Another Spitfire...Hobbyboss Mk.VB (Trop)

[stona]

It's been a while since I built a Spitfire and that was the PCM Mk. XIV. Hopefully this one will be a bit more straight forward.

The box.



The contents have been well covered elsewhere and the well known issues high lighted. I've invested in a 'correction' set of bits from HpH Models, another one of those Czech outfits.



More on this as we go along. I don't usually invest in after market bits (apart from decals) these days but the windscreen in the kit was a deal breaker for me. I was forced to bite the bullet on this one.

I probably won't get going with it until the new year, so it will be my first of 2014

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Hi Steve,

I will follow you (and catch some of your secrets

Francesco

[Ian M]

It's not a bad kit at all the few mistakes they made, I can see you have got covered. I will look forward to seeing you work your magic with this as i am rather close to buying one my self!

Ian M

[stona]

Cheers fellas. I'm going to do Ian Gleed's well known and much photographed mount. The upside is that there are plenty of photos, the downside is that I'll have to get it right as everyone else has seen them too

I quite like the clipped wing 'hot rod' Spitfires in tropical camo.

Steve

[stona]

Every journey starts with a first step, or in this case more of a stumble!

Here's a picture of Gleed sat in the cockpit.I've added a big red arrow pointing to......errrr.....nothing. There is no head rest. Unfortunately Hobby Boss have molded one onto the armour plate.



I had to remove it which left a big hole. I dug out the thinnest bit of card I could find and glued that onto the armour to give something like the flat piece I want.



Once cleaned up and painted I reckon this will do the job. Next the incredibly fiddly seat assembly

Cheers

Steve

[papa 695]

Nice start Steve I will watch this one unfold

[Guest]

Sitting, watching, learning

[Vaughan]

Looks interesting Steve.

[Guest]

Excellent, looking forward to seeing this one progress.

[stona]

I've pressed on with the cockpit sub-assemblies.

The seat and it's mounting.



The rudder pedal and control column assembly. The Spitfire didn't have a cockpit floor.



I'll be honest here. I don't think that these are particularly good or accurate (look at those rudder pedals) but it doesn't bother me. Most of this will be virtually invisible inside the fuselage. If you want a mind boggling interior then buy one of the Tamiya Spitfires, I know, I've built one. It will cost you a lot more though

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Look forward to seeing this develop!

[Guest]

Fantastic Job

[stona]

I've made a start on the interior and got the basic painting done.



This will look okay in the model but I suspect that the Spitfire enthusiasts might find some issues with it

The seat is horrible, but it will be going in once the paint dries on the harness (which is like a Sutton but with some bits missing) and I can glue it together.

I won't be showing the Merlin (which is also a bit approximate) so I've built the minimum to attach exhausts and propeller and will leave it unpainted.

The wings come with clear panels to reveal the armament. I won't be doing that either! The panels are nice and clear unless, like me, you attach them with Tamiya cement and then give them a rub down to accept paint.



I'm not sure what I think of this. I suppose some people will use them clear and it's not exactly difficult to paint them if you prefer a more realistic pose.

Cheers

Steve

[The Migrant]

Looks convincing enough Steve, even if it's not 100% accurate. The clear gun panels are just weird (I think you should paint curtains on the inside and leave them clear). Good progress so far.

[Guest]

For sure better than mine

Francesco