Hello, I have been studying the plans and photos on this Forum for the last couple of weeks.I am now ready to start my first solid aircraft model. But to tell you truth I'm a little overwhelmed as to where to start. I'm thinking one of the ID models would be a good starting point. Can anyone recommend a good first project?
Hi Peter. You first project should be an aircraft that means something to you. The ID models are a good starting point. If you wish we will make it together just like I did with Rafa and his Convair Charger.
http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/SMF/index.php?topic=234.0
That one may be a bit too complicated for a first project, but you have to choose your subject.
Lou
Submarines (Perch) and PT Boats (PT 09) Make good first projects too. Good Luck...
Hi Lou,
I'm thinking my first attempt will be an ID model of a Spitfire in 1/72. Its been my favourite plane since I built a plastic Airfix kit as a kid. I would love to take you up on your offer of building one together, if you have the time. Reviewng your build with Rafa has already inspire me and given me some insite. Just let me know.
I built plastic models and wargaming terrain for years but about a year ago realized that I was never working on my hobbies because I was getting bored with them. So I bought a large expensive ship model kit that I'm slowly working on and built several ships in bottles. I have also taken up whittling. So I should have enough basic tools to get started. I also have a box of basswood sent to me by a whittler friend in New york. I just need to get some appropriate size pieces for the wings and tail.
R.F. thanks for suggesting the Perch and PT boats. I thinking of stuffing these and several other of the ship plans on the site into bottles eventually.
Peter
Ok Peter, the first thing is to dowmload some plans. I have placed the link to the USN recognition model plans for the Spitfire under the two images.
(http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/albums/userpics/thumb_A-19_Spitfire_patterns.gif)(http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/albums/userpics/thumb_A-19_Spitfire_plan.gif)
http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Gallery/thumbnails.php?album=104
Once you have the plans, you need to print then to 1/72 scale. I tried printing directly from the image and it does not come out true so we will insert the image into a word processor .doc and size it correctly before printing. A 1/72 scale Spitfire has a span of 15.60cm and fuselage lenght of 12.67cm.
The wife is calling. I have to run off to supper and darts. I will continue tomorrow.
Lou
Hi Lou,
I will print off the plans tonight and try and get the scale right. Enjoy your darts game.
Peter
I wish I could have written last night to explain how I get 1/72 scale prints. In each case I insert the drawing into a blank doc followed by making a line the same length as the wing span. I then compare the line to the drawing to size the drawing properly. in this case the drawing required to be sized 32% of the original. Once printed I cut and glue onto cereal box cardboard to make masters of the various pieces. Once they are dry you just cut them and you have masters to reuse at your leasure. Another method would be to glue the drawings directly onto the wood. Either way will work. Next is choosing the wood you wish to use.
1. What do you have for materiel?
2. What do you have for tools?
I most work with Exacto knives, some wood chisels and my band saw. Not having a band saw, any saw will do as I do not cut the pieces exactly to size on the power tools. I prefer to cut close and carve the rest of the way. I await your response.
Lou
Hi Lou, I printed the templates and got them to the right size more by chance than skill. I think I'm okay for tools. I have lots of x-acto knives as well as a good Flex cut carving knife. I also have a Dremel, fret saw, files and some chisels. I have already found an appropriate size piece of bass wood for the fuselage. I will be getting a piece of basswood for the wing today. I'll glue the template to the wood as I've done that before for whittling.
Peter
In that case I will do the same and will select my wood for the project.
Lou
I chose a small block of clear pine for the fuselage and a pine shingle for the remaining pieces. Except for the fuselage which is already 1.3cm thick, the other pieces will be cut out and then shaved down to the desire thickness. The thick end of the shingle is approx 1/2 inch and the thinner side 1/8 inch (or so). I prefer to use a 1 inch chisel for the smaller pieces and I have 2 1/2 in wide chisel for the wings. Final thickness will be done by sand paper.
I mark the thickness of the piece before shaving down using my finger as a guide once the first measurement is marked on the piece. Running the pencil along a ruler or some other method of marking clearly what materiel needs to be removed. Once all pieces are cut and reduced to the proper thickness, I cut the piece out along the lines of the drawings. Do not attempt to do any contour shaping at this point. Send photos as you make these pieces and when you are finished.
