Supermarine Spitfire Mk. I (Airfix)

Bill Gilman
Just getting started on this little fill-in project. While I'm waiting for some parts to arrive for the Tigercat and Crusader, I figured I would tackle this little guy. I got all of the PE on the cockpit, but I haven't given it any wash yet. I'll finish up the seat and try to get some closer photos as it comes together.

Philip De Keyser
Looks great Bill, looking forward to the next pix, greetz Phil

Bill Gilman
I've added some new photos that show the finished cockpit. Now it's time to button up the fuselage and add the wings. First flight is not far away! 🙂

Bill Gilman
Fuselage is together, just about ready to prime! 🙂

Marko Paakkanen
Inside looks great!

Holger Kranich
Hi Bill!
Nice start yet! What camo will you give this beauty? Something special? I´m curious how the wash will look like, the panellines are big enough😢!😢😢

Stefan Schneider
Very nice paint job on the dog figure! 🙂 Oh wait.....I am sorry!!!🙂

Lionel Marco

Hi Bill

Nice job on the inside. I just think the seat is yelling for a thinning of its sides...

I'm looking forward for the rest of your build

Lionel

Zimmermaniac
great looking pit Bill, as always 🙂

Bill Gilman
Thanks, mates!
Holger, I will do a camo scheme from 1938 - Dark Earth/Dark Green on top, White/Night on the bottom. Two-bladed prop and flat canopy, as I want to present a very early production Spitfire. I don't think a panel line wash will be necessary, as the lines will be obvious without one. I'll be priming with a couple of coats of Alclad grey first, to fill in the panel lines a bit.
Lionel, I should have bought the more expensive Eduard set as it has a PE seat. But the real seat is not as bad as it looks in these pictures. The pictures magnify everything substantially. Remember this is 1:72 scale, so the entire cockpit is really tiny!
Cheers, Bill

Holger Kranich
Hello Bill,

those early Spitty´s are not often seen as a model, i´m curious how it will turn out! Especially with the double-prop! Are you going to add pe-flaps?? Oh, i forgot, you want to make oob😛!

Duncan Cook
Nice one Bill, my Spit kit is also here, smiling at me every day. 🙂
By the way: which collour did you used for the cockpit?

Acki
The world is better with your Spit. Looking great, Bill!

Florian H.
I rather like the dog, which scale is it? 😄

Bill Gilman
Hi Duncan, I used Testors Model Master RAF Interior Green for the cockpit.
Holger, no flaps. I think I will limit the extra detailing to the cockpit. The camo scheme is interesting because the photos show a "US style" application of the pre-war roundels on the wings. The roundels are on the top of the port wing, and the bottom of the starboard wing. The guys on Britmodeller were saying that Airfix was wrong in their research until someone posted a photo! Humble pie, as they say in the UK.
Acki, I'm not sure the world is better, but at least there will be one less kit in my stash (to make room for the two more that I will buy!) 🙂

Acki
Well, I think two more kits make the world sure better! 🙂

scalemates
nice start Bill!

Bill Gilman
I'm back after a week away from the workbench. The Dark Earth/Dark Green fuselage camouflage is finished. After this dries, we'll pull out the masking tape again, and add the unique white/night undersides. Cheers! 🙂

Mike Grant
That's looking very sharp, Bill. Nice work on the cockpit.

Philip De Keyser
Great paintjob Bill!

Christian Keller
Hi Bill,

Is this 1/72 Airfix.... looks very well. Congratulations, superb Cockpit and camouflage.

Greets

Burkhard D
Great shading, love it 👍

Holger Kranich
Hey Bill, please give Winnie something-The dog looks hungry😢!

Duncan Cook
Great work Bill.

Markus Kutsch The Plastic Bench
Pic 9
Thats the most lifefull painted plastic dog that i ever have seen !!What scale??😉

Bill Gilman
Thanks, guys. Christian, you are right this is the Airfix kit. And the dog is 1:1 scale. The kit went together well and even has these cool moving parts. The tail wags, legs gallop, and the tongue drools. 🙂

Markus Kutsch The Plastic Bench
Lol 😄
Is there the "W.U.F.F 2000" sound Modul integrated.???

Bill Gilman
Yes it is! The only problem is that I was too cheap to buy the "off" switch to go with it. I hear "WUFF-ing" all day long! 🙂 🙂 🙂

Christian Lehmann
Hi Bill, the Spit looks realy well.

Bill Gilman
I've painted the white/night undersides. Additional weathering on the bottom will be done with pastels. I was hoping to finish the model this weekend, but I think I will run out of time. On Monday, I get to enjoy back surgery number nine! Arghhh...following the one last May, I have a new doctor who will fuse the rest of my lumbar spine. He will have to "undo" some of the previous work (not because it was bad, but because it is now in the way). Six to eight hour surgery - I have no idea how long I will be hospitalized or how long the recovery will be. But my stash is ready to go as soon as I can sit up again after the surgery! Now for the good news - my oldest daughter is pregnant! Grandchild number two! 🙂

Holger Kranich
All The best for your surgery, recover quick!
And kindest congratulations to your next grandchild!🙂

Burkhard D
Congrats, Bill. All the best and get well soon! 🙂

Duncan Cook
It lloks awsome.

