Old Collingwood

I have decided to start this along with my Mossie kit, as there will be times when I can not get the spraying done outside due to the weather, so it gives me things to get on with. I won this in ebay for a knock down price - it is an open box but all bags are sealed, the ICM version of the Spit IX is renowned for being the most accurate model of a Spit in this scale, I will build her more or less straight out the box as I understand the cockpit and parts are very very good. So to start with - here's the top box art and quick look at the bag contents. I do apologize I put the complete wrong box pic up - how I dont know - This is the Right One. OC.

All of it, just liked what you put mate. OC.

Yep I will re check before I pray/spray or both, I might put some more tape over it - knowing me it will have so many layers on it it will end up several inches thick.😲 OC.

So just to explain myself a bit better - the canopy is done its just covered in extra tape to stop any spray from going on it, it will stay covered like that until all the spraying (including the top coat) has been done. OC.

Some of the masks were in separate sections and too fiddly to put on the remaining glazed windows in the canopy - so I left them off and painted the frame by hand with a fine brush, the frame of the canopy has been painted and had a couple of top coats (Just on the frame not the glass). So the canopy is a completed assembly I glued it on as its easier than covering the cockpit area with tissue paper in case the delicate parts in the cockpit got damaged. I then added additional tape to cover the canopy (any small bits of frame where it meats the fuselage are ok as the spray colour is the same as what I hand painted. Well thats the idea anyway. OC.

Well said denis.👍 OC.

There is a few layers of tape on there denis so fingers crossed (I will press it down again though before spraying) hopefully the paper ring around the nose will not be too noticable when its painted as it is quite thin I think it just stands out with the lighting kind of causing a shadow (oh and its white). Any one asks though - its battle damage repair to strengthen the nose. OC.

Good day all, Firstly a Big thank you for all the likes and comments, Right, another good day - I had a go at hiding the difference between the nose glazing unit and the fuselage, I cut a narrow strip of paper about 2mm wide then using watery pva I stuck it down following the nose glazing, then I joined it underneath and trimmed it. I sealed it using a bit of top coat, next I painted the cockpit canopy frame with a couple of coats of top coat, then put it aside to dry. I then packed inside the bomb bay and entrance hatch with tissue paper - and covered the rear wheel with tape. When the main canopy was dry I glued it in place. So the fuselage is now ready for its first spray of Tamiya surface primer - just need to wait for a dry day as all spraying has to be done out doors. OC.

Thank you kindly. OC.

That brings visions to my mind like in Toy Story with the mutilated toys.😧 OC.

I was wondering (as you do) with the circumference difference between the glazed nose cone and the front part of the fuselage, I wonder if a thin/narrow piece of paper wrapped around the fuselage would work as a "stepper" it could simulate a riveting band. Like this inside the white line - OC.

These are the clear parts showing the main canopy and the four side units. Pic of the net not mine. OC.

I just held it between my fingers (very carefully) as it was very fragile - then I added a line of ca to the main part where the smaller bubble section was to go then as best as I could I attempted to glue it in place, I must have tried it about five times each side before it would stay in place, then I ran a fine line of ca using a fuse wire tip to catch the other sides of the small part, then I did the same on the other side. My heart was jumping out my chest as I was doing it - so so so fiddly. OC.

Yeah in the kit on the clear parts there are two options flat or bubble, these are four separate parts, I went for the bubble as I think it was more highly used on the B IV model. Just would have been better if the assemblies were complete wit two canopy options for bubble of flat. OC.

Tell me about it - that canopy is a serious poor point in the kit - should be all in one. OC.

"Masking Time" Talk about fiddly difficult job............the problem is the masks are the same colour as the backing sheet making it real hard to see the edges let alone remove them, then lifting them is real fiddly, so first thing first was the nose glazing unit, this required a center oval piece (not to difficult as it was a good size and shape, then there was a couple of shaped edges - a bit more fiddly needing a few attempts to place them correctly. After a bit it was done so I worked out what paint was needed and gave the frame work a few coats, this was put aside to dry for a bit, when dry I glued it in place on the nose - but then discovered I should have dry fitted it as the glazing unit is a mil or so larger than the circumference of the nose area, to late to do anything about it now that its placed/masked and painted. Then it was the turn of the cockpit unit, after cutting this from the sprew, I discovered it has two additional units that have to be glued to it - put it this way - the room is now blue from my language and I nearly gave up, they are the most awkward things to do without mucking up the clear parts, why o why didn't it come in one piece, anyway eventually I kind of fitted them (not as neat as I wanted) so next trick was to start masking - I started with the top, nice square piece - then a few more smaller ones. After an hour or so it was masked minus a couple of places - but as I decided to paint it up first by hand with my smallest brush, then this would be ok. So this is where I stand at the moment - the cockpit unit will be glued down but after covering the whole thing, ready to lay the Tamiya Surface Primer down. OC.

I'm not sure ken, depends what base was operating it and the year it happened. OC.

Thought that was us Pirates OC.

Good comparison of British WW2 Bombers. Again pic off the net. OC.

Just found an interesting article in a discussion room about the last air raid/raids on Germany in WW2, it has a lot of talk about my late farther air base where he was stationed and the squadron/s he was working for, it was the attacks on Kiel Town and Harbour to stop the Germans from sending ships to Norway to continue the war there. Here is the link - http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/the-last-bombs.4811/ And below a photo from that sight possibly with my dad in there somewhere during the bases celebration of the end of the war. All courtesy of the original posters. OC.

We were lucky being kind of high up most of the flooding happened kind of around us, most were affected close to rivers. OC.

We had two storms on the back of each other in ten days over here - massive flooding lots of folks lost their homes. OC.

So much work going into her - hats off to you phil. OC.

I like the seats they have come up like beige leather. OC.

I see what you mean mark, fully agree with you about the tape tiles, the individual one does look a lot better and look to be so much more square. OC.