MOVED: Airfix Spitfire Vc Tropical

The Rat · February 08, 2024, 06:19:38 PM

Moving this into the current projects from my member blog.

Airfix Spitfire Mk Vc tropical, had it in the stash for a while and now it joins others on the production floor. Wasn't sure about the 'azure blue' underside paint, so I mixed some Revell Aqua paints together, Light Blue #50 and White #05. Not sure how close it is, but it's done now, sprayed and not too bad. It's a slightly lighter shade than the picture shows.

Markings? The kit is intended for Australian green camo, with a white tail, but that ain't happening. Might try experimenting with decal printing (again) and give it to the Fuerza Aérea de Chile, with desert camo, 2-tone brown.

Grabbed a couple of paints that looked about right, Tamiya XF-59 Desert Yellow, and an old Polly Scale bottle, Dark Earth. This iteration of the kit was issued with two sets of different wings, so the spares were used as a test article. Sprayed the lighter Desert Yellow first, then masked the pattern with a square of sticky note paper, held down with Humbrol Maskol. 'twould be nice if you could get sticky notes that had the glue all over instead of just one edge. Or maybe you can, and I'm late to the party again. Anyhooooo...

Worked okay, not perfect, I'll experiment some more with the port side. Some bare plastic showed through after some scraping of the Maskol from the panel lines I had rescribed, but that was probably because I didn't bother priming for this quick test. The Polly Scale paints didn't seem to do well with Tamiya thinner, there were clumps of it in my airbrush when it was over, so I'll have a ferkle around in my stash, must have some other dark earth somewhere.

So that's where it stands at the moment. Wooksta pointed out that the canopy in that issue is grossly wrong, and I agree, one of the first things I noticed. Might salvage the one from a 'paint mule' I've been using, an old Pioneer 2 Spitfire V. It seems to look better, which might be the only time you'll hear someone say that Pioneer 2 did something better than Airfix!

The Rat · February 25, 2024, 04:29:55 PM

Yeah, definitely made for operations over the Atacama Desert! Couldn't resist experimenting with the airbrush, and I think the mottled effect came out rather well.

royabulgaf · February 25, 2024, 06:28:16 PM

I vaguely recall the RAF experimented with a camo pattern along the lines of your test model.

Vulcan7 · February 26, 2024, 03:56:49 AM

Cool leopard-like camo

(note to self...must get an airbrush

)

The Wooksta! · February 26, 2024, 04:09:09 AM

The PM canopy is almost as vile as the one in the Vc, as the PM kit is a copy of ye olde Frog kit. Put a shout out for a replacement one and you need one with the internal armour glass. Apparently all the mk Vbs that went overseas had the later screen.

The Rat · February 26, 2024, 10:36:58 AM

Quote from: The Wooksta! on February 26, 2024, 04:09:09 AMThe PM canopy is almost as vile as the one in the Vc, as the PM kit is a copy of ye olde Frog kit.

Yes, and I found that it doesnt fit. I'll go with the kit one for now, might replace it another day. I usually attach mine with PVA glue so it will be easy to remove.

Rick Lowe · February 27, 2024, 10:03:12 AM

Would any of the Falcon ones work?
IIRC there was a 1/72 Spitfire Multi-set released once.

The Wooksta! · February 27, 2024, 10:54:38 AM

Should do. Falcon did the canopies for the Ventura kits. They always came with a spare too. The Squadron ones are just the Falcon sets cut up and sold for exhorbitant prices.

PR19_Kit · February 27, 2024, 12:18:14 PM

Quote from: Rick Lowe on February 27, 2024, 10:03:12 AMWould any of the Falcon ones work?
IIRC there was a 1/72 Spitfire Multi-set released once.

And superbly done it was too, I've got two of those sets.

It even includes one for a Speed Spitfire as well as the 'round front' windscreens for the PR XI and XIX.

Rick Lowe · February 27, 2024, 11:41:32 PM

Yeah, Tore does good work.

I have a few of his canopies, but really should look into getting more.

At least with the Squadron ones, they have 2 per bag (for single seaters, anyway), even at said markup.

The Wooksta! · February 28, 2024, 12:31:20 AM

The only downside with Falcon canopies is that they're geared to go with specific kits. I couldn't use their Halifax ones (and they did two sets, one for Airfix and one for Matchbox) on the Revell kit for example.

Rick Lowe · February 29, 2024, 12:16:59 AM

True. You should have heard the grousing when the B-29 canopies came out... but IIRC the Airfix kit was the only one available at the time, or the Academy came out just after...
the product was likely too close to release to amend.

IIRC he produces replacements for what he considers the more accurate versions.
Having said that I have both of the Beaufighter ones - FROG and Matchbox, and they're not interchangeable; so who knows?
And your comment about the Halifax reinforces that, too.

Ah well, if it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

2996 Victor · March 15, 2024, 05:42:47 AM

Quote from: The Rat on February 25, 2024, 04:29:55 PMYeah, definitely made for operations over the Atacama Desert! Couldn't resist experimenting with the airbrush, and I think the mottled effect came out rather well.

Absolutely love this - the premise is great and the mottled camo looks brilliant! What are you doing for Chilean markings?

Cheers,
Mark

The Rat · March 15, 2024, 11:38:10 AM

Quote from: 2996 Victor on March 15, 2024, 05:42:47 AMAbsolutely love this - the premise is great and the mottled camo looks brilliant! What are you doing for Chilean markings?

Cheers,
Mark

I'll have a go at printing them. Haven't had great results so far with others, but I need to practise.