Trumpeter Spiteful

[Andrew Jones]

Have recieved my Spiteful kit and decided to start it , with a view to seeing if it is as bad as has been stated. No sprue shots , as there are plenty on here already, so have made a start on the cockpit. It has been said that the pit is to shallow, but studying Edgars posts and diagrams in "Spitfire the History", I think the problem is in the area under the seat. I have removed a "T" shaped area as marked in the cockpit floor and add a couple of crossmembers to support the stick and the seat, perhaps not 100% accurate but the depth now matches the photos and drawings. I have also added the back padding and armour plate to the seat.

I have removed the rudder from the fuselage halves, [ the hinge line as moulded is not quite right ] ,comparison with scale drawings and an Airfix Spitfire 22 rudder show a 2mm discrepancy in the rudder chord. Photo shows Airfix rudder, Trumpeter rudder and rudder with 2mm added.

Now to the real butchery, I have removed this section from the fuselage halves , with a view to moving the wing root back, this seems to be the real fault with the Trumpeter kit, comparing it with the Falcon vac and several scale drawings the Trumpeter wing appears to be 3-4mm to far forwards. This is as far as I have got now, so will post more later.

Andrew

[jenko]

Nice start Andrew.

Will be interesting to do a comparison as I'm doing the WIP straight out of the box.

Cheers

Dick

Edited April 27, 2012 by jenko

[Andrew Jones]

A wet evening here so have managed to get a bit more done, painted the cockpit and added an Eduard harness, I have also replaced the kit control column with a spare Spitfire column from the spares box, the trumpeter one being nothing like the original.

Closed up the fuselage and have replaced the cutaway wing root section 3mm further back, I added the wing at this point to make sure everything lines up. The fit of the kit parts is remarkable , even allowing for the butchery I have carried out, the fit of the wing is especially good.

Next step is to fill the gaps where my cuts were.

Andrew

[Modelarczyk]

Good Please more

[jimbuna]

Nice start.

[Andrew Jones]

Whilst waiting for some filler to dry ,I thought I'd take a look at the undercarrige legs, one of the critisism's made of this kit is the "Mustang" type gear legs. I cut away the lower curved part of the leg and then drilled the leg with a .8mm bit , the offset on the lower part was then reduced and a .8mm hole drilled in the top of the lower part, the leg was then rejoined using a piece of .8mm brass rod to strengthen. I added the torsion links and there we have it, not 100% perhaps but looks much better compared to the diagram posted by Edgar on here.

Standard leg on left , my modded leg on right.

[Andrew Jones]

Filler dried out now, [ white Milliput ] , so have sanded it back and have also filled the recess behind the cockpit to a more prototypical shape. Once again very little filling was required ,even allowing for the fact the wing has been moved back, the wing trailing edge now seems to have a better relationship to the cockpit, in my opinion anyway. I have also added filler to the rear of the engine cylinder head covers and blended them into the rear of the cowling panels to match photographs of the aircraft.

Edited April 28, 2012 by Andrew Jones

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

Looking a whole lot better for that, Andrew.

Welcome to the, "I cut up a Hobby Boss Model and survived" club!! Having built the Silver Cloud model - I think your fix is the way to go; because even your shut & cut option is a simpler thing than the wrestling you need to do with the SC model.

What markings will you do her in?

cheers

Jonners the slice

[Neil Whiteley-Bolton]

Have recieved my Spiteful kit and decided to start it , with a view to seeing if it is as bad as has been stated. No sprue shots , as there are plenty on here already, so have made a start on the cockpit. It has been said that the pit is to shallow, but studying Edgars posts and diagrams in "Spitfire the History", I think the problem is in the area under the seat. I have removed a "T" shaped area as marked in the cockpit floor and add a couple of crossmembers to support the stick and the seat, perhaps not 100% accurate but the depth now matches the photos and drawings. I have also added the back padding and armour plate to the seat.

Andrew

Andrew,

I would be very interested to know how you cut the wing root out so cleanly - maybe I will have a go after all

Thanks in advance.

Neil

Edited April 28, 2012 by Neil Whiteley-Bolton

[Andrew Jones]

Thanks Jonners and Neil, no idea of markings yet ,still to decide. To remove the wing root I simply made a vertical cut at each end of the section with a razor saw and then the horizontal cut was made with a new scalpel blade.

Andrew

[Neil Whiteley-Bolton]

Thanks Jonners and Neil, no idea of markings yet ,still to decide. To remove the wing root I simply made a vertical cut at each end of the section with a razor saw and then the horizontal cut was made with a new scalpel blade.

Andrew

Andrew,

All I can say is - 'that's mighty fine cuttin' there!!"

I have a question that doesn't relate to your build exclusively, but to a problem that, in my inexperienced eyes at least, you will face with this model - namely that you will have some re-scribing of panel lines and repairing of rivets to do - how will you ensure that the areas that you re-work match the original? I ask because I am currently re-scribing the panel lines on my first model aircraft, and although it is not very difficult, I sanded off all of the detail - getting the new panel lines to match those in-situ (I'm thinking about thickness) on a model kit would be a different kettle of fish! The rivets would be even more difficult!

Thanks in advance.

Neil

Edited April 29, 2012 by Neil Whiteley-Bolton

[Andrew Jones]

Andrew,

All I can say is - 'that's mighty fine cuttin' there!!"

I have a question that doesn't relate to your build exclusively, but to a problem that, in my inexperienced eyes at least, you will face with this model - namely that you will have some re-scribing of panel lines and repairing of rivets to do - how will you ensure that the areas that you re-work match the original? I ask because I am currently re-scribing the panel lines on my first model aircraft, and although it is not very difficult, I sanded off all of the detail - getting the new panel lines to match those in-situ (I'm thinking about thickness) on a model kit would be a different kettle of fish! The rivets would be even more difficult!

