The Few dual build log

1
January 27, 2025
I've had the kit since it was first released but I'm not a huge fan of Spitfires so it has been 'resting' for quite a while. I also know nothing about Spitfires so any excuse to buy another book!
2
January 27, 2025
I do like the look of the very first production aircraft so a 19 Sqn aircraft is going to be one of the builds. I would like to paint both the Type A and Type B schemes so my 19 Sqn build might end up being a different serial number to this one.
3
January 27, 2025
For the other build I want to do Douglas Bader's Spitfire from his brief time with 222 Sqn
4
January 27, 2025
Best be organised for a dual build
5
January 27, 2025
Top Notch paint masks for the 2 types of camo schemes
6
January 27, 2025
and we're off! There are some differences between the 2 aircraft so I have to be careful during the build to get the correct parts on the correct kits.....
7
January 27, 2025
.... so I marked up 2 trays to put the parts into
8
January 27, 2025
Lots of tiny parts for the cockpits
9
February 1, 2025
Painting and weathering underway on both of the cockpits. Still some chipping to apply to the seats along with the seatbelts
10
February 1, 2025
This it the cockpit for the 222 Sqn Battle of Britain period Spitfire
11
February 1, 2025
The cockpit for the Battle of Britain period 222 Sqn Spitfire being installed into the fuselage
12
February 1, 2025
You can see the additional armour behind the seat and the reflector gunsight of this version compared to the earlier cockpit
13
February 1, 2025
14
February 1, 2025
15
February 1, 2025
The fuselage halves are joined once the cockpit is installed. Now it's time to do the same work on the pre war 19 Sqn one.
16
February 4, 2025
The 19 Sqn Pre war cockpit is fitted
17
February 4, 2025
18
February 4, 2025
Now I have 2 fuselages ready for the wings
19
February 4, 2025
Dry fitting prior to gluing in the cockpits didn't suggest there would be any problems, the wing roots were looking nice and tight. I'm not sure what changed but it's gap city on both kits now though.
20
February 4, 2025
21
February 4, 2025
The gaps aren't quite so bad on the 19 Sqn one but that is because I was aware of the problem by then. It still didn't help though.
22
February 4, 2025
23
February 4, 2025
Some Mr Hobby Dissolved Putty poured into the gaps....
24
February 4, 2025
...but the real problem is that wing is sticking up higher than the fairings which isn't right. I think it is going to need more work than just some filler to get the wing roots looking good.
25
February 4, 2025
Flatting back the Dissolved Putty showed me that the step was not going to be acceptable. This is the better of the 2 kits
26
February 4, 2025
the other wing shows a step mid chord leading forward. I could have ignored it and carried on but I know my eye would always be led to the wing roots.
27
February 4, 2025
Drastic action required, out with a metal file to remove the high spots (and the surface detail sadly)
28
February 4, 2025
29
February 4, 2025
Finished with the metal file and starting to clean things up with sanding sponges. No high spots now but I will have extra work to reinstate the surface details
30
February 4, 2025
The 222 Sqn one now needs the same treatment. At least I now have a plan to deal with it.
31
February 4, 2025
lots of sanding, scribing and riveting to come
32
February 7, 2025
here it is after the first round of work. It looks ok in this photo but the wing root still needs to be rescribed and the rivet details reinstated.
33
February 7, 2025
The gap was actually still too wide and rough so another round of Mr Surfacer 1000 was brushed into the gap.
34
February 7, 2025
I am hoping that once the excess is removed that the wing root gap will be less noticeable but not completely gone.
35
February 9, 2025
This one will have the canopy open so I have used a spare door to close that gap and have masked off the rest of the cockpit.
36
February 9, 2025
This one will have the canopy closed so I used one of the spare canopies from the kit to 'mask off' pushed into place (I have a bad habit of dust appearing inside my closed canopies!).
37
February 12, 2025
A first coat of micro filler/primer has been sprayed onto the seams to check them
38
February 12, 2025
The engine cover looks ok but there is some remedial work needed in places
39
February 12, 2025
some filler on the areas needing fixed......
40
February 12, 2025
