Newsfeed

Skyhiker
My next big project is turning this FROG into a Prince. Wish me luck I'm going to need it.

Moreno Baruffini
Good luck! 👍

Robert Podkoński
Ambitious! Keep my fingers crossed!

Nicolas
I'm following. In my opinion the Ta-152H is the most beautiful plane of WW II. I got the kit from Kora in my stash and hope to start the build in spring this year. Good luck and, above all, have fun building it.

Skyhiker
Nicolas, I agree. It's a long, lean, fighting machine as they say. Definitely one of the more elegant designs to come out of the war.

DerMattes
Taking a seat 🙂

Skyhiker
I had to widen the fuselage today, in order to make space, before I scratch build the cockpit.

Jennifer Franklin
Following 👀

Skyhiker
Bit more done today.

Lukas Muller
good job 🙂 Following

Łukasz Gliński
Respect for your patience 👍

Martin Nevo
this is going to be awsome.
I am picking kits that are near perfect so I have fun.
but there are also people who pick not-so-perfect-kits like this Ta152 and they still have loads of fun!
GL 🙂

Skyhiker
Well mostly I pick not-so-perfect-kits because I'm a cheap skate. I'd rather pay 6 euros than 40 for a kit. I do have some moderately priced kits and they are a lot faster and fun to make, but often I just have the need to challenge myself and see where my skill level is at.

Rui
This looks like a real challenge; I'm watching 🙂

Moreno Baruffini
@Skyhiker: I totally like your approach and I think you did a great start!

Martin Nevo
same here @Skyhiker, I really like the 6eur price point. so affordable. probably thats why I started to look into the 1/144 scale 🙂

Skyhiker
A bit more progress on the scratch built cockpit today.

Jennifer Franklin
Excellent work on the exhausts, and the cockpit is coming along nicely.

Skyhiker
I did a bit more today but I can't seem to get any images to upload. Anyone else having these problems?

Treehugger
Looking at photo #17 I want to give a tip:
I would be a little careful keeping the roll of masking tape on the table. I like keeping them in a holder, or placed in a bag, to avoid the side of the roll picking up all kind of dirt.

Skyhiker
Yes, I keep my tapes in a bag but it doesn't seem to help as well as it should. I think I need a better bag. When I photograph things at this scale there is more dust than I realize.

Jennifer Franklin
I can finally upload my images again now, I was having problems too.

Skyhiker
Thanks Jennifer

Skyhiker
Treehugger I cleaned my tape and got a new bag. Thanks for pointing that out. No need for fuzzy tape.

Skyhiker
Cowling remade with a lot of sanding, cutting new flaps and a PE grill.

Moreno Baruffini
Really a great progress!

Skyhiker
Thanks Moreno, I am having fun with this one.

Skyhiker
I have to take a break and will be back in a week. I must say I am in love with this plane. It's really a beautiful design with those long wings. I can't wait to get back to it.

Lukas Muller
I'm agree with you, one of the most beautiful plane for me 👍

Dave Flitton
I like it so far!

Guy Rump
I'm going to build this one from my stash this year, definitely following! 👍

Skyhiker
The canopy was totally uneven and so I decided to do the risky thing and file it from the inside. Hopefully I didn't just ruin it.

Vincent
This is already an impressive build. Good luck!!!

Skyhiker
Worked a bit on the cockpit today.

Oliver
Follow. Want to See the result

Trez Mackenzie
I have built 70s Tamiya kit - but that was a least workable. The base was there even though many errors. This 'kit' just seems like a waste of time. Like trying to make a dog poop look edible by putting a cherry on top.
If I saw this kit I would stamp it into the ground. Useless

Skyhiker
This kit has its flaws but nothing that can't be corrected with a little bit of skill. Are there more accurate kits out there that are easier to build - yes. But the modern trend of wanting perfect kits seems counter to the art of modeling. If you have ever built a model from a block of wood you wouldn't call this kit useless. Challenging or time consuming I can agree with but it is not crap.

