Academy 1/48 Spitfire Mk. XIVe

[paddy]

Nice subject (Mk XIV) makes a change.

[stikpusher]

Sept 12, 2023 14:48:07 GMT -5 paddy said:

Nice subject (Mk XIV) makes a change.

Thanks Paddy. Yeah, everybody builds those Merlin engined Spits...

[buddho]

Nice, crisp, clean build... waiting patiently for the next installment. 🤓

[stikpusher]

Sept 12, 2023 18:54:03 GMT -5 buddho said:

Nice, crisp, clean build... waiting patiently for the next installment. 🤓

Thanks Buddho. It will be couple of days before I have anything worth photographing to post.

[moparmadness]

I think some of these Academy kits are truly underrated. Their molding is superb in my opinion. You’re sure making the most of a good kit.

[stikpusher]

Sept 12, 2023 20:16:29 GMT -5 moparmadness said:

I think some of these Academy kits are truly underrated. Their molding is superb in my opinion. You’re sure making the most of a good kit.

I agree Chad, they are underrated for the most part. I have built a couple of their aircraft and quite a few of their armor kits. All have been good enjoyable builds. And thank you. 

[kyledehart5]

Sept 12, 2023 20:57:35 GMT -5 stikpusher said:

Sept 12, 2023 20:16:29 GMT -5 moparmadness said:

I think some of these Academy kits are truly underrated. Their molding is superb in my opinion. You’re sure making the most of a good kit.

I agree Chad, they are underrated for the most part. I have built a couple of their aircraft and quite a few of their armor kits. All have been good enjoyable builds. And thank you. 

This build and commentary is going to make me look into their kits closer.

[406 Silverado]

She's resembling an aircraft now Carlos! This one does build up cleanly it looks like. Will be watching for the painting process which outta be REAL good!! BTW.....no pressure.

[stikpusher]

Sept 13, 2023 4:31:09 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

She's resembling an aircraft now Carlos! This one does build up cleanly it looks like. Will be watching for the painting process which outta be REAL good!! BTW.....no pressure.

Nope, no pressure at all… I will be using the newer Tamiya RAF colors for the camo scheme. 

[stikpusher]

Over the past week or so I got the basic painting of the model done.





I used the new Tamiya RAF colors here... still need to go back and do some touch ups on the Ocean Grey here and there... I want to have the decals on by the end of the week.

[kyledehart5]

Excellent job on the camo! That really will look the part once the decals are on.

[stikpusher]

Thanks Kyle. I am pretty happy with the camo colors, although I prefer the Model Master enamel take on the RAF Temperate Day colors a bit better. Don't know which are more accurate, but I just prefer the Model Master versions' appearance.

[kyledehart5]

Sept 25, 2023 17:05:29 GMT -5 stikpusher said:

Thanks Kyle. I am pretty happy with the camo colors, although I prefer the Model Master enamel take on the RAF Temperate Day colors a bit better. Don't know which are more accurate, but I just prefer the Model Master versions' appearance.

I miss model master.

[stikpusher]

Sept 25, 2023 17:29:23 GMT -5 kyledehart5 said:

Sept 25, 2023 17:05:29 GMT -5 stikpusher said:

Thanks Kyle. I am pretty happy with the camo colors, although I prefer the Model Master enamel take on the RAF Temperate Day colors a bit better. Don't know which are more accurate, but I just prefer the Model Master versions' appearance.

I miss model master.

You and me both buddy! Although I will confess that I have a drawer full of their colors at my workbench. I still have my MM RAF colors, but I wanted to see how the new Tamiya colors looked.

[handiabled]

Camo looks great! I have to confess I still use MM enamel on virtually everything I build to this day. Looking into the future i have been looking at different options. Your opinion on the Tamiya line?

[kyledehart5]

Sept 25, 2023 19:22:32 GMT -5 stikpusher said:

Sept 25, 2023 17:29:23 GMT -5 kyledehart5 said:

I miss model master.

You and me both buddy! Although I will confess that I have a drawer full of their colors at my workbench. I still have my MM RAF colors, but I wanted to see how the new Tamiya colors looked.

I am nearly out of the MM steel (a favorite of car modelers everywhere) nothing compares to that color. And I only have one remaining can of their auto spray paint, a sort of metallic black. They had some great auto colors too. Have a few more bottles of other stuff but when it’s gone there’s just no replacement. I’ll muddle through with other stuff I suppose. I never built military kits when they were around so I never tried any of their military line.

[ogrejohn]

Nice camo work Stik!

[handiabled]

Sept 26, 2023 6:29:12 GMT -5 kyledehart5 said:

Sept 25, 2023 19:22:32 GMT -5 stikpusher said:

You and me both buddy! Although I will confess that I have a drawer full of their colors at my workbench. I still have my MM RAF colors, but I wanted to see how the new Tamiya colors looked.

I am nearly out of the MM steel (a favorite of car modelers everywhere) nothing compares to that color. And I only have one remaining can of their auto spray paint, a sort of metallic black. They had some great auto colors too. Have a few more bottles of other stuff but when it’s gone there’s just no replacement. I’ll muddle through with other stuff I suppose. I never built military kits when they were around so I never tried any of their military line.

If you both are looking for some different MM enamel  automotive colors, I have some I can part with. PM me for what I have a ton of spares of 

[Steve Zuleski]

I do like the colors of the camo work!

[paddy]

Colours are alway tricky as everyone is probably seeing them different because of their screens. On my screen it looks bright blue rather than grey but i do know those particular Tamiya colours are pretty much spot on so the fault is my end not ypours
Looking good

[deafpanzer]

Lovely work on the camo!

[stikpusher]

handiabled , Brent I really like the Tamiya RAF colors overall. But I think that the Green is a bit light and the Medium Sea Grey is a touch dark. I need to check out the AK Real Colors RAF paints sometime. I have their postwar shades for build that I need to get painted one of these days...

ogrejohn & @steve Zuleski, thanks guys! The Silly Putty masking worked out nicely with the paints used.

paddy , you are correct. In natural light, with the Mk.I eyeball, the colors do have a different appearance. But in the LED white light and after my photo editing choices, the Ocean Grey took on a much more blue tone. And each monitor will alter it from there depending upon your settings.

deafpanzer , thank you Andy! I'm glad that you like it.

[stikpusher]

Gloss coated on Thursday,


decals applied Friday


Next up is the panel line wash...

[kyledehart5]

Decals really look nice

[stikpusher]

Thanks Kyle! I used mostly the original Academy decals aside from the national insignia. They worked great!

[handiabled]

The markings on this really look good, your getting close to the finish line with this one

[buddho]

Such a super clean build, looks like its going together rather well. 🤓

[Joe Rix]

Nice sharp camo paint job Stik. Looks even better with the decals on.

[stikpusher]

Thank you gentlemen!

Brent, not too much farther to go. I want to have it all wrapped up by Tuesday evening so I can hand it off to the museum guy at this next coming IPMS meeting.

Buddho, the basic kit assembles beautifully! A trouble free build for the most part. And I'll keep it clean/low usage, as most of these late war fighters did not have the extended hard service life of the older brothers.

Joe, I agree 100%! The markings add so much more!

[stikpusher]

Well, I'm calling this one done.



I'll get a multi photo post of this up over in the completed aircraft section...