Thanks in advance.

Neil

Neil,

I have an admission to make here, very often I don't bother, I don't make models for competition , just for my own pleasure ,so very often panel lines don't get rescribed . You can't see them at normal veiwing distances so only the major panels will be repaired if any. Heresy , I know, but that's just my modelling.

Andrew

[Neil Whiteley-Bolton]

Neil,

I have an admission to make here, very often I don't bother, I don't make models for competition , just for my own pleasure ,so very often panel lines don't get rescribed . You can't see them at normal veiwing distances so only the major panels will be repaired if any. Heresy , I know, but that's just my modelling.

Andrew

Andrew,

I confess to being a little surprised considering you go to the trouble of moving the wings back Go on, do it for me - Just this once!

Neil

[Andrew Jones]

I have now added the radiators, after trimming the depth down by 1.5mm, look much better now. Also just for Neil I have rescribed most of the damaged panel lines using a needle held in a pin vice, one stroke is about enough to match Trumpeters very fine panel lines.

[Andrew Jones]

Cracking on now, have added the undercarrige , horizontal tailplanes and modified rudder, once again the fit of the tailplanes is superb, no filler necessary. Have also added the two undercarrige down indicators above the wings, these are similar to those fitted on the Spitfire. Looking at this pic , I have just realised the small intake on the upper rear cowling is missing, so must add this. First coat of Sky for the fuselage band and the yellow leading edges have been applied.

I have decided to mould a new rear part to the cockpit hood, will use the kit windscreen, simple enough process, I filled the trumpeter hood with Milliput and set a lolly stick in it while still soft to act as a handle. I then cut a slightly oversize hole the same shape as the canopy in a piece of sheet balsa. A piece of clear plastic about 3" x 4" is then clamped to the balsa and heated under the electic grill, [ use oven gloves ]. when the clear sheet is seen to "relax" , remove from the grill and quickly place on a support, I use a large mug, then plunge the mould through the sheet as far as possible and hold until the plastic has cooled sufficently to hold its shape,[ It took me three attempts to get a decent canopy ], then trim to shape, if I can do this anybody can , the clear sheet I used came from the packaging of a mousemat, moral, never throw anything away.

Edited April 30, 2012 by Andrew Jones

[Neil Whiteley-Bolton]

I have now added the radiators, after trimming the depth down by 1.5mm, look much better now. Also just for Neil I have rescribed most of the damaged panel lines using a needle held in a pin vice, one stroke is about enough to match Trumpeters very fine panel lines.

Andrew,

Fantastic! I can't wait for the model to be finished. I'm going to have a go myself as soon as I finish my Beaufighter.

Thanks.

Neil

[jimbuna]

Coming along nicely.

[Andrew Jones]

Windscreen added and masked , prop and spinner painted up ready to fit later and first coat of ocean grey on uppersurfaces. I have been looking at the undercart and feeling something is a bit off, After a study of a few Spiteful photos I have come to the conclusion that the retraction gear geometry is wrong . I have removed the retraction arms , [parts 23 & 24] and straightened them , as they come they are kinked, shortened both rams [part nos 29] to suit and refitted them, now looks much better.

[Fishbed]

Looking good. Almost makes me want to put one in the stash (consider myself a horder rather than a modeler these days, IPHS anyone?)

Tim

[Shane]

> comparing it with the Falcon vac and several scale drawings the Trumpeter wing appears to be 3-4mm to far forwards.

Hi Andrew.

I *love* having several drawings to compare to.

Can you tell me which ones, so I can do some camparing of my own?

I have the Falcon Vac too, bought it back in 1987 so it was made 25 years closer to a real Spiteful when surely there was a lot more information available about ithe real aircraft in NZ than now

Shane

[Andrew Jones]

While waiting for a coat of paint to dry I have been drilling out the exhausts, I'm aware most of you will know how to do this, but I thought someone might be interested in my technique.

I have three pin-vices, one with a sharp darning needle chucked in it, [ which I also use for scribing ], one with a small drill bit and the third with a bit , the final size I wish the exhausts to be. First stage is to centre punch the hole with the needle, I find if I don't do this my drill bit will wander and spoil the job. A pilot hole is then drilled with the smaller bit and the hole opened up to the required size with the second bit. For this job the sizes used were .7mm and 1mm. It is much easier to handle jobs like this if the exhausts are drilled before removing the parts from the sprue.

All the tools seen here were purchased very cheaply on a tool stall at a local market.

The scale drawing I used for this project were those drawn by Keith Woodcock and published in Aviation News, and those supplied with the Falcon vacform , which funnily enough exactly match the falcon kit.

[Andrew Jones]

Paint on and dry, masking off , prop assembled ,painted, satin varnish, ready to fit. The very fine Trumpeter panel lines have virtually disappeared under a couple of coats of paint, [ never had that happen with an Airfix spitfire ].

[Martian]

I'm liking this, in fact you have convinced me that I need to buy the Seafang when it is out.

Martin

[jimbuna]

Nice work.

[gingerbob]

I have the Falcon Vac too, bought it back in 1987 so it was made 25 years closer to a real Spiteful when surely there was a lot more information available about ithe real aircraft in NZ than now

Shane, I'm not sure I agree with your logic- I don't think there's ever been much information available on the Spitfeful. I don't know how Tore did it, but it is alleged that some of his Spitfires (18?) are still the most accurate shapes in 48th. I confess I haven't verified it myself.

Andrew, it is looking good! Too bad they goofed the gear area, that's rather complicated to "ungoof".

bob