......on both kits
41
February 12, 2025
Things like this don't help, sink marks on the top sides of the exhausts
42
February 12, 2025
more filler!
43
February 18, 2025
Black microfiller/primer applied to both kits
44
February 18, 2025
45
February 18, 2025
A coat of AK Interactive Xtreme Metal White Aluminium on the whole of the underside of the 19 Sqn pre-war one and.....
46
February 18, 2025
......just on the nose and rear fuselage and tail of the 222 Sqn one
47
February 18, 2025
I've never built a Dark Earth/dark Green RAF machine before but I do have a couple of options for paints in the stash. On the left is the Colourcoats enamels and Mr Color C361/369 on the right. I'm still trying to decide which to use.
48
February 18, 2025
'19' has it's underside masked off ready for those top side colours
49
February 18, 2025
'222' is in the process of having the period black and white wing colours applied.
50
February 18, 2025
51
March 10, 2025
'222' underside painting is complete
52
March 10, 2025
Starting the topsides with the Mr Color Dark Earth
53
March 10, 2025
54
March 10, 2025
'19Sqn's
55
March 10, 2025
56
March 10, 2025
57
March 10, 2025
Type A and Type B schemes
58
March 10, 2025
59
March 10, 2025
60
March 10, 2025
Mid way through the decaling of '222Sqn'
61
March 10, 2025
The Eduard code letter decals have an odd pixilated look to them so I decided to make my own masks and paint them on instead
62
March 10, 2025
63
March 10, 2025
good enough for me
64
March 22, 2025
I decided to try peeling the Eduard decals. It's actually a lot easier to do than you might imagine
65
March 22, 2025
The decal has a painted on look now. I still had to clean off the excess carrier film around the edge at this point.
66
March 22, 2025
19 Sqn has a much more minimalist look in it's original pre-war markings
67
March 22, 2025
I used some oil paints to add a more worn look on '222 Sqn'. I left '19 Sqn' alone as I want a much fresher look of a nearly new aircraft for that one.
68
March 22, 2025
Starting the panel line wash process on the wings....
69
March 22, 2025
....and onto the fuselage
70
March 22, 2025
Panel line wash on '222 Sqn" completed
71
March 22, 2025
I'm happy with the worn and faded look of this one
72
March 22, 2025
The same process was carried out on '19'...
73
March 22, 2025
.... a much more restrained affect on this one which is what I was after.
74
March 24, 2025
Spitfires appeared to have quite a flat finish so it was out with the Mr Color GX114 Super Smooth Clear Flat
75
March 24, 2025
I didn't want to completely kill the sheen though
76
March 24, 2025
I left a little more of a sheen on '19' as it is supposed to be nearly new
77
March 24, 2025
Too shiny or too flat?
78
March 24, 2025
Exhaust, gun smoke and the start of some oil streaks added to the 222 Sqn one. Airbrushed on with very thin acrylics
79
March 24, 2025
80
March 24, 2025
I will finish off the oil streaks with some oil paints
81
March 24, 2025
82
March 24, 2025
Only a hint of exhaust stains added to the 19 Sqn one in keeping with it being 'new' and peacetime
83
March 26, 2025
84
March 24, 2025
85
March 26, 2025
Both are now finished. Despite the problems I had along the way I have enjoyed building these 2
86
March 26, 2025
I will get new albums made for each of them and post more photos in those soon.

Comments

38 27 January, 13:41

KyMustang
Definitely following this. I have this kit and based on your work on the Bulldog, we're in for a treat.

1 29 January, 20:53

KyMustang
Nice and tidy cockpits. Great detail work.

1 2 February, 05:34

Rui S
Looking great 👍

1 4 February, 16:20

Martin Weinpold
Looking!

1 4 February, 16:29

KyMustang
Very disappointing about the fit. Did the wing assemblies get switched between fuselages, by any chance? I know it shouldn't matter, but stacking tolerances could do that.

1 6 February, 03:34

Lorraine Lin
nice cockpit, following

1 6 February, 05:18

Duncan Black Author
Hi KyMustang the plastic for the kits is identical, just the smaller parts used are different depending on which decal option used. I am really not sure what went wrong as the dry fits I did before the cockpits went in didn't show any gaps or steps.
I followed the instructions and glued the top wing parts to the lower wing part before they were fitted to the fuselage. Next time I would be tempted to leave the top wing parts off until the fuselage and lower wings are joined together.

6 February, 17:11