Trez Mackenzie
I agree with your modern trend thesis - especially if you add in the AM factor. But I think there is a line to be crossed between the kit manufacturers chucking out a quick buck kit with no effort in a fancy box (my pet peeve - rebox) etc, and thereby throwing the burden on the modeller and on the other side 'great expectations' along with spewing out bundles of dollars on AM on an already close to perfect kit.

I suppose if you are saying the kit can be built into an accurate replica then the modifications and work are justified.

I do admit that scratch building is the purest form of scale modelling so it depends on one's 'Weltanschaaung' and philosophy.

Anyway it looks like you gave up on it which influenced my previous comment - in other words all that effort bore no fruit

Skyhiker
I haven't given up yet. Sometimes life forces me to take breaks but I hope to get back into this one soon. I have to put a lot of tiny details in the cockpit next and I need the right head space for that. Kits like these take time and often I will start easier kits mid process to keep things flowing. I absolutely agree that reboxing old kits without a mold date is deceptive. Thankfully with this site we can look up the history and sometimes see the sprues before buying anything. I've only had one kit that I couldn't do anything with. I bought it for 20 bucks opened up and threw it directly in the trash. That was a Top Gun F/A-18 Hornet snap kit, which really was a piece of shit.

Trez Mackenzie
lol - hopefully I wont end up with one of those 'open kit open bin' models. I would reconsider throwing in loads of detail in that cockpit because none will be seen - it may be one of those more of a burden - but it is your show.

As I'm just getting into it again I bought several boxes of the 1/72 AZ joy packs - about 20 bucks - 3 kits in a box - although the Gustav set has no stencils the Emil set does but no decals - much easier to deal with. I am using them to practice some skills. (Will post on here soon)

Just to add they are about to bring out AZ Mustang Joy pack - I'm only into German aircraft and armour but it might be for you. I suspect they may bring out another later mustang set

Remco van Haren
Following. Really looking forward to the end result.
Especially since I built this kit myself last year. Although I didn't put so much effort and detail into it as you are doing.

Johne 69
So gar so good 👍

Skyhiker
I added a bit of detail to the scratch built cockpit today.

Skyhiker
Worked on the canopy and tried to figure out how the scratch built cockpit will fit into the body.

Skyhiker
I corrected the seat position today.

Skyhiker
Added some space for the wheels

Trez Mackenzie
It's coming along!
From about halfway back on the underside there should be no join line - but forward of halfway you are good which makes things a little easier.

Just an idea but you can download the ZM instructions to get an idea?

Skyhiker
Trez your message is pretty cryptic. Are you talking about panel lines or internal wing structures? The last photo is just a dry fit. I haven't started with dealing with any panel lines yet. I've been working on the inside of the wing walls to make something that gives an impression of space for the wheels.

Trez Mackenzie
Apologies - I meant the external join lines. I can see what you done - it looks good. I thought the ZM instructions would help as a guide

Skyhiker
Trez, thanks for your ideas. I'm using a lot of photos and the instructions from a 1:32 model to help figure out what is going on. This little model is a challenge to correct but I'm having fun pushing my skills and learning as I go.

Moreno Baruffini
I'm really enjoying this build! 👍👍👍

Skyhiker
I worked out most of the cockpit issues today. It's not perfect but I got it in there.

Skyhiker
Moreno, I'm glad you're liking it. This is kinda pushing my skills a bit. We'll see what happens in the end together.

Trez Mackenzie
Don't worry too much about updates - things like that can cause one to rush. We ain't going away so take your time! 🫡👍

Skyhiker
Getting this kit to accept a cockpit was like pounding a square peg through a round hole. I had to reshape the whole damn fuselage.

Patrick Hagelstein
Whoah!!! Amazing what you did to that old tooling! Very cool to watch! 👍🏼

Skyhiker
Thank you Patrick. I'm trying. We will see if it works.

Bruce Huxtable
Really liking what you're doing, Skyhiker, and learning lots too. Impressed with your skills 🙂

Łukasz Gliński
What is that superglue thingy?

