1/24 Airfix Spitfire FINISHED

[paddy]

This arrived from Ebay

Original boxed 1973 Hurricane
A real shock now comparing this 50 year old kit to the New Spitfire but lets face it build one ya gotta build the other -)
Virtually no after market for this to bring it up to date except for an instrument panel and a metal undercarriage legs which are a must as the plastic originals cant take the weight.
strangely i am a lot more excited about this old kit than the new one for a couple of reasons
1/ it will be an achievement to come up with something presentable from this 20th century model that can sit along side its 21st Century siblings
2/ A much better canvas to detail as the new spit is basically done for you.

 

[paddy]

But if you replicated that panel fit on a model and took it to a show...

I think it would work but the problem as always is scale. Scale down a lot of those dings and edges and you would be hard pushed to see them. you could get away with some at 1/24 i suppose
I am very much of the opinion these days that people are way too heavily influenced by modern reproduction aircraft, some would say restored but really by the time you re skin an aircraft and repaint it it most of the patina of battle and life on the front line has gone.

 

[moon puppy]

I think we can get these effects with painting with the panel shading techniques we've done in the past. Might give it a shot next time I get to build.

 

[paddy]

Maybe the Hurricane would be a good subject to practice on ...

 

[moon puppy]

But most of it's body was canvas over frame wasn't it?

 

[paddy]

yea i thought the cockpit back was wood but looks like even the cockpit was partially wood as well.

The panels over the blue tubes would have been metal

 

[Sharkmouth]

Keep in mind that a few of the Mk I had fabric covered wings (and a two-bladed propeller). This is a nice restoration company with useful photos:

 

[paddy]

I know HR well, i pass their airfield in Suffolk quite often
The kit portrays a late Mk1 with metal wings, fabric control surfaces and rear fuselage

 

[paddy]

Anyway...back on the Ranch....

Absolutely love this MRP paint. it goes on with no fuss 10psi or 30psi, this was done with a pretty basic Pausch VLS but i use a Badger renegade for fine work.

The finish is a light sheen that will take decals without gloss coat and it will be interesting to see how their Mat coats work over the decals.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Not a MKIX but more likely a MkV but interesting all the same as i was just cross with myself over the panel fit on my model.... I feel better after seeing this

View attachment 159734

LOL! I think the panel fit issues are very much the same across many of the European built aircraft during early WWII. I have seen photos of Fw190's and Bf109's that the fit is rough at best and patched at worst. As long as they held together, would fly and give the ability to shoot down the enemy it didn't matter that much if they looked nice or not.

 

[paddy]

If the picture is of a Malta Spit then it would have been very second hand and old by the time it arrived in Malta. I notice it still has an oval early gunsight and these spits arrived in Malta in mid 1942. it would have been stored on deck on a carrier. Even getting them off the carriers was a feat The Spitfire’s pneumatically-operated flaps have only one setting of 85 degrees (drag flap for landing). The solution was to wedge the flaps at a 25-degree setting with a wooden wedge. Once safely airborne, the flaps could be lowered to drop the wedges and then raised again.
On Malta they would have been working 24/7 with very little maintenance in dusty arid conditions. battle damage would have been of the "patched up" variety. The truth is once the allies went on the offensive most of these aircraft operated from forward bases often only staying in one place/field for a couple of days before moving forward again so without maintenance hangers or even runways.

 

[centaur567]

Yeah, and the uniform is not too well pressed either.

That's when they call it war. Beat it to fit and paint it to match. Gary S.

 

[paddy]

Got some "experimental " paint on it now

MRP Ocean Grey (RAF)

MRP Dark Green (RAF)

Notice how i changed the pattern aft of the cockpit, not sure how i got it that wrong but i was watching the Motorcycle GP
I'm never really happy with my RAF camo patterns but i find once the decals and stripes are on they always look fine. A mat coat will blend it in a bit as well.

 

[jeaton01]

Looks real nice to me, Paddy. Nice and smooth.

 

[moon puppy]

Love it

 

[Steve Ski]

Excellent detail, spot on! I like the Hurricane too, awesome!

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Looking awesome so far! Are those blue tape noodles or putty to mask off the gray?

 

[Rhino]

https://www.scotchbrand.com/3M/en_US/scotch-brand/products/catalog/~/Scotch-Mounting-Putty-Removable-2-oz-Blue/?N=4335+3291729320+3294529207&rt=rud

It's referred to as Blu-Tack here in the US.

 

[paddy]

Amazon.co.uk : bue tack

 

[Rhino]

I really like what you have going on here, Paddy! How about a 1/24 Hurri thread too!