1/32 Tamiya Supermarine Spitfire Mk XVIe
This is the Tamiya Mk XVIe kit. A nice kit but I had a few troubles with the cannon inserts and making the cowlings fit. Otherwise an enjoyable build. Painted with Mr Color paints and added HGW belts and some wheels. Otherwise out of the box, at least I think it was as it was a couple of years ago. Now that it's complete though I just can't seem to retain my interest in it, and it sits on the shelf next to a shiny Mustang with which it just can't compete.
Cheerio!
Great build David @moxibustion, love the camo. I seat on one of those once in the Brussel Military museum.
Thanks! I like the Belgian roundel. The colours compliment each other, and it looks really cool.
An excellent build and a really cool scheme, David!
Those roundels look fantastic over the green/gray camo!
VERY nice. A real gem.
Great Spitfire, David!
Great build, David @moxibustion
Not often seen a Belgium Spitfire before.
Your quality build makes it even more special in this livery.
You're right about the #$%$#@! cowlings. That whole business, and the engine that needs a ton of work to be anywhere close to right if you open it up, is my biggest gripe with this kit. I much prefer the "Hasegawa take" on 1/32 kits to Tamiya and their "toy" affliction.
Good work on overcoming the kit and a very nice result.
Yeah, I think with the cowlings you just have to decide whether you want them open or closed and then glue them in place. They work OK that way but the wing inserts was another matter. I have heard that the Corsair kit doesn't have these features in which case it may well be the ultimate kit. Tamiya are said to be shake and bake, but that hasn't really been my experience. Their kits are 95% brilliant and then 5% of a b*#$# to make it consistent with the rest of the details, but it's that last 5% that often compromises it. Bandai on the other hand are truly on another level - they are shake and bake to the point that they don't even require glue.
Nice job on making the corrections, you made a great looking Spitfire.
Superb looking Spitfire!
🙂 ... Greetings ... 🙂 :
Beautiful work David, the Belgian markings give it an appeal of it's own.
Nice work on the subtle weathering.
David, too bad about the kit short comings, its like pulling a muscle with the finish line in sight. However by the looks of things you did very well, I really like the Belgium markings and your paint work looks great. The mark XVI is one of my favorite MK's, It always nice seeing a well built model of one !
Thanks Terry!
Don't get me wrong, it's the kit to get in 1/32 it just a bit of extra work in parts. The P-51 turned out to be even more of a challenge - particularly since it is over a metal finish. I would still highly recommend these Tamiya kits though. Their 1/32 production seems to have ceased recently though which is a shame as they are all collectors items really.
Looks terrific - I really like the Belgian markings on that paint scheme, and laying that on a clipped-wing Spit makes it a nice stand-out on the shelves. Well done.