Skyhiker
Łukasz the shape of the hood is really off in the kit. The superglue is just material for me to try and sculpt into a better hood.

Łukasz Gliński
I was just wondering if you have mixed it with something

Skyhiker
No, It's just cheap super glue from a discount store that I poured right from the tube and hardened with accelerator.

Skyhiker
Started reshaping the fuselage today.

Skyhiker
Hood work today.

Nicolas
That looks very messy. But as long as it works, and it looks promising.

Skyhiker
Yes, very messy but it works. Old school style.

Patrick Hagelstein
The effort put into this is just amazing! 👌🏼

Skyhiker
More work on the exhausts today.

Moreno Baruffini
The true essence of modelling!

Skyhiker
I began rescribing the panel lines today. This will take a bit of time.

Tony Cooke
Dedication!!

Skyhiker
Bruce, thanks for your encouragement. It definitely helps.

Dave Flitton
That's a lot of work!

Skyhiker
Well the fine engraving blade I just bought broke within a day of use. Very frustrating.

Skyhiker
Luckily I bought a .02 mm blade in addition to the .01 mm that broke. It will have to do even though I would prefer the lines to be a little bit thinner.

Skyhiker
I finished the panel lines on the underside of the wings today.

Vincent
Impressive work!! Keep it up!

Patrick Hagelstein
Amazing progress! Once you go the route of updating such an old kit, there's no way back, is there?

Skyhiker
Thanks Patrick, your right there is always more to discover and do. I'm having fun with it. Of course I have no idea what it will look like in the end. I'm spending far too many hours allowing myself to be lost in process. But if that's what it takes, why not?

Skyhiker
It's amazing how every kit I look at of a FW Ta 152 H is different. All the photos of the original aircraft are so blurry that details are impossible to pick out, so I'm left with looking at kits and guessing which ones are correct.

Skyhiker
Anyone out there with a book on the TA 152? I'm trying to figure out if the top of the flaps have a vertical line down the center of them or not. From underneath there is a line there but I am getting conflicting images of the top surface. Can anyone post a decent image?

DerMattes
I looked through some of my books and picture collection. But to find even a picture of the Ta152 is rare. 🙁

Skyhiker
Thanks Mattes. There are a few decent books out there but they go for 80 Euros and I can't afford that. I doubt the library would have anything worth while. Maybe the model shop will let me look through one of their books but usually they are sealed in foil. Hopefully someone here has something. Getting panel lines correct is not so easy. Even worse are the rivets.

Skyhiker
I found this image which clearly shows the flaps divide in two sections. Interestingly the sections are not even like the underside.
[img1]

DerMattes
Maybe this would be helpful? flugzeugclassic.de/f..hlands-bester-jaeger
I do not have the magazine, but kind of stumbled over the link 😉

Skyhiker
That's cool Mattes. Thanks for the tip.

Ben M
I admire you trying to make something of this kit.

Skyhiker
Thanks Ben, this kit gets a bad rap. It's not as bad as people make it out to be. Of course I am putting a lot of work into it to make it better. But if its done straight out of the box it's not that bad. The backwards propeller is a stupid engineering mistake but that's an easy fix.

AndreasK
Nice project, Skyhiker. And really stunning what you achieved so far. 👍🏻

Sy Bar
Can't wait to see fruits of your hard work 🍿

Skyhiker
I'm worked on the top side of the wings today.

Skyhiker
Panel lines... panel lines and more panel lines...

Matthew A
Owch

Skyhiker
Yeah, I was a little heavy handed, but it's not a problem. I just glued it back together. I prefer trenching and filling over trying to get the lines the exact depth overall and then accidentally sanding away lines. The only problem with using this method is the deep panel lines can make the model unstable in places if you are not careful. But in the end it should all work out.

Skyhiker
I am slowly moving forward on the panel lines behind the scenes. This is the part I have to force my way through because I don't really enjoy it. But it is coming along and I could have some photos soon.

Patrick Hagelstein
Looking forward to that! 😊

J35J
Good progress, great craftmanship!👍🏻

Skyhiker
Got most of the panel lines down. I still have to do the bottom.

