CANicoll

That gasket around the windshield looks amazing, nice work!! All of those clear bits have really come together beautifully, Rob.

Rob, Thanks and good point. I didn't think about the retouching. The period photographs of the Mk XVI that I have seen do not have an antenna on the spine of the aircraft. I'm seeing that my wing leading edge work needs some attention!

Beautiful detail! That took a lot of work and references. Amazing - looks so real.

Rod, Beautiful job on a huge build. The NMF is terrific, well done! Nice work on the interior and the details (like the pin-up poster!) and the wheel chocks. Beautifully done through and through.

Finishing up but still have some details to add like the underwing antenna and probes, as well as the radio antenna which is presenting me with an conundrum: some pictures seem to show no antenna on the top of the fuselage. I THINK I see a very thin wire on top of the fuselage above the V here. Thoughts please! Also noticing really no exhaust staining The clear lens didn't fit the opening very well so am using some canopy glue which eventually will dry clear and will need multiple applications to flatten out. Attached the cannons and the prop. Now its looking like a Mk XVI Spitfire! Applied a bit of light gray chalk to hint at exhaust staining and some brown chalk on the wheels for the dirty airfields.

Awesome Rob!! Looks just like glass.

Minor update as I approach the finish line here. Still have to do weathering for the exhausts and touch-up from attaching the door (could have used a PE hinge there!) which needs some clean up. Got the petrol filler cap in place. Photos show a red center, which I'm taking as getting worn, as well as some stains. Finally did attach the engine cover and exhausts along with the prop. Getting there, finally!

Nice fit and with incredible detail. Whew!

Hmmm. Sorry to hear you consider this a failed build, Rob. I certainly understand your frustration with getting things to fit (or not fit as the case may be) and the bonnet is the latest example of bits to disappoint you. For static display buttoned up, all of the frustrations are not apparent, at least from what I can see. She's a real beauty and the detail inside and out is amazing. The engine bay is too good not to be seen and appreciated. Sorry it is turning out this way, but what a beautiful effort and workmanship you showed.

I forgot you did that to the SH P-39's. Beautiful fix, John. Wow!

John, What tail is that? did you graft a resin tail on the P-400? Nice recovery!

Oh, right, sorry, Gary. Yeah, it was HOT!!! That's right - Ernie missed Pima, but Tim was there among others. I remember us sitting in the restaurant waiting for the bus to take us back. While they were cleaning around us! That was a B-17 pilot from WWII we talked to. Fascinating guy. I still have his book. Good happy days, for sure!

And we hid under the wing from the hot sun! Great seeing you there and at Telford. I was looking for those pictures of you and found this of you and Ernie:

Phoenix was an amazing trip to meet you all. I missed that dinner and the group pic but the trip to Pima (sadly, without Harv) was memorable. That was quite a Nationals! This hobby puts together some incredible people.

Dave, Looks awesome! Pity that German cockpits were so tight hiding all of that terrific details you put in there. Good thing you have pictures!