SCRATCH BUILDING THE INTERIOR OF A 1:72 SCALE AIRFIX SPITFIRE MK1A

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Good afternoon everyone!

I really didn’t know what was next for me as I have spent the last 10 years building and fully immersed in the scratch building of a B17G ! …and since it was at 1:20 scale and coming out at 3 feet 8 inches long …I thought that it would be good to have a go at the other end of the scale spectrum!

A few years ago my brother sadly passed away and whilst clearing out his flat I came across this Airfix 1:72 scale Spitfire mk1a that he must of been thinking to build…

I took the kit home and have been thinking ever since if it would be possible to scratch build the interior of this kit!..this would mean having a go at building the Merlin engine and cockpit! …and at such a small scale wondered if it would be worth the effort?..then I thought that I would have a go at it… as a kind of tribute to my brother David!

So I started this project when I was at home in Bulgaria and took some photos of the progress so far and thought I would make the first post here now.

After opening the kit box I decided to first mark up the area on the front of the fuselage where the merlin will sit. After cutting away the plastic I saw I had to sand down the thickness the plastic…way down!!..else it will be way out of scale!..then I shaped out of plastic the first bulk head that sits directly behind the power plant. After adding some detail on the bulkhead …by looking at some reference photos…I took these photos.

So to the scratch building of the Merlin!

The engine block was first made from scrap plastic and being so small it seemed the my fingers were getting fatter by the minute and making the task even harder and fiddly than ever! I tried to shape it the best that I could and slowly added other parts to the engine to get it looking as near as possible to the real thing!

I started to scratch build the exhaust stacks but I wasn’t happy with them!..then I realized that I could use the kits exhausts!..silly me!

Here is the Merlin before all the piping work …after a weeks work…

I then painted the basic colours for the Merlin…and whilst doing that , thought of how I was to make the engine frame and I decided to make the frame out of wire and build the frame around the engine when it was sat in the fuselage…here is the painted Merlin with out the frame work…

I then had a real hard time lining up the engine with the propeller disk plate that I cut out of plastic but after hours of dry fitting of the engine finally got the job done!..I then painted the area before gluing the engine in…

It was now time to fit the engine in place and then add all the other detail…this included the radiator at the front plus the engine frame and all the piping and wiring.

I taped the two halves together with masking tape for the purpose of taking the photos and to show the engine in place and placed the prop on for effect!..

2

Hi again

Moving back from the engine bay and my scratch built Merlin I decided to cut away the fuel cell panel and have a go at scratch building that area. The fuel cell bay hosted an upper and lower fuel tank that I may or may not scratch build. I wanted to leave the tanks out to show the detail of the rear of the IP and the Yaw peddles…sort of foolish of me as its so tiny!

Here’s the area to be cut out…of course “X” marks the spot!

Then I got to work on the various pipes and cables in the fuel tank bay and the rear of the IP. …as usual I used different sizes of electrical wire and bits of plastic…

I then painted the area…

…and here it is with the two fuselage halves taped together…

and here’s the scale shot!..

Well that’s as far as I have got so far!

Next up I will be tackling the cockpit!

Thanks for looking in![:D]

Cheers

Fozzy

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Blown….away……

4

Excellent work…and a project after my own heart.

Anxious to see more.

5

Outstanding work! [t$t] [t$t] [t$t]

Going to be a shame to cover any of that excellent work.

Jim [cptn]

Stay Safe.

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Cheers Jim!..I am going to try and not cover any of the detail except having the canopy on in the open position .The engine cowling and the Fuel cell bay cover will be also left off…this will help with being able to see the detail![:)]

7

Amazing work, your skill is remarkable!

8

LMAO!!! Dude…you are absolutely CERTIFIABLE!
And having said THAT…BEAUTIFUL WORK! Just amazing!
Can’t WAIT to see more!!!
Total respect, mate! Lovely work!!

9

Wow,not bad !!!

10

Hi again every one!

Time for another update on the old Spit!

It was time to work on the cockpit that I thought would be…and was… a challenge!..My normal scale I scratch build in is no smaller than 1:48 scale so as I said before this is a real challenge!

I used the kits pilots seat and made a harness out of paper and attached the seat to its frame…

I also decided to just use the I.P provided with the kit including a decal for the instruments. It was just too small to scratch build!

This next photo shows the scratch built detail on the starboard side wall…

…and here is the Port side wall. I used tiny pieces of plastic and fuse wire to make all the parts…

Here is a view of the starboard side with the I.P and seat/frame in position…

…and the port side…

These next set of photos were difficult to take due to the size and of course the tightness of the cockpit on a Spitfire…

The cockpit door was built from a small piece of plastic…

…and in the open position.

…and so far so good!

That’s it for this post.