Moreno Baruffini
I personally ate re-scribing, so my admiration for you is huge!

Skyhiker
Thank you Moreno, re-scribing is definitely the part that's the least fun for me too. Some days I have to force myself just to do one line. If you do that once a day eventually it gets done. But yeah, re-scribing sucks.

Skyhiker
Big step made with attaching the wings. It makes me feel like I am moving forward after all.

Patrick Hagelstein
There ya go! 😄

Skyhiker
Wing plates are made.

Pietro De Angelis
An impressive amount of work, your patience and skills are incredible, congrats!

Skyhiker
Thank you Pietro.

Thomas Kolb
Wow, what an insane amount of work you put into this project! I am humbled by your perseverance and attention to detail!

Skyhiker
Thanks Thomas, I enjoy the process of trying to figure out how to do stuff. The model is just an added bonus in the end.

Skyhiker
Today I continued with the landing gear. A few pictures added.

Moreno Baruffini
As I wrote above, it's the true essence of modelling!

Skyhiker
Thanks Moreno. I'm having fun with it, mostly. The panel lines were a drag but I got through that part. Hopefully after the primer I won't have to any major touch ups. But we will see. One step at a time...

Skyhiker
Primer started!

Johne 69
Nice Details 👍

Skyhiker
Yesterday and today I filled the panel lines to the appropriate depth.

Patrick Hagelstein
This keeps on being cool to watch! 👍🏼

Vincent
Watching you making process is indeed great to watch. The plane is starting to look great!

Moreno Baruffini
Wow! How do you filled the lines? How was you able to calculate the exact quantity?

Skyhiker
Moreno, I used an engraving tool to cut deep lines and then I rubbed white putty into them. By rubbing the excess off it automatically brings the lines to just below the surface of the model. As the lines dry they also shrink a bit. So, it was not too hard to do. The trick is to use enough water and a brush to apply the putty and to use enough water on a paper towel or cotton bud to remove the excess. Hard to get to areas need to be cleaned up with a wooden tooth pick.

Robert Podkoński
I never would believe that the base kit is a Revell's offering.... Awesome job!

Moreno Baruffini
@Skyhiker: Super! Many thanks for the explanation!

Alec K
Great project and some serious dedication to a challenging tooling 👍

Skyhiker
I worked on some details today. Tomorrow I will give it another coat of primer and hopefully start the riveting.

S M
Wow this is borderline masochistic👍

Skyhiker
I am debating with myself when the best time to do riveting is. If you do it before priming you run the risk of filling the holes. If you do it after priming it makes it harder to correct mistakes. If you do it after the final paint job you run the risk of fucking everything up. Anyone have any experience with riveting?

Matthew A
I think you typed f when you should have typed m

Skyhiker
I stand corrected. Thanks.

Alec K
Regarding riveting: I have done it before priming but I don't see why you could not do it after. You'l have to sand after as the riveter leaves 'rings' around each divot (as it pushes the plastic out). In my experience, a thin coat of primer has negligible impact on the rivet holes (if it had, this would be a problem with any factory-riveted kit).

Skyhiker
Alec, I tend to agree with you. My thoughts on doing the riveting after the primer was that the rivets may remain a bit better defined. But I am not convinced. I think I will have to do some tests for the future. By riveting before and after the primer on some styrene, then spraying a color coat over both should give me a better idea of which I prefer. Right now I feel like I prefer not doing it at all, because riveting is a pain. But that's just me feeling sorry for myself for wanting to do a half way decent job on this kit. I do wish I could find some reliable riveting guides for this plane. It seems like everyone is just guessing at it.

Skyhiker
I got some riveting done today.

Patrick Hagelstein
That riveting looks very impressive! 👌🏼

Skyhiker
Thanks Patrick, I haven't mastered riveting or panel lines yet but I'm learning. I am pretty limited in my tools and the scale is not the easiest. But with practice and study I hope to improve.

