My first build - advice appreciated.

[Guest]

Oggy...

practice, practice, practice... patient, patient, patient... then again practice, practice....

you should see my first build hehehehe

dont bother to mutch with details... try to do all the best from you, but always remember:

Next model will be always better, also next one, also next one...

Cheers

Roman

[Guest]

Ok - here's the damage so far.

The parts fit very well so far, but one small niggle - the bush that holds the prop on is tiny, only just larger than the prop shaft. I think I an going to leave the prop off until the airframe is painted to make things easier.

The glass definitely helped so that is on my shopping list as is a compressor. I treated myself to an Iwata CR airbrush as John reckons the price is about to go up and they get good reviews so a compressor is on the list as well.

[Guest]

very nice work so far... keep it up

Iwata is excellent choice

Leave prop for after, it will only disturbing you in after work...

I always pout prop last, and usually glue it... I dont make toys thats prop must be free for spinning

Cheers,

Roman

[Guest]

As you need both eyes for depth perception, a magnifier can make thingS difficult. The solution that works for me is a head mounted magnifier and light. These can be picked up for around a tenner on eBay, they come with different strength lenses that can be used either singly or in pairs. The light helps to pick out those really small details. This one item has helped transform my modelling, with my ageing eyesight. If it looks ok at 10x magnification, it looks fine by the naked eye.

I had a go at the Tamiya Spit following my return. http://www.scale-models.co.uk/aircraft-pictures/14181-another-tamiya-1-48-spitfire-mk-vb-comments-welcome.html

Most of all, have fun and keep practicing :smile:

[Guest]

Sorry for the delay folks. I have been organising a few bits and pieces. I have ordered a glass and a compressor for my airbrush. When the compressors you are used to are about a metre long, the airbrush ones do look cute, but seem to work well. I painted some cardboard boxes and some plastic bottles before trying an Airfix Vulcan I started 20 years ago but did not finish. More practice needed, but the result was encouragining.

Back to the Spit -

Can you tell what it is yet?

The airframe went together very quickly with no problems. I am definately impressed with Tamiya.

A little filling was required under the fuselage where the wing joins. Other than that It was spot on.

Lessons I have learnt -

I am a bit heavy handed with the glue. I am using Revell Contacta (which was all my LMS had in). I preferred to use glue applied with a brush so I have treated myself to a pot of Liquid Poly. I had to sand the joints where the glue had squidged (to use the engineering terminology).

The clamps I have from my radio modelling days are a bit fierce for plastic models. Where I clamped the centres of the wings, the trailing edges have lifted slightly.

The cannon which are cast into the wings are rather vulnerable.

I am really enjoying this.

[Guest]

hey oggy,

for a first model you are doing just fine...

try to sand away this glue marks on the wing fuselage joint with hi grade sanding paper, let me say 1200 mesh.

an also engline cowl joint iun front of canopy and also filled place on the belly...

and when you sanding do it with water, put sanding paper into water and sand away with wet paper...

you will see how will be better and you will not damage plastic with hard paper or some stick...

try that for start, you will see good result

Roman

[Ian M]

Well It looks like a Spitfire, so you are going in the right direction.

The tips Roman gave you are pretty good ones.

As for your comment about using to much glue and having to sand off the squish, you are doing it just the way it should be done. You really need that little bead of melted plastic to just come out of the join.

That is the path to a seamless join. So thats a good thing.

One thing to be careful of when sanding seams and filler is not removing to many of the surface details. You will only have to put them back on again!

I will echo the comment made before. for a very first model you are doing a good job of it.

Ian M

[homechild]

Hey Oggy. Just noticed this thread, must have missed it before.

It's looking good so far.

I would have to agree with Ian regarding Roman's tips. If you have a look at some of his builds you'll see that he really knows what he's talking about.

[Guest]

Sorry about the lack of progress. I have had a lot of problems with my magnifier. The first one when it arrived had obviously been out before. They forgot to send the second one for 10 days, and when it arrived it was new, but one of the pivots graunched horribly. I have also had problems getting liquid mask although John has come up trumps with that now. I have also been getting tools and paints together and learning how to use my airbrush on an old Airfix Vulcan airframe.

To get the Spit ready to paint I tried to get the rear (fixed) part of the canopy off the sprue and it cracked in two. I also had the front portion crack. This one is pretty much on it's way to the fire dump now. :sad:

Still, very useful as a learning excercise.

One question - if you are going to have the gear down, how do you attach the doors to the wing so they get painted correctly but you can get them off to attaxh to the gear legs?

Onwards. :beer:

[Guest]

To get the Spit ready to paint I tried to get the rear (fixed) part of the canopy off the sprue and it cracked in two. I also had the front portion crack. This one is pretty much on it's way to the fire dump now. :sad:

Still, very useful as a learning excercise.

One question - if you are going to have the gear down, how do you attach the doors to the wing so they get painted correctly but you can get them off to attaxh to the gear legs?

Onwards. :beer:

Should not worry about progress Oggy I work at my speed only it is my relaxation.

On the doors thing. I Paint most of my addons to the fuselage & wings before fitting into position. Not sure of your difficulties without seeing the detail.

Do not dump it Oggy. My first was a real mess but perservered & got it finished & is now in the hall of my fame ! For my first a Typhoon (WW11) I actually bought another to be able to finish it. But very pleased I did. It is about the only aircraft I have made which looks weathered but all for the wrong reasons.

Laurie

[Guest]

the clear plastic used for canopies is a lot tougher and more brittle than normal plastic, i always use a razor saw to remove clear parts rather than a knife mainly because i dont have a good pair of snips.

[Guest]

also you candone with heatet rasor knife...

slise it like thru cheese

Roman

[Guest]

Thanks for the tips folks. I am plodding on with it as a learning excercise, but I don't think it's going to be on the mantlepiece.

[Swagman 070]

Hi Oggy, welcome to the forum. This is a great place for tips and advice.

I would say the first place to start any paining would be the cockpit. Small peices paint on the sprue, touch up when you cut them off. Don't forget to do a dry fit of the cockpit and fusilage. You dont want to be forcing things to fit together so a little sanding may be needed.

Swagman (Steve)

[HAWKERHUNTER]

Bad news about the canopy oggy, I feel your pain. One thing that I do when cutting some canopies is to put a layer of blue tac on my work bench about 3 mm thick. Push the canopy gently into the blue tac which helps to stabalise it when you cut( avoids you squeezing it when cutting) Make sure the piece of sprue you are cutting is supported on something solid and then press gently to cut. If you speak to the kit manufacturer they will be able to provide a replacement part. Good luck