Spitfire FR Mk XIVe RCAF 414 Sqn

[jknaus]

Well let the butchering begin. I decided I would attempt to build this but kind of nerve wracking taking the first cuts on an expensive kit and conversion. Nose fits really well though so quite happy. Tomorrow the tail comes off and the aft fuselage gets chopped for retracting tail wheel. This is the Tamiya Mk XVie Low Back Spitfire and Laminar Flow Designs conversion. Also to go into this I have the LFD cockpit upgrade and printed out the LFD instrument panel. I'm making Violet Doroth III flown by Squadron Leader Ken Lawson of 414 Sqn RCAF during May of 45. Although I also have markings for S/L James Prendergast of 414 Sqn who flew Lazy Lady aircraft number P.

I cant find Lawsons pic but here is Prendergast.

And here is aircraft code D. being serviced.

So after carefully cutting the nose free from its supports and then carefully cutting the nose of the kit, here is where I am now.

James

 

[Rhino]

A Brute of Spitfire! With the Griffon and the 5-bladed Rotol, it looks more like a predator than earlier Spits.

 

[jeaton01]

An interesting project. How durable do the 3d printed parts seem?

 

[jknaus]

An interesting project. How durable do the 3d printed parts seem?

It depends on the resin used and how it is printed. I always print large pieces hollowed out with a 3mm shell. This saves weight and resin. I think the resin LFD is using is a bit more brittle than the resin I use, but it is still pretty tough. You do need to be careful. I printed the instrument panels but they have a lot of supports and when I tried forcing it a bit I snapped the IP{. So printed another. I have to be more careful with the conversion parts though because I cant afford to buy another if i mess up. You can buy different grades of resin for different purposes and even mix them. I was mixing Tenacious with my resin to give it more strength, but the resin I am using now is much stronger and so I use it as is. Of course when you get down to mm thick parts they can be very brittle just because they are so very thin and dont have a lot of strength at all. The Navy Mules I got are designed much thicker and so are much stronger.
James

 

[paddy]

Great subject, looking forward to this.

 

[moon puppy]

Get to it James, you're doing great!

An interesting project. How durable do the 3d printed parts seem?

John the goodies James sent me are very stout. I haven't done anything with them yet but it should be interesting.

 

[jknaus]

Well I mucked up the tail wheel cutout. Note to sell read instructions 1000000 times then cut. Sigh. I think I can recover though so carrying on. Here is the tail taped in and the nose taped on. Next butchering jobs are the photo panels. See how that works out.,

 

[moon puppy]

Press on James, shoot you can just print out another can't ya?

 

[jknaus]

Press on James, shoot you can just print out another can't ya?

Nope unless Tamiya gives me a fuselage file

 

[jknaus]

Okay this is shelved for an indeterminate time. I'm not sure when I will do much modelling as I just cant do it right now. My Brother was admitted to hospital last Week and we're not sure if he will walk out, so life's a bit stressful..

 

[moon puppy]

Sending prayers James.

 

[jeaton01]

Praying for you and your brother, James.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Hope your brother gets well and goes home soon James. As to the Spitfire, it can be fixed. Ponder on it and eventually you will get an inspiration. After all it is plastic, if nothing else clean up the area, add some styrene and reshape it from scratch. My Ju 87 has had a LOT of that. It is getting there, but has been quite a bit more challenge than I had originally expected.

 

[Rhino]

This has been a tough winter. We will pray and hope for your brother to have smart Doc's and speedy recovery.
Life happens. It happens all the time. Somethings are more important than model making.