Italeri 1/72
Spitfire Mk. IX

Hi!
This is Italeri's Spitfire Mk.IX in 1/72 scale. A cheap kit to buy, but it includes some good details, like the cockpit door and rear view mirror on the windshield. Besides I liked engraved panel lines, and rivets of the kit. 

Assembling started with cockpit, seat belts were added, they were produced from Tamiya's masking tape. I faced serious fitting problem between wings and the fuselage, therefore Tamiya's putty was used much.

Paints are Humbrol, except Dark Green of camo is Model Master's. Underside and upperside were airbrushed, but suddenly I decided to challenge myself, and the dark green was painted by brush and in free-hand method. I painted it in two thin layers. I think it looks fine:-).

The kit comes with three decal sets. I think the best one is the Spitfire with black & white Victory Stripes. But it needs masking to make those stripes, and I did not have much time for a masking process. You should build that one if you buy this kit. My choice is from the Squadron 602 "City Of Glasgow." I guess this plane was flown by French pilots, who sheltered in Great Britain after the Nazi occupation of France. As you can see near the cockpit, the emblem of the Free France Army has been painted.

You can't hardly wash a Spitfire, like a German Gustav, or a Japanese Zero. I think British kept very clean and tidy their planes, due to a fear from the days of the Battle Of Britain. So my Spitfire is as clean as possible. Dark brown pastel chalk was used on the underside, a few black pastel dust was applied rear area of exhausts and guns. Finally paint stripping effect ( of course -a few-) was done by silver pencil. 

Happy modelling to you all!...

Sertan ERAL