While waiting for the parts to arrive to finish my A6M2b Zero build, I decided to start my next project. Using Revell of Germany's 1/32 scale Spitfire MkII as base, I plan to build a BoB Spitfire MkIa. There were almost no external differences between the aircraft as far as I know, so the Revell kit should suffice for exterior viewing. I realize that the kit has a few minor, in my view at least, dimensional errors, but I am not enough of a rivet counter to let that put me off the build, and I don't plan to spend the time required to bend and sand the fuselage and wings to correct a millimeter or less here and there. What I do plan to do is a bit of super detailing of the cockpit, to include either scratch building some of the important, and seeable, equipment that would have been in a MkIa Spitfire; or use some of the excellent Barracuda AM parts to correct kit errors. I will also use a couple of the Barracuda AM packs to fix a few of the exterior issues on the kit, as well as, Eagle Parts excellent prop.

I won't be correcting every single thing; some because I think I lack the skill or ambition to do so and a couple because you won't be able to see them anyway. For those interested, following is a list of cockpit related items that can be corrected to make the MkII pit a MkIa pit:

The lower right of the IP should have two fuel gauges. (I won't be correcting this.)

Rudder Pedals should have cloth retainers at the top.

The Landing Lights device should be on the lower left of the IP just to the below right of the Brake Pressure Gauge.

The kit instructions are wrong when they say to paint the gun firing button all red. It should be brass, with the ring around it in red.

I am replacing the seat with the Barracuda one. It has the correct seat back cushion and the armor plate. Also I will not be installing the Very pistol cartridge holder to the front of the seat.

I will make a radiator flap lever. This goes on the floor just to the left of left rudder operating rod.

I won't install part 36, the IFF destructor panel; they were not installed until after BoB.

I won't install parts 37 and 38, VHF radios were very uncommon during BoB.

I will be installing all the Barracuda AM cockpit stuff, as that is all accurate for a BoB period Spit.

There is very likely a few other things that I have missed as I am not an in depth expert on the Spitfire, but I think I will be able to construct a pretty accurate pit with what I do know. Of course I am all ears if any of you have better or more accurate knowledge then I do.

On to the photos of what I have done thus far.

Overall shot showing most of the pit parts. The resin parts are all Barracuda, the white, beige or darker grey parts are what I have scratched as is the wire of course.


IP showing resin compass, IP cabling and the Landing Lights switch.


Pit side walls with resin and scratched parts.


Rudder Pedal Assembly, the beige colored pieces are extensions I made. The very nice Barracuda Control Stick.


The seat bulkhead with the insulated cable I made using a piece of plastic rod drilled out with small pieces of copper wire that are installed in the voltage regulator.


I drilled out all the lightening holes, probably won't be seen, but was an easy task, so why not!

Hi Ernest,
Interesting subject. I'll be following along.

Gary

Hi Gary, it should be fun to see what I can do with this build. Hopefully, I can do the subject justice.

Ernest

Ernest really some nice detailling!

gr TC

I like it and the start is good too
I'm interested in what markings you will be giving the model?

Hi Lars, thank you for the kind words.

Mal, thank you also. At this point I am not sure which markings I am going to use. I may just go with the 65 Squadron markings that are on the kit decal set. Not very imaginative on my part I know, but I prefer to use kit supplied decals whenever possible.

Ernest,
I'm subscribing to you build and signing on as a follower ASAP.

Your build objectives are exactly what mine would have been, plus as Mal would say: You can never have enough Spitfires.
Joel

Hey Ernest - Did you hear back from Tamiya re those parts you needed? I sent you another PM but haven't heard back so I assume you managed to get a set of them.

HI Joel, we shall see if I can do the build justice. I airbrushed the interior yesterday and will take a few pictures once I finish the detail painting. I also installed barracuda's radiator replacement in the lower wing. I'll report on that little project when I post later today.

Ernest

Hi Matt, I just answered your PM. I did hear back from Tamiya.

Following are some photos of the progress I have made on the Spitfire. Thus far things have gone fairly smoothly. The Barracuda AM parts have all fit well, and the minor surgery I did to the lower wing to fit the radiator and oil cooler AM parts went off without a hitch. After measuring the correct dimensions, I used the UMM scriber to score the plastic until it was thin enough to snap away cleanly.

The IP turned out very well, though a few of the instrument decals that I used do not show the correct gauge in every case. The photo makes the black look "clunky" but that is the reflection caused by the gloss coat. The rest of the pit also turned out fairly well. The Sutton Harness is the most complex, and fiddly, cloth seatbelt that I have built to date. It does look the part however. It will be very hard to see, but I made two wires leading back from the end buckle of the seatbelt toward the rear of the fuselage. I think this was part of the retracting system on the real thing. I like how the Barracuda AM door turned out, it looks MUCH better then the kit part.

You can't very much of the scratch built wiring I made for the cockpit now that it is closed up. But that is pretty common for scale model pits. Anyway, on to the photos.

Barracuda radiator and oil cooler in place.


Access door.


Seat w/Sutton Harness (After I took the photo I realized I needed to paint the seat braces cockpit green Doh!)


You can just make out the wires I made for the Sutton Harness at the right of the photo.


The cockpit tub installed in the left side fuselage.


All closed in.


The IP. (I did end up showing two fuel gauges as is correct for the MkIa)