Revell 1/32 Spitfire Mk IIa

[DocRob]

Beautiful result Peter, the decals and stencils bring her alive. Sorry to hear about the gloss and decal issues, it seems that Cartograph isn't always top shelf, maybe there are different processes / materials available to choose for the customers.
I always dread decaling and the prep work, because so many things can go wrong so late in the build. Luckily your Spit and your spirit survived the misfortunes.

Cheers Rob

[Spitfire]

Nice result you navigated around the decal problems nicely but that is why I usually paint markings, that and the fact that I am rubbish at decals.

Cheers

Dennis

[Martinnfb]

I always liked your clean and precise approach Peter, this time is no different. Joy to follow.

 

[Peterpools]

Thanks Gaz

Just glad I didn't have to do much backtracking and wet sanding to smooth out the Aqua Gloss Clear.

 

[Peterpools]

Oliver, so very much appreciated. After all these years you know my style and presentation: mostly spit shined and trying to duplicate how the actually aircraft would either look on the museum floor or a rather new aircraft painted and ready to go (markings would be with poetic license).

Of course, if I could ever weather as you do, I surely would give is a go.

[Peterpools]

Thanks Huber, so much and after the clear gloss and the semi mat clear, it's time to finally make the turn towards the finish line. 

 

[Peterpools]

Rob, thanks so much and completely agree. there is a 'gaggle' of issues and steps that can go wrong once the decaling stage is reached. Luckly wet sanding cured the ills and I should have tested somewhat more then the sinner to see how the Aqua would work for me. What I can't figure out what went wrong as John B uses it all the time and his applications and decaling is perfect.

I'm still also unsure as to what the two Cartograf decals went south all the rest were fine. Masks just might be the answer for future builds.

[PanzerWomble]

When I've built this one the crazy amount of Microsol needed to get the roundels on the undersides of the wing to conform to those "bumps" .....scheeez!!!  

 

Yours look to have turned out great - bravo . 

 

 

[Peterpools]

Thanks so much Dennis and I was lucking I was able to navigate through the decal prep issue. I'm starting to lean towards masks myself but for me the biggest drawback is there doesn't seem to be any actual paint color recommendations with mask sets and I'm not very good at mixing and creating colors on my own.

 

[Peterpools]

Thank You Martin for the very kind words.  I like to build and finish my models as I enjoy looking at them in the displaycase; my mini museum of flight. I might try doing some weathering down the line but that would also mean doing at least a small vignette for time and place as well.

[Peterpools]

Thanks PW - absolutely correct an the amazing thing was the Revell decals finally did conform with a lot of Micro Sol and TLC, I just couldn't get the EagleCal roundels to work just in this one application. 

[PanzerWomble]

2 minutes ago, Peterpools said:

Thanks PW - absolutely correct an the amazing thing was the Revell decals finally did conform with a lot of Micro Sol and TLC, I just couldn't get the EagleCal roundels to work just in this one application. 

I know right - crazy decals!!!  from memory it was about 10 applications over a couple of days to get there . 

[Peterpools]

PW - exactly. BTW, my initials are also PW 🧐

 

[PanzerWomble]

1 minute ago, Peterpools said:

PW - exactly. BTW, my initials are also PW 🧐

 

Mother Womble always wanted a son called Panzer ....🤣

There used to be a Fallschirmwomble out on the early internet as well ( nothing to do with me though, maybe a distaff cousin 😆) .

My name is quite unique so have kept it off the internet for 25 years, I like my privacy . 

[Peterpools]

Got Ya

[Bomber_County]

Peter, sorry to hear about the appointments. The Spit is looking amazing, as others have said perfectly executed……good luck this week at the doctor….

[Peterpools]

Thanks Phil, the Spit has put up a pretty good fight several times but I'm in the home stretch now and looking to finish er up this week.

Very much appreciated the good luck wishes for my doctor appointments and procedure this coming week. Hoping it all goes well.

