Eduard 1:48 Spitfire Mk.VIII (Weekend Edition)
It's an Eduard kit, say no more. Markings are for 31st Fighter Group, 308th Fighter Squadron "hack"- HL✪R, s/nJF470, Italy 1944-45. An area of concern that is well mentioned is the two piece upper cowl panel which needs to have the entire seem removed or you can purchase a Barracuda Studios replacement part. Something Eduard sorta messed up was the three bottom navigation lights. They were added on later Mk.VIIIs so I installed mine and filled them in. Interior was painted with Tamiya XF-16 Flat Aluminum and XF-71 Cockpit Green, details done with XF-69 Nato Black
For chipping in the cockpit I tried something different. Instead of using a silver pencil I used a plain old mechanical pencil. I am now sold on this
All the panel inserts fit perfectly. The wheel wells are a seven piece affair and very fiddly. This is the sequence I used I used to get a seamless fit
When set up, I added the rest of the wells
The rest of the build was boring. For the camo colours I used XF-83 Medium Sea Grey (2) on top and a 3:2 mix of XF-18 Medium Blue/XF-2 Flat White for the PRU Blue undersides. For the wing-tip markings there are two thoughts about the centre stripe; camo colour or white. I sprayed the area and the spinner white and the used Tamiya red and white. For weathering I used some ground up chalk and Tamiya Brown Panel Liner. Thanks for looking in
A wonderful result out of the definitive but, at some areas, challenging Eduard kit, George!
I love your chosen scheme, which you replicated wonderfully.
Thank you my friend (@gwskat)
That looks great, George! I like the markings and always like the look of clipped wing Spits.
Thanks Gary (@gwskat). Though I'm not a fan of clipped wings, it was the oddball scheme that nailed it for me
Turned out nicely, George.
Thank you, other George (@chinesegeorge)
Squadron hacks are always cool to do, George (@blackadder57), because they always have a slightly unusual paint scheme. Well done.
Thanks, another George (@gblair) There's a book out there that covers nothing but hacks but pretty expensive if you can find it
https://modelingmadness.com/others/books/hahnhacks.htm
George, I really like your build here and the very interesting paint scheme, that I find to be very nice looking !
Maybe I miss understood your comment above, did you replace the cowl or fix the kit supplied two piece cowl ?
I ask because I have a few of these on my shelf.
@schoobiz - If you carefully scrape the center joint of the upper cowling parts, then glue them together and flood the seam with "Hot" glue and then press together till they set you will have an itsy-bitsy bead line of glue you can scrape away with the tip of a #11 blade. Carefully sand down JUST THE CENTERLINE with a very fine sanding stick. If you need to, rescribe rivet lines with a fine pounce wheel. Voila! The whole thing takes maybe 15 minutes all told. doing that, I have probably saved myself enough money not buying Barracuda cowling parts to purchase another Profipack kit.
I cheaped out and did pretty much what Tom said
Absolutely stunning result, George @blackadder57
Unusual but great looking scheme.
Thanks John (@johnb)
Nice work, George @blackadder57. I always love Eduard Spits and this one is particularly nice because it's unusual.
Much appreciated Tom (@tcinla)
Excellent work, George. I too enjoy Spitfires in unusual colors.
Thanks John (@j-healy) Hard to find unusually coloured Spitfires. I'm currently looking at Spitfire camouflage at the end of the war in the Middle East in Dark Earth and Light Slate Grey
Cool looking Spitfire, George!
Thank you Robert (@roofrat) , woof woof
A great-looking Spit in excellent pajamas! Well done.
Thanks Greg (@gkittinger)
Nice work, great looking Spitfire. He overall finish is spot on!
Thank you Bob (@v1pro)
Well done George, especially like that paint scheme.
Thanks Tom (@tom-bebout)
A real beauty Geo.
Thank you Dave
Always a pleasure to see an out of the ordinary Spit with an unusual paint scheme like the one you chose, George. Very nice!
Thanks Eric (@eb801)