Lou
This is wonderful seeing you assist Peter in this way Lou,an online tutorial for sure,a great choice of subject to build as well and you can keep an eye on things as you both progress together,I would glady give classes around here if only there was a glimmer of interest in making real models from wood,the satisfaction as we all know has to be done to be appreciated in carving up something from scratch,well done.
Barry.
Hi Lou,
Okay the pieces have been cut out with the templates. I took a photo of the pieces but I can't figure out how to post the photo to the Forum?????
Peter
Peter, on your next post select additional options just below this window. Select choose file. This will put you into your computer files. Find the picture and double click on it. When you post the message, the picture will be attached. It will not show up on the preview. If you want more pictures just select more attachments. I am cutting out pieces this morning. Pictures to follow.
We should both be at this stage.
Next will be tapering the wing. Ensure you always tranfer the centre line whenever you remove it due to cutting or sanding.. Mark off the 3" section as per the information sheet and make a mark near the tip 1/16 inch from the bottom. In my case the plan is glued to the bottom of the wing as it stays flat for the most part. Next do the same at the trailing edge of the wing and connect the dots. Remove the materiel required to taper the wing.
I prefer to use sandpaper wrapped around a block. I do have some sticks with sandpaper glued to them, but I still prefer the block. In this case I used 100 grit and sanded the top of the wing smooth.
Next is removal of the fuselage wing saddle area. Remove the materiel from the wing fits in. Go slow as to not remove to much wood. I mark both sides of the fusleage block using a cut-out plan glued to cardboard. Next place the fuselage on top of the wing and find the high spot of the wing contour.
Run a line the length of the wing and then mark off 1/16 of an inch from the bottom of the wing. You will see that the wing is slightly wider than the slot provided. Plans will stretch when photocopied and printed. I should have measured the wing again the fuselage before starting, but we can fix this easy. Just remove a bit more wood to fit the wing. It will not detract from the finished model.
Sarting at the rear of the wing, slowly remove some wood as per the first picture. take a line approx 1/4 inch away from the edge and remove the wood. Do not worry about the wing tip just yet. Once done, make a line 1/4 in further in and half way where you have already removed the wood. This will slowly round the top of the wing. Do the same at the front end being careful not to cross that 1/16 inch line protecting the bottom edge of the wing.
Now Start test fitting the wing to the fuselage and remove small amounts until the wing is snug up against the fuselage. You can either cut it away or sand it into shape.
The wing should sit even with the bottom of the fuselage. Next take you blade or sandpaper and round off the remaining top of the wing. We will return to it later.
Now on to the fuselage. Mark the centre of the fuselage followed by extending the lines of the canopy frame to the bottom of the fuelage. Using a T-Square of similar item run lines to the other side of the fuselage and connect the dots to mark the location of the canopy on the other side.
I forgot a picture. It is easier to just do another post than trying to modify the old one. Regardless. Extend the canopy line to wrap around the fuselage.
Next use the top view of the plan to mark out the fuselage. Do both top and bottom. Mark the canopy using the Mk 1 eyeball and you should be close to this
All lines are nearly in place.
Using the contour guide provided, locate and mark your thickess part of the fuselage. Once wood has been removed from the fuselage side, replace the lines.
Now the fuselage is ready to test fit the horizontal stabilizer. Mine was just a tad to thick, so back to an old medium grit sandpaper sheet that I keep on my workbench and I sanded the paper plan away and it was just the ticket. Make sure the stab id properly aligned. You can help this out a lot if you cut the slot square to the fuselage. Using sandpaper or a small file you can enlarge the slot. Sand down the stab to 1/16 inch as indicated in the instructions. We will contour it later.
Hi Lou,
I figured out the problem the photos my camera is taking are to big and won't be accepted in the forum. So i neeed to figure out how to adjust my camera (its new). In the mean time I have cut out all the pieces and will start shaping the wing and the fuselage tonight and tomorrow after I get the kids from school. My progress will slow over the weekend, I'm working 10 hour shifts every day.
Peter
Peter,it is not your camera so do not alter anything there,the best thing to do is to re-size them in a paint programme or place them into Photobucket.com online then copy the [IMG] bit of the picture properties into your posting here,that way the sizing will take care of itself.
