This is my recently completed
Spitfire Mk.Vb Trop. I've managed to finish it after 2 years and many troubles during the building
process...
I decided to build it in the
"Benue Province" Markings,
as this was a "Presentation Aircraft", made with funds raised by
population...
(in this specific case, the population of The Benue Province, Nigeria...)
It had a short life, since it was shot down by a Bf109 over NorthWest
Africa in '43,
only 6 months of service... (It was produced in late '42, by Castle
Bromwich factory)
So, I represented
it without codes on fuselage, as it left the factory...
a "just finished" Spit!
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images below to see larger images
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For the cockpit area, I've added
the photoetched set by Eduard, and really liked it,
because add a lot of detail to the otherwise "naked" Hasegawa
cockpit...Obviously, not so much can be seen after closing the fuselage halves... :D
Other little improvements are represented
by the 20mm Hispano-Suiza
made with little iron tubing, cut off from the needle of a Revell Precision
Glue bottle...
The major trouble I
had with this kit, was the fitting of the Trop. Filter, that is moulded in
two pieces, and once assembled was 2mm wider than should be...
(in correspondence to the fuselage...)
This was resolved with a long "cut, paste, putty & sandpaper"
process... :D
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images below to see larger images
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In the End, I like this model,
even if it isn't an "art piece" and have some issues...
And I learned a lot building it!
Hope you like it too... :D
As a final Note, I would like to
thank all the people that gave me support & info
during this project, through the ARC Discussion Board,
and
in particular my friends: Filippo Rossetti, Marco Kobau & Pino
Penna...
Au Revoir by
Cristiano
Bartolini
[aka Barto]
Click on
images below to see larger images
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