Skyhiker
I've realized that one of the benefits of doing the riveting after the primer is that you can make sure that most of the sanding is completed. However inevitably there are areas that get messed up and sanding is required after all. I just haven't found the perfect solution.

Sy Bar
Enjoying your progress a lot, the transformat is amazing.
I must say your plans are so clear and great reference where do you get your plans like these from, I search the tinternet but never find any as useful as your plans, any extra guidance would be appreciated

Skyhiker
I drew my plans on the computer by looking at various images on the internet. Unfortunately I haven't found any place to download great paneling or riveting guides. There is a Russian website that has blueprints that I sometimes use but I'm not sure if it is still available. I didn't use it for this project.

Skyhiker
Sy Bar, which plane will you be doing next? I can look around for blueprints and see if I can find anything useful.

Sy Bar
Cheers Skyhiker v kind offer and thanks for the info. Not sure what will be next and if plans will be required but I'll keep you in mind should the need arise.
Keep up the work I'm loving watching the progress 👍

Skyhiker
Widened the wing roots and I am continuing with the riveting today. Also I did a lot of research on the proper colors to use, which was not as easy as one would think. They certainly are not what the instructions say.

Moreno Baruffini
Great work as usual! I'm curious about the colours: aren't they the late RLMs?

Skyhiker
The colors are late RLM colors but not exactly as the instructions say. To start with they call for the hood to be RLM83 which of course is wrong, since in actuality that was a marine color and blue. Many paint manufacturers have some type of green with that number but it was based on a typing mistake in the original RLM records. I believe the hood should be RLM73 as in the original photos it is a bit darker than 81. The fuselage is RLM81 and RLM82, but there were three variants of 81, two that were brownish and one more green. The green is the correct one for this plane. The under carriage is RLM76, but once again we have three variants to choose from; one that is greyer, one bluer and one more tan colored. The greyer one is correct. There is confusion about whether the nose is red or black. I still have to do more research on this. I believe the propeller blade was RLM70

Moreno Baruffini
Many thanks! Super explanation! 😀

Skyhiker
I hope to be finished with the riveting today. Most of my time was spent trying to figure out which of the conflicting diagrams was closest to the original. I don't know if I got it right since there are no surviving planes left.

Oleksii
Great Work on this old Revell Kit and there is still one surviving aircraft.In National Air and Space museum.
airandspace.si.edu/c..11/nasm_A19600317000

Skyhiker
National Air and Space museum has a different version of this plane. It is very similar but there are a lot of differences.

Oleksii
Ouh okay, thank you

Skyhiker
Worked on a bunch of details today.

Skyhiker
I redid the engine today and laid down a second layer of primer. The rivet lines came out well. There are just a few small touch ups on the engine cover and wing tips to do before I start on the wings.

DerMattes
Fantastic work, looks like a different kit!

Skyhiker
Thanks DerMattes. It's more a scratch build than a kit at this point. It's starting to come together. I still have a while to go though. How is a scratch build defined at the official contests?

Hans-Jürgen Haag
From an old crow to an up to date beauty! Owsom project!👍👍👍

J35J
It's like you are building a vac kit with the amount of work and attention to details you are putting into this build. Impressive and inspiring!👍🏻

Skyhiker
I made a gunsight out of 6 scratch built parts that is only a millimeter in size.

Ian Doody
Ebay gluebomb restoration project. Stripped the built parts down and cleaned them up.The beginnings of paint up. So much more do. But fun bit next, painting metallics by hand, and weathering it.

Ian Doody
Just started to block in the aluminium tub colours, only added a watered down acrylic brown/black wash. Now I wait for it to dry, then ink wash, aluminium layer, then varnish, then another light brown wash.

Kyle DeHart
Off to a quick start. You'll have it looking great in no time.

Ian Doody
First ink wash, just to put some life into the aluminium. I'll dry brush another metallic layer over this, then varnish, the do some more washes. Not a quick process, mainly due to drying times, but it looks really good.

Ian Doody
That's it for today. Still very early stage, second ink wash. It will become more subdued as I continue with layering the aluminium. This is an acceptable beginning though.

