Miguelito's Spitfire MkII - 24 hours and a DNF

[jssel]

On with the filler, out with the belt sander.

[mjatx]

I was able to get some photos uploaded, so here's a BIG update. I started out with a grey automotive primer coat, followed by Tamiya silver in the wheel wells. Both were done with rattle cans.




This was followed with some Sky Type S.




By 11:40am, it was time to take a break, have some lunch and let the paint dry.


While painting the underside, the air compressor continued acting up. It was having trouble getting to pressure, and holding air, but we got the job done. After lunch, I taped off the insignia band, and lower fuselage and got ready to apply dark earth.


No Dark Earth available, so I mixed some Tamiya paints and got a color that I thought was going to work.




After applying a second coat, I think it turned out too dark. Well, it's on there now, so it's going to have to do. The airbrush compressor fought me the whole second coat. Here I stopped and took it apart, but there weren't any obvious problems, but it did work a little bit better after some fiddling around and I managed to get the rest of the DARK earth applied.




Unfortunately, this one is going to end up being a DNF. The airbrush issues are really going to be too much to get past. It took me almost 90 minutes to just apply the dark earth coat. This doesn't mean I'm done, I'll continue working on it until the deadline, or close to it. Right now, I just finished masking for the Dark Green coat and I'll provide some updates later.

[coptermech]

I wonder if they had the same problems with the 1/1 scale models.

It's more probable than you might imagine. In my early 20s I was acquainted with a guy who was, by trade, an aircraft panel beater. Real old guy, who had learned his trade the hard way. One of the most skilled people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.

He worked on more than one Spitfire restoration over the course of many years, and said that every single one was different. Different to the point that carefully crafted patterns and dollies for one aircraft were practically useless for another.

I've heard similar stories for modern aircraft too. Apparently the canopy from one F-16 will not, necessarily, fit another from the same production block.

These things are still, even now, essentially hand crafted by people who could almost be termed as artists. They will all have their own story and character. I think that's one of the many elements which make things that fly so fascinating.

Having first hand experience at this, as I work for a leading helicopter manufacturer. I can tell you that many, many things are cut, fit, trimmed to fit. We tend to become very good at what we do. It also helps as I also volunteer at the local air museum and have worked many projects that have required the same skills, especially when you have to re-create a damaged or missing part.

[philp]

mjatx,
Keep going. You can either rattle can the green camo or hand paint it.

Also, if you haven't noticed, the English side likes to see what you eat and drink during a blitz, no picture of lunch will probably count against you. Don't ask me, I am not sure why they want to. Personally I think there are several who are just good cooks and like to make the rest of us jealous not only of their modeling skills but also their culinary ones. But that could just be me.

[mjatx]

mjatx,
Keep going. You can either rattle can the green camo or hand paint it.

Also, if you haven't noticed, the English side likes to see what you eat and drink during a blitz, no picture of lunch will probably count against you. Don't ask me, I am not sure why they want to. Personally I think there are several who are just good cooks and like to make the rest of us jealous not only of their modeling skills but also their culinary ones. But that could just be me.

You're absolutely right, philp! How can I just throw in the towel? I've still got almost 2 hours!!!

The air compressor blows, and not as well as it should, but I got the dark green on. I still think the colors are too dark, but I've got more important things to do.


Now, it's got a gloss coat on it and it's drying while I finish up some fiddly bits and get ready for a speed decal session, I'll probably eliminate stencils and focus just on insignia.


I'll just focus on some inspirational videos to keep me going.

[Arcwelder]

You can do it, my friend... and if you don't.. well, no harm, no foul. Great attempt!

[mjatx]

Despite the inspirational music, I'm left with a nearly completed model. I probably fell about an hour short. Here's where I was with 10 minutes to go.


In a mad dash to install the landing gear and get the last few decals on, I broke the left gear. The prop is painted and ready for install, the gears are complete, and I only need to apply a couple more decals, but after 24 hours, I'm coming up just short.



I'll spend some time finishing it up, but I'll mark it down as a DNF with additional points off for no food pics (BTW I had a couple beers and calimari for lunch, it was very nice).

[jssel]

Good try Miguelito. Please finish it up and post some pics of it in the Aviation Thread.

[philp]

Agree, good try. Too bad about the compressor. I still haven't set mine up yet though finally got a paint booth.

I still live by the rattle can and looks like both the new review kits I have can probably be done with them as well as the two I am looking at to blitz.

[mjatx]

Thanks, Gents. I've done the last few Blitz builds and I usually have at least 1 DNF per group build. Hopefully, I'll get another chance before the month is over to try redeem myself. The plane is completed now, but I'm calling it a night. I'll post the completed photos over in my workbench window.

On a positive note, the lack of a finish line gave me time to put the stencils on the plane, at least more than I was planning on adding for the Blitz!

Now, this Blitz is over for me.

[iggie]

Great effort even if you missed the deadline, and the colours look fine from here!

[Old_Tonto]

A valiant effort Miguelito. You certainly beat it into shape and that cockpit looks mighty fine. It was the compressor that failed not you.

[Arcwelder]

Good effort, mate, and great trunes throughout! Going to give it another shot?

[jssel]

My favorite Who song. Love the whole album.

[mjatx]

Well, the Spitfire is still not complete. While spraying a dull coat on it, I knocked the landing gear off again (same one I broke last night). Other than that, it's complete. Now I'm back into the stash looking for the next Blitzbau subject.

Great effort even if you missed the deadline, and the colours look fine from here!

Yes, after stepping back and looking at the colors with fresh eyes, I think they look fine. Thanks.

A valiant effort Miguelito. You certainly beat it into shape and that cockpit looks mighty fine. It was the compressor that failed not you.

Thanks. I really didn't do much with the cockpit. I think the newest version of this kit includes a IP decal, which is fine because of how far in the IP sits, but the kit provided IP has very nice details. The seat is the only thing that really needs changing, but it's fine for what the kit is trying to be.

The compressor is really upsetting. My wife and I share it, she uses it to charge the air gun she uses for upholstery work, so it's MUCH bigger than what I need, so now I'm torn between picking up something small for me to use, or another big one for combined work.

Good effort, mate, and great trunes throughout! Going to give it another shot?

Thanks! I've got a MiG-15 and a Bf-109 I'm considering. It's just a matter of finding the time to dedicate to doing one.

My favorite Who song. Love the whole album.

Agreed. It's an excellent album. Baba O'Reilly, The Song is Over, Behind Blue Eyes, and Won't Get Fooled Again, are great enough songs to make you almost forget that Going Mobile is on there too.