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Tamiya Spitfire Mk IX (1/32)
- Thread starter paddy
- Start date
Kotare kit has those tanks half round but a lot more decals. Looks great Paddy.
Well you're not going to see them anyway. 
paddy
Well-known member
Right lets have some fun
These are the HGW seat belts for a Spit MkIX
Note top pic stap No.3 then look at strap 3 on the fabric sprue ??
Yes part No. 3 is really part No. 8
But wait you say there are 2 part 8s and they are different thicknesses ? Well suck it up guys they should be the same......
Now lets look at part No. 1, the long shoulder straps.... You can see from the last picture these go through the seat, over the phnematic bottles to
the rear bulkhead...?
But wait you say...This part of part No.1 is only 4mm long ? it needs to be at least 13mm ? Well suck it up guys you are only getting 4mm
So what ya going to do paddy ?
Well i will use the PE set that came with the kit chaps, you didnt expect the aftermarket to be any good did you ?
Sorry for being sarcastic but really ? they charge £10 + P&P for this rubbish.
These are the HGW seat belts for a Spit MkIX
Note top pic stap No.3 then look at strap 3 on the fabric sprue ??
Yes part No. 3 is really part No. 8
But wait you say there are 2 part 8s and they are different thicknesses ? Well suck it up guys they should be the same......
Now lets look at part No. 1, the long shoulder straps.... You can see from the last picture these go through the seat, over the phnematic bottles to
the rear bulkhead...?
But wait you say...This part of part No.1 is only 4mm long ? it needs to be at least 13mm ? Well suck it up guys you are only getting 4mm
So what ya going to do paddy ?
Well i will use the PE set that came with the kit chaps, you didnt expect the aftermarket to be any good did you ?
Sorry for being sarcastic but really ? they charge £10 + P&P for this rubbish.
Heavens Eagle
Well-known member
Hey Paddy, be aware that they might be a bit oversized. I discovered this when I did the seatbelts for my Go229. When I started actually studying the sizes and how they set in the seats, it turned out the 1/32 HGW PE was at least closer to 1/24th, not sure about the "cloth" parts of the belts. They were much too large to be 1/32nd, and are too big even when compared to Eduard and Quinta Studios seat belts. Note that the latter 2 brands seem to fit the same as seen in reference photos.Right lets have some fun
These are the HGW seat belts for a Spit MkIX
View attachment 188414
Note top pic stap No.3 then look at strap 3 on the fabric sprue ??
Yes part No. 3 is really part No. 8
But wait you say there are 2 part 8s and they are different thicknesses ? Well suck it up guys they should be the same......
Now lets look at part No. 1, the long shoulder straps.... You can see from the last picture these go through the seat, over the phnematic bottles to
the rear bulkhead...?
But wait you say...This part of part No.1 is only 4mm long ? it needs to be at least 13mm ? Well suck it up guys you are only getting 4mm
So what ya going to do paddy ?
Well i will use the PE set that came with the kit chaps, you didnt expect the aftermarket to be any good did you ?
Sorry for being sarcastic but really ? they charge £10 + P&P for this rubbish.
paddy
Well-known member
I settled on a mix of PE and cloth straps in what turned out to be a salvage mission. The straps are not technically correct but look the part and i already find this build a bit of a mission ;-)
This is as far as i can go with the cockpit
what i am learning is i much prefer larger scales like 1/12 and 1/9 because they give the opportunity to add detail that A/ can be seen B/ can be scratched, even down to things like decals, i had to buy decals for this but i can print 1/12 myself. This is not a faulty of the models, its more a fault of the design of humans that deteriorate with age a bit like plastic left out in the sun i have numb finger tips and fading eyesight that can magnify x12 but not x32 
This is as far as i can go with the cockpit
what i am learning is i much prefer larger scales like 1/12 and 1/9 because they give the opportunity to add detail that A/ can be seen B/ can be scratched, even down to things like decals, i had to buy decals for this but i can print 1/12 myself. This is not a faulty of the models, its more a fault of the design of humans that deteriorate with age a bit like plastic left out in the sun
i have numb finger tips and fading eyesight that can magnify x12 but not x32
Looks swell, get that puppy buttoned up and Grab your egg and fours and let's get the bacon delivered. 
Heavens Eagle
Well-known member
Don't sweat it Paddy! The level of detail is actually the same, or rather the size of the detail you are doing/adding is the same small size. It's just a smaller piece on 1/12th scale as opposed to the size on a 1/32nd scale.
Remember Mark 1 eyeballs can only see down to a certain size without serious correction. That size stays the same weather it is 1/72nd, 1/48th, 1/32nd, 1/16th, 1/12th or 1/1
Your cockpit looks great and I would be very hard put to make a better one.
