Spitfire Mk IX Tamiya 1/32

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Hello there

At the start of 2019 I am going to give one of my best friends a Spitfire Mk IX that I made from Tamiya. Reason being this will be right before we go our own ways in life (uni). We are both far more interested in Tanks, but his relative built Spitfire Mk IX’s during the war.

However I have never made a model plane, but many Tanks. Anything else I need to know differently? How can I do camo best with my wide spread airbrush (I can’t invest with a new one). Here are my normal steps:

Painting:

Coat of primer. Allow to dry

Paint white for highlighted areas

Thin NATO black coat (add retarder). Allow to dry

Paint main colour (add retarder). Allow to dry

Tracks: Far away spray light rust colours

Apply a gloss coat (thin)

Streaks: Use enamel black and dot on with a toothpick. Using enamel thinner, remove all excess off the brush and brush down for a while until the streak has faded.

Pin wash: Use panel accent line colour in recessed areas

Decals: Dip in warm water. Rest of paper towel. Brush on decal solution. Slide on. Press down and add tiny amounts of solution. Remove excess with cotton.

Apply a Matt coat (thin)

Chipping: Use tweezers and a sponge, black paint, remove all the excess and dab randomly on edges. Use a pencil on edges (side ways).

Use Tamiya weathering kit all over. Soot on gun barrels etc.

Spray XF-57 buff far away for dust effects

Dry brush

Thanks very much

2

Can’t believe i am giving advice on building a Spitefire, but here goes [:D].

For masking you can use white tac, blue tac or somthing similar.

Asfaras painting goes, you can pretty much follow the same process, though might be an idea to skip the tracks bit. But just go a bit easier on the weathering. I tend to stick to exhaust staining, some very minor chipping and a wash. Maybe some light dusting around wheels and so on. Remember, aircraft don’t tend to spend as much time in mud as armour does.