Japanese Spitfire
Recently I completed an Arii Spitfire Mk VIII. The MkVIII is my favorite
version of the Spitfire and as fate would have it, there was this one waiting in my stash of unbuilt kits. It was the first time I had made extensive use of paper masks for the camouflage pattern. It’s a fairly simple kit that goes together with little drama.
From what I found on the internet, this Spitfire was completed at the end of the war in Europe, so it was created up and sent to Australia. The war was about over when it arrived, and was sold after the war, still in the crate, for I believe $25 . It was many years before it found a forever home in the UK and was restored and is still flying today.
8 additional images. Click to enlarge.
Jeff Bailey said on July 4, 2020
Jay, really nice Spit! What makes it Japanese?
The photos you included of the real aircraft are a great bonus!
Jay Mitchell said on July 4, 2020
Hi Jeff…. Thank you !! the kit was made in Japan.
Jeff Bailey said on July 4, 2020
aha!
Rodney J. Williams said on July 4, 2020
THI IS FOR …………. JAY MITCHELL…………
AIRBRUSH PROBLEMS: ???
SOLVED WITH THIS METHOD.
I got one Badger-200 “Internal Mix” airbrush back in 1980. then I got another two of them. One had the fine needle in it, and the 2nd one had the medium needle in it and the 3rd one had the heavy duty needle in it.
I was told by a “Graphic Artist” who had been using them for many years that they were the “BEST” air-brusher’s on the market as they mixed the paint with the air in the gun.
His “secret” was: YOU MIX YOUR PAINT TO A “WATER-LIKE” FLUID.
He said to add “4 parts thinner” to one part paint.
I was using automotive “Lacquer” paints with their thinner. ((Do not use ordinary lacquer thinner)).
When Tamiya Acrylic water-base paint came on the market, I was told to mix one part of it to 4 parts of “Denatured Alcohol” (DA). The DA is equal to Tamiya’s thinner and “one heck of a lot” cheaper.
RJW
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Jay Mitchell said on July 4, 2020
When I use my airbrush, I do it in the garage, not in the house. It is so humid here in NE Oklahoma during the summer, when I use my airbrush, the compressor gets hot and it causes the moisture from the air to spray out with the paint, ruining the paint on the model. I have a moisture trap on the compressor but it doesn’t seem to do anything to alleviate the problem. I’m thinking of trying to attach the airbrush to a compressed gas container. I’ve heard of that being done, but I haven’t yet researched that to see what I need . For this Spitfire project I used spray cans of Tamiya paint.
Robert Royes said on July 4, 2020
Beautifully done!
Jay Mitchell said on July 4, 2020
Thank you, Robert!! I’ve been have airbrush issues and used Tamiya spray paint .
Spiros Pendedekas said on July 4, 2020
That’s a great Spitfire, Jay!
Jay Mitchell said on July 4, 2020
Thank you, Sir !! I plan to add other Mks to the collection. There can never be too many Spitfires.
CJ said on July 4, 2020
Nice work, Jay! Glad to see you knocked this off your “un-built kits” list. Keep ’em coming.
Jay Mitchell said on July 4, 2020
It’s gratifying to finally complete one .
John vd Biggelaar said on July 4, 2020
Nice and clean build.
Well done.
Jay Mitchell said on July 4, 2020
Thank you , John….
I was just looking at your inspiring FW-190D, thinking I should try to show more interior detail like you did.
Tom Bebout said on July 4, 2020
Lovely looking Spit, Jay. Is it 1/72 or 1/48 scale ?
Jay Mitchell said on July 4, 2020
It is a 1/48 scale kit.
Greg Kittinger said on July 6, 2020
Nice Jay!