Now I could just now close it all up and finish it all off…but I might go crazy and open up the rear of the fuselage as a cutaway and have a go at what I did years ago with a 1:24 scale Spitfire…don’t know yet…I’ll sleep on it!

Till then guys…thanks for looking in

Fozzy

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Hi to everyone!

Time for another update on my 1:72 scale Spitfire…

I could have quite easily glued the two fuselage halves together but somehow I knew I couldn’t resist having a go at detailing the rear!..I have actually done this before on a 1:24 scale Spit years ago and was very pleased of the out come ,so I just had to see if it was at all possible in such a small scale!

If I was to add detail then I had to make it a cutaway model. As I did years ago I cut away some of the port side of the rear of the fuselage leaving the starboard side in tact!

Most of the scratch built detail will be on the inside of the starboard fuselage and so it was time to don my big boy strong glasses and get to work…starting with the ribs!

With the two halves together…this is what it will look like…

Here is the battery!..

The rest of the detail was then scratch built. All done except for the control cables…

Time to paint the parts. Before painting I added the control cables made from fuse wire…it was almost a challenge too far!..Aluminum for the interior walls and a few other colours thrown in to bring out the detail!

Here’s the inside of the port fuselage half showing the oxygen bottles and the teeny TR9D radio…blink and you’ll miss it!!

Here it all is with the two halves temporarily tacked together…

…and of course the scale shot!

That is as far as I have got so far!

Thanks for looking in and see you on the next post!

Cheers

Fozzy

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If you take that model to a show, the other entrants will never know what hit them. Wow!!! And it’s not finished yet. [t$t] [t$t] [t$t]

Jim [cptn]

Stay Safe.

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Cheers Jim![:)]

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Good afternoon guys

This will be the last post I will do from my workshop here in Bulgaria as I am in the process of moving back to UK…the land of the living and extreme expense!..I will miss this old office of mine but now all my bits and bobs have been packed up ready for the journey. The continuation and next post on this Spitfire will be done from my little old flat in UK!

I have packed most of my stuff up and funnily enough the only checked in baggage for the flight is a suitcase full of modelling equipment!..much more important than clothes and things!..I’m sure you understand!![;)]…Meanwhile I managed to get this model sprayed before I return as I’m not sure when I’ll see my compressor again!

So here is the first photo…as you can see I have attached all the necessary bits and bobs before masking and spraying!

After masking all the detail the dark green was sprayed on…

…followed by the dark earth

I then took the masking off and did a bit of touching up here and there…and on the model![whstl]

Here is the starboard side that isn’t cut away…

Incidentally my compressor just about finished producing the pressure I wanted for the job as the tube running from the compressor to the tank split!..first problem I have ever had with it after years of running!..that will be one of the first jobs I do when I arrive in blighty…well I suppose I ought to buy a bed and furniture first!

Any way…All the best to you all and this project will continue when I am settled in.

Cheers for taking a look

Fozzy

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Hi FOZ! You know, here in Texas, U.S.A. all my friends call me a Glutton for punishment for super-detailing an H.O. Scale(1/87) Great Lakes ore ship for a Client/Friend. Okay, where does that leave you ? That’s Amazing! Luv it and will follow to completion.

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Outstanding work Foz! [t$t] [t$t] [t$t]

Jim [cptn]

Stay Safe.

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Thanks mate!..leaves me the same as you!..crazy![:P]

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Morning all!

I have finally made the move to UK and more importantly fixed up a modelling area in my flat!..more important than getting a bed! It is definitely not as good as my workshop that I had in Bulgaria but it does the trick!..here is now my work table in the corner of the room!..

As you can imagine I have been busy with the move as I haven’t lived in UK for the past 15 years so its been a tough transition but modelling has made it easier because as soon as I sorted out my table and modelling gear I was well away!

So much so that I have managed to finish this Spitfire project! There was slight damage to the fuselage when I opened the packed box in my suitcase but nothing too drastic!

I had to scratch build the sliding part of the canopy as the kit part snapped in two when I tried to cut it away from the front screen!..not quite the bulbous canopy I wanted but 70% happy with the end result!

After I placed the under carriage on and stretched the fishing wire for the antenna lines I called it the project finished!

Here then is the completed 1:72 scale cutaway model Spitfire Mk1a…

Thanks to all that have followed this little project and I hope that my brother would have liked the end result!

I’m not sure what I am going to have a go at building next…but I am limited as I am still waiting for my air compressor and a few more odds and ends to arrive in a van from Bulgaria…so until then…happy modelling to all!

Cheers for looking in!

Fozzy

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Pretty sure your brother couldn’t have failed but to have been delighted with the model. Had to remind myself the scale you were working on lovely finish fine workmanship.

20

You did a fantastic job. I like it. And it also survived a move. Again great job.