Here
is the underside of the model showing some further details added. The air filter
is a resin item found in the spare box. This can also be found in the Hasegawa
MkIX and some other kits. Various details have been added, including the
catapult spools, tiny bulges behind the spent cartridge chutes etc. You will
also see that I have scribed in the “A” frame arrestor hook.
The upper wing. As mentioned, I was not happy with the shape of the cannon
bulges. They came from a Fujimi Mk XIV and did not seem long enough. I added a
little Miliput to the rear of them and sanded to shape. I still think they are a
little too broad.
More
detailing. I used the kit undercarriage legs. They need a little cleaning
up and the up-locks were added. I also added (from stretched sprue) the
screw clamps for the door. Finish was Humbrol Metalcote matt aluminium,
very thin black wash and some highlighting.
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Still
with the tiny parts, here is the cockpit access door. Scratch built form
10 thou, with 5 thou strips, stretched sprue handle, crowbar etc. The
wheel is from an Airfix kit. I considered the kit items to be too slim.
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Sorry
for being slightly out of focus (pic below left). Painting is well underway. I
prime with Halfords acrylic auto primer. The white theatre bands were sprayed
first and masked off. The camouflage is Sky under surfaces, Humbrol, with Dark
Slate Grey and Extra Dark Sea Grey uppers. I used Xtracolour for the DSG and
Humbrol for the EDSG. The pattern was masked with home made masks cut from paper
and attached with Blu Tac. This gives a nice spacing from the surface and a nice
tight feathering. There has been some discussion lately that such feathering
should not be visible in 1/72. I tend to agree, but feel that the tight
feathering helps to “blend” the two colours. The aircraft modelled had the
original fuselage roundels over painted. I did this by masking out the circles
and spraying a slightly lighter shade of DSG. A couple of coats of Future have
been applied.
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Completed
Model
The
four bladed prop came from my vast spares box, and I am not sure about it’s
origins. I think it came from an old Matchbox Spit IX. The spinner I think is
Italeri. The model represents a Seafire III, PP279 from 807 Sqn Fleet Air Arm,
on HMS Hunter, in June 1945. Sadly, this aircraft missed the arrestor wires and
hit the barriers after a sortie and was written off. After having decided which
scheme to finish the model in, it was time to source the decals. There were no
aftermarket sets for this aircraft so they came from a variety of sources, which
I had in stock. The upper wing roundels had unusual proportions. I sourced these
from an Aeromaster sheet for Far East Spits. The proportions were made by
overlaying small roundels on top of standard size items. Codes and serials came
from Modeldecal sheets. The “5” in the code was of an unusual pattern and
had to be made from other letters, cut into pieces. The cartridge ejector chutes
were also represented by black decals. When all decaling was complete, I gently
weathered the model with Carrs Weathering Powders. A final coat of Xtracolour
Matt varnish finished the project.
A
note on the tools used
When
I first suggested a full build article to Steve, he asked that I include some
details of the tools I use. I have nothing out of the ordinary. I have referred
to the Swann Morton scalpel before. I also use a pin vice with various drill
sizes (from 0.3mm upwards), files, wet and dry paper etc. Scribing is done with
old school dividers against a very flexible straight edge.
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Below is a look at the finished cockpit in the
finished plane
Len Thomson
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