A 1/24th scale Spitfire built in the 70s.

[bob letterman]

Last evening I received an email from a name I had long forgotten. Back in the 70s, I had built a 1/24th scale Spitfire. It has been so long ago I don't remember many details. I believe it was a Matchbox kit. It was a Mark I, and I converted it to a Mark II. To be honest I can't even remember what all that entailed. I do remember cutting out that open panel to the radio compartment and thought that was a really big deal at the time! The only aftermarket at that time was the cockpit detail set from Waldron. Actually, that guy was ahead of his time. Nothing else would appear on the after market scene for many years later in the late 80s.

I took it to several shows including an IPMS National in Phoenix AZ. It had won a lot of trophies including several best of shows. Remember, this was in the stone age of modeling.

Anyway, a guy from L.A. contacted me, his father was a pilot in the Eagle squadron before America entered the war and he wanted to present it to him for a birthday present. At the time I had never sold a model before and when he asked me what I would take for it I said $300. I do remember at the time, I thought that was really a lot of money for a model. He bought it and I never heard from him about it again until yesterday, 12/18/12.

He told me his father was still alive in his 90s and had treasured the Spitfire all these years. He sent a dozen photographs and it was really weird to see something I had built after all those years. I thought I would share them with you guys. I won't be describing details as I honestly can't remember much. I did paint the cartoon figure freehand, but not much else.

I really got a kick out of looking at these. Brought back some memories. I hope you enjoy them as well.

Bob

 

[Brokeneagle]

Re: A Spitfire from the 70s.

B)
Great job Bob, I ddi one of these for a collector too - on a very similar base.

Interesting to see the chipping on the inside of the cockpit door hatch - early days long before the current trends.
The cockpit work, engine and cammo all look great. He must have had this in a cabinet to have kept it looking this good.

Thanks for sharing Bob.

Ian.

 

[moon puppy]

Re: A Spitfire from the 70s.

Interesting to see the chipping on the inside of the cockpit door hatch - early days long before the current trends.

Where do you think everyone got the idea from?? :drinks

Thanks for sharing Dad :v

 

[fightnjoe]

Re: A Spitfire from the 70s.

beautiful work, sure does not look like a build from long ago. looks very good.



joe

 

[MrT]

Re: A Spitfire from the 70s.

Great work!

Terry B)

 

[bob letterman]

Re: A Spitfire from the 70s.

B)
Great job Bob, I ddi one of these for a collector too - on a very similar base.

Interesting to see the chipping on the inside of the cockpit door hatch - early days long before the current trends.
The cockpit work, engine and cammo all look great. He must have had this in a cabinet to have kept it looking this good.

Thanks for sharing Bob.

Ian.

Thanks Ian,

It was the dawn of weathering back then.

Bob

Interesting to see the chipping on the inside of the cockpit door hatch - early days long before the current trends.

Where do you think everyone got the idea from?? :drinks

Thanks for sharing Dad :v

Thanks Junior,

The photos did bring back some memories.

In the late 70s, early 80s, the powers that be in the IPMS national organization, were ultra conservative when it came to weathering. They had an unofficial policy that anything with the slightest bit of weathering would never win in competition. They liked aircraft that looked pristine as having just rolled out of the factory. The same was true of armor, but there was more movement there than in aircraft.

I remember bringing this to a chapter meeting and having some of the old timers tell me it would never win in competition because it was so "heavily" weathered. As you can see, It was hardly weathered at all by today's standards. Several of us fought the system back then and today weathering is as common as modeling is itself.

In retrospect, it was such a different climate back then. It was kind of a battle between the "technical" modelers and the "artists". The technical modelers were what we call rivet counters today and they felt only exactness of detail mattered and that weathering detracted from that. In reality, I always believed they didn't want it to change because they didn't know how to weather. There were no detail sets or any aftermarket at the time and I remember clearly when aftermarket began to proliferate in the mid to late 80s, many of those guys were angry. The aftermarket allowed many formerly mediocre modelers to compete with the old detailers and they mostly either stopped modeling or remained bitter old men. Fortunately, some of the artists were also capable of technical modeling as well as creating works of art and weathering was here to stay.

Just a bit of model history for you!

Bob

 

[bob letterman]

Re: A Spitfire from the 70s.

Thanks Joe,

Not much compared to what folks are turning out these days, but for it's time, I guess it wasn't bad.

Bob

 

[bob letterman]

Re: A Spitfire from the 70s.

Great work!

Terry B)

Thanks Terry,

Just a blast from the past!

Bob

 

[Tankbuilder]

Re: A Spitfire from the 70s.

Thanks Joe,

Not much compared to what folks are turning out these days, but for it's time, I guess it wasn't bad.

Bob

The most important thing in building anything is not any possible prizes but rather if you enjoy building it.

Cheers

 

[denstore]

Re: A Spitfire from the 1970s.

Great model, great story and nice info on the weathering in those days. I would say that a lot of judges thinks this way today as well. At least here.
I believe that the kit must be the Airfix kit. The big Matchbox kit was a 1/32 Mk 22/24. Both where on my Christmas wish list in the late 70's and early 80's.
I wish more models ended up like this one.

 

[bob letterman]

Re: A Spitfire from the 70s.

Thanks Joe,

Not much compared to what folks are turning out these days, but for it's time, I guess it wasn't bad.

Bob

The most important thing in building anything is not any possible prizes but rather if you enjoy building it.

Cheers

I have enjoyed building models since I was four years old. That's 67 years worth. I became a trophy hunter in 1982 and really enjoyed competition for the next couple of years. By then I had VLS going into overdrive and knew it would be bad policy to continue competing with my customers and potential customers. I retired from competition in 1984 and never returned. I have had many guys try to talk me into it, but, after all is said and done, I really don't miss all the anger that's prevalent in so many competitions.

During those two years I did compete, I DID compete. These are some of the trophies from those two years.

Bob

 

[bob letterman]

Re: A Spitfire from the 1970s.

Great model, great story and nice info on the weathering in those days. I would say that a lot of judges thinks this way today as well. At least here.
I believe that the kit must be the Airfix kit. The big Matchbox kit was a 1/32 Mk 22/24. Both where on my Christmas wish list in the late 70's and early 80's.
I wish more models ended up like this one.

It could very well be. If Matchