The kit is coming along nicely, another couple of quick questions, the kit came with to scoops, one small and one large, and two different canopies. I did a little searching on the internet, but I guess I’m not to good at it. what’s the difference? Also, I couldn’t find good pictures to show me the color of the wheel wells, landing gear. thanks for any help. I’ll post pics of the cockpit soon. I am really pleased with it, and I learning about PE parts!
As far as the Spit Vb was concerned, wheel wells would usually be the underside colour - which would almost always be Medium Sea Grey or Azure Blue. Door interiors could be either underside colour or Interior Grey-Green. U/c legs would be either dull aluminium or Interior Grey-Green, more usually the former, and u/c hubs a duller metal colour - I like to use Xtracolor Oily Steel.
As with anything, there will be exceptions, but if you choose these options as default, unless you have clear photographic evidence tothe contrary, the above suggestions are safe.
Cheers,
Chris.
I think we’re into “Prove me wrong” territory, here. Looking through (and taking) many photographs, and after long conversations with Peter Cooke, there doesn’t seem to be a hard and fast rule. I’ve found Spitfires, from a Mk.I to a 22, with green wheel wells, and so did Peter; we believe that, when built, wheel wells were green, but anything could (and probably did) happen during service life. Early Vs were green/brown/sky, then repainted grey/green/grey. If you’re confronted with a Spitfire, on its wheels, are you, in wartime, going to take time to mask out the well, or would you stuff some cloth into the leg well, and spray the rest? When new, u/c covers were silver inside, but the same idea applies, during repaint. U/c legs were painted silver, but had to be regularly stripped, and serviced. Part of the service involved dunking parts in paraffin, to remove hydraulic fluid. What would that do to the paint finish? And, if there was no silver paint to hand, the rigger would have painted it with whatever he had available.
Edgar
I bow to Edar’s advice, however if you want to keep it plain and simple then its interior greeen wheel wells and metallic landing gear for the brown/green + grey green Spits.
The only exception I can think of is the tropical schemes that were painted with Azure blue undersides which were used in the Malta/North Africa campains. A lot of these Spitfires had blue whel wells and landing gear.
Hope this helps.
I found that the difference in the canopy was for a aircraft stationed in Italy. I’ll be going with the British canopy. Thanks for the info on wheel wells and landing gear. This is only my third aircraft, I started with cars and belong to the FSM sister forum and subscribe, but I was given a gift of an aircraft last year and have been bitten. I’m almost finished the cockpit and I’ll post pics soon.
Just some inspiration for you, my Vb was my biggest modeling triumph so far. I hope your fares equally well.
Great looking spitfire. I also used the eduard pe set. As soon as I find my camera I’ll post some pics of the interior.