Markus Kutsch The Plastic Bench
Hi Bill
I wish you all the best Mate and a soon recovery.And congrats to your next Grandchild.
Very detailed Cockpit work 👍 .Top work with the painting!

Dirk Heyer
Hi Bill,
wish you also all the best and a fast recovery, soon as possible!
And I wish your daughter and your family a happy birth!! 🙂
I must still wait as my son is 21 now and is changing one adventure with the next one.... 😄
Greetz
Dirk

Duncan Cook
Get well soon Bill.

Stefan Suessemilch
Hi Bill, hope everything will be fine soon! All the best wishes for yu and your family!

Bill Gilman
Thanks for the nice wishes! I'm packing my bag now for my trip to the hospital. 🙁

Acki
Hi Bill, wish you all the best!

Duncan Cook
Bill we are all at your side. 🙂

Christian Keller
Hello Bill,
I wish you a speedy and complete recovery, so that you can delight us soon with great new models.
And for your daughter and her baby also the best wishes 🙂

Philip De Keyser
Hi Bill, wish you all the best mate!

berni
Hello Bill, i wish you all the best and a quick recovery. 👍

Urban Gardini
Hope it all went well on the table for you mate n' I wish for a speedy recovery! Congratulations on your upcomin' grandchild as well...

Martien Lourens
Great job so far.....i like it.

Jose Miguel Rodriguez
Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill Gilman
Hi mates, I'm back from the hospital, but there is still a long way to go in my recovery. This was a very big procedure that was done on me. While I was waiting to be "knocked out" by the anesthesia, I heard the doctor telling his assistants what kind of carbide cutters and saws he was going to need! Yikes! He had to remove all of the hardware (rods, plates, screws) from previous surgeries and replace it with new hardware at the affected area. Doctor said he had a very hard time getting the old stuff out of there. I received three blood transfusions during the operation, that's a lot. But, the doctor said everything went as expected during the operation, although I have a huge sore throat and loss of voice from the breathing tube that was in my neck during the surgery. My next big problem was that I had a major allergic reaction to the adhesive used in the bandages. Any part of my skin that was in contact with an adhesive turned cherry red , and then was covered in blisters. The result was constant itching, plus a feeling like being burned. Of course, I can't touch it, nor can any cream be applied to it (since the incision has just started to heal). It's what Hell is like, methinks. I can walk for about 20 minutes a day right now, each day I must walk more. I will start rehab on March 25. Tomorrow, I'm going to see if I can do any modelling, time will tell. Fingers crossed, as they say! 🙂

Urban Gardini
Glad to hear that the surgery went as planned. Sad to hear 'bout your allergic disaster. I wish for a speedy recovery mate!

Christian Keller
Hi Bill
Welcome back, good to hear/read that the surgery went well and i hope for you that this allergic reaction will go away as quickly as it came.
Good luck
Christian

Jose Miguel Rodriguez
Best luck in your recovery......

Holger Kranich
Itching, blistering, pain and infections? Sounds as you went right through the hell...
Damn!
I hope that you are quick back on your feet!!!

Bill Gilman
Thanks for the kind words, guys. I tried some modelling yesterday but I did not accomplish anything. I'm having a hard time focusing. And this reaction on my back is terrible - remember that time when the serial killer hit you in your lower back with an axe, then poured acid on the wound and lit it on fire? I think that sums up what it feels like. I will try some modelling today, the doctor gave me some new pills to get rid of the allergic reaction. First rehab visit is a week from today.

Steve Wilson
Bill I've told you a 1000 times, if not more, puppy dog eyes don't work on me (pic 9).
Don't know how I missed this build, but what a cracker, that cockpit is awesome, excellent...
I'm very sorry your not feeling tickerty boo, Bill. I was told by a back/spinal Consultant I have Ankylosing Spondylitis, I can sympathize with how you feel. But you forgot the Pnuematic Road Drill being used by the guy in Hob-Nailed Boots on your back...

Acki
Wish you all the best, Bill. I think you feel like a kit in our hands. Drilled, sanded, painted, glued, cut off. Recover soon!

Bill Gilman
Thank goodness there was enough pre-shading to help ward off the effects of the things you mention! 🙂

Holger Kranich
LOL!😢

Duncan Cook
Good to hear that you are still ther Bill.
Hope you get well soon.

Bill Gilman
No modelling today...I just can't sit at the workbench for very long. I spend an hour or so on the PC, the rest of the time I'm flat on my back.

Guus
Cracker of a Spit Bill, love the camo and the white / black identification scheme.
Best of luck with your back, all this filing and sanding is jolly good fun on a model but less so on your internal workings.
Take care mate 👍

Bill Gilman
Sorry, but I couldn't model again yesterday. I tried, but I had blurred vision when trying to focus on small parts. I think this is a side effect of all the drugs I'm taking. Doctor says it will go away with time. 🙁

Bill Gilman
I am really getting bummed out. I can't model anymore! I can't focus on the parts, I can't pick them up if I drop one, my hands are shaking all the time, I can't find a position that's comfortable - everything I try seems to irritate the incisions. I know it's only been 1.5 weeks since the surgery but I don't like this. It's even hard to type, I'm going back all the time to correct things. Talk about my mojo being gone - it's way gone right now! Come back, mojo, and bring something to fix these other maladies!!