Barry.
Test fit the fin. Mine was a bit off so I removed a bit of wood from under the fin area and it still need adjustment to meet the fuselage. I then shaved the bottom of the fuselage to meet the rudder. We now have something that is starting to look like a Spitfire.
Lou
There is no rush Peter. Work at your leasure and post when you can.
As before Lou this is a wonderful tutorial. I would hope that it could all be collected and (before being offered in book form to new members) could be presented as a pdf file.
Cliff.
Thanks Barry we'll see if this works!
Lou Thanks for your help and your patience as Cliff says you should write a book! or at least put this into a PDF it helps alot. Although I think my Spitfire might end up looking more a crash victim.
(http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy273/pdwmcdonald/DSC00097.jpg)
Its looking really good Lou,this really brings home that sometimes the more simpler models can give just as much pleasure,the Spitfire is always a winner with that lovely wing shape.
I think we can all learn from each other no matter how long we have been making models,some of your own techniques are interesting,carry on whittling !
Barry.
Peter, feel free to ask questions if things are not clear to you. I don't mind. I have been known to go too fast at times.
Lou
Remember when you were a teenage boy growing your first mustache. You'd trim to much off the left side and you would try and fix it by trimming some off the right side. Of course you'd trim to much so you would go back to the left and eventually you'd end up looking like Charlie Chaplin. Well that's what I just did with my Spitfire's wing! :'(
The good news is I have enough wood to make a new one. My work is going to slow to a snails pace over the weekend but I'm off Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week. So once I drop the kids at school I'll have lots of time at the work bench. I will post a progress photo then.
Peter
That is OK Peter. You don't get to see the messes I make even after 50+ years of practice. Getting there is a major part of the fun.
Lou
So far we should have this. If you are having any problems along the way let me know and I will back track.
Lou
I have hit a snag in posting more pictures.
Lou
If you ever publish this thread as a booklet, this should be the cover IMHO.
Looks like me!!
Lou
Next the cutting of the dihedral. Make a mark 1cm away and parallel to the centre line. I used a razor saw, but any saw will do as long as it is not too wide. You can also score the cut using a knife. Don't cut all the way through, this will help in aligning the outer wings and make the joint stronger.
I use sandpaper to widen the cut before adding glue. I use gel superglue but any good glue will work but it must be allowed to dry completely before handling. I use weights to make sure it does not move while setting.
While the wing is drying, we can sand down the tail, wing fillet and stab pieces. I have a medium grit paper stuck to my bench. Just work the piece back and forth removing the paper plan and as much wood as needed to thin out the piece. I mark the centre line of the fin and run a line 3/16 inside the edge. You can add a bit of a bevel and them smooth things out.
To keep things organized, I placed finishing nails into the edge of the bench and then placed various grit paper for quick access. I just cut off what I need and sand on.
Ah, now comes the fun part. Redo the lines indicating the widest part of the fuselage. Run a line on top in line with the canopy edge. Remove the wood between the two line. Go slow. Depending on the grain of the wood, you may remove too much rather quickly. Just shave a bit at a time. Keep redoing your lines.
Mark and shave off another edge on the fuselage. Mark off the bottom and lower side approx 3mm in and remove the materiel Using the guide template round off as much as possible but not too muck . Sandpaper will be used to finish rounding the fuselage.
Just keep removing small amounts of wood until the guide comes close. Looking at the pictures you will notice that I put the guide somewhat behind where it shows it on the plan. It is just to get the proper shape. Sanding will bring it down to size later.
Hi Lou,
I am trundling along behind you at a meandering pace. I have the new wing cut out and ready to be shaped. I have a razor saw for cutting the dihedral, then on to the fuselage shaping. Thanks again for doing this I would have been completely lost by this point.
This is where I am
(http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy273/pdwmcdonald/DSC00099.jpg)
(http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy273/pdwmcdonald/DSC00101.jpg)
Peter
Peter,
Are you using strictly hand tools for this, or do you have a scroll saw, band saw, etc? I wouldn't really say you are trundling along, though Lou's fast work may make it seem that way :o
Hi Dave,
I only have hand tools, but what is slowing me down is real life kids, work, kids activities and the wife. So trundling along with hobbies is normal for me. I actually prefer Lou being a head of me it allows me to see whats coming next so I can wrap my head around it in advance. ;) I will post a progress photos tomorrow. I'm definitely hooked on this hobby.
