Clunkmeister

Got some paint on it. I had to freehand the camo pattern, and used the Mk.l eyeball to approximate the RAF camo pattern. It certainly isn’t exact, but a reasonable facsimile thereof, and close enough for us Yanks, I s’pose. I’ll look tomorrow and maybe modify a few lines, but all in all, I think it’s alright. Once we mask and spray the roundels, it’ll hide a few of the niggles. It still needs the Sky band ahead of the fin. I assume that band was applied over the RAF camo? I did, and hopefully lightly applying it will allow some bleed through…. Please, if I’m wrong, please advise. Question: the red areas around the guns. Are they painted, or was it a tape to seal the muzzles before use?

Another thing that I’ve been noticing more with me, at least, is that it all depends on my mood. If I’m uptight at the world and all stressed out, a quick build is just the ticket. If I’m feeling great and am looking for a challenge, out comes a kit with, to use JohnB’s words, a high cuss factor. Either way, I’ve had a few changes lately. I’m now concentrating on finishing my builds, rather than just starting them. Maybe a product of old age creeping in?

An interesting discussion, this. I think choice is nice. You can choose to fight an unruly, inaccurate kit, or shake the box and out pops a new Corsair, F-16, P-51, Spitfire, or 109. Like y’all, I generally build subjects I like. The hobby sure has changed since the 70s and 80s. As I age, my eyesight ain’t what it once was, that’s for sure. I see 3D printed panels as a bit of a cheat, a shortcut, absolutely, but I absolutely love them and have started to use them late last year for the first time. They certainly make quick work of the cockpit instrumentation, etc. Then again, more often than not, I use AirScale decals and build my own panels. Other 3D items such as Archer rivets take a whole lot more skill and finesse, and absolutely add to the finished product. I think I’m different than many here, because if there are two kits of the same subject; one a fancy new über kit and the other a short run kit of the same subject, I’ll often build the short run, as it gives me more room to cut it all up and kitbash the crap out of it. The last Tamiya kit I’ve started, a Corsair, still sits, half finished. It literally bored the snot out of me. I’m not the biggest Corsair fan, although they’re certainly famous and am important machine. That all being said, this year, after multiple months of slogging away on the Infinity/HPH Helldiver, I did the new GWH P-40 literally in a few weeks and thoroughly enjoyed myself. There. Is something to be said about precise fit. I look at the amazing builds coming out of the new Kotare Spitfire, and it appears you could almost stick one together in a weekend. A few more weekends if you want to actually create an ac irate representation of the real thing. I LOVE where the hobby is going! I see large scale only becoming more popular as builders age. Not that the smaller scale will die, but the big stuff is more popular than ever.

What are y’all using for masking worms? I know a lot of folks have their way, mine is plasticine, but I’m curious about y’all now.

Eagle and Barracuda both make nice Spitfire l decals, FYI

That looks quite decent, John. I was unsure of your paint choices, but it looks great

The only thing I can say, Peter, is that I use Gunze RLM66 as my go to black shade. Not as stark as pure black

And now you know why people obsess over RLM shades. You literally could have 10 different guys build 10 different models of the same exact plane, and get 10 different results, all of which have documentation proving they’re right. It drove Jerry Crandall crazy. It drives Martin, Floyd Werner, Gazz, and others crazy as well. me, if it looks close, it’s good enough. I just pick a paint manufacturer and stay with it. RLM02 changed shades throughout the war. Nobody, and yet everybody, is right.

They’ll get some mileage out of these molds. The kit is broken down in such a way where just adding a few bits here and there will get you all the way to a Mk.V

Aaaah the never ending debates on correct RLM shades. It drove Jerry Crandall half insane, and well, let’s not talk about Martin.. 🤣🤣

My best friend Rick Linton developed cancer, well, everywhere. It was easier to list what was cancer free with his body. he was an easy 180 for most his life, but was barely 80 when he recently passed.

That’s awesome all around. Sometimes the plumbing works so well it’ll do so uncommanded. I hate it when that happens.

Very nice result and a stunning build of an interesting aircraft. I absolutely love it! Modelsvit has sure upped their game these last several years. beautiful!

Very VERY nice build there! I have that kit and really want to tackle it one of these days. I see an FAA build in my future.

Me too with the shoulder. Last fall I took advantage of a joy being away for a full week, so I used the “off time” bucking rivets, bending sheet metal on a brake and trimming with hand shears. I had zero feeling in my right arm after that, and I believe I dislocated a couple fingers, because to this day, they lock up and I need to pull them with my other hand to snap them back into place. Oh the fun of age. My issues are nothing compared to Chris, though. Not being able to drain the main vein on command isn’t one of the favorites on my list of things to do.

Thanks Gaz. A Mk.l would be nice, yes. The shorter nose makes it distinctive. But I can understand why they went with the MK.ll, being that it was used in most all theatres of the war. A desert camo version will be in my future, as well as a ship borne version. A Vokes filter IS included in the kit, as well as the fuselage bottom for the arrest or hook, so I expect they’re all on the way at some point.

Chris, I somehow missed reading about all your woes and the scare, and I’m glad you’re on the mend. But yes, I agree, we ALL need to take our health just a bit more seriously as we all grow a little longer in the tooth. My wife is constantly on me, as I simply refuse to go to the doc when something isn’t right. And I even have VA benefits, but I stay FAR away from those places. My dad had a similar situation to yours about 40 years ago. We were living in the high Arctic on a small radar station, and the station Med guy couldn’t handle it, so Dad had a half hour ride in the station Huey to get quickly to the airport, then a 4 hour ride in a DC-3, followed by another 2 hours in an F28, all in absolute agony to get to Winnipeg and a proper hospital. He ended up like you, although they admitted him to the wards and kept him several days till the stones passed. Mine has been a trickle at times, but all tests show good. My thing is my knees. They’re both blown out and I’m in absolute agony when I walk. I drive my wife insane as I refuse replacements as of yet. Another couple gel injections are up and coming, them maybe replacements in 4-5 years. I don’t want to be young enough to where I may need to do them a second time around. No runnin’ and gunnin’ for me anymore. My door kicker days are long, long in the past. I think we’re all about where you are now. Maru was blessed with a career that kept her active, so her pains might not be as bad…. Me, I’m not really all that old and broke down, but I’m far enough along as to where I don’t stand too close to the curb on trash day. 🤡

If I can make this kit look good, then anyone can. It’s a great little kit

The Red Fox and Yahu panels work perfectly for the Revell kit. I used Yahu, and it’s is awesome. Peter, the Kotare kit doesn’t need any panel upgrades. It’s great as it is. YMMV of course.

Sir Martin of Bratislava has ridden to my aid… With this fine picture of a Mk.l What’s amazing is the brutality of the whole thing. Function definitely comes ahead of form here

Were the wing landing lights plated over on any of the night fighter Hurries? I’ve seen pictures of the anti glare shields to keep exhaust glow out of the pilot’s eyes. Anything else? I’ve heard stories both ways on this…

Ain’t this FUN? So far, I’m quite happy with the performance of this kit. It’s turning out to be a nice, fairly relaxing build. The center section turned into a non event, although the wing to fuselage join could have been a bit better. I’m diggin’ it.

That huge, thick Hawker wing slowed the Hurricane by a few MPH’s, but that wing also gave the Hurricane the ability to put turn most any monoplane short of the P.11c. The Hurricane could easily out turn a 109 or 190, and even turn inside the vaunted Spitfire.

With all its bumps and protrusions, the Hurricane looks like it has an immune system imbalance, but she was tough and war ready

After all, it’s only putty, right? 😗