Zimmermaniac
just take it easy Bill, let time go by, all will be back but ya gotta be patient ( I know this from outta first hand 🙂 )
meanwhile play some good r&r to ease your mind, put The Band into the player and relax
grtz
C

Bill Gilman
Baby steps - I managed to paint and install the main landing gear today. And unless the drugs are playing tricks with me, it appears to be up to my usual level of mediocrity. Maybe tomorrow I'll go for the transfers! Woo hoo! 🙂

Helerson Maciel
Very good!
I liked the result inside.
Congrats.

Acki
Yeah, usual level of mediocrity. I wish I´d have your usual level of mediocrity.

Bill Gilman
Hello Scalemates! I've finally found enough strength to spend some more time at the workbench. I've uploaded some photos of the small progress made on the Mark I Spitfire. Enjoy! 🙂

Holger Kranich
Hey Bill, feels good to see ya back at the bench!!!

Bill Gilman
Thanks - a little at a time. The rest of my time I listen to Delta Blues music. Oh, and sleep. 🙂

Christian Lehmann
👍

Holger Kranich
If you sleep, you don't commit sin's!😢

Stefan Suessemilch
Well Bill, Delta Blues is a great way to recreat 🙂

Zimmermaniac
well done camo Bill, anxious to see the final results

Duncan Cook
Awesome Bill. Need some motivation? Youtube Video 😄

Holger Kranich
Doubtful but funny!😢

Mike Kryza
Top work, Bill - I like your instructions... 👍

Bill Gilman
Duncan, I am at a complete loss of words. And that doesn't happen often! I think the Jive Aces are more in the right mood:
Youtube Video

Duncan Cook
Not bad Bill. I thin I will start my Spitfire just now. 🙂

Bill Gilman
More progress! And more pictures added! Enjoy, it's almost finished! 🙂

Lionel Marco

So soon? It's too well done to end so fast...

Bill Gilman
OK Lionel - I'll keep adding stuff to it! LOL 🙂

Bill Gilman
In accordance with Lionel's directive, I have added more stuff. First, the HF aerial mast. This had to be shortened by 2mm to get the proper scale height. Next, I used small gauge hypo needles for the flash suppressors on the outer guns. The front and rear portions of the canopy went on, and as you can see from the photo, the windscreen needed to be smoothed with the fuselage with a little wall paste. I also painted the navigation lights, and added the airscrew and exhausts. For the exhausts, I sprayed a base coat of Alclad magnesium, followed by streaks of Pale Burned Metal. Finally, I added spots of Gunze Clear Blue, hoping to get the heat-burnished effect. I did, but it's subtle. I also added some rust colored pastel dust between the three exhaust pipes. Now, it's really almost finished! Just the aerial wire, the gunsight bead, and the sliding portion of the canopy. 🙂

stefan natus
Nice work bill,the result of the exhaust looks great.

Duncan Cook
Wonderfull work Bill.

ole moller
its true(americans are madmen)lol,this is `dope`and as for putting the extras in.........well?proves you lot are mad lol,its beautiful mate.

Maarten Kruizenga
magic!!!!!!!
by the way, what's the doggies name & give him a pat on the head

Bill Gilman
Maarten, the dog's name is Winnie and she has us all completely under her control! 🙂
Ole, me mad? No, daft maybe. What is that lyric from the old song? "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me, than a frontal lobotomy!" Cheers!

Guy Golsteyn
Great stuff!

Christian Lehmann
Nice clean build. Well done Bill.

Mike Grant
Lovely work in 1/72, Bill 👍

Tim Vereecke
awesome! 👍

Dirk Heyer
Great lil Spit!
Nice and clean finish!
Chapeau, Bill!

Bill Gilman
Thanks for the nice comments everyone - I really appreciate it. We're almost done, but I had a minor setback with the vacuform sliding canopy section. Basically I ruined it by accidentally dropping some CA glue remover on it. Luckily, I have another Mk I vacuform canopy and I can prepare that. I don't know about you guys, but to me it seems like it's always at the end of the build when something goes wrong!! 🙂

Jose Miguel Rodriguez
beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill Gilman
OK folks, I'm calling this one finished, so I've posted just a few photos of the finished model. I had intended to add the bead for the ring gunsight, but both of the tiny PE pieces that Eduard supplied went "zing" into the Carpet Monster. Maybe I can find something to replace it with. In the meantime, enjoy!

Cristian Bordina
THIS is a Great Spit !!!!

John Coverley
I know what you mean about getting near the end of the build and things go wrong. It's sort of 1 step forward 2 back. If it doesn't happen I think I must have done something wrong! Anyhow I hope I can build the Mk1 I have in my stash as good as yours. Great build.

Es-haq Khosravi
That is great!!!

soheil moghisi
Perfect.