rieser Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Newbie here. Hope you've got room for another one... Hobby Boss's Mk.Vb Trop kit with a few mods. The three main mods during assembly were grafting on a Tamiya Mk.IX windshield, replacing the undersized wing cannons with Master Model items, and fixing the tailplane fabric surfaces with a pin. Camo colours are Tamiya acrylic mixes. The Dk Earth is too red for my liking. The speculative blue-grey is ... well you guys know the story there. Markings were painted on using masks from Mal Mayfield. Any inaccuracies in the insignia styles sit with me, as does the likely mistake with the starboard-side code locations. The fuselage roundels and serial numbers where I thought they went but that didn't leave enough room for the squadron codes. Model recently decaled using kit decals, and glossed in prep for weathering. Wingroot colours were mottled with a lighter shade and then gently sanded to remove some paint from around the rivets. Didn't work so well on the blue-grey areas as there wasn't enough contrast between the camo tones and the underlying grey primer. Undecided about the "No walk" lines - paint them on the original Dk Earth only; paint them in full; or don't paint them at all. Any advice much appreciated. Kit decals worked fine with MICRO SET. The kit spinner and prob blades have been replaced with Grey Matter Figure items. Unfortunately the replacement spinner backing plate was smaller in diameter than the spinner, so the spinner was grafted to an old Hasegawa backing plate. Prior to grafting, the Hasegawa backing plate was trimmed to match the nose of the kit. The rest of the build WIP is over on the LSP Works-in-progress forum if interested. Comments/critisism welcomed. Thanks for looking. Cheers, Ralph. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest styrenedemon Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 I can't comment about any accuracy issues and they don't really matter to me either. That is a good looking build though. The shading is particularly nice. I'm really digging this kit now that I've seen a couple built up. Really nice and welcome to the forum. Looking forward to more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkranias Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 welcome and kudos on a nice build. like the weathering. interesting color combo. what theater did id plane see action? this kit is in my stash and fast approaching my on deck mode soon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave J Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Ralph! Glad you have found us! Welcome! Looking forward to seeing your fantastic paint work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingco57 Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 +1 Welcome Cees Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamme Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Welcome to the Forum Ralph. I like your weathering. really nice. Cheers, Jamme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeroenveen1 Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Ralph! Great to see you here my friend. Great Spitty as well! Keep on posting! Btw, Mal send me my Grey Nurse masks! Cheers, Jeroen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjaminsummerfield Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Can't seem to see the pictures? Just me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rieser Posted May 7, 2013 Author Share Posted May 7, 2013 Thanks for the "welcome" Gents - much appreciated. Rick: DoogsATX is right. The model is meant to represent a 603 Sqn RAF Vb Trop flown by an Australian pilot, Flt Sgt Colin Parkinson RAAF, in Takali, Malta around July 1942. The idea for the scheme came from the Rising Decals "Mediterranean Spitfires" (RD72037). Since painting the model, there is now information available that the undersides of EP200 may have not have been repainted and so retained the original Sky colour and the earlier style underwing roundels. Would make quite a striking colour combination. The spinner colour is also up for grabs - could have been red. Benjamin: apologies that you can't see the pics. Don't know how to help with that one. Cheers, Ralph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjaminsummerfield Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Thanks for the "welcome" Gents - much appreciated. Rick: DoogsATX is right. The model is meant to represent a 603 Sqn RAF Vb Trop flown by an Australian pilot, Flt Sgt Colin Parkinson RAAF, in Takali, Malta around July 1942. The idea for the scheme came from the Rising Decals "Mediterranean Spitfires" (RD72037). Since painting the model, there is now information available that the undersides of EP200 may have not have been repainted and so retained the original Sky colour and the earlier style underwing roundels. Would make quite a striking colour combination. The spinner colour is also up for grabs - could have been red. Benjamin: apologies that you can't see the pics. Don't know how to help with that one. Cheers, Ralph. I can see them now. Looking good. Malta is kinda my thing, nice to see a Malta spit in here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rieser Posted May 8, 2013 Author Share Posted May 8, 2013 First attempt at using an oil wash, so started on the undersides. MIG's "Shadow Brown", followed by some Dullcote tinted with Tamiya's acrylic XF-68 NATO Brown and XF-69 NATO Black ... ... gets a bit ugly up close... ... oil leaks, paint wear etc next. Thanks for looking. Cheers, Ralph. