Clear the Bench! It's Kotare Spitfire time!

[GazzaS]

Big moves in the last two days, my friends.

First of all...   let me show the canopy with all parts facing the correct way.

Unfortunately my Molotow chrome pen has gone to hell, so the mirror looks more like a Dali painting splashed with silver paint.

And the sliding canopy...   it actually has the release mechanism on it.

This reminds me...   is there any color to the small window on the Malcolm hood?  Colored fasteners, or something?

I've prepared both style of Prop and hub  for weathering.  I used dark gray paint so I can weather them into black.

I actually dropped one of them and lost 1mm off the length of one blade.  Can you tell which one?

 

I used oils on the LG legs, wheel hubs to give shape to the silvery masses.

They'll need a couple days to dry.

 

And after putting a metallic base on the resin exhausts, I tried to give them a burnt metal look with brown washes, and blue-black hot areas.  Some people paint them rusty.  But I'm pretty sure they are made of rust proof alloys.  They'll get another acrylic wash to blend the colors a little more once the oils are dry.

 

Who likes masking?

 

I've left the rudder off till last.  The aerial hook-up piece looks very fragile.

 

And finally this is what the rudder and elevator look like at factory settings.   You can cut off the tabs if you want.

 

The following pics show the model mostly complete.  Perhaps you will find info you want in the pictures...   perhaps not.

 

Anyway...   Happy modelling!

 

[DocRob]

Nice progress Gary, and interesting with your problem solving. Well the spine gap, I guess the light came from above when pictured and will not show as much under paint and decals. The exhaust look great, I wonder if the real thing was made from stainless steel sheet and that's exactly the look you achieved.
Somehow the only thing which nicks me, are the seat belts. They look rubberish and false springy to me, but that might be lighting and shadows playing tricks.

Cheers Rob

[GazzaS]

54 minutes ago, DocRob said:

Nice progress Gary, and interesting with your problem solving. Well the spine gap, I guess the light came from above when pictured and will not show as much under paint and decals. The exhaust look great, I wonder if the real thing was made from stainless steel sheet and that's exactly the look you achieved.
Somehow the only thing which nicks me, are the seat belts. They look rubberish and false springy to me, but that might be lighting and shadows playing tricks.

Cheers Rob

Thanks Rob.  I have been informed that the exhaust were made of an alloy called Iconel.  Lots of nickel in it, apparently.

[Bomber_County]

Gaz, stunning build, my only Spit build was probably early 70’s, so like yourself I owe myself a Spit build…….

[Peterpools]

Gaz

Awesome progress and thank you as always for all the photographs - they answer so many questions and highlight the progress you're making.

I see what Rob is pointing out about the seatbelts and on my kit, I'll be using the kit ones as well but will try thinning them out and adding a sag or two. Not sure if it's possible but I'll try. 

Of Course, still waiting for my Kotare Spitfire to arrive.

 

 

[Martinnfb]

“Direct vision panel”

Manual says: 'If the hood cannot be opened for any reason such as icing or combat damage, a break-out panel is fitted to the hood which, when pushed out with the elbow or flat of the hand may improve visibility'

 

don't ask

[Martinnfb]

Lovely work on the exhaust,( just like the real thing) Gary. This kit is making me droooool

 

 

(pictured Mk.V)

[GazzaS]

9 hours ago, Bomber_County said:

Gaz, stunning build, my only Spit build was probably early 70’s, so like yourself I owe myself a Spit build…….

 

8 hours ago, Peterpools said:

Gaz

Awesome progress and thank you as always for all the photographs - they answer so many questions and highlight the progress you're making.

I see what Rob is pointing out about the seatbelts and on my kit, I'll be using the kit ones as well but will try thinning them out and adding a sag or two. Not sure if it's possible but I'll try. 

Of Course, still waiting for my Kotare Spitfire to arrive.

 

 

Thanks guys.  It's really an awesome kit, and I'm glad I bought it.  I may have to do another one eventually.  It's simple and the fit is great, so it goes together quickly.  If I had a certain plane in mind, I could paint it today.  But since I'm still looking for that perfect inspiration and the oiled parts will dry for a week,  I don't have to rush.

[GazzaS]

8 hours ago, Martinnfb said:

“Direct vision panel”

Manual says: 'If the hood cannot be opened for any reason such as icing or combat damage, a break-out panel is fitted to the hood which, when pushed out with the elbow or flat of the hand may improve visibility'

 

don't ask

What am I not supposed to ask about?  Did you climb on it?  Great photo!  heh...   just noticed the ring sight in place of the reflector sight. 

 

[GazzaS]

5 hours ago, Martinnfb said:

Lovely work on the exhaust,( just like the real thing) Gary. This kit is making me droooool

 

 

(pictured Mk.V)

Thank you, Martin!  You are the king of reference photos.

[Peterpools]

Gaz

Agreed, Martin is King and Grand Pooh -Bah (From the Honeymooners Show staring Jackie Gleason from back in the 50's). Just can't get any better then that.

 

 

 

[Martinnfb]

23 minutes ago, GazzaS said:

What am I not supposed to ask about?  Did you climb on it?  Great photo!  heh...   just noticed the ring sight in place of the reflector sight. 

 

I meant , don't ask about the purpose of the panel. It is so unclear and questionable , basically useless.

