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Spitfire model construction details and pictures
Part 2 of the article details continuing construction of the 1/72nd model Spitfire kit.
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Moving onto the wing of the Spitfire. This is a great little three piece moulding. The underside is in one piece incorporating the correct dihedral angle and the two upper panels fix neatly to this. The underside features the classic Spitfire gull effect and recreates the streamlined Spitfire wing to fuselage fairing very nicely in my opinion.
The wing joins to the fuselage fairly easily but some care is needed to get it neat. I was left with a slight gap at one root which needed a very slight bit of filler. The lower rear fuselage to wing moulding was also filled slightly to achieve some extra smoothness to recreate the fluid Spitfire lines. All in all though this joining of the kit's major components went very well.
The front of the fuselage from the front of the cockpit to the spinner looked to me at this point very slightly too flatened. After studying some pictures of MKVb Spitfires I decided to add a scrape of filler to this section, mainly on the top of the cowl. Some careful sanding now gives my model a slight curve to this part which looks better I reckon. This is only a slight effect and could easily be ignored or not even noticed in the first place.
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I left the canopy off the model at this point to avoid the hassle of masking. The tailplane halves were glued in however as were the radiator intake, oil cooler etc.
The rest of the assembly was halted until after the major painting operations to save bits getting knocked off.
The kit plan shows two examples of Spitfire Vb to choose from. Firstly there is the RAF squadron aircraft, 303 sqn. piloted by Polish pilots. Secondly there is the USAAF 31st fighter group Spitfire to choose.
Both of these versions have the same basic British camouflage pattern, this being dark earth/dark green upper sides with light grey lower surfaces. Decals are included for both of these versions.
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I decided at this point to build the USAAF version of the Spitfire in wheels down configuration. Major paintwork started with a coat of light grey over the whole aircraft, this being applied by airbrush. Using this colour initially gives the finish colour underneath and a good even base coat for the upper camouflage pattern.
That's as far as I'm upto at this point in time, wait a mo while I go away and do some more work to the model........time passes.......time passes.......more time passes......night falls.....sun rises.......even more time passes......
Sorry to keep you all waiting, back to business.
After a few small blemishes were addressed, which painting always seams to highlight, the model was given a final spray of Humbrol 64 light grey. Time now to mask the underside of the model and spray the sea grey to the top side followed by more masking and application of the dark green. Hurrah one main camouflage paint scheme applied in all it's dull matt glory. This piece of polystyrene and paint really looks like a Spitfire.
Next page moves on to finishing this mini merlin marvel of major mechanical miracle.
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Spitfire Mk Vb model plane page 1 construction
Spitfire Mk Vb model plane page 2 construction
Spitfire Mk Vb page 3 finished aircraft
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