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Done: Supermarine Spitfire Mk. XVIe trop. of the Lebanese Air Force, 1951

Started by Dizzyfugu, April 03, 2015, 05:33:13 AM

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The Wooksta!

It's not that fragile a kit, although later boxings have that awful black plastic which is absolute garbage.  The u/c can be a weak point, but that goes for a lot of Heller kits anyway

I like it.  Apart from the filter and the flaps.  The 16 - like the mid to late production VIII, IX, X and XI - all had the longer Aerovee filter which was intended for tropical use anyway and it's the kit one, albeit a bit too 'boxy'. There's also no "trop" designation for anything past the mk V either.  The flaps - none of the Spitfire family bar the Seafire 47 had flaps with intermediate settings; they were either fully up or down, with nowt inbetween. There's photos of Seafire IIIs with flaps in that position, but locked open with wooden chocks prior to take off from a carrier.

If I was being *really* picky, I'd have said that the wheels were too small (which is a kit flaw - the wheels are the right size for the four spoke wartime ones, but have three spokes and are too small if used for post war.  Best replaced with aftermarket) and the exhausts for post war aircraft are tubular, not fishtail.  Both are in the kit, but the post war ones are dreadful and not fit for purpose.

Final thing that concerns me is the mark no. Visually identical to late mk IXs, the designation XVI was to ensure that the spares for that type didn't end up on standard IXs as it had US built and supplied engines.  They were under the same lease-lend agreement that had the UK being bled white for the next 60 years and prevented their resale.  No mk XVIs were exported* although Belgium and France had them under loan.  The Danish and South African low backs were all late mk IXs.

*The Greek 16s are the only exception but I've a feeling that the US may have had a hand in paying for them.
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Dizzyfugu

Quote from: Supertom on April 07, 2015, 12:06:51 PM
Hey Dizzy, have you done a how-to on photography? I've do like the way you do your photos.

No, not really, it's self-tutorial. I got the basics from a really vintage, French book about modelling I found in a library when I was a child. Covered many aspects, including dioramas, and photography. That was the start, and I tried my first serious model pics maybe 15 years ago. The I read some basics concerning macro photography in general, and from there things evolved with experience/trial and error. I still stick to the basic concept of models on a base or display in front of a printed background, a very simple digital pocket camera, plus some CG editing (this is also an evolving art by trial & error) with different softwares. No rocket science. :)

"Hell's kitchen" or: what to do with an oven if not for cooking ;) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Check this here as a "how to guide":
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/4430166108

NARSES2

Right lads

I can't quite work out how to move individual comments so I'm posting the individual comments from the finished builds threads here all in one post.

By HMAN - Blimey this a one week build...  you must have access to a time machine!  Nice build by the way Thumbs Up

By Glen Gilbertson - That looks good - and suitably well-used! Thumbs Up

By Caveman - Blimey this a one week build...  you must have access to a time machine!  Nice build by the way Thumbs Up


He did say time warped...

By Capt Canada - Finally the truth comes out in how he builds do fast lol ! Beautiful shot. Wub

By Nightflyer - As always a brilliant, amazingly speedy, idea provoking build

One nit-pick ....and only because I'm insanely jealous of the speed and final appearance of the build


Can somebody provide the pilot with a cushion to sit on .....? Wink

Reply from Dizzy - Actually, it's a "HO scale pygmy pilot" (hence the bone dome), just for the beauty pics. Normally the cockpit is empty - in this pic I also "closed" the cockpit door with CG magic.  Wink
I could not fit any 1:72 pilot in there without... amputations, so a tinier guy had to do the job. Wink

By Nightflyer - And there I was thinking all pilot figures had to have their legs removed to fit in plastic model cockpits!  Wink

It's amazing the difference in size between some pilot figures isn't it!
Do not condemn the judgement of another because it differs from your own. You may both be wrong.

Dizzyfugu

Thanks - good idea to keep the finished models thread "clean", should be reserved for the items. Any more comments or discussions concerning the Lebanese Spitfire welcomed here.  :cheers:

DogfighterZen

"Sticks and stones may break some bones but a 3.57's gonna blow your damn head off!!"