GB-62 1/48 Spitfire Mk IX - Spitfires

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P

pbehn

Colonel
13,136
10,237
Oct 30, 2013
Username: pbehn
First name: Peter
Category: Beginner
Manufacturer: ICM
Model: Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX
Scale: 1:48
Add-ons: None.


This is the kit. Advertised as a Mk IX and a Mk VII with additional figures and airfield equipment, the two kits are actually identical, with two sets of different instructions and decals.
 
So, a little history first. I used to make models aircraft tanks and guns as a kid, also collected all the Airfix Napoleonic era figures. More recently I have made a model a year as a Christmas / birthday present from my wife. The last two Airfic Defiant and Spitfire Mk V had me pulling my hair out, so I thought this kit(s) being cheap considering they have the engines. I built one, not as part of the GB just to mess about with and learn. It was always going to be a dogs dinner because I was playing about with finishes and varnishes etc, which don't really show in the phots. So I had several issues along with others here. 1 the wing fit and gaps. 2 The undercarriage doesn't seem right, just too long. 3 the rear wheel wouldn't go in as per instructions. 4, I think I have terminal cockpit alignment issues, the top of the pilots head rest was offset, meaning to get the canopy on I had to cut some away, even doing that it was still a little offset and couldnt be lined up with the front canopy, since the main canopy was fixed before I noticed, I usd extra paint to fill the gap. I finishd it in PR type colours and US markings just because I had the decals and its a change. Ralph Haus started.

 
Wurger said:
Any pic of the real kite you are going to replicate?
Click to expand...
Sure, but I felt the abov was necessary to explain why I have two engines and engine bays (thank God I did) for the real kite. I am a sod for making things and then thinking "I wish I had done that or this or something else". The bit about the cockpit is important, I think I learned something which may help others.
 
Crimea_River said:
Well, as a beginner you've chosen a pretty tough kit to tackle in the ICM. The Eduard one will be a much more pleasurable experience, albeit somewhat fiddly in places. Don't hestitate to reach out for help if you need it.
Click to expand...
I knew the reputation but figured I would be better off screwing up a bad cheap kit twice before I tackled a nice kit, if that makes sense?
 

OK. Grasped.
 
So, I did the main assemblies as per instructions. I use Humbrol enamel paints and was messing about with things. The instrument panel I played with for a week. In the end I put white paint in the dial centres covered with black paint, and used a pin to try to highlight dial features then did the outsides and buttons in a variety of not particularly historically accurate colours. For the cockpit interior I was messing about with various finishes, cockpit green over silver. Humbrol matt black is the blackest mattest matt black since matty black started making paint, everything just looks like a piece of matt black painted plastic so I used some greys and silver to give highlights. The engine bay is a whole story so I will cover that in another post. The one in the picture is the first attempt, started off as per the instructions.
 
First issue noted on the first go was a massive step either side of the radiator housings, so I cut away anywhere that may have been touching including most of the matrix in the pix,
First is
 

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So, being an enthusiastic beginner, learning from my mistakes I took great care to ensure that the top of the pilots headrest was low enough and centred enough allow the rear of the canopy to fit (this will be finished with the cockpit open). I then fastened it with a touch of glue out of sight. While assembling the fuselage with the wings everything was tight, when one part was flush somewhere else wasn't, and then trying to make something fit I heard a "click" it was the glue breaking where I had fastened the cockpit assembly to the fuselage. Drastic action was taken. I removed every bit of plastic that could make the fit "tight". With a view to posting here I marked the areas with red paint and then took off more. Such that only the outside surfaces were untouched. The whole thing then went together MUCH better. The wing gap is still there but not so pronounced and more even and the front and rear edges lined up better AND the top of the headrest is now still below where the canopy will be.



 
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