inconsistent, poor quality of Humbrol enamels lately. This was a brand-new tin, which had been shaken, and then stirred well, at least 200 times, before being decanted, thinned and stirred again, as per usual practice. It has also dried slightly lighter in shade than the previous tin, although this is welcome, as I wanted to start with a slightly lighter shade, and then add depth by spraying further 'mist coats' where required, around some panels, and in areas of shade.
I was hoping to get the first coat of Dark Green on tonight, but I think it's better to let the paint fully cure for at least 24 hours, before hitting it with the next colour, otherwise 'orange peel' or other nasties could occur. So in the meantime, I'll keep busy by making some stencil decals, which are not included on this kits' decal sheet, probably due to this being USAAF version.
Once again, thank you for the compliments, and I'll try to get some more pics posted tomorrow.

top stuff

Excellent work Terry. I like the penciled in look on the camo. This is looking very sharp.

Thanks very much TD and Aaron.

Looking good Terry. BTW, I was checking on references for early production Mk IX's, my EN398 being one, and confirmed that the small teardrop-shaped bulge ICM provided on the right cowl just behind the spinner is, in fact, a characterstic of the early Mk IX's. Apparently, it's for a cabin blower driveshaft. I wonder if your Mk VIII would have had this and whether you've lopped it off?

Thanks Andy.
If you mean the blister on the starboard cowl, then it's on the MkVIII, and on the kit parts Andy. BTW, on the early MkIXs, the blister was for the Coffman cartridge starter, like on the MkII, which was later deleted. The blister was retained for the blower later.
BTW, I've found the drawings and pics of the three types of 'slipper' tanks, although I didn't notice any dimensions. I'll scan them and e-mail them sometime tomorrow, as I need to move some stuff to get the bl**dy big, heavy book onto the scanner first!
I'll also measure and photograph the spare tank I have, which might help. Probably easier to make it out of balsa, or do that, then use the balsa form to mould one.

Looking good Terry and I can relate to the masking, been doing all day and still some to go.

Thanks very much Vic.
I'm happy to say, the masking worked! The code letters have turned out quite well, although a couple need a little re-touching, where the Medium Sea Grey got some tiny scratches when lifting the tape, and the 'M' on the starboard side has the central strokes slightly off line. But it shouldn't be too difficult to correct.
The Dark Earth dried fully all of a sudden, so I was able to spray the Dark Green, and have started on some paint fading and dirt etc.
I'll post some pics later today, as my hands are now bl**dy painful and stiff after holding the airbrush and messing about with various paint brush techniques.

Shaping up nicely Terry!! BTW are you going for the green spinner?

Initial paint looks good Terry, look forward to seeing the masks off!