Hi, All

Decided to install the landing gear.
Original slots for the main landing gear in the Matchbox kit are located a little bit too wide.
Therefore I relocated them a bit closer to each other by drilling new holes for the brass tube inserts installed in the legs. Original slots remained, as they are anyway covered under the downlock arm.

There're still some remains of the blue-tac in the left gear well, which was used to fix the legs at the correct angle when glue was drying - will be cleaned-up of course.

Tail-wheel is a combination of the SAC leg and the wheel from the box.

Gear leg covers and main wheels (from MasterCasters) installed only for a test, without glue. Some corrections will be necessary.














Looking at the photos of Rhodesian Spitfires it seems to me, that the gear legs and inner sides of the landing gear covers have been painted with the camo paint, only the wheel hubs remained in the original natural metal color.









Best regards
Hubert

This is a lovely build and you're going to end up with an impressive Spit for your collection! I think all of the ex-Matchbox 1/32-kits are still very build-worthy, either built this way updating them to "current standards" or done more-or-less out-of-the-box. And I don't think we're going to get a rival kit of the Mk 22/24 anytime soon!

Keep up the great work!



Magnus

Thank, Magnus - fully agree, these are indeed magnificent kits and sometimes still the only game in town with respect to many attractive subjects - like a late mark Spitfire.
But building this particular kit out of box for me would be a crime: the nose area, bottom of the fuselage, landing gear, wheel wells are so terrible OOB, that I just couldn't accept it.

However for me it is rather a practice in scratchbuilding, rescribing and riveting; if it turns out into a decent model at the end of the day - I will be happy, but first of all my goal is to try something different, than just another shake'n'bake "Tamigawa" kit - and I'm having fun with it!

Best regards
Hubert

Hi, All

Some details have been painted - wheels, exhaust stacks, guns...
At the photos a final test fitting of the landing gear covers. At the moment I'm writing this post it all has already been glued into place and good information is that the landing gear is quite strong and robust.



For comparison:


Image sourced from www.revell.de












As you can see I decided to upgrade the wheels' covers, by adding some structure inside.
The wheels - instead of the MasterCasters resin wheels decided to use Resin2Detail wheels with circumferential thread - the difference of detail level is obvious and this was the pattern that seems to be installed on actual SR60.





The whole landing gear I made isn't maybe perfect, but I'm sure a lot better than OOB ... Hope you like it

Now - the markings, first I'm going to paint the green&yellow Rhodesian stripes, the rest will be made with the decals.

Best regards
Hubert

The decals... it was a real road through a torment - terribly thick and resistant to Gunze's setting and solvent fluids.
But from afar - as for me, will leave .











Best regards
Hubert

Managed to paint the propeller and applied dark blue gray wash - maybe looking quite heavy, but this will be slightly lighter in the end of the day, as I'm going to add some filters and dust.





The canopy... don't think I'm able to make anything more with it... it's just terrible, and there's no reasonable and similarly oversized replacement available.

Anyway, hope to have her done by June end.

Best regards
Hubert