Peter
The cockpit area is next with the cutting of the windscreen area. Looking at the model from the top, the line that marks off the front glass area has to be cut vertically. Looking at the un-contoured side, you see the line is on a flat surface but the side we have carved the line is now moved by the new surface. if you look from the top, both sides should have identical lines but when you rotate the model the perspective will change.
Here we will remove the corner of the canopy area. Cut straight down and remove that small triangle area marked by the hand drawn arrow.
Next is to start rounding off the front fuselage. Do the same as for the rear fuselgae and remove one edge at a time work slow. You can see how much I removed in the photo. this sort of an in between picture with the arrow pointing to the vertical cut we mentioned before.
We just connect the dots and join the front fuselage contour to the windscreen.
Now looking at the next picture, just carve the area between line 1 and 2. The next photos should show you what to expect in a finished rough cut.
Using a sanding block, smooth out the fuselage side. Just round off the edges and look at the guide for directions on the contour at the front of the plane. No need to get to precise at this point.
Next we will do to the bottom front what we did to the rest of the fuselage. Work slow and remove the materiel carefully not to go to far.
Using the sanding block again, round things out. I use medium (150) grit to smooth thing nicely.
Although not absolutely necessary I frequently use contour lines. I take a straight edge, in this case a 1/4" piece of cardboard. Draw a line vertical to the fuselage. When you look at it from the side all lines should be parallel to each other. When you rotate the fuselage you can better see the shape of the body and can sand to fix any glaring error one may have done.
Now just repeat everything I said and do the other side. Easy as pie. Easier because I am not much of a baker.
There are a few ways of marking the control surfaces of a model. I will show you two. One is to score the surface using a pen. Crush the wood down to form a dent but not enough to break the fibres. This will stay in place as you sand and prime. Just redo as you go along. The other is using a permanent marker, mark them on top of the finished paint job. Now if you are doing an ID model, it is all black, so indenting the surfaces would be beneficial.
Getting back to the wing, I broke mine so I cleaned and re-glued it. Once set, I use wood filler to hide the joint. Next cut out the radiators for the bottom of the wing. The plan shows them on the wrong side. We will fix that.
Mark the bottom control surfaces and note the flaps do not continue to the top. Make a line some 3/16 of an inch inside the leading edge and we will sand that down approx 1/32 to give the front of the wing a nice smooth contour. This is not shown on the plan.
The tail wheel is quite simple. Just cut it out and remove for the strut and the wheel. Just follow the pictures and Tah-Dah. I spit mine so a bit of glue fixed that.
Now comes the most important part. I should have mentioned this at the beginning.
Keeps things neat. The Mrs will appreciate it. Sawdust goes everywhere. So sweep up and wipe your feet when leaving the work area.
I use round toothpicks to hold things together before gluing.
Exhaust manifold is next. Another relatively simple but important part. Follow the drawings on the plan. I spit mine and had to glue it back on. I left the stick end to make it easier to sand. More tomorrow.
Love the "Analog" arrows Lou. :P
Some of us are not as computer literate as others. Never did learn to master those photo programs.
Lou
Lou the language of building a solid model is coming over beautifully,your pictures and techniques are a true inspiration to everyone,and I love those desk arrows as well !
Barry.
Ray, did not mean to come across so snooty as I did. I apologies for my rudeness.
Lou
Adding the fillet is relatively easy. Once carved to approx 1/16 inch thick I place it along the trailing edge of the wing and mark where it ends. I will remove approx 1/32 inch of materiel and glue the fillet in place. Make sure it is centred unlike mine where I had to trim a bit here and trim a bit there.
Using lots of glue, secure the wing in place and ensure you have glue between the front of the fillet and the back of the wing. Hold in place a few minutes to start the setting and put aside. Don't worry about the fillet being higher than the wing, we will sand that down once everything is dry.
After the wing is nice and dry, place a small amount of glue in the horizontal stab slot and insert the stab. At the same time place a small amount on the bottom of the fin and front of the rudder and put that in place. I say a small amount to avoid warpage of thin pieces. Once tacky, align the tail feathers with the wing. Hopefully everything should go together straight. If the horizontal stab is not correct, place small slivers of wood under the side that needs lifting and let dry. A small amount of putty later will fix that.
