1:24 SCALE CUTAWAY SPITFIRE

[Fozzy]

Hi every one

Well I looked into my display cabinet yesterday and noticed that there was a thin layer of dust covering my last build of the Westland Lysander and thought that it was high time that I start another marathon thread.

I have been thinking what should I do this time....should I raid the Kitchen bin for some Scratch build material when my missus is not looking or should I................Face the Evil one?........The 1:24 Scale Cutaway Spitfire which I started 3 years ago!

Here is first some history about this Dam build!.

As stated I started this project when I lived in UK over 3 years ago and I stopped working on it last year some time.The problem is I decided from the off to do something really special after opening the box of the ancient ,white plastic mess of the early 1970s Airfix 1:24 Scale Mk 1 Spitfire!...I think you know the kit? .Well any way I decided to do a cutaway to show all the bits and bobs of the interior.........I started thinking stupid things like ...I know I'll put lights in there to light it all up.....and I am going to scratch build every nut and bolt that is inside the actual Aircraft........So I started doing it.

I have done so much so far that I cannot not finish it.....but trying to find reference material on the interior side was a nightmare....oh sure plenty of pics of the Cockpit but naf all on whats aft of the Pilots seat......so thats why it has taking me so long.

Well....I have started this build and by god I am going to finish it.

Last thing before I show you what I have achieved so far...........I am not a Spifire expert so if you see the 15th rivet behind the Pilots seat located in the wrong place....I apologise!...........Any Spitfire experts out there please be easy on me ....and I know your out there!!!

So lets start this thread...........I will show you 2 to 3 years worth of work by photographs...WARNING: Loads of Photos!!

Starting with the Merlin Engine

Edited October 25, 2010 by Fozzy

[Daniel]

I think we need pictures!

Dan

[Fozzy]

I think we need pictures!

Dan

Hold on....can't type that fast!!!!!!

[Fozzy]

THE MERLIN

The Engine Block and some other parts are from the kit...the rest is scratch built...here is the Starboard side......

....and here is the Port side......

Edited October 25, 2010 by Fozzy

[kspriss]

.WARNING: Loads of Photos!!

Goody!!...just what I like

Steve

[jimbuna]

Looking forward to this...good luck with the aft area

[Fozzy]

You can see that some of the Engine Mount fames are broken/missing ,that will be dealt with later.

This is a shot of the Port side again and I 'm trying to show some of the detail ......the out of focus part is not what I want you to look at! ...clever arn't I ?

...and again looking back at the fire wall....

[Fozzy]

.......this is the Port side again looking forward at some of the detail, again for the observant of you ...you can see the broken Engine frame work

This shot shows some detail on the Fire Wall.

[Fozzy]

This picture shows you the Coolant Header Tank with the armour plates in place..............

...and a real crappy shot of the Coolant Tank from underneath...........

[Daniel]

Looks great, and yes I think you should continue with this project, whilst taking lots of pictures!

Dan

[Fozzy]

....whilst we are underneath we might as well look forward from the rear.....bit dark isn't it?...sorry

...this is a shot from directly above..........................

[brianthemodeller]

Having seen what you can do when scratchbuilding, I can't wait to see the result of using a kit!

Brian

[Fozzy]

Looks great, and yes I think you should continue with this project, whilst taking lots of pictures!

Dan

Thanks Dan...yes I guess I will have to finish this once and for all and yes I have plenty of pics

Fozzy

Having seen what you can do when scratchbuilding, I can't wait to see the result of using a kit!

Brian

I'll tell you what Brian ...I can't wait to see the end result.!!!

[Fozzy]

.........Heres another shot of the Starboard side of the Merlin......

....Looking back towards the Fire Wall from the Starboard side..........

[Fozzy]

....so here is the last shot of the Merlin that I have. Most of the Scratch Building was done using my favourite ( CHEAP) materials....insulation cable and wire!......

[Fozzy]

So the Merlin was put to bed in a card board box ( still there) and it was time to try to figure out how to do the Fuselage.I started at the front of the aircraft and worked back towards the Tail.

THE FUEL COMPARTMENT AND FUEL CELLS

Each section I scratch built took me months.The first photo shows a shot of looking directly down into the empty fuel cell compartment.I have tried to replicate exactly how it looks on the real Aircraft........

This next photo shows you another angle of the Fuel Cell Compartment looking down on the fuel pumps....wire and plastic were used to achieve this...

Edited October 25, 2010 by Fozzy

[Fozzy]

THE REAR OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL

Its only when you start a project like this do you realise for example how cramped it was inside the Spitfire.Take this next picture for example...you can see how close the rear of the Instrument Panel will be to the Fuel Cells.....

Here is a rather dark and gloomy photo of the rear of the Instrument Panel.........

Edited October 25, 2010 by Fozzy

[Fozzy]

.......below the Instrument Panel looking down into the Fuel Cell Compartment you can see the rear of the Rudder Pedals,the fuel pumps and a mass of fuel and oil pipes...or in this case wire insulation

THE FUEL CELLS

I had to scratch build 2 Fuel Cells. I made them from thin guage plastic card glued around a makeshift framework of the shape of the tank.

This first photo shows you the bottom 37 gallon Tank, complete with connection lines and breather pipes,fixed into the frame work which will later be placed down into the Fuel Cell Compartment....photos to follow.

[kev67]

Is this going to fly, and have you an electrician on hand with all that wiring, just in case it goes wrong

[Fozzy]

Here is a photo of the top 48 gallon Tank which I scratch built.............

The top tank is then placed (not glued) onto the bottom tank like so...............

[Fozzy]

Is this going to fly, and have you an electrician on hand with all that wiring, just in case it goes wrong

...nice one Kev.........

[Fozzy]

I wanted to construct the Fuel Cells in such a way that you can iether take the top cell out showing the bottom cells detail,or have them both out showing the Compartment detail......Christ did I make some work for my self when I was trying to make it fit!!! ...but eventually it worked and here is the end result......just the bottom Cell in place.....

.......and with the Top Cell in place............

See what I mean about the spacing between the Fuel Cell fire wall and the rear of the Instrument Panel?

[Fozzy]

I hope every one is keeping up with this...I will be asking questions later

THE COCKPIT

So moving towards the rear we come to the Cockpit.

The side walls of the Cockpit had to be built in 2 halfs because of the shape of the Fuselage.This was done using plastic sheet. Then the detail could be added.I scratch built each piece of equipment and then placed into position.

Here is a photo of the floor and Port side wall half built.......

This is a shot looking through the Pilots seat frame towards the Instrument Panel......

[Fozzy]

Heres a shot looking directly down onto the floor of the Cockpit....minus the seat of course!!

In this photo you can see that I have finished building the second half of the Starboard side wall with the detail in place.........

[Fozzy]

another shot of the Starboard wall focusing on the landing gear control......

Now the Port side wall complete with Pilots access door.........