Indian Air Force Spitfire Tr.18

[kitbasher]

That's looking chunky! 

As reference/inspiration: I also created a two-seater some moons ago, IIRC from a with a Griffon and extended wing tips, plus a radar pod under one wing. as a night fighter.


1:72 Supermarine Spitfire NF.XX (a.k.a. 'Camelback' and 'Nightfire'); aircraft 'VA-O/NH938G' of the Royal Air Force 125 (Newfoundland) Squadron; Coltishall, early 1945 (Whif/Airfix kit conversion) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The basis is an Airfix Spitfire PR.XIX kit, the second cockpit and the "double bubble" canopy came from an RS Models Spitfire Mk.IX UTI trainer (the section was trans-(implated). I considered the Spitfire TR.IX arrangement, with a stepped bubble canopy, but found that the risen rear cockpit for the instructor would not make sense in a night fighter. The radar pod came wholesale from an F4U night fighter (Fujimi), since the wing installation appeared to me to be the only plausible (and proven) option.

Nice one, Dizzy, I don't recall seeing that before.  'Chunky' - not a word usually associated with Spitfires but I can see where you're coming from.  Unit noted, I've a whif idea of my own for that particular squadron - who knows, maybe one day it'll get built!

Congratulations (this is not easy)

Thanks Tophe, needs more effort than I originally thought.

[Tophe]

The rear windscreen/canopy needs some hot water treatment as the windscreen is oddly flat.

"Odd" means "very whif", no need of correction! Yes?

[Wardukw]

That's slowly getting there mate 

[buzzbomb]

Some very solid work going on with this. Like it 

[The Wooksta!]

It isn't. The Fujimi kit is a horrid build to start with, adding in conversion bits makes life more difficult, although I would have just changed the rudder.

[kitbasher]

You cannot view this attachment.

A bit of serious rubbing down plus some more slapping on of filler it it's looking less clunky (Dizzy take note) and more like a Spitfire.

[kitbasher]

Sanded down the filler seen in the previous post, attached the tailplanes and applied a quick coat of Humbrol 53 Gunmetal to see what blemishes remain.
Pleased with the way the PSR's gone so far as there's not much more filling needed.  White Perfect Plastic Putty should do the trick.
And suddenly it looks all Spitfirey!

[Tophe]

 

[kitbasher]

As with the SARO.153, progress not as swift as I'd have liked, but getting to the end of the build.  The build is almost complete but like the SARO there's more niggly PSR (is there any other kind?) to deal with.  And then there's vacform canopies (never a fave!) to contend with - will be taking them slowly and steadily so definitely will not have the Tr.18 done by the deadline.   Once again after all this effort I don't want to rush and be be dissatisfied with the result - expect the finished item at some point after the poll.

[Tophe]

Even if you will not be the winner, we will be happy to see someday the finished result (tanks to go on). No hurry, but "someday completed" is a good goal.

[kitbasher]

Even if you will not be the winner, we will be happy to see someday the finished result (tanks to go on). No hurry, but "someday completed" is a good goal.

Thanks Tophe - and yes 'someday completed' is a very good goal!

[The Big Gimper]

Very nice!