Building a Spitfire, any advice?

[lythronax]

Update: Bumps and stubble

I've began adding the various bumps dotted across the fuselage. The first blister modelled is one located on the lower right engine cowling and allows an enlarged air compressor, though famously in the Mk II an identical blister encases a Kaufman starter - which the Merlin 60-series never used.

After making a boolean cut in the cowling, I began making some practice exhaust stubs. These are pretty rudimentary and not perfect in the slightest, so I'll likely make new ones with a cleaner shape.

Things are, however, going smoothly. If you have any comments, critiques or advice please don't hesitate to reply!

 

[lythronax]

Quick update: Blocky radiators...

Quick test of the shape and placement of the radiators (I'm debating whether to model the actual scoop shape integral to the wing, or if it's too much hassle).

 

[lythronax]

Testing something...

That basic model of the wing and fuselage is pretty much done (excepting the wheel wells), so I've had a go at converting the IX into some other marks. These won't really be going towards anything, just as a quick exercise.

First the easiest, which is the Mk VC in 1944 configuration:

Pretty much involved dragging back the cowl fore of the two stage supercharger and doing some re-contouring. The result is better than I had expected.

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The next is one of mine and many others' favourite Marks - the Mk XII (though missing quite a few features)

This was more complicated. I had modelled a spline at the firewall, so I simply removed the Merlin section and modelled a single-stage Griffon, based on a Seafire XV cross section - which had more or less identical cowlings to the Mk XII. This new section was then welded to the firewall and smoothed. The rudder was also reprofiled into the pointed type. Overall it's rougher than the V, but that's due to mistakes I made in scaling the reference drawings I used. If I ever get round to properly building a XII, I'll be sure to check my work
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[lythronax]

Update: Tailwheel, corrections, refinement

Quick one today; been making some alterations and fixes to smoothing, shape and other issues. On top of this I've started building the tailwheel assembly.

Here is how it's looking against the plans I've been using:

 

[lythronax]

Update: Pitot tube, bumps and the Aero Vee filter

Short update this afternoon. Minor details such as the smaller intakes around the engine cowling have been built, as has the pitot tube and the rudder trim tab. Other work done includes reshaping and resizing of the carburettor intake, further re-contouring of the wing fillet and engine cowlings, as well as changes to the shape of the tail wheel.

Something I built as a little experiment has turned out much better than I had anticipated. So, here's a rudimentary Aero-Vee intake which was fitted to all HF IXs and most LF IXs (early ones were essentially indistinguishable from the F IX with the temperate intake):

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Things that still need to be done for the exterior:

• Finish off fine detailing (blister on upper side of wing - outer MG access panel; blisters on underside of wings - behind the cannon and MG ejector chute openings)
• Create actuator rods (and their housings) for the rudder and all three trim tabs
• Create aileron, rudder and elevator hinges/rods
• Correctly position pivots and animate all surfaces
• Develop tail wheel strut and castoring unit models
• Open and extrude carb' intake
• Build and animate filter for the Aero-Vee fitted variant
• Cut out radiator scoop, build radiator units and develop the radiator baths
• Cut out wheel wells
• Build and animate wheel struts and wheel units[STRIKE]
• Build, animate prop[/STRIKE]/hub
• Build navigation and identification lamps
• Cut out and animate cockpit side-door
• UV Map and create rudimentary texture

After this work has been done I can begin work on the internals, which will be the biggest challenge before the Virtual Cockpit is started. Thanks for reading! If you have any comments or advice please don't hesitate to let me know.

Take care!

 

[lythronax]

Update: Prop and 2 variants

Second update for today; tonight I made a rough attempt at the big 4-bladed Rotol propeller. As I currently do not have plans for this just yet I made some rough guesstimates based on photos and more basic outline drawings. The result isn't too bad, though it will be replaced when I pick up a copy of the big Monforton bible. Some more contour and shape changed have also been made.

Additionally, I've revised the Volkes filter and I now have two variants that can be made by swapping out some specific parts.

Spitfire F IX (and early LF)

Spitfire LF IX (mid-production)

 

[lythronax]

Update - Final bumps and lumps

Between last night and today I have cut out and mirrored the blast tubes for the four .303 Brownings, as well as the various blisters on both upper and lower surfaces for the breeches of each gun, and a few others.

 

[hairyspin]

Then you're nearly finished the easy bits, eh?

 

[lythronax]

Then you're nearly finished the easy bits, eh?

That's what I fear The wheel well and gears are the last of the big exterior details (aside from some control surface things and the fuel tank filler cap), and then the real challenge begins .

 

[lythronax]

Bit of news: I've acquired the Monforton Spitfire Engineered 'bible'! Everything from the firewall and back (as the new station diagrams are for the bulged cowling and Aero-Vee filter) is going to be remade to the most stringent of standards. I'll be sure to report back later with the results!

 

[hairyspin]

You'll find that a most invaluable reference!