[BlrwestSiR]

Peter, nice job on the decal work. That's still one thing I dread. You get a great build, nice paint job and the decals go wrong and it's all for nought. 

Interesting issues that you had with the Cartograf decals. Like others have said, probably a bad batch. I had that happen to a different Eaglecal sheet years ago. I mentioned it in passing at the the shop I bought them from. The owner immediately grabbed a new set and gave them to me for free and apologized. Felt bad and really didn't need them but he insisted.

Hopefully you'll have this one in time for the Kotare one to arrive. That will make quite the comparison.

[Landlubber Mike]

Beautiful work Peter, wow!  Glad you got the decals to behave.  Looks really fantastic, great job!

[Peterpools]

Thanks Carls, very much appreciated. 

Just could have been how the decals were stored at the vendor for years - who knows - all is OK and should be finishing up the Spitfire today.

Can't wait for the Kotare Spitfire to arrive and I also have the new Revell Hurricane on it's way. So far I've been on a RAF WWII role for the past few 32nd scale builds and have actually started the ZM 109 - never built a 109 in all these years.

 

[Peterpools]

Much appreciated Mike

I was lucky and was able to work around the decal issues and am heading for the finish line today 🤞

 

[Peterpools]

DONE AND IN THE BOOKS

Early this morning the Revell Spitfire was finished and rolled across the finish line. I spent three days finishing up, what I thought would only need one day. The gear was a killer as I struggled to install them as correctly as I could, being the locating fittings were sloppy and iffy at best. The main gear strut oleos were finished with Alclad Chrome, tires painted in Tamiya Rubber Black and the wheels with Tamiya Lacquer Polished Aluminum. All the details were picked out with Tamiya Dark Brown and Black Panel Line Washes.

The kit cockpit door was used as a mask for painting, now removed and replaced with a modified Barracuda resin door. The flaps were dropped as I had glued the rear spars together when first gluing the wings together at the very early stages of the build, which prevented from adding the flaps in the raised position later on. Going back there wasn’t anything in the instructions relating to this that I could find.

The armor plate for the front windshield is a separate piece – I have no idea why Revell decided to mold it that way and since I was using Ask masks, I built up and painted the Spitfire with the armor plate off and would add it later – bad decision. Fit was an issue and required filler twice at this late stage of the game. All the remaining small parts I had left for the end now needed to be added and to be honest there are one or two still in the box I’ll add later on.

Final clear finish was Alclad Lacquer Semi Matte Clear, as I prefer a semi matte finish to a dead flat finish.  

My final thoughts. Not an easy kit to build and a definite cross between various marks. As the story goes, Revell supposedly used a restoration Spitfire for their research and that was a combination of various marks and thusly why Revell’s Spitfire is how it is. Good story if it is true.

The front office received a full Quinta detail set and Barracuda resin parts were used to replicate the fabric ailerons.

Painting was a joy going with free hand cammo (first time in years since my chemo and all the issues I had with my hands) and using awesome AK Real Color Paints was a dream.

 A $40 MSRP kit that can be found for close to $30 and for that money it’s well worth the price.  

I still have two Tamiya Spits in the stash, the Kotare Spitfire coming and the Revell Hurricane due by 3/23, plus the Border Lancaster  – lots of RAF WWII builds planned for the next few years.

Next up:

A Buddy Build with John B: the ZM Bf 109 G14/U4.

 

 

[KevinM]

That came out very Nice Peter and when it hits the cabinet and somebody looks they will never know the difference........Tamy/Revell?I like this one alot.

[Peterpools]

Thanks Kev, very much appreciated. I was surprised that in the end, for such an inexpensive kit, it replicates an early Spitfire so well. I'm also becoming a convert for Ak Real Color paints. 

[KevinM]

14 minutes ago, Peterpools said:

Ak Real Color paints

I've been playing a little with Mr.Color lacquers not totally sold yet and it might be the airbrush Badger Renegade it has forks on the tip and lacquers can build up there just have to be more attentive.