Airfix 1/72 Spitfire BT-K

[ericp]

I had intended this to be a standard multi-post build thread, but even though I was taking photos along the way, things just didn't work out and so I'm doing the entire build thread in one post I hope it's still entertaining, so sit back, pop open a cold one, and let me tell you a story ...

Take a step back ... you are eight years old ...

... putty is this slightly greasy plasticine that comes in different colors but turns a uniform brownish-purple when you eventually mix it all together

... cement is something that's used for making buildings

... paint comes in big cans and is used to color walls and stink up the whole house

... and models are meant to be bought, stuck together, played with, and probably destroyed in a day.

In line with my "back to basics" mood (the OOB Tiger Moth being the first one), my second kit for this GB will hold true to the "just starting out" sentiment, no putty, no paint. (The fact that the model could be done quicker without having to wait for paint to dry has absolutely nothing to do with it )

The kit selected, naturally enough, is the marketing/nostalgia-induced reissue of the very first Airfix Spitfire kit in 1/72 (BT-K). Thankfully, sanity prevailed and Airfix did not reissue the original molds (even if they still exist), but the very decent 1/72 Spitfire Mk 1a in "original" blue styrene, and appropriate bag-and-header packaging.

This kit was released in 2003 as part of Airfix's 50th Anniversary, though the Mk 1a first came out in 1979.

Kit contents ...

The idea is to build this kit truly OOB ... that means other than cement, nothing else is used. Some minor concessions will be made (eg. Future), but the minimalist spirit of the build will be followed.

* The model will be bare styrene, with decals applied directly on the plastic

* It will be built as cleanly as possible, meaning proper preparation, minimal seams

* Canopy will be dipped in Future

* Gaps will be filled with sprue from the same kit to try to get matching color

* Model will be OOB, only thing added will be stretched sprue antenna wire, and slightly flattened tyres, so all "components" still come from the kit

* No, no scratchbuilt cockpit !

The construction was simple, and even though I did take a few photos during the build they don't really tell a story so I won't post them. A few building notes :

* Fit was very good, though the locator pins on the fuselage and wings need to be cut off

* The top wing surfaces were glued to the fuselage before the bottom wing went on, this minimized seams in a difficult area

* The surface had a slightly matt texture, and polishing it with Novus #2 plastic polish gave it a nice shine.

* The undercarriage fit well, and the deep square locator holes translate to a nice push fit at the correct angle. In fact, the undercarriage did not need to be glued on.

* There were a few minor seams that were filled with stretched sprue, then sanded and polished.

* The canopy didn't fit too well, but I left it alone. For a better fit, the bottom of the frame needs to be sanded down.

Here's an image of the finished model without decals.

The matt decals were cut close to the colors and applied to model, and stretched sprue from the same kit is used for antenna wire. And we're done !

And who can resist zooming it around like an eight-year-old ?

Note the flat spots on the tires ... to get them at the correct angle, I just put a piece of 300 grit sandpaper on a flat surface, and dragged the model across it several times.

This was a nice, quick, satisfying build. Not as easy as slapping it together in one afternoon when you're young, with the obligatory fingerprints in glue, but to try to put the lessons learnt over the years into a "bare" build is refreshing for me. And having no paint to cover any mistakes forces me try to do it right the first time (as in fit preparation, seams, etc).

I had intended to do a Heller kit as my second build for this GB, but the lure of doing things this way was hard to resist. All in all, this probably took around 8 hours to finish, spread over 18 days.

I hope you guys got a kick out of this !

[madmike]

Crikey!

Looks a great build and a wonderful tribute to those of us who build bare plastic Airfix kits when much younger (was that when Moses played fullback for Jerusalem?)

One thing though, the roundels on the fuselage should line up

and nice work!

MikeJ

[ericp]

Thanks, Mike ... and that's an "ouch" on the roundels, I sorta had that in the back of my mind, but didn't feel like cutting the decal (they were both BToK rather than BToK and KoBT, if you know what I mean). And after that adventure with the decals for the Tiger Moth, I was just glad these stayed in one piece !

Never mind, I think I'll hand it over to the flight test department now, the 4-year-old chief test pilot is raring to put it through its paces ... perhaps I'll follow up with a post of the aftermath of its first flight !

Have you tallied the numbers in the build so far ? Would be nice to set a record !

[madmike]

Not as yet, but I have no doubt there were a goodly number of builds. I need to do this soon, so I can organise a drawer for the raffle. I will rope my beautiful 17 year old daughter in for that task :)

MikeJ

[Grey Ghost 531]

I really like the blue aerial wire, that's a nice touch!

I counted them a couple of days ago and got 47. There's been at least a half dozen more completions since then so we're well over 50!

[yardbird78]

Nice work on the Spit. Back to basics, caveman era before being old enough to use paints. What's an airbrush?

Darwin

[ericp]

Thanks, Dave & Darwin. I think this could be the only kit that can get away with being unpainted in this era ...

But I will likely not do another bare-plastic kit again, I need to be able to cover up my mistakes !

You guys did a great job on your builds as well, this has been a very fun GB !