BoB Spitfire X4586
Working on the Merlin engine.
The stock Airfix control stick is not very good, to say the least. I wanted to improve it.
First cut off the poorly shaped spade grip. Leave the brake lever in place. Gentle work with a razor saw!
The firing button housing is made from .093 plastic tubing. Drill a hole .052" at the blue cross then cut at the dotted red line.
I made the new spade grip from .050" solder wrapped around a round mandrel. Slide the button housing on.
Make the firing button from .040" rod.
Place a drop of acrylic glue in the hole and drop the button in.
Fix the spade grip to the stick with cyano (crazy) glue.
Looks more convincing now!
Using the Airscale decals for the panel. Scratchbuilt a better compass too.
The stick looks better now.
The aircraft only had 37 hours flying time on it when it was shot down, so it wouldn't be too dirty.
A bit of weathering for the Merlin.
Test fitting the internals.
This is the kit door. No details at all. In 1970, just having a kit with a door that could be posed open was awesome!
Add some scratchbuilt details, a bit of paint and Techmod decals and voila!
RB Productions Sutton Harness. Time consuming but very accurate.
After I install the seat I will pose the harness more realistically. Going to dirty it up a bit too.
Added a starboard cockpit lamp, there is the Sutton harness release cable just next to it.
And a port side lamp too. Lamps are made from plastic rod and the supply harness is thin wire.
Reflector sight is in.
Fuselage glued together!
Lots of trimming to fit the windscreen.
Next job, paint the framework.
"The Office"
Test fitting the wing.
A lot of sanding and fiddling was needed to get the wing to sit in place properly.
Wing now attached permanently.
Test fit of the cowlings. 50 year old moulds for sure.
Had to hollow out the intake, it was horrible.
The kit exhausts are Mk.V style (top) so I modified them to Mk.I configuration.
Tamiya Fine Surface Primer White
Tamiya Fine Surface Primer Gray
Test fit of exhausts.
Add some paint.
I often construct a cardboard jig to hold large models for detail work
Tamiya AS-22 Dark Earth first
Waxed paper applied and cut to shape
Malfunction of the Dark Green.
The correct Dark Green
Camo complete on upper side
All masked for the Dark Green
Masking with poster tack rolled into ropes
Sky Type S
I always start with the bottom decals
All of the roundels came from a Hobbycraft Mk.V kit
Looking better
Fin flashes from the Airfix decals
I sprayed the codes with Montex Masks
Starboard codes are done
The poisonous gas patch on the port wing
The cockpit
Opened up the cockpit door
Installed the exhaust manifolds
Ugly fuel filler hole by Airfix
I punched out a disc and detailed it
Looks much better now
Rudder details
I used Krome Foil for the rear view mirror
I printed the serial numbers on clear decal paper
Serials applied
The gun patches are Tamiya 10mm masking tape painted Insignia Red
Looks ok to me
Antenna wires are EZ Line
Kommentare
5 28 March 2017, 18:55
Norm SheppardGareth, here is the E-Bay sale I bought my LED`s from. They have lots of colours, just be sure to order 0402 lights, they are the tiniest ones. I use warm white for the white lights, they look like an incandescent bulb. Cool white would be better for landing and search lights, I suppose.
Ebay.ca Item - 10 pcs Pre Wired Red 0402 SMD LED scenery Lights Pre soldered Micro LEDs Lamps
29 March 2017, 20:02
gorbyVery interesting Norm. I was only thinking about LEDs in models this morning and now I have a tutorial. 🙂
30 March 2017, 06:41
Norm SheppardThese lights are awesome and (China, unfortunately) cheap. I'll post a picture of them illuminated in my album in a bit.
30 March 2017, 18:29
Taarna EckartNice! I am going to watch where this is going for sure! If I may suggest, if you have not already considered it, using a reed switch for the power switch. You can put it in the kit and turn it off and on with almost any magnet.
30 March 2017, 18:31
Norm SheppardThanks Taarna! I'll check that out. That's a great idea! (I never thought of it.)
30 March 2017, 18:59
Norm SheppardDue to technical issues, the light experiment is cancelled. I'll do it on a future project. This model will be completed without them.
13 February 2019, 11:47
Norm SheppardI'm enjoying the extra detail work, the scale is big enough to make it fun!
17 March 2019, 20:48
Taarna EckartThis is looking nice for sure. May I ask what the technical problem was with lighting?
18 March 2019, 16:31
Norm SheppardI put 5 micro LEDs in the model and when I hooked up all the wiring I accidentally applied 9V and burned some out. I'm going to do another project with lights down the road. Just a 64 year old brain fart issue. Bummed myself out!
19 March 2019, 14:19
Norm SheppardYup, those brain farts just sneak up on you, the foul gaseous mixture builds up in the frontal cortex until the pressure is too great and POOF, you screw something up totally!
19 March 2019, 20:54
Taarna EckartI'm sorry that happened. I've done it as well 😄
The build is really looking nice!
29 April 2019, 01:29
Alec KGreat progress Norm. This will be a BIG bird, hope you are adding on a room for it... About those brain farts: I worry about those too, until I think back about all the doozies I performed as a young-brained lad. Sometimes I think that attainment of wisdom is just nature's way to keep the snafu frequency constant throughout life 😄
12 February 2020, 15:28
MunkyslutAhh mate this is just incredible!
I really enjoyed my Airfix 1/24 Spit, appalling fit & moulding issues aside, this is so many levels above my modest efforts though 👍
The detail in that cockpit is simply staggering!
12 February 2020, 15:44
Norm SheppardThanks for the compliments guys. I have been building for 57 years now, and finally retired from daily labours, so the output will move up a notch. It is truly a horrible kit in many ways but the shape is definitely right. And it is for a customer, so I don't have to store it afterwards!
12 February 2020, 23:19
Augievery nicely done! I know the pain of this kit so really this came out well!
23 March 2020, 00:06
Peppy I came across your build here after looking at Andy's build yesterday. Very excellent build yourself here.
Ah, these were so cutting edge when they came out.
Really grand to see them still being wrestled with, eh?
22 April 2021, 21:28
Andy BallHi Norm! Great result, I wish I'd watched this earlier- would help with my 1/24th Spit build too! I hope I can get close to your superb work!! Well done!
22 April 2021, 22:29
Norm SheppardI really enjoy building the old kits and even though I made a few errors as usual, they always turn out fairly well.
23 April 2021, 11:27
Peter HardyPretty impressive build Norm! Very impressed with the steering stick thingy.
24 April 2021, 08:22
Album info
This will be a replica of the Spitfire Mk.I that shot down German Ace Helmut Wick in November of 1940. I am using the old Airfix 1:24th scale kit, with some changes and improvements.