Villiers de Vos
Very nice weathering.

Jv
Taking a seat I am interested in how you strip it down I bought a few glue booms myself and not sure how to get the glue of

Ian Doody
That's it for today, and for now on this project. I've lost inspiration and desire to work on it, so back in the box, until I feel inspired to do it again. Just not feeling it, and I don't want to muck it up. Added a varnish layer, fitted the foot pedals and fixed the hole in the tub wheel bay cover.

Ian Doody
Back to the big Ferrari. The cool thing about 70s Tamiya kits, is they gave you buildable tools. It's a screwdriver and wheel nut wrench. Nice.

Ian Doody
Not a lot happening at the moment, I'm doing a lot of sanding, glueing small parts, changing bolt heads on the rear of the gearbox and brakes, as these will be seen. I'll add and swap out bolts on the black crossmember, suspension brace, as its also quite noticable. Also drilled holes in the e haust brackets, for the retention springs, Just a quick dry fit too. Even unpainted the engine is an impressive piece of hand-built model engineering from Tamiya.

Mark D
Following this one! (Have the same one waiting (with a little less glue)

Ian Doody
Scratch built the rear brake air intake cooling scoop bracket. Mad? Me? Probably 😂 there is no line down the middle, it's the crappy silver plastic. It makes dark marks appear at joins and sprue attachment points. I'll putty over the intake, then paint it to look like the clear fibreglass, suitably weathered, with a piece of tape to lesson the amount of air reaching the brakes, just like on the real thing. Exciting things ahead 😉

Ian Doody
And, yes I'm going to put in brake lines.

Villiers de Vos
Very nice progress.

Ian Doody
That's it for today, just blocked in some colour, weathering and extra details tomorrow.

Kyle DeHart
Looking good Ian!

Ian Doody
Weeeell, that's all for today. I'm knackered. Pretty good progress, I've almost finished the 312T's Transverse gearbox, added the plumbing, detail and weathering paint, painted the brake airscoops, added nuts, and painted the suspension crossbeam. Only the anti-roll bar and a bracket still to fit. Bloody good fun that was.

Ian Doody
I think this might turn out rather good.

Ian Doody
As always, doesn't look like I've done anything at all today. Finished off the anti-roll bar and brackets, made a start on the left hand side suspension lower arm, swapped nuts out for better ones, wheel mount, drive shaft and shock absorber, also made a start on the rear wing mounting bracket and battery holder.

bmod
Definitely pulling up a chair to watch this one come along. 🙂 Looks great!

Ian Doody
Not a huge update, as I've had a few days away from modelling. Finished the coil springs on both sides and the right upright and drive shaft. Haven't got to finishing the anti-roll bar yet, as I'm changing the support rods for thinner wire, so it looks more in scale. More soon.

Dominik Weitzer
looks great!

Ian Doody
Back to working on the Tamiya 1/12 1975 Ferrari 312T. Today was just to get reacquainted with the kit, remember where I was, what I had planned, and where I'm going. Tested the fit of the rear wheels and tyres, everything is just friction fitted so far, a long way to go yet. That's how good Tamiya kits are, even forty eight year old kits fit together so well. Work will continue tomorrow with the rear anti-roll bar system, as im making the connecting rods more in scale. This is going to look awesome finished.

Villiers de Vos
Welcome back at the bench Ian.

Ian Doody
As usual not a lot new to see. With one thing or another I've been busy with other things recently. But back to the rear of the 312T. Finished the gearbox, and rear suspension, anti-roll bar adjusters. Replaced the kit parts with pins, for a finer appearance.

Ian Doody
Sloooow work continues on the 312T. The Ferrari Tipo 015, 2,992 cc (182.6 cu in), flat 12, naturally aspirated, engine is a mini kit in itself. Its going to be a complicated, Spaghetti wiring job, there's twelve wires for the fuel injection and twelve wires for the electrical ignition system. Then all the water and assorted pump plumbing. but it's going to look very cool. I am going to add a few things here and there, and I've sourced some air funnel mesh guards. Also I'll be assembling the Octopuss exhaust system of twelve pipes too. Proper Italian plumbing nightmare, but it is a Ferrari lol 😆 all this is just dry fitted for now.

