Saturday 9 August 2014

Tamiya 1/32 Spitfire Mk XVIe - Part 1

For my next project I'll be building the Tamiya 1/32 Spitfire Mk XVIe.  This was one of the Spitfire variants to feature a bubble-top canopy, clipped wings and a combination of 20mm cannon and .50 cal machine guns.

Such Amaze - Very Doge!

OK here is the box picture featuring a lovely depiction of the Mk XVIe with an identification code that is reminiscent of a popular internet meme.

...and here is a picture of Doge for comparison.

As you can see they are quite different.  Although it would amuse me to put Doge in the cockpit of a Spitfire with an id code that looks like its name, I'll be doing a different marking for this plane.  I'll also be using the Big Ed set from Eduard for this build.

I quite like aircraft #1 and aircraft #3 on the decal sheet.

Being a Tamiya kit I am expecting it to fall together quite easily and be quite detailed.  The sprues of the fuselage and wings have some lovely surface detail which I hope to bring out with careful painting.

There's a lot of plastic in this kit including a wonderfully detailed engine, which I will add wiring to from lead wire, and a great cockpit.

The kit comes with a stand and some of the technical innovations that Tamiya have put into it allow it to be posed with interchangeable wheels so you can have it in a flying position or a landed position whenever you feel like it.

They have also moulded the thinnest cowling covers I have ever seen.  They even include tiny neodymium magnets which are hidden in the airframe allowing the cowlings to cling on without falling off.

The canopy is very clear but has a seam line running down the centre.  Should be easy to take care of though.

The Eduard Big Ed set has a fair selection of extra detailing bits.  I don't intend on using all of them though.

Lastly I'll be using the following references and some Google searches to try to keep this as authentic as possible.

I'll be starting this tomorrow.

Academy 1/48 Mig-29A - Final Reveal

Back to part 13

I did say that there was a little bit left to do.  Well, it took me too long to do it but finally the Mig-29 is finished.  The Academy kit is OK considering its age however the after market goodies really bring it up to date.  I set out to make Red 77, a Polish Mig-29A and I think I have captured a fiar likeness of it.  For a reminder here's the original aircraft


...and here's my version of Red 77.

Saturday 2 August 2014

1/48 Hobby Boss Ta 152 C-0 - Final Reveal Pictures.

Back to part 5.

The Final Reveal

Here are the final reveal pictures for the Hobby Boss Ta 152 C-0.  This was good kit and a fun build.  There were some accuracy issues which were corrected along the way but now it's a good representation of one of the rarest fighters built during WWII.
 

1/48 Hobby Boss Ta 152 C-0 - Part 5

Back to part 4.

The Home Stretch

We're getting to the finish line for this one.  I gave the model a primer coat using the Vallejo primer.  I really like the way this primer lays down a smooth coat.  It's also self leveling so any spatters just blend right in.

Once the primer was dry the model was inspected for any imperfections.  The seam on the bottom was still faintly visible so a bit of Mr Surfacer was used to cover it up.  This was then carefully sanded flush and re-primed.

Here's where I got a bit lazy and didn't take too many photos.  The model was given a preshade using Vallejo black along the panel lines.  Then Alclad II metallic paints were used to paint the exposed metal areas under the wings.  Two shade of aluminium were used to give a subtle contrast.  This was then masked off and the main camouflage colours were sprayed. RLM 76 for the undersides and RLM 75 and RLM 83 for the upper surfaces.  A couple of gloss coats, and then the decals were applied.

Another gloss coat was applied to seal the decals in and then a wash with Flory Models Dark Dirt was applied.  This was wiped away so thet it remained in the panel lines and a final flat coat was applied.  Then all that was left was fixing the final parts.  You can see the corrected spinner and new propeller blades.  

The propeller was assembled in preparation for painting in RLM 70.  It's a much better representation than the kit prop or any of the after market or spares that I had.

The tail wheel was fitted with a small pin so that it could be cemented securely but offset a little.

Finally it's up on it's legs.

With the prop on, main wheels, antennas, canopy and a little bit of staining from the guns and exhausts it's done.  Thanks for having a look.  Follow the link below to see the final reveal pictures.

Final reveal pictures are here.