MiniSpit-16tb

[Tophe]

This is a project now, but I have bought the kit and building it may start soon.

I built this Spitfire Mk.16e Heller 1/72 in the 1990s, not finishing it alas (like most models I made in that sad time, looking for too much perfection). Now I am a what-ifer and all changes, I start this model again.
The plastic is no more grey but black, no problem. As I will use putty, this will need paint anyway, sky blue overall I think.
When I bought the Spits 16e in the old time, I was disliking only this Merlin bubble model is in normal injected plastic, not short run, because I preferred so much the Griffon Spit silhouettes (Mk 24 or 22 or 14 bubble).
My first project in 2018 was a STB, Rolls-Royce Spitfire Test Bed, with the canopy just after the propeller and the piston exhausts above the wing. Calling it Mk 16tb (test bed).
Then I thought of shorter wings and fuselage, into a MiniSpit, with much truncation and putty fairing.
Now I think of using the 16tb name for twin-boom, and this may be an asymmetric plane with little fuselage on the port side and micro-boom on starboard, from a middle wing to reach the single tailplane. I will illustrate that with drawings soon.

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Here is the genealogy of the project of mine, the 2018 one.

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While the Mustang-T paint is drying, I must avoid dust (sanding my Boeing 7474) so this is the right time to start gluing the Spit, in a normal way for a start, so sad...

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Now that my Mustang-T model is finished, I can saw, butcher... and the MiniSpit is born!

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Putty time is starting:

I do not plan to join smoothly the big front and the narrow rear, there will be a step, but I will try to avoid a hole there, simply.

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After sanding/gluing, while drying:

yes, yes, this has been a Spitfire...

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The Minispit is taking shape, yeah...
The extra tailplane will be an extra fin at mid wing on starboard (when the port wing will have a boom towards its tailplane).
For the wings, either I will make like a step in the plastic or glue them a little swept, I will see.

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The step in the wing chord has been cut and now the wings are glued on. But I am not satisfied with the result:

My project now is to glue reinforcement under the wing at the chord/fuselage junction, then I will use putty above the wing to have all smooth. I hope.

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This is going to work:

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The twin-boom asymmetric Spitfire midget is finished:

Just remains paint (black for the canopy).

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My son Jacky, 9 years old, painted the underside, thanks.

Normally, I should not show this side, hidden, but this is a step like the others on the workbench.

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My Filipino son Jacky painting the side above...
Little boy and little plane... (No, this would be an insult for him, I am sorry) I mean: a big big boy and a tiny plane...

[NARSES2]

Wonderful to see the concentration 

[Tophe]

Thanks!

Now the twin-boom asymmetric Mini-Spitfire model is finished!

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From 4 angles: