Here we go with another update.
In this update we finish the engine and install the radiator/cooling. Some parts are not easy to fix into place and at times I felt that parts should have gone in earlier as frustration levels rose. I will have to repaint some parts and touch up others with a brush.
Only one more part to add which can be done later.
Time to move on to the wings!
James
James
I did wonder about some of the pipework. I was thinking when I get round to mine build the full engine, or as much as makes sense then build round it. Looking at the frames they look like they will have more give that way to fit the panels and line up than having to use gentle persuasion to get the engine in after they have set.
I had a call from Airfix today, probably the same guy you talked to and he honestly said they couldn’t find one without the issue with the canopy. I said I was happy to wait till they get it sorted and to send me a new one out then so I’ve joined a list which I think may have a few people on it.
Phil
As I build this I am making build notes in MS Word as to what would be easier to fit and when as well as painting. I am a bit concerned as to the colours the gunbay is to be painted (leather and yellow) but the ground crews of at least 1 Tiffy did line the bays with leather to try and help keep the cannon’s from freezing up.
I think that I will go my own way with the gun bays with Interior green etc
I will be getting another Tiffy and trying my honest best to get as much on display as I can by taking a knife to the upper wing etc.
This Tiffy is a learning experience… mind you, all kits are! It’s a good kit for the money and I am really enjoying this. It’s a very long time I did an Airfix kit and considering what you actually get in the majority of 1/24 kits then this is very much a huge leap for 1/24 kits. I would love Airfix to go back and redo ALL their 1/24 kits to this standard, then we can have lots of fun!
.
At this moment I am just prepping for a spraying session.
James: Wow, that’s pretty darn awesome!!! I’m going to have to get one though I think I’ll wait to see what aftermarket stuff comes out. Plus I hope they do a Tempest, I just like the lines of it a little better than the Typhoon.
BTW: Did you finish your set of samurai armour?
The Samurai Armour is all in a box waiting for me to re-start it. At the moment I am at a stage where I need the storage box which is the only thing I am waiting for. I have all the bits etc, just need the storage box!
So just had another reply from Airfix which I’d say will be the last for a while, but it does say a lot
Dear Sir
Sorry for the inconvenienced cause with the clear canopy Q1 from the product A19002.
We regret that we unable to supply the canopy without the slight dimple.
Attempts are being made to correct, but this has not been achieved to date.
We have your HC number and if we can improve the canopy in any way will send one of these.
Best regards
The Airfix spares team
Sure James will get the same sometime
Phil
Another update hits the build!
This update we fit the wheel well and spars as well as start fitting out the cannon bay. Each part was painted and decaled first before fitting. Clamps were used to make sure everything went where it should do until the glue grabbed and cured. There were no real difficulties apart from a couple of parts were very tight fits, but that’s OK as they went into their position and no problem was encountered.
Dry fit of the wheel well top.
I had no difficulties apart from the size of the parts and the fact that each one needs clamping into place until the glue cures.
Now we start putting detail in including wing and leading edge fuel tanks, cannon bay detail and also wheel well detail.
I have had a dry fit session with the cannon I built up and found that getting it into place is going to be a problem. I stripped down the cannon and found that fitting it in pieces is the best way.
Look out for this in my next update.
Comments and questions welcome
James
Continuing on with the wing The fuel tanks are now installed as well as the wheel well tops. Now I deal with the cannon bays.
The problem I found was that I couldn’t get the built up cannon in with the replacement Master Hispano MkII barrels. This I solved with a 2 part fix.
First of all I put in the breech and feed assembly.
Then from the front of the wing I slid the barrel with a drop or two of cyanowhatsit on carefully through the holes and into the breech. Of course during the wing build I had tested the barrels first and widened any holes that needed widening to take the replacement barrels.
In the picture below you can see one cannon and barrel complete and the second outboard cannon just waiting for the barrel. You can also see the fuel tanks and wheel well cover in place.
A couple of more parts and the cannon bay(s) are done and the wing top skin is ready to go on.
The ammo storage boxes are a very tight fit to the base and I would look carefully at this section with the parts outside the wing first next time and make sure that everything drops into place and there’s no struggle to get everything to fit. It’s all a tight fitting squeeze.
At this point I have decided to do the wing painting now with the camo, AEF ID stripes etc. My next post should be a very entertaining one and leave me covered in Yellow, Ocean Grey, Medium Ocean Grey, Black and white paint. I’ll probably fight with the fuselage sections too! depending on the instructions.
Comments etc welcome
James
Looks great! Just saw this in my LHS last weekend.
Mike
Has anyone noticed the Gunsight is wrong? The A/C that AIRFIX went by was the last remaining example, was found in the U.S. and missing a number of pieces, Fuselage panels, oil cooler, gunsight, etc.,etc. The G.S. provided is a Tempest only version.{from everything I can find}. Should be a reflector G.S. This should be an easy fix, the mount provided is correct and there are plenty of 1/24th scale Spitfires out there with the correct sight. I think for the price,this A/C is a steal, any aftermarket piece you may have to purchase, will still make this a VERY affordable kit. This G.S. issue is minor compared to the rest of the detailing of this excellent model. Yes my kit also had a defective canopy set, but no warpage of any sprue or pieces. My color pics of the Napier, in a Typhoon, during war time service, show the motor black. But as in the G.S. is only my 2 cents. James your model looks excellent, and on your word I am going to buy the Master model Hispano kit. THANK-YOU! - Bob
Thanks Bob for your kind comments…
Most Napier Sabres were a very dark green. On period colour film and exposure they could look black, but black ones were not uncommon.
The Master Model Cannons are the correct barrels for the Tiffy, but you will need to make some alterations to fit them including hollowing out the cannon fairings to fit.
The radiator mesh detailing is incorrect. here is a set that corrects them…
Mask for the canopy
Correct pilot harness’
QK… Tiffy 1a and Early 1b up to summer 1944
Correct harness Summer '44 onwards
QS / QL / QP Harness
There is other stuff coming available. from various companies.
Yes there are flaws and gaffes… every kit has one, but they are correctable (apart from the canopy flaw ATM) but as far as 1/24 kits go this is a gem and one that challenges.
Now if Airfix could only have done like Tamiya and ZM do with their engine cowlings and made them thinner to fit over the detailed up engine then I would be more than happy… I would be in heaven… still. I want more of this stuff from them!
James, Thanks for the info. Yes, I agree all kits do have their flaws. I do have the Spit 1/32nd series from Tamiya and the Zm 1/32nd He-219. All still to be built. I prefer P-47’s, Trumpeter’s are good for now,but I’m hoping Tamiya does release 1/32nd versions also. I have Vintage airframes 1/24th P-47, but that is basically a Tamiya kit with a detailed R-2800 and mount. For the price and detail this Typhoon cannot be beat. So the minor flaws do not bother me. That being said, I still plan on installing the correct Gunsight. It seems from what I read on A LOT of other hobby sites, you are not the only one hollering for a Tempest. Your “Tiffy” looks excellent, good luck with the rest of your build. - Bob
Thanks Bob, keep following this. At this moment I am working on just how to mix and match to display the engine and some of the cowlng. An update will come as soon as the money arrives from the insurance so I can replace/fix my best camera lens.
Not only do I want Airfix to do a Tempest (and variants), but I want them also to make good on their promise of a car door Tiffy variant (provision has been made in this kit).
I also want them to keep this standard and detail of 1/24 and re-do their spitfire kits and bring them up to date… and that’s for a start. Although there are plenty of spit kits on the market and some very highly detailed kits, there is still room for a large spitfire kit with lots of detail to display.
I would love them also to do an ME 262 with as much detail as the tiffy too… It’s time, Airfix, It’s time!
This is proving to be a very epic journey and I am really close to scrapping the bloody thing.
Since my last post I realised that to get any further forward, especially with the paint job I had to put the fuselage on etc. This is causing endless frustration and now I have ground to a halt because I can’t see a fix for this or just how to proceed.
Now the upper wing is in place and everything lined up. Gunport openings lined up, leading edge lined up etc. nothing out of place and everything looks good. Then the port fuselage goes in and it all goes bad. Once in place and glued according to fixing points and instructions I get this…
A 2mm drop difference between the joint and a gap you can drive a tank down.
There is no way IMHO of fixing this without twisting everything out of place and warping the build!
Wow! [:S]
Ouch! Any chance oi installing a spreader bar under the seat at the rear of the fillet?
James
If you can still get the fuselage off the wings I’d be tempted to see if you can sand something off the bottom of the cockpit assembly as it almost looks like that is causing the wings to “drop” down. I had a similar problem on my Sopwith Pup for the WW1 build and that worked
Other than that its a splint and fill time, which will be a major pain.
Phil
Just had a look at the instructions I’d also check the wheel well roof is all the way down, not sure if that could cause the issue but it could be twisting the wing down at the back if its too high. Sure you have checked these things but just thinking what I could have messed up
Phil
I am going to try and take off the upper wing section and see what is happening. I am sure that the fuselage is in correctly, so I will add the starboard fuselage which fits just fine as I have just done a dry fit and see if I can correct the port wing fault
Before I get going, I would like to point out that the fault is with me and my building skills and not the kit.
The fault is somewhere under the trailing edge of the wing root. It could be that a part is just slightly misaligned in the wing structure in this area or the cockpit section not seated properly to the bottom wing section.
I can’t tell properly without stripping everything down and I have caused enough split and tearing to the wing tip during separation to warrant either a major repair job if possible, or just mark it down to a lesson learned and scrap it, get another and start again!
Here you can see the gap. it is with the fuselage and not the wing. my work on the wing was correct. [:'(]
I have tried correcting it with glue and clamping, but even when the glue has gripped and cured it springs apart. this means to me that there is something wrong further in where I can’t see. Everything else lines up OK!!!
I am reluctant to try superglue as I am not sure that it has the tensile strength, and besides when it is clamped in place there is a slight twist to the fuselage.
This is me at my best when I **** up! [clwn]
I Have an idea to fudge things by cutting a chunk of the upper wing out which would give me room to mess with to align things and hide the botch. It will also allow me to display one of the fuel tanks etc
Believe it or not… the starboard fuselage looks just fine!!!
If anyone has suggestions etc… please join in!