Dave's ICM 1/48 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VII

[Dave Ward]

After the Nissan GT1 - onto my second bite of the cherry in the SpitfireGB
After an hour or so at the bench..............
The fuselage interior ready for paint. I have a 3D printed pilot to be in control - no need for rudder pedals or seat belts. The propeller assembly is made difficult by no positive location for pitch on any of the blades.
After a bit of fettling, the gun bay doors were fitted, then the ailerons & the extended wingtips which disfigure the graceful Spitfire wings.
The tips aren't a great fit, and there is a linear sink mark on the top wing just in front of the aileron hinge:
Putty needed - hopefully without the need for major rescribing.
The colour scheme is easy enough Medium Sea Grey uppersides & azure blue undersides ( or PRU blue according to some sources )
It's nice to see what other makers specify - this is the AZ model 1/72 Mk.VII

I reckon I have some PRU Blue in the paintbox.............
Dave

.

[Dave Ward]

The fuselage is closed up - the cockpit can be added from below afterwards. The interior has been given the grey-green & black wash treatment, not that you'll see it! The wing tip joints have been filled & rubbed down ( PPP ).
The cockpit has an Eduard control panel added - The pilot will be added, with the control yoke before sliding into the fuselage.
This is one of the early ICM models, the original dating back to 2001, not up to their later standards - hence the use of filler early in the proceedings!
Dave

[adt70hk]

That's quite a bit of filler Dave but at least they've learnt from early kits like this.

Looking forward to the next stage.

ATB.

Andrew

[Dave Ward]

That's quite a bit of filler Dave but at least they've learnt from early kits like this.

Looking forward to the next stage.

ATB.

Andrew

The extended wingtips weren't in the ICM earlier marks of Spit, so they are almost an afterthought & not very well fitting ones! The sink marks forward of the ailerons are weak mould design, or incorrect injection temperatures. Either way you wouldn't see that on any ICM model tooled in the last five years or so
Dave

[Dave Ward]

Pilot & cockpit, with Eduard PE panel ready to fit

Adding the fuselage to the wing needs a lot of fettling, trimming, dry fitting - repeat, repeat, repeat.
Eventually I got a good fit - I might need a smear of filler, but I;m happy with that.
The upper cowling is a part I've had problems with in previous ICM Spitfire builds, so I'll be super careful with this! I've missed out the engine totally - which was probably where I went wrong before.........
Dave

[Dave Ward]

A little more filler & sanding, then ready for paint - no primer coat this time..............

Two thin overall coats of Vallejo Model Color Medium Sea Grey, thinned with South Gloucestershire tap water.
Looking in my paintbox, I found some Humbrol Acrylic PRU Blue - I can't remember how well this sprays! I'll leave the MSG to harden off overnight, before masking up & spraying the underside.
Dave

[The Smythe Meister]

Looking good Dave...
On the home straight now eh ?!
Ah,.....
MSG....The "Michael Schenker Group",now there's a blast back to my school days!!

[Tim Marlow]

Looking good Dave...
On the home straight now eh ?!
Ah,.....
MSG....The "Michael Schenker Group",now there's a blast back to my school days!!

…and there was me thinking it was monosodium glutamate…..

[Dave Ward]

I knew it was a mistake adding that aerial - Whilst masking up, I knocked it, straightened it, & finally knocked it off entirely. Unthinkingly I CA'd it back on - should have left it off for now - I blame Taylor Swift - Spotify is playing her acoustic tracks..................
Dave

[Dave Ward]

Hmmm - one of the worst airbrush days I've had in many years. I used Humbrol Acrylic 230 PRU Blue. The pot was tightly sealed, about 3/4 full. I tried a test to see if it was IPA compatible - it wasn't. Mixing with tap water to my normal consistency - about 5 seconds of spray, then nothing - cursing - strip airbrush down, clean, another 5 seconds of spray. I then ditched my paint mix, cleaned the airbrush - mixed up a new lot of paint - 5 seconds of spray.............. By now I was getting a little annoyed, so I grabbed my back up airbrush, this managed a little better, but I had to withdraw the needle partly to get full covering on the undersides

Not the best of finishes, but by this time I was out of patience. I have a little PRU Blue left for touching up, but then it will go in the bin - I reckon age must have something to do the problem. The two airbrushes have been stripped & had an ultrasonic bath & now seem to be OK. What should have been a 20 min. job turned into 2 1/2 hours of aggravation!!
I'll give a bit of a touch up in those areas that need it, then give an overall gloss varnish spray, ready for the decals
Dave

[Dave Ward]

This thing is really putting up a fight - there aren't that many decals to add - I managed 4! Two wing roundels & the tail flashes. Others, like the wing walks fell apart when shown water, and other waited until I was trying to put them on the surface before exploding into confetti! The early ICM decals are poor, but these are unusable. :angry:
I'll have to go into the spare decals box & see what I can find - I might end up with spurious squadron codes & serial number - but I might be lucky
Dave

[Geoffers]

Ow I feel your pain Dave :confounded:

I had the same problem with disintegrating decals, very frustrating.
Hopefully you’ll find suitable replacements and tame the beast.

Geoff

[Dave Ward]

OOOOh - I do have some suitable decals, but it means cutting into sheets for specific aircraft, so rather than do that & put the problem of missing decals off to the future, I've ordered some replacements - from Hannants - as they offer free delivery of decal sheets & PE frets...............
Dave