Sanding down the bottom of the fillet is done next using a sanding block and medium grit sandpaper. Smooth the sides of the fillet into the fuselage at the rear.
Moving right along, put filler in the fillet area from the leading edge to the trailing edge. I then have two methods. One is wood filler is water soluble, so lightly wet your finger and draw it front to rear along the fuselage/wing joint. this will produce a smooth fillet. If you mess it up a bit, let it dry and fix it by adding some more filler or sanding. i never get this right the first time around, so be patient. The other way is to wet a fat paint brush handle and do the same as with as you would with the finger. If you have the right size, the fillet concave structure will come out nicely. Let dry and sand lightly using sandpaper wrapped around a paint brush handle. The bottom joints can be neatly puttied using your finger. The tail planes need a bit more care so I use a round toothpick with a small amount of putty. The less amount of putty spread around means less sanding later. When sanding I again wrap sandpaper or just make a roll with it and sand the excess dry putty away.
Forgot to add this one
I have added one piece to make our Spitfire look more realistic. The front bottom scoop is made as per my drawing and is 1cm long and 3mm wide, Check the photo. I have now added the radiators/coolers on their proper side and will sand the entire model once again using 220 grit sandpaper. Now, using talc powder and Future liquid wax, I mix some filler to apply to the entire model.
Let everything dry completely before attempting to sand. The future talc combination is gooey but will fill nicely if you don't overdue it. While you are waiting you might as well make a stand. I use recycled baseboards and cut and sand before using shellac on them. You can do whatever stand you wish and if you look at the gallery you will find many designs. Note that the previous post has a few pictures of my stands.
Once all sanded, prime to your satisfaction. I use Krylon acrylic primers, grey, white or oxide depending on what I am doing. in this case grey was suitable. After priming check the model for imperfections and add a bit of putty to dent and scrapes and sand lightly. Let the primer dry completely before final sanding. Colour is your choice. Since I do ID + models, I will paint mine dark earth/dark green/sky. I have photos in my camera that I will post later tomorrow.
Keep the tail wheel off until painting is finished. Drill a hole on rear fuselage to accept it. Check the plan for location.
I'm going to make a PDF file of this and post it as a How-To guide when your finished.
This build would be applicable to quite a few planes.
:P
I tried to make a PDF but I guess you need the creator program. The site I found offered me 5 free one but I have not been able to figure out what to do.
Lou
Hi Lou,I'm trying to write this on my Blackberry from work. So hopefully it works. I have a simple Pdf program. If you write everything up in a word document with the photos where you want them. Email it to me as an attachment. I'll turn it into a Pdf and I'll email it back to you.
Peter
I'll take this hit Gents, I have a format I like to follow for the site and the programs to do it with, Just keep up the good work. :P
Once primed, you can sand to your heart's content. The photos show the high spots real quick. So sand/prime/sand is the key to a smooth surface. Once you are satisfied with the final sanding, you can paint to whatever scheme you wish. My last coat of primer is dark green. You can add your tail wheel at this point as ID models were matt black all over.
Peter, that completes the build of an ID Spitfire in 1/72 scale. The next post under a new tittle " A Spitfire ID Model Addendum" will deal with going a bit further.
Keep your blade sharp.
Lou
Thanks for everything Lou. I'm still way behind in my production. But - would never of gotten started in this fascinating hobby without your help. My youngest son has already laid claim to the spitfire to be hung from his bedroom ceiling.
Peter
If you hit any problems, feel free to contact me directly. My email is in my member's profile.
Lou
Thank you Lou for the very admirable treatment and presentation with regard to How to Build Solid Models. Hopefully Ray will be able to put it into a pdf file. As I believe not all of our members might be blessed with the space and power tools required, perhaps you may be willing to deal with building solids employing the onetime ubiquitous balsa wood and hand tools such as xacto knives. Particular attention might be devoted to grain sealling and undercoating. I am personally interested in this latter problem and the handling of silver paints. I admit to being reluctant to bring this up but really believe that many of the group or potential members are not so well equipped. Thanks again for the wonderful tutorial.
Cliff.
