My first build (Spitfire MkII)

[RKrebs]

Ok, so this is it. I chose the plane that almost singlehandedly changed the tide of the war.....the legendary Spitfire.

This is the kit that will cement my name in the history books as the greatest model builder in the history of model builders!!! At least I think those were the words uttered when I was 9 years old...... tearing into the box of a Revell 55 Chevy, discarding the spare parts and pieces that we all know they sent in boxes back then, only to have the masterpiece that was held together with an entire tube of testers glue and a whole rattle can of blue paint, be found buried in the back yard 2 months later.

Anyway, needless to say, I think I will take this one a little more seriously. ;D




I will follow up with progress as I do it.


Ron

 

[urumomo]

Re: My first build


You building her gear up or down ?
Too early to know ?
Uru

 

[RKrebs]

Re: My first build

Well at this point down as I have no idea how I would mount it any other way......but now that you mention it, I will start looking into that.

 

[arohk]

Re: My first build

pretty cool kit as well can't wait to see her done.

 

[RKrebs]

So this is my first time using an airbrush. Ever! If things go this easy, I figure I will have this done to Smithsonian quality by the end of the weekend.

Actually, I got back on island last night after a brief 2 day stay on the mainland for a meeting. While there I stopped at a local hobby shop and picked up some Vallejo black primer. After doing so, I got home and then happened to read where everyone is having problems applying the primer with an airbrush without a .4 needle or bigger. I checked mine and it is a .3, so I figured, well what is the worst that can happen? I loaded up my airbrush with the primer straight out of the bottle, cranked the air up to 25psi and set out. It actually worked great. Other than the 3 spots on the starboard side which happened on the first shot, it came out smooth I think. Getting used to the trigger and flow will take some getting used to, but other than that no problems. Of course I recognize that I only did a very small area and maybe working a larger area may cause some clogging issues with the primer, who knows. We will find out this weekend when I get the cockpit painted and put together and start to paint the outside.

I may have to take the rest of the day off and go home and start working on the dash. ;D

Anyway, there you have it.

 

[urumomo]

;D Heck Yeah !
Nothing like OJT

25 psi ! I bet it . ... you should be able to go way lower . You'll find out with doing .
eg I stay around 12-13 psi , certainly depends on viscosity and the airbrush .
What model airbrush ?
Probably the most useful tip is to keep the tip clean/moist -- acrylics will dry super fast so you'll start out great and then run into poor or no paint spray .

Cheers ,
Uru


... You'll be shipping this to the Smithsonian ? or do they come pick you and the Spitfire up ?
Limousine , no . doubt .

;D ;D

 

[Belugawrx]

Too Funny, I did the same thing 2years ago, ...
Well,... bought the kit,....haven't started it,...yet :
So, quite a bit of test fitting, going on ?
Do you need to build the cockpit, as a piece?
I'll be watching this 8)
Have fun, and Cheers

 

[RKrebs]

What model airbrush ?



... You'll be shipping this to the Smithsonian ? or do they come pick you and the Spitfire up ?
Limousine , no . doubt .

;D ;D

The airbrush is a cheap $80 airbrush compressor combo. I didn't want to drop $400 on a great setup until I knew if I would really like this or not.....hind sight though. Regardless, my wife will use this one for her craft projects when I upgrade SOON. ;D ;D ;D

And I am thinking once the brass at the Smithsonian get word of this little beaut, they will probably send a Leer for me.
Gotta go, I have to pack my bags!!! ;D

Too Funny, I did the same thing 2years ago, ...
Well,... bought the kit,....haven't started it,...yet :
So, quite a bit of test fitting, going on ?
Do you need to build the cockpit, as a piece?
I'll be watching this 8)
Have fun, and Cheers

The kit is remarkably simple. The cockpit is really only about 3 or 4 pieces with hardly any detail. The biggest problem fitting wise that I have seen is the cockpit glass. It fits like garbage and looks like garbage. I am going to have to shave and mold it a bit to make it look good. All in all, probably a good kit for a first time build. The way I see it, if it comes out looking like crap, then it was only $12 and I can give it to a kid to play with. ;D

 

[RKrebs]

Too Funny, I did the same thing 2years ago, ...
Well,... bought the kit,....haven't started it,...yet :
So, quite a bit of test fitting, going on ?
Do you need to build the cockpit, as a piece?
I'll be watching this 8)
Have fun, and Cheers

You can see the seat and the dash here on the Sprue still. I removed the foot pedals already. Other than that, that is it. Seatbelts are stickers.

 

[urumomo]

Let's see the canopy before you attack it .

... . I think I remember Revel having dismal clear parts - at least the older kits .
what 's the date on the kit ?

 

[RKrebs]

I will have to check. I am going to probably cut out of here just after lunch unless something comes up that requires my attention. Is the date on the box?

 

[urumomo]

Yeah , It will be on the box .

Sounds like you'll be vacuum-forming a replacement canopy on your very first build . ;D


.. Might as well go pro or go home Ron

Ciao

 

[RKrebs]

Yeah , It will be on the box .

Sounds like you'll be vacuum-forming a replacement canopy on your very first build . ;D


.. Might as well go pro or go home Ron

Ciao

Well yeah!! OF COURSE!!!! Why wouldn't I?

Here is the canopy.




I don't see a date anywhere on either the box or the sprues.

 

[urumomo]

Well , they don't look bad presented like that .

.. what do you need to do to them ?

I don't believe there isn't a date on the box . ? The instructions maybe ?

Doesn't matter .
Can you show the canopy fit issues in a pic ?

 

[RKrebs]

I will when I get to that point. I did a dry fit and it looked like crap to me. But maybe when I get the body glued together and put more time into the canopy, it will look better. We will see.

 

[RKrebs]

The instructions are copyrighted 2011.

 

[Belugawrx]

Mine is an '09...
Canopy looks the same,...
I'd like to do mine in the D-Day colours,..
Black and white stripes on the wings, kinda hot roddy (is that a word)
Carry On

 

[urumomo]

I think " hot roddy " needs one of those dash-y things in the middle ;D


2011 shouldn't be too bad as far as molding quality . I'm guessing . ???
The canopy pieces look flawless in the pic but ...

Hopefully there isn't the problem your dry-fit suggested .

Are you doing it like the box-art , Ron ? -- the paint-scheme

Uru

 

[RKrebs]

Mine is an '09...
Canopy looks the same,...
I'd like to do mine in the D-Day colours,..
Black and white stripes on the wings, kinda hot roddy (is that a word)
Carry On

Yeah, I really like the white stripes look. However, since this is my first shot, I probably won't venture off the boxed plan too terribly much....although I saw that now. ;D

 

[Quaralane]

Looks like you're off to a very good start here