[Clunkmeister]

On 3/21/2023 at 3:40 PM, GazzaS said:

Well...    you are right on there...  but Kotare had other plans.  Once I learned they were releasing a BoB Spit,  I reasoned/hoped that a BoB trio Spit/Hurri/109 would be their path to fortune.  And of course, I would have bought all three on pre-order.  But the next two releases are later mark spitfires, my hopes have been dashed.  I certainly have no plans to buy a Revell Hurri.

Gary, so far I can recommend the Revell Hurri. It’s a nice kit. No belts or gimmicks, and the panel decals truly SUCK, but other than that, it so far seems like a solid kit, at half the price of the Kotare Spitty.

[Clunkmeister]

On 3/25/2023 at 5:52 PM, PanzerWomble said:

That's a low blow 🤣

FYI, “TOS” started here several years ago after the Exodus.  It’s simply “The Other Site”, but a few over there got really worked up over it.  

[Clunkmeister]

14 hours ago, GazzaS said:

 

Thanks guys.  It's really an awesome kit, and I'm glad I bought it.  I may have to do another one eventually.  It's simple and the fit is great, so it goes together quickly.  If I had a certain plane in mind, I could paint it today.  But since I'm still looking for that perfect inspiration and the oiled parts will dry for a week,  I don't have to rush.

You may need to do a re engine on the kit with the big V12 Mercedes.  It was a Mk.V so y’all might need to wait a bit.  It’s certainly something I’m gonna do.

I know there was at least one built, and it IS kinda cool looking. 

[Sasha As]

Great work!

[Martinnfb]

Some motivational boost

 

[GazzaS]

12 hours ago, Martinnfb said:

Some motivational boost

 

It’s not motivation I need…. It’s something I have to wait on someone else to provide.  To stay busy, I’ve been working on three other builds.

[Peterpools]

Gaz

Three other additional builds at the same time .. now that's really concentrating on the kit at hand and way beyond my powers of concentration. 

[GazzaS]

4 hours ago, Peterpools said:

Gaz

Three other additional builds at the same time .. now that's really concentrating on the kit at hand and way beyond my powers of concentration. 

It's less difficult than you imagine Peter.  Think of modelling as your pantry.  In the mood for an easy peanut butter and jam on toast?  Do some easy gluing on a kit.  Get excited about a PE technique you just saw on youtube...  Pick up that warship build that's been cooling it's heals because of your reluctance to play with PE.  Itching to paint, pick up that fighter plane that you weren't in the mood to touch yesterday.

Easy Peasy.  It shouldn't be what you have to do.   It should be what you want to do.

[PanzerWomble]

Strong in the force is he ....speak backwards I shall 

Glue or not glue ...there is no dry 

[Peterpools]

1 hour ago, GazzaS said:

It's less difficult than you imagine Peter.  Think of modelling as your pantry.  In the mood for an easy peanut butter and jam on toast?  Do some easy gluing on a kit.  Get excited about a PE technique you just saw on youtube...  Pick up that warship build that's been cooling it's heals because of your reluctance to play with PE.  Itching to paint, pick up that fighter plane that you weren't in the mood to touch yesterday.

Easy Peasy.  It shouldn't be what you have to do.   It should be what you want to do.

Thanks Gaz, makes perfect sense but for a senior sometimes just remembering where he put the current build on the bench can be a task to deal with.  Last year for the Ukranian GB I built the Revell Embraer 190 and at the same time it shared the bench with the Meng Ford GT40 and Found it took a while to get back in the groove for which ever kit, I was working on. 

Just wish, at this stage of the game, I had your mechanical abilities to alternate between kits.

 

 

[PanzerWomble]

9 hours ago, Peterpools said:

Thanks Gaz, makes perfect sense but for a senior sometimes just remembering where he put the current build on the bench can be a task to deal with.  Last year for the Ukranian GB I built the Revell Embraer 190 and at the same time it shared the bench with the Meng Ford GT40 and Found it took a while to get back in the groove for which ever kit, I was working on. 

Just wish, at this stage of the game, I had your mechanical abilities to alternate between kits.

 

 

Wir sind alle alte Hasen

 

[GazzaS]

34 minutes ago, PanzerWomble said:

Wir sind alle alte Hasen

 

Too true.

[GazzaS]

10 hours ago, Peterpools said:

Thanks Gaz, makes perfect sense but for a senior sometimes just remembering where he put the current build on the bench can be a task to deal with.  Last year for the Ukranian GB I built the Revell Embraer 190 and at the same time it shared the bench with the Meng Ford GT40 and Found it took a while to get back in the groove for which ever kit, I was working on. 

Just wish, at this stage of the game, I had your mechanical abilities to alternate between kits.

 

 

Well...   I cannot comment on your situation because I don't know if you live in an apartment or...   something larger.  Here is my setup:

My bench is only a little over a yard wide and half a yard deep.  So, when I am not working on a kit, whatever fits in the box safely goes back in the box.  I don't want them filling up with dust.  Small, loose parts and delicate sub-assemblies go into a plastic container and into a cupboard that my wife has graciously given up to me and the detritus of modelling.  Boxes of models in construction sit atop the cupboard.  Larger pieces, like ships and mostly constructed models that won't go back in the box safely go into the same cupboard to stay out of hazard's way.

I have been careless and put loose pieces into the cupboard.  But they were there when I needed them.  Really...   I just make it up as I go along.  I never had a concrete plan to slowly usurp space and fill it with model stuff.