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The Great LSP Twins Group Build Starts Jan 24, 2024 - End July 3, 2024 ×

Clear the Bench! It's Kotare Spitfire time!


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12 minutes ago, Peterpools said:

PW

Absolutely will be building the new Revell Hurricane and it's on its way right now. Just hard to believe how some manufactures can get parts to fit correctly straight out of the box and others can't. For my money, I really don't derive a lot of satisfaction from fixing part fit ... it's just not what I enjoy. 

 

If you were a 109 builder, you'd really be enjoying playing the angle game.  Because the angles aren't consistent from mark to mark due to continuous weight increases.  I've used a lot of different things to hold those gear in place as they dry.  And often still had to make final adjustments once the glue had set.  Just love that the fit on this spit is more rigid than a drill instructor's spine.

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Well...   

 

The last detail to finish in the cockpit was to add the shiny glass pieces over each gauge.

RFCcO9.jpg

 

An enlarged view for those that like enlarged things...

UoqHKu.jpg

 

I used that clear resin that hardens under UV light to make the effect.

 

Anyway...    after all of that hard work in the cockpit...   including rigging the flying controls with Ushci type stretchy line...  I hid it all by buttoning up the cockpit tub and added the fuselage around it.

CCkzFj.jpg

 

MAQJdI.jpg

 

3WcX43.jpg

 

U13bOZ.jpg

 

The cockpit tub fit neatly and went together easily.  Rigging the flight controls was a pain, and is virtually invisible.  But since it's been over 40 years since my last spit...  why not?

 

I'm a little uncertain how to proceed with the dorsal piece.

XvKdAg.jpg

See the slight gap as it nears the canopy?  That can be squeezed tight and held in place long enough for the Extra Thin to dry.  However...   all of that raised detail...   I'm afraid that I'll ruin it with the capillary action of the glue.  There is one locator inside, but I don't think gluing it alone will be strong enough.

 

How would you do it?

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The IP looks fantastic. The UV gel over the instrument faces really works out nicely. 

I wasn't sure about the moulded seatbelts at first but they look great from the way you've done them. 

As for the seam, I'd hold the parts together and then apply a small drop of Tamiya Extra thin by the end of the join where the canopy is. Another option is a small dab of thin CA in the same spot. Any excess could be wiped off with CA removed.

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Gaz

Awesome front office and so glad the Kotare Spit is so far everything we expected. I just posted the last update for the Revell Spitfire and am very curious as to how the two will look side by side in the display case. finished 

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Well, what started as interesting surface detail coupled with an innovative way of dealing with the dorsal seam has put me into a bit of a conundrum.  

Here is a diagram to illustrate the way the parts are made and fit.  It is not to scale.

149798371_illustrationspitfire.thumb.png.e2d9e6d9447218361ebacee2be6711a4.png

You can see that the fuselage halves are beveled down to a flat area on the interior of the fuselage. while E7, the Dorsal spine has flat mating surfaces.  I took some photos to illustrate the parts, but the bevel isn't very easy to see.  I have used white arrows to help make the bevel easier to find.

IMG_1964.thumb.JPG.74ea01adfd893c3ece1debadf367096f.JPG

 

On the first attempt I followed some advice about using CA to tack an area down, then glue the rest with Tamiya Extra Thin Quick Setting.  I followed through, and used a bit of PPP to fill the seam, but wasn't happy with the result.   ...I tested it with a little gray paint to see what it would look like painted.

IMG_1961.thumb.JPG.937d9ec9036b1feb553419e1ee45b482.JPG

I wasn't happy with the result.  Sure, it looks like a panel line.  But it's the only one there.  If the rest of the fuselage had panel lines, it would fit in.  But now it sticks out like a sore thumb.  

So, I ripped it off.

And after a day of thinking, I decided to deal with the beveled area and see if I can get a better fit.  I used some Evergreen strip to fill the bevel and give a completely flat surface in hopes of a better fit.

IMG_1967.thumb.JPG.81169acb5e6aede8543a105b3854dc84.JPG

And then I reattached the dorsal spine E7.  And then filled the seam with PPP and removed the excess.  And then painting it gray.

IMG_1969.thumb.JPG.6f13b90aaeeb394f892259fe8e09d139.JPG

IMG_1970.thumb.JPG.a0af8c7aa750d9ec4c4c5396903059d7.JPG

 

It doesn't look any different. 

So, now I have to decide whether to leave it as it is...   or come up with another way.  There is no other way to fill that seam that I can think of that won't involve ruining the rivets.  The only other solution coming to mind at this very moment is to strip the rivets off, fill the seam and then contemplate:  

a.  No rivets, no panel lines.

b.  replacing the rivets with HGW surface rivets which are much smaller.

c.  Inscribing panel lines and adding HGW rivets.

Any ideas?

 

 

 

 

 

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Gaz

I'm looking at a brand new, unbuilt Tamiya Spitfire Mk IXc still in the part bags and the fuselage has both panel lines and very delicate rivets. 

The sides have panel lines and the very delicate rivets run through the panels, along the fuselage, not next to any of the panel lines and none vertically. The upper fuselage seam that you have been working on is just a well scribed panel line on the Tamiya kit, with rivets only along the inside edge of the rear, long panel line and where it steps up; no rivets along that portion of the panel line. 

