Supermarine Spitfire by Tim Moore - FINISHED - Guillow’s 403 - 1/16 kit, built as display model

[Egilman]

2 minutes ago, lmagna said:

Almost looks like the pointed tip from an drafting compass.

That's exactly what it looks like brother, or the scriber point for a height gage...

[Javlin]

Nice Build!! It's a shame that Guillows could not get a better canopy form but it was intended to fly.looking forward to the finished product Kevin

Edited January 31, 2021 by Javlin

[Slowhand]

Hi Tim, forgot to ask did you use a table saw to cut the balsa infills, a Byrne’s by any chance?

Edited February 2, 2021 by Slowhand
Typo

[Tim Moore]

On 2/2/2021 at 1:27 PM, Slowhand said:

Hi Tim, forgot to ask did you use a table saw to cut the balsa infills, a Byrne’s by any chance?

Hello Slowhand sorry for tardy reply but I’m finally picking this up again after working on finishing my Bounty, and waiting for my airbrush delivery. 
I cut all the infills the old fashioned way with my little hand saw and a knife. 

[Tim Moore]

On 1/31/2021 at 10:02 AM, Javlin said:

Nice Build!! It's a shame that Guillows could not get a better canopy form but it was intended to fly.looking forward to the finished product Kevin

Hi Javlin. You are totally right about the canopy. Hard to make anything presentable out of it. I’m struggling there.

[Tim Moore]

Painting the Spit, finally.

[Egilman]

2 hours ago, Tim Moore said:

Painting the Spit, finally.

Excellent example of using paper masks to get the diffuse edge effect on the pattern....

 

Well Done...

[Tim Moore]

Thanks Egilman!

Just finishing off, a few more details to add, finish paint and maybe some lining and weathering. The colours I used are Vallejo model air: cam pale brown and bs dark green topsides, and sky type s underneath. These are the RAF temperate zone standard colours I think.

 

[ccoyle]

Man, that is taking a Guillow's kit to a whole new level! All of the balsa-and-tissue models of my youth came to assorted sad ends. 😬

[popeye the sailor]

mine has pretty much the same camo

it's all set to fly......but I don't dare......my track record with these rounded fuselages is pretty low.  the best flyer I've done was a Fokker D VIII.  even with the rubber band exhausted,  it would glide much farther.  I did a P 40 Warhawk........that one wrapped itself around a palm tree  

Edited February 21, 2021 by popeye the sailor
extra text

[mtaylor]

3 hours ago, popeye the sailor said:

I did a P 40 Warhawk........that one wrapped itself around a palm tree  

 

Not a tree crash or a P-40.  But had a DVIII control line flyer back around 67 at aviation school in Memphis.  A rather huge beast for the control line, around a 3' wingspan as I remember.  Flew well and was heavy with a large motor (.75?).   A control line snapped and the plane got away from me.... right through the window of the base chapel which was next the base hobby shop flying area.    I did immediately fess up but received no punishment.  Even the engine was shot as it bent the crankshaft.   I started looking for a less destructive hobby after that.

[lmagna]

2 hours ago, mtaylor said:

I started looking for a less destructive hobby after that.

Did you ever find it?

[Slowhand]

Tim, I think you will start a whole new way of building Guillows airplanes. I’d best buy one before they sell out. When I last looked they had sold out of Spits, plenty of Hurri’s though.

Edited February 24, 2021 by Slowhand
Typo

[mtaylor]

12 hours ago, lmagna said:

Did you ever find it?

It took a long time but I did... building ship models.

[Tim Moore]

23 hours ago, ccoyle said:

Man, that is taking a Guillow's kit to a whole new level! All of the balsa-and-tissue models of my youth came to assorted sad ends. 😬

Thanks Chris - yes I wouldn’t have the heart to try and fly this one given all the crash landings in my model plane youth.

[Tim Moore]

18 hours ago, popeye the sailor said:

mine has pretty much the same camo

it's all set to fly......but I don't dare......my track record with these rounded fuselages is pretty low.  the best flyer I've done was a Fokker D VIII.  even with the rubber band exhausted,  it would glide much farther.  I did a P 40 Warhawk........that one wrapped itself around a palm tree  

Nice! 