Kyle DeHart
Going to be a stunning powerplant.

Ian Doody
Mixed bag of modelling today, shook sticks at a few different kits. As winter is approaching, looks like I've got Ships and F1 cars in my future. I've been putting the Ferrari off for months as I worked through my Sci-Fi backlog, soo work will commence on the 1975 world championship winning F1 car, my birth year. Doing the bodywork air-intake mod, and scratch building the fibreglass valve covers, plus adding a lot of missing details, wiring and plumbing, swapping nuts n bolts, scratching the accelerator assembly, and spray painting the final bodywork for the first time... a lot to do, but it'll look very cool.

Kyle DeHart
Excellent. It's definitely going to look very cool.

Ian Doody
It has been a whole year since I touched the 1975 Ferrari 312T, omg 😲 finally put paint down on the main case of the Flat 12 engine. More soon.

Ian Doody
Ferrari 312T Tipo 15 Flat 12 engine. Only made a tiny bit of progress today, first pump and hose. More weathering to come. Then fitting all the pipes, electrics, rear transverse gearbox and suspension, and the exhaust system, that all pretty much needs to be done at the same time.

Kyle DeHart
Lovely work Ian!!

Ian Doody
Making a start on the big 70s F1 GoodYears.

Kyle DeHart
Love it.

Ian Doody
Making a start on painting up the first three exhaust pipes. I'm going for a 1980s Tamiya Catalogue, Francois Verlinden look. Painted to my personal taste, there's more than enough pristine, sparkly builds out there.

Villiers de Vos
Very nice effects on the engine.

Ian Doody
First six pipes of the exhaust manifold system finished and attached permanently.  

Ian Doody
Just dry fitted the gearbox so I can glue the exhaust ends in place. 

komoras
HobbyBoss painting schemes are suggestive at best, so to say...
Having them suggesting RLM66 on Luftwaffe camouflage, where the RLM75 should go...it's enough for me to look elsewhere.
Go with the other sources on the internet, I would suggest looking up more multiple sources.
And as far my RAF knowledge goes, after the Battle of Britain this camo combo was not used anymore, but I might be wrong.

PS. "Oark earth" shoudl say enoguh... 😄

Duster_d
Komoras, I can assume that they (HB) were guided by this: airliners.net/photo/..9-Spitfire/0843874/L

komoras
soyuyo.main.jp/spit5b/spit5be-1.html

I think this one sums it up best 🙂
Both is correct, depends only which one you want to represent - pre-august 1941 or post-august 1941.
(Thus concluding, my BoB related comment is wrong) 🙂

Nicolas
I'll take a seat.

Alex K
Me too...

Łukasz Gliński
Interesting, couldn't find any trace of DE/DG on Polish Mk Vs.
I know of Mk Is and IIs being repainted in Polish squadrons, but I'd assume this one has been repainted into DG/DG before being delivered to the 317th.
Still, there's no proof.
Very cool to see you added the undercarriage covers, what a silly mistake by HB 😄

Duster_d
Łukasz, I was guided by these photos. If the guys from Duxford had painted a real Spitfire like that, then why can't I paint a model in such a scheme? 🙂
airliners.net/photo/..tfire-LF5B/7392151/L

Łukasz Gliński
Sure you can 🙂 Keep it up 👍

Hans-Jürgen Haag
Looks good so far! The boxes under the Wings could be the cameraports for the later PR variants with no big gunns.
I would cut it.

Łukasz Gliński
Agree w/Hans-Jürgen - checked my 3 completed Spitfires (Mk I & V by Airfix and old KP Mk IX) and none of them sports such a feature

Duster_d
Guys, it looks like these are retractable landing lights after all. They were installed until 1942.

I have no idea why HB made them in the lower position. 🙂

[img1]
[img2]

Łukasz Gliński
Great catch!
[img1]