Remember Mark 1 eyeballs can only see down to a certain size without serious correction. That size stays the same weather it is 1/72nd, 1/48th, 1/32nd, 1/16th, 1/12th or 1/1
Your cockpit looks great and I would be very hard put to make a better one.
paddy
Well-known member
Interesting perspective Paul ,a large part in 1/12 is just a small part in 1/32 and you really cant ague with that I supose the answer is small parts in 1/12 are minute in 1/32. I have put a bit of thought into what i am trying to say as i wasnt even sure myself but i think its to do with the limitations of plastic moulding at 1/32. The brake pipes on this Spit are 0.8mm which is a pretty good attempt but a a std 7mm brake pipe would need to be about 0.2mm , Picky i know but when you then apply that maths to the rest of the kit the fuselage panels become 2" thick likewise the plexiglass canopy and the cockpit door. Ignition lead become 1.5" thick and so on. Of course its a compromise but its not an issue really in 1/12 and if it is its an easy workaround.
I am not belittling for one moment the work guys do on on smaller scales and lets not go near 1/700 ships or the amazing detail Rhino get on his miniature scales. its just having built hundreds of 1/48 and 1/32 aircraft i now get satisfaction from larger scales. When i look back at recent builds i get 95% of my satisfaction from cutting up and making parts for my cutaway Fiat and 5% from actually gluing bits together. Had i just made the mudguards for the Harley and stopped there i would have been as pleased with them as i was with the whole bike.
Is it a toolmaker thing ? or the fact i have restored a dozen vintage Motorcycles in the past, both things i can no longer do and models have taken over ? possibly i mean 1970s bikes had rubber reinforced brake pipes, probably about 15mm dia, would i have fitted a 7mm braided stainless steel pipe to one ? absolutely not As i say , interesting topic and i have barely scratched the surface but i will shut up
I supose the answer is small parts in 1/12 are minute in 1/32. I have put a bit of thought into what i am trying to say as i wasnt even sure myself but i think its to do with the limitations of plastic moulding at 1/32. The brake pipes on this Spit are 0.8mm which is a pretty good attempt but a a std 7mm brake pipe would need to be about 0.2mm , Picky i know but when you then apply that maths to the rest of the kit the fuselage panels become 2" thick likewise the plexiglass canopy and the cockpit door. Ignition lead become 1.5" thick and so on. Of course its a compromise but its not an issue really in 1/12 and if it is its an easy workaround.I am not belittling for one moment the work guys do on on smaller scales and lets not go near 1/700 ships or the amazing detail Rhino get on his miniature scales. its just having built hundreds of 1/48 and 1/32 aircraft i now get satisfaction from larger scales. When i look back at recent builds i get 95% of my satisfaction from cutting up and making parts for my cutaway Fiat and 5% from actually gluing bits together. Had i just made the mudguards for the Harley and stopped there i would have been as pleased with them as i was with the whole bike.
Is it a toolmaker thing ? or the fact i have restored a dozen vintage Motorcycles in the past, both things i can no longer do and models have taken over ? possibly i mean 1970s bikes had rubber reinforced brake pipes, probably about 15mm dia, would i have fitted a 7mm braided stainless steel pipe to one ? absolutely not
As i say , interesting topic and i have barely scratched the surface but i will shut up
paddy
Well-known member
Hinges for the rudder ,elevators and ailerons are metal and moveable, useful for the posing for pictures but a bit overkill.
Fit of parts is exemplary and very Tamiya.
as you would expect i dropped the reflector gun sight , never to be seen again
ages on my hands and knees with a torch, i even cleaned the hoover out spotless and then clinically hoovered the area plus 3-ft in all directions and then forensically examined the contents...... but its gone to wherever these parts go. Upshot is this model will have the optional Gyro gunsight from slightly later models
You'll find the gun site in a couple of months sitting right out in the open. Ask me how I know!
centaur567
Well-known member
Great job on the cockpit! Looks real to me. Gary S.
Heavens Eagle
Well-known member
As with watch parts, if it isn't on the floor it is probably on your bench. Checking the floor first is a must as a footfall or chair roller can mangle a part. I have a part from my 251 that ended up on the floor and rolled over by the chair wheel. Didn't know it was there. The challenges the last couple of weeks after my surgery I am sure are what allowed that to happen. I am sure I can fabricate a new part as it looks like it might have been a window block frame and I have another kit to use for reference.
Don't beat yourself up Paddy, I am a lot the same way, but have let loose on a lot of stuff when building these days. The 251 has a LOT more stuff under the floorboards. Wires tubing and all that. I finally just let it go. I will add some wires to the firewall as they will be "right there", but other than that I am going back to as much "just building" as I can.
My next 251 with the Pak 40 mounted might just be a bit more minimal on detailing. Will have to wait and see on it, but this one is a huge learning experience for me. The hard part is what to build on it or not. I am getting more to the point of "I can see it so there" otherwise I am just enjoying the build for now.
Don't beat yourself up Paddy, I am a lot the same way, but have let loose on a lot of stuff when building these days. The 251 has a LOT more stuff under the floorboards. Wires tubing and all that. I finally just let it go. I will add some wires to the firewall as they will be "right there", but other than that I am going back to as much "just building" as I can.
My next 251 with the Pak 40 mounted might just be a bit more minimal on detailing. Will have to wait and see on it, but this one is a huge learning experience for me. The hard part is what to build on it or not. I am getting more to the point of "I can see it so there" otherwise I am just enjoying the build for now.