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest styrenedemon Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Love it so far. Keep it coming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave J Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Another Epic build Ralph! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamme Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Beautiful weathering. Cheers, Jamme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjaminsummerfield Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Malta spits weren't very well maintained so leaked lots of oil in the belly, get her dirty Does the underside represent RAF Sky or the lesser known sky blue ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rieser Posted May 10, 2013 Author Share Posted May 10, 2013 cheers Gents... Benjamin: I painted the undersides with a mix of Tamiya XF-2 Flat White and XF-23 Light Blue as a guess at the lesser known Sky Blue. I also borrowed a style used by a guy called Anis in Turkey - very similar to the WWI "see through" look but in reverse. Much of the cartoon effect is lost now. Undersides pretty-much done. Used a combination of tinted Dullcote, thinned Games Workshop Babab Black wash, and FABER-CASTELL water-soluble pencils... Thanks for looking. Cheers, Ralph. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjaminsummerfield Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 cheers Gents... Benjamin: I painted the undersides with a mix of Tamiya XF-2 Flat White and XF-23 Light Blue as a guess at the lesser known Sky Blue. I also borrowed a style used by a guy called Anis in Turkey - very similar to the WWI "see through" look but in reverse. Much of the cartoon effect is lost now. Undersides pretty-much done. Used a combination of tinted Dullcote, thinned Games Workshop Babab Black wash, and FABER-CASTELL water-soluble pencils... Thanks for looking. Cheers, Ralph. Awesome job, glad you've depicted the sky blue rather than Azure; most of the Malta spits are all too pale to be Azure. GL-T is a funny one as it appears to be two tone Camo in one pic as you've depicted, but then in an other its overall Blue/grey!! just to confuse us!! And its one of the most photographed spits on Malta! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjaminsummerfield Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 youve probably seen this photo of a Malta spit scrambling for height, but it shows how much they leaked due to poor servicing and constant use. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmayhew Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 Oooh Very interesting (and cool) Do you have any more / close up pics of the windshield showing exactly what you did? For me the windshield is the one 'issue' that really stops me building this kit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjaminsummerfield Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Oooh Very interesting (and cool) Do you have any more / close up pics of the windshield showing exactly what you did? For me the windshield is the one 'issue' that really stops me building this kit... The windscreen is the biggest fault other than the tail Planes, its just too upright and the wrong shape even for the external armoured one. I've just got mine through the post, I have a windscreen from the old Hasegawa Vb and it should fit; just a big gap where the curved lower frame of the armoured one should go. But it looks like the Hobbyboss windscreen can be cut and used to fill it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rieser Posted May 12, 2013 Author Share Posted May 12, 2013 Benjamin: thanks for that underside pic - not seen it before. Two-tone camo upper - and lower!! Nick: some pics of the windshield change... ...dry fit... ... had to remove the raised "line" molded on the kit to let the Tamiya part sit down. The Tamiya gunsight was added with a small extension to the mount to let it clear the windshield ... ... added Tamiya thin cement where the parts touched... ...Mr Surfacer to fill the gaps ... ... cleaned up... ... the Tamiya hood ... ... the kit hood. Hope these help. Cheers, ralph. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjaminsummerfield Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 (edited) Question is how do you have a spare Tamiya windscreen and canopy!? LOL Edited May 31, 2013 by nmayhew Please do not needlessly quote long posts, especially pic heavy ones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingco57 Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 Just got back from Malta two hours ago. Saw the remains if BR108 and was heavily impressed about the fighting That took place there the scars are everyhere to see, even today. Great build Ralph. Cees 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjaminsummerfield Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 Just got back from Malta two hours ago. Saw the remains if BR108 and was heavily impressed about the fighting That took place there the scars are everyhere to see, even today. Great build Ralph. Cees Amazing place. There's a pair of Hispano cannons imbedded in the ground still where a spit crashed, just a shame the Sea Gladiator is kept in the armoury Instead of the aviation museum. It's even discussed by the government and its considered a relic, the aviation museum has a pair Of wings from a Norway based RAF glad ready to go on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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