Yet Another 41(F) Sqn in 1/48 - Spitfire Mk21

Here we go again - another addition to the 41(F) in 1/48 project! This is what I think is called a 'kit bash'; a model made from several different kits. The fuselage is by Aeroclub; the wings are from the Airfix Seafire 46; the interior is from the Academy Spit XIV, and the enlarged rudder is from the DACO Spit XIV correction set. When all glued together, you get (I think!) a Spitfire Mk21; shown as a 41(F) Squadron machine specially painted for the airshow/air race season of 1946/7. The aluminium finish is Humbrol Aluminium from a rattle can, with the odd panel masked off and painted with Alclad White Aluminium and Dark Aluminium to break up the monotone. Red stripes sprayed with Tamiya Red. Decals are mainly from the spares box, but the Sqn marking on the cowling is from an Airfix Club set - it's slightly the wrong shape, but I can live with it.

Now - the big question which I'm hoping you'll help me with! I haven't weathered it, apart from the odd panel already mentioned, because I think it looks good as is - should I do some exhaust staining? Oil wash for the panel lines? What do you think??

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Looks fantastic for a jigsaw puzzle you'd never know it was made from several kits well done

Personally I like weathering so I say yes but it looks great as it is so it's not a requirement so just go with what your heart tells you

thats a beaut. I gave mine a very light weathering. I think its on here some place.

Great kit bash.

That looks very nice indeed and a great addition to the 41 Sqn project

I'd leave it pristine if it was mine. An aircraft representing the RAF at shows is not likely to have been allowed to look uncared for.

Cheers

Steve

I agree with Steve on that one. Maybe some light exhaust staining, to show previous use, but yeah, it might be best to keep the dirt to a minimum.

Looks great as it is leave it I don't think additional weathering will improve on it but you could spoil your great work

looks great, very nicely painted :rolleyes: I agree with the above Andy

Very nice and clean build!!

Can I ask if the red lines are decals or you have paint them? Looks spot on

Beautiful job Andy! Personally I would leave it as is ,echoing what Steve said about it being a display aircraft and most likely kept very clean (I'm not a big fan of over inked panel lines anyway ) Top work , cheers tony

Here's a picture of the actual aircraft; it does look a bit grubby...

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But I guess you can't really tell from old pics.

It doesn't look grubby to me in that period photo Rob. I'd say at least on race day this would have been pristine and polished. Great build, your Spitfire looks awesome in that scheme, and well done on the kit bashing.

That is a beautiful piece, the finish on the paint is sublime.

scott

What a super clean build,although I'm usually up for a good dose of weathering this looks awesome as is and IMHO should remain so. Very nicely done Sir!!!

That does look good, and I echo those who say it should really be left alone. About 30 years ago, I met a former 41 Squadron pilot, who'd been involved in preparing the aircraft (there's a suspicion that there were two, since two went to Blackpool.) He gave me the full scheme (to correct my effort on a 1/32 kit-bash,) and said that they'd only been prepared just before the event, so any weathering would have been minimal.

There hadn't even been time to paint the serial numbers, and argument still rages over which one(s) was/were used. One item, always missed on models, is that, in common with a lot of Griffon-powered Spitfires at the time, the cowlings were unpainted, polished metal, as was the panel over the fuel tank, so even less chance of staining.

If anyone fancies having a go at it in 1/32, in common with aircraft fitted with contraprops, the aircraft was fitted with the broad-chord "Mk.XVIII" rudder, with a 2" deeper horn (2" being cut off the top of the fin to accommodate it.)

Edgar

Thanks Edgar; I'd read your very detailed description of the paintwork on another site, and went with it for this model. I decided not to do the burnished cowling, because in the photo it doesn't look like this machine had that. The other aircraft, coded EB-?, certainly did. The paint job was different on both aircraft (length of red stripes; code letters), so there were variations. I would have liked to have done EB-?, but couldn't work out what colour the code letters were!

Depends on what you mean by weathering Andy. Used to hate it but I think it adds something. But with reservations some I do not like with the pre shading of panel lines as for me they do not look authentic.

Looking on my shelf all the earlier models were not "weathered". But what shines out (shines out within my capabilities that is) is the Swordfish and the Lysander both of which I depicted as battle worn. They sit there looking like working pieces rather than models on a shelf.

But the more I thought about "weathering" and watched others I divided, in my mind, the relative differences.

First weathering as in getting stained in places the panel lines, rivet staining etc. showing up.

Second I put in distressed where aircraft have been through the riggers of battle with little time for niceties. The pictures Yeovilton Museum sent me of the Tracker Swordfish had huge areas of paint missing. Wellingtons in the upland airfields in Italy were a real mess such that some crews had to be warned for court martial if they did not fly them.

Third. Artistic stuff. This is depicting an aircraft as we see them through our own eyes. The detail sunlight can bring out. If you look at the panels they have wobbles in them, not the smooth plastic of a model, which gives depending on the light changes in depth of colour. Also the very slight change of direction of panels gives a difference again in depth of colour. Studied photos of Merlins, as I am building, and I am aiming for this the range of the depth of colour caused by light is amazing. Even brand new Merlins have this syndrome of perfection in that they are brand new but the panels are thin and have very very slight undulations.

Looking at the top models it seems that they are best as they achieve this artistic look. Going to try this but have no illusions this is for me the most difficult skill or art in model making.

If it was me Andy I would go for the latter the artistic look. Although I can see a lot of work in it and also some heartbreak. But then any worthy achievement is difficult otherwise every body would be achieving.

Laurie

Another beauty to add to the collection! (and another 'gong' also!)

Great kit bash to get the Spitfire you require (I love that contra prop - it's insane!!!)

On the subject of weathering I think it's a matter of taste, authenticity and also context. For me context is the most important factor here. Andy has a collection of outstanding 41 sqn models of which this is a part, to weather this model any differently to the rest seems very strange to me.

How many more to go now?!!

Cheer

P

Great work and a unique camo.

Thanks Paul! Still to do:

Eduard DH-2

Aeroclub Hawker Demon

Blue Max Sopwith Snipe

Academy Spit XIVe

Eduard Hawker Tempest V

Italeri Hawker Hunter (surgery required to make it an F5)

Classic Airframes DH Hornet (although I'll wait to see what Trumpeters new offering is like)

Airfix Jaguar GR1a

My project stops at 2006; after that, 41 was a reserve Sqn, so I don't count it as operational - a personal thing! If any one knows where I can get hold of a Karaya DH-5, or a Bloodhound SAM in 1/48, do let me know!