[Tim Moore]

Thanks Slowhand, and everyone who looked in on this. I’ve called it a wrap and the Spitfire is now happily flying in the model builders cabin and harassing the speedboat.
So it is possible to make a decent and sizeable replica from these modest kits, just used a bit of extra wood and craft here and there, no real aftermarket bits. May do another at some point if I see another kit somewhere. The only thing I intended but didn’t do is the panel lining and riveting. I tried it out on a small section but couldn’t easily incise smooth enough lines on the wood structure that looked satisfactory to me, so eventually abandoned that idea. I think they would likely be best drawn on, but well I have a ship to get started on!

Cheers all...

[Blackreed]

Great looking bunch

[Javlin]

Tim canopy or not that looks like a Spit Kevin

[lmagna]

Nicely done Tim Looks good doing a flyby.

[Danstream]

That looks impressive. About your question about panel lines, I think that for a covering made of soft wood, pencil or ink drafted lines are the most realistic option. Anyway, she is impressive.

Best regards,

Dan.

[popeye the sailor]

she displays nicely   .....sweet looking ships!  there are a lot of models that seem to be missing something,  if done out of the box.   it also depends on the modeler,  just how far he or she is willing to go.  covering your model in wood sheet is a very good method.....you not only saved yourself from having to smell that god awful 'dope',  but you were able to put your own personal touches to the model.  I covered mine with the tissue,  but I sealed the skin with diluted white glue,  instead of the dope.  it was done in a couple of coats......it also tightened the skin as it dried.  a couple of coats of paint later,  and that's the process.  I've got a Fokker Dr1 in the closet....to the point of sanding before the tissue.  they can be fun to build  

[Landlubber Mike]

What an awesome build - very nice job!  

[Paul Oberle]

Not sure if site is still active but I do have a question.  Tim, I took note of your using 1/32 basswood for the top of the wing.  Since the basswood is much stiffer than the balsa, how did you get the contour?  Did you use small pieces?  Which direction did you apply them?  Can the basswood be soaked to make it pliable?  Any glue issues?  BTW, a superb modeling project.  My compliments.

 

Paul

[Old Collingwood]

5 hours ago, Paul Oberle said:

Not sure if site is still active but I do have a question.  Tim, I took note of your using 1/32 basswood for the top of the wing.  Since the basswood is much stiffer than the balsa, how did you get the contour?  Did you use small pieces?  Which direction did you apply them?  Can the basswood be soaked to make it pliable?  Any glue issues?  BTW, a superb modeling project.  My compliments.

 

Paul

Very good  question Paul.

 

OC.

[Egilman]

14 hours ago, Paul Oberle said:

Not sure if site is still active but I do have a question.  Tim, I took note of your using 1/32 basswood for the top of the wing.  Since the basswood is much stiffer than the balsa, how did you get the contour?  Did you use small pieces?  Which direction did you apply them?  Can the basswood be soaked to make it pliable?  Any glue issues?  BTW, a superb modeling project.  My compliments.

 

Paul

Hi Paul, don't know if Tim is still posting but the answer to question #1 is the sheet is thin enough to form to the contour of the airfoil and from what I saw done in one or two long pieces... #2 They would be applied with the grain of the wood following the span of the wing or length of the fuselage...  #3 Yes, Basswood, like any other wood becomes pliable when soaked... (but at 1/32" the wood would be so pliable as it shouldn't need soaking for most except the tightest compound curves) and #4 I've never had an issue gluing basswood to any other wood with the usual glues for such, wet or dry...

 

I hope that explains the process, it's much like sheeting a ships hull, an identical process in fact...

 

EG

[Paul Oberle]

Thank you very much, EG.  That was very helpful.  I certainly want to avoid any warping or swelling so I'll soak the basswood with a wary eye.  Also, sounds like good old Elmer's wood glue will work just fine.  Thanks again.

[Tim Moore]

Hi Paul, thanks for comment!
yes Egilman is bang on, the basswood was easy to bend along the grain, I didn’t need to do any soaking. Two or three pieces running from the fuselage to the wingtip following the contour of the spit’s wing. I just used yellow wood glue, nothing fancy.

[Paul Oberle]

 Thank you, Tim, for the reply.  I will let you know how I make out.  It seems a fair amount of sanding will be in order, but I'm up to it!!!

 

I've covered a few balsa models with tissue but your results with covering the whole Spit with sheet balsa (and Basswood) have inspired me  to move on.

I admire your work.

 

P.O.

[Tim Moore]

Paul: I found a few build photos on my iPad that might show the cladding process a bit more - looks like I just used two sheets, and made the junction on the flatter part of wing so as to minimize filling. I thinned Elmer’s wood filler with water to perfect the joints.