I'm not a Spitfire expert, so I have no idea who is right. When I build my Kotare Spitfire, I'm not going to worry about the rivets and the panel lines and build it as Kotare intended. 

 

 

 

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39 minutes ago, Peterpools said:

Gaz

I'm looking at a brand new, unbuilt Tamiya Spitfire Mk IXc still in the part bags and the fuselage has both panel lines and very delicate rivets. 

The sides have panel lines and the very delicate rivets run through the panels, along the fuselage, not next to any of the panel lines and none vertically. The upper fuselage seam that you have been working on is just a well scribed panel line on the Tamiya kit, with rivets only along the inside edge of the rear, long panel line and where it steps up; no rivets along that portion of the panel line. 

I'm not a Spitfire expert, so I have no idea who is right. When I build my Kotare Spitfire, I'm not going to worry about the rivets and the panel lines and build it as Kotare intended. 

 

 

 

Thanks, Peter.  I'm going to leave it as it is and continue.

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Gaz,

I pulled mine out and dry fitted the 2 fuselage halves with the spine. I had about half the gap near the cockpit as you had. I did not install the internal frames. It may have been a combination of some paint where the frames meet the fuselage ( as someone else observed WNW kits had some tight tolerances) and/or a bit more "warp" in the spine. For what it's worth, it doesn't look that bad-I know you're not happy with it but as you said, time to move on. On a happy note, those of us who haven't started the kit will benefit from your experience 🙄.

 Keep going, It's looking good!

v/r,

Rob

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OK...     some enquiring minds minds wanted to know how the Malcolm hood fit in the open position.

The answer is...   like a dream.  Just dry fitted here...

IMG_1971.thumb.JPG.771276e90812133820bc2cf90c1a6ffa.JPG

IMG_1972.thumb.JPG.70e6c5ce3b04e4b1d44e96054951225f.JPG

The windscreen seems to want pressing down to fit perfectly.  I got a little paint on the joint, so I'll remove that before I begin sanding.

and the engine covers and armored fuel covers...  all sweet.

IMG_1972a.thumb.jpg.5694c5cb4e5daa3eaba60b81cfa5b0aa.jpg

And finally...   a solid clear reflector sight.  with no seam running down the middle.

IMG_1976.thumb.JPG.9263ef7d7cc84e02d3902ddf5e901505.JPG

I painted a thin layer of clear green around the outside of the glass reticle to give some depth.  But my crappy photography kind of nullified the effect.

More thoughtful workmanship by Kotare. 

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On 3/17/2023 at 11:30 PM, GazzaS said:

G'day!

    The would-be Kotare Spitfire builder will have to place 49 decals into the cockpit before they can weather it.  The decals are wonderfully thin and perfectly in register.  They also lay in very well and conform to surfaces easily...  unlike Tamiya or Hasegawa's.  Some are very tiny though, so my hat's off to anyone who can avoid losing any.  I lost two, both of which were the size of an average comma. 

 

I found a tiny mistake in the directions.  It involves the placement of the large compass decal 142.  They accidentally  tell you to put 141 in that location.   Fortunately, I had already placed 141 in the correct position.  

 

These pictures aren't very good.  But I wanted to show the decals before I weather the pit.

 

IMG_1897.JPG

IMG_1898.JPG

IMG_1899.JPG

IMG_1901.JPG

IMG_1902.JPG

IMG_1903.JPG

Gary,  This is amazing work!  Great job and making me want to try and afford the kit!  Super work and great pictures.  Thanks!!

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9 hours ago, GazzaS said:

OK...     some enquiring minds minds wanted to know how the Malcolm hood fit in the open position.

The answer is...   like a dream.  Just dry fitted here...

IMG_1971.thumb.JPG.771276e90812133820bc2cf90c1a6ffa.JPG

IMG_1972.thumb.JPG.70e6c5ce3b04e4b1d44e96054951225f.JPG

The windscreen seems to want pressing down to fit perfectly.  I got a little paint on the joint, so I'll remove that before I begin sanding.

and the engine covers and armored fuel covers...  all sweet.

IMG_1972a.thumb.jpg.5694c5cb4e5daa3eaba60b81cfa5b0aa.jpg

And finally...   a solid clear reflector sight.  with no seam running down the middle.

IMG_1976.thumb.JPG.9263ef7d7cc84e02d3902ddf5e901505.JPG

I painted a thin layer of clear green around the outside of the glass reticle to give some depth.  But my crappy photography kind of nullified the effect.

More thoughtful workmanship by Kotare. 

That looks a good close fit , but without wishing to be a git , you know it's on backwards in those shots ?

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11 hours ago, PanzerWomble said:

That looks a good close fit , but without wishing to be a git , you know it's on backwards in those shots ?

No need to worry...   somebody else already point it out at TOS.

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11 hours ago, PanzerWomble said:

Re the spine - for me I'd just fill it.

It will be covered with markings and won't  be noticable post paint. Certainly doesn't draw the eye even at this stage unless you're a Spit rivet watcher . 

I already filled it with perfect plastic putty.

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