 

[lythronax]

You'll find that a most invaluable reference!

I believe it's the reference you used in the Cross Section Modelling thread? It's an excellent book, and having the E-book means I can simply import the needed page as a JPG; it's already been a life saver.

First new piece: accurate prop!

 

[hairyspin]

I believe it's the reference you used in the Cross Section Modelling thread?

Well spotted!

 

[lythronax]

Update - Nearly the end of the beginning...

To my surprise, the prop I had previously made was already close enough so a new one wasn't really needed. Some more details such as the wheel wells and ejector chutes for the gun cartridges have been cut, as well as the casings for the elevator trim tab actuators. The final external details to be made are: gears and wheels, rudder and rudder trim tab actuators, mirror and other canopy details, and the flaps.

 

[Ivan]

Just out of curiosity, which wing type an armament is this Spitfire equipped with?

 

[lythronax]

Just out of curiosity, which wing type an armament is this Spitfire equipped with?

TLDR: C wing with two Hispanos and four Browning 303s.

Most Mk IXs used the C/Universal Wing (structurally identical to the C wing of the Mk VC; many of the early IXs being straight conversions of this type). This denotes four gun bays in each wing - the inboard two of which being capable of carrying cannon, and all four capable of carrying a Browning .303. In theory, it's structurally capable of carrying any mixture of armament that was required, though when the C wing was being designed the intended sets of armament were either:

1. Eight Brownings (never fitted or even trialled)
2. Two Hispano, four Brownings (most common, often called B type armament)
3. Four Hispano (rare, often called C type armament)
4. Four Hispano, four Brownings (rarer still)

The last two options (in VCs) were only ever fitted briefly in Malta, and were often halved to two cannon (or two cannon and two MG in Option 4 birds). The 8x303 armament was never fitted. In time all C wing Spitfires would use Option 2, as although the 4 cannon armament wasn't too heavy as is often mistakenly stated, it did however reduce roll rate unacceptably as the fitting had been poorly designed as differences in inertia with big heavy guns so far outboard of the centre-line hadn't been anticipated. This would be rectified in the Mk 21 where the armament was standardised.

By the time of the IX's introduction into service, only Option 2 was actually possible to fit - ducting from the radiator for cannon heating had retroactively been introduced through the outboard cannon bay on the production line and there was no such room anymore.

In 1944 the E wing was introduced, structurally identical to the C with two outboard cannon and two inboard Browning 50 cals. I'll also model this version somewhere down the road.

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I've replaced the plans I was using with the Monforton drawings. To my joy they lined up almost exactly; though some contours such as the upper cowling and tail-fin leading edge were changed, as was the length of the Aero-Vee filter which is now longer.

 

[lythronax]

Update - New intake

Courtesy of the Monforton book: an accurate early intake. Never in all my puff did I think I'd find a drawing for this beauty.

 

[hairyspin]

The cowling top looks first-rate now.

 

[Bradburger]

Very nice work lythronax!

It will be nice to see and early MK.IX in a sim.

If you need any pictures or references I would be more than willing to help/share/send/advise.

On the subject of cowlings, the IX becomes interesting because they developed initially from the Rolls Royce converted MK.Vs to the Supermarine built machines, and then of course the CBAF built ones.

If you can get hold of it at a reasonable price, I recommend 'Supermarine Spitfire IX 1942-1943 Vol 1: Polish Wings' by Wojtek Matusiak. Lots of good pictures of early to mid build IXs, including detailed shots of the various cowlings (interesting to see the variations between the RR converted Vs), plus other details such as local mods and production ones.

Whilst of course it only concentrates on Polish Squadrons, it is never the less a very valuable resource for Spitfire scale & 3D modellers, and of course the aficionado.

Cheers

Paul

 

[lythronax]

Very nice work lythronax!

It will be nice to see and early MK.IX in a sim.

If you need any pictures or references I would be more than willing to help/share/send/advise.

On the subject of cowlings, the IX becomes interesting because they developed initially from the Rolls Royce converted MK.Vs to the Supermarine built machines, and then of course the CBAF built ones.

If you can get hold of it at a reasonable price, I recommend 'Supermarine Spitfire IX 1942-1943 Vol 1: Polish Wings' by Wojtek Matusiak. Lots of good pictures of early to mid build IXs, including detailed shots of the various cowlings (interesting to see the variations between the RR converted Vs), plus other details such as local mods and production ones.

Whilst of course it only concentrates on Polish Squadrons, it is never the less a very valuable resource for Spitfire scale & 3D modellers, and of course the aficionado.

Cheers

Paul

The cowling top looks first-rate now.

Thank you both!

I've made a few alterations here and there, and although she's accurate and is looking 'right' I will likely remake some parts (fillet, cockpit enclosure, tail feathers) to allow better smoothing and overall cleaner topology.

And just for fun

Take care everyone. Will keep you updated.