I agree with you Cliff. One of the main things that was holding me back from trying my first model was a lack of what I thought were proper tools. I have mentioned this Forum on several Yahoo groups that I belong to and lack of having power tools is a common concern.
Peter
OK. my next model will be balsa and a tutorial will be made using only the basic tools.
Lou
The PDF is in the works Gents, 33 pages so far!
Peter, how is it coming along?
Lou
Hi Lou,
I haven't had time to work on it until today. I finally cut the wing dihedral and it actually came out pretty good. The fuselage has been slow going but its finally starting to take shape, its finally starting to look like a spitfire!!! I am hopefully going to do some sanding this weekend. I'll post an updated photo early next week.
Peter
looking forward to that picture Peter.
Lou
Hi Lou, I have been trying to finish a walking stick I'm making for my Mom for Christmas.
The Spitfire is still sitting on the bench waiting. This could be a court martial offense. But it will get finished.
Peter
:o
Hi Lou,
Here are some very late update photos. I have a lot of sanding to do still. Which brings me to a question a question. What quantities do you mix together of the Future Floor wax and talcum? I'm a little nervous about this step.
(http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy273/pdwmcdonald/Solid%20Models/DSC00103.jpg)
(http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy273/pdwmcdonald/Solid%20Models/DSC00104.jpg)
(http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy273/pdwmcdonald/Solid%20Models/DSC00105.jpg)
;)
Well done Peter. That is going to be a great Spitfire. I usually put enough just to make a very light paste that will not run but can still be brushed on. Have lots of water to clean the brush. Just future works also but takes to much to fill in the grain. You are doing very well for a beginner.
Lou
Will you have some time to spend on your new hobby during the holidays I would like to see some progress shots if you have some.
Merry Christmas.
Lou
A terrific tutorial, Lou, beautifully done. There's a lot in this we all can learn from.
It occurs to me that what you've done here is probably 90% of a book you could publish and sell!
Actually, you can self-publish books on www.lulu.com I haven't tried it myself. But have purchased several books from them and the quality is good. I finished my two Christmas present wood working projects a whittled sheep and a cherrywood walking stick. The only thing left on my bench is the Spitfire so Tally Ho!
Peter
Peter, do you have any photos to share?
Lou
Okay, Talk about adventures in painting!!! I primed the Spitfire grey. Then proceeded to paint it as an ID+ model when I went back and looked at it the paint for lack of a better word, looked like it curddled???? I've never has anything like this happen before or even heard of it happening. So I saneded it down and painted it black. Its not as smooth as it orinally was but I want to move on to the Warhawk.
(http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy273/pdwmcdonald/Solid%20Models/IMG00018-20110125-1156.jpg)
(http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy273/pdwmcdonald/Solid%20Models/IMG00024-20110125-1158.jpg)
(http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy273/pdwmcdonald/Solid%20Models/IMG00025-20110125-1158.jpg)
Thanks again Lou for all your help and patience.
Peter
Nice going for your first. I assure you my first and many many after were not to this standard. Congratulation on your first build.
Lou
P.S. See you in the P-40 build.
Thanks Lou
Peter
Quote from: Peter on January 25, 2011, 09:01:52 PM
Okay, Talk about adventures in painting!!! I primed the Spitfire grey. Then proceeded to paint it as an ID+ model when I went back and looked at it the paint for lack of a better word, looked like it curddled???? I've never has anything like this happen before or even heard of it happening. So I saneded it down and painted it black. Its not as smooth as it orinally was but I want to move on to the Warhawk.
(http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy273/pdwmcdonald/Solid%20Models/IMG00018-20110125-1156.jpg)
(http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy273/pdwmcdonald/Solid%20Models/IMG00024-20110125-1158.jpg)
(http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy273/pdwmcdonald/Solid%20Models/IMG00025-20110125-1158.jpg)
Thanks again Lou for all your help and patience.
Peter
Thats a cracking model Peter,very well done,I totally agree with Lous comments.
Barry.
Wow, I should of spell checked my message before posting it! Thanks for your support Barry.
Peter
It has been 11 years since this post tutorial was made and just now realized I had not posted any completed pictures of my Spitfire. Better late than none.
Lou
Uh oh. I feel like I'm working along that time line too......
Fraser