Ziper's 1/24 Spitfire Mk.Vb

[Ziper_it]

Thanks Jason! To mr it really looked as a molding flaw.

I suppose you saved me a lot of work now and later on.

 

[Ziper_it]

Moving along very, very slowly on the engine.

Detailing in such a big scale (for me) isn't that easy as added bits have to be very precise and without tech drawings and proper tools ...

However, here is the progress. Most of the work has been done to remove the tubing, the I detailed the turbocharger pump, reshaping the gearbox and adding screws on valve cover and the side panels.

View attachment 96831


Francesco

 

[Polux]

Clean and detailed work as always Francesco.

Looking very nice so far

 

[Ziper_it]

Completed the turbo charger's pump, made the tubing and a small tube that should go on the bottom. All primed on, next step will be painting, then on the turbocharger and carburators.

View attachment 97179


Can someone help me with a picture of the last element of the exhaust? Not sure how it should be on the back.

View attachment 97180


Hope you like it.

Francesco

 

[Ian M]

I think that the outlet port should be a round opening on the last section...

Some also had a gun heater pipe, but not all.

Ian M

 

[Ziper_it]

Thanks Ian, that is compatible with some pics I've found.

I've also seen that some exhausts have plates at the end. I will have to look for more pics.

 

[Mike]

Looking cleaner than my effort!

 

[Ziper_it]

You did a great job Mike

... and I have still time to ruin mine

 

[BarryW]

Coming along nicely Francesco

 

[tr1ckey66]

Looks a nice clean build so far Francesco.

Cheers

Paul

 

[Ziper_it]

Thank you mates.

You may have noticed that apart from some "I like" and few posts I've been a bit absent from the forum. This is because my spare time has reduced and I've reached a stall condition on my build.

Since the last post I progressed painting the engine and discovered that the overall look was not convincing.

I thought that a 1:24 model should have a realistic engine and it was not. Plus the engine in the box is the version for the Mk.I while I'm building a Mk.Vb. So I printed a picture in almost scale and compared it to the model: ouch! Then I tried the engine on the fuselage and discovered that the bottom half of the engine, close to the turbocharger, was missing. So I went back on the bench.

I remade the water pump:

View attachment 99181


The inter cooler water pump:

View attachment 99180


The ignition box (?), close to the kit one:

View attachment 99182


The fastener on the turbocharger, which still need a lot of work as it is the main change between the two Merlins:

View attachment 99183


I worked also on the exhaust (hope my interpretation is correct):

View attachment 99184


View attachment 99185


And an overall view:

View attachment 99186


View attachment 99187


Current plan is to keep open only the port side panel.

Now I need to understand how to continue modifying the turbocharger and reconstructing the missing parts (even good pictures need interpretation to be converted to a 3D model.

Hope you like it, critiques, as usual, welcome.

Francesco

 

[Ian M]

That is some improvement Francesco... Looking very nice.

Ian M

 

[stona]

Very nice work. I admire your determination to improve this old kit.

Cheers

Steve

 

[flyjoe180]

That's a big improvement and well researched too, Francesco.

 

[colin m]

Great work. Looking forward to seeing the complete engine.

 

[Dave W]

Looking good Francesco.

 

[Ziper_it]

Thanks, your comments are helping me to go on. And if you see a mistake, please let me know.

Few more bits ongoing, fuel pump:

View attachment 99537


View attachment 99538


(Sorry for the bad pic) should be better than the one moulded on the engine (see pic in previous post) and the ongoing turbocharger:

View attachment 99539


Hope you like it

Francesco

 

[Ziper_it]

... and for those interested in replicating this Merlin, surely doing a better job than mine, this is the one I'm referring to

View attachment 99553


This is a Merlin 46 with a two-stage super charger mounted on a Spitfire Mk.Vc in 1942, so likely more correct than the Merlin III included in the kit for the Mk.I.

More pictures are available from the Victoria Museum where this Merlin is displayed.

 

[BarryW]

Nice work on the Merlin Francesco. That pic certainly gives you some super detailing opportunities.

 

[Dave W]

Nice detail work.Even in this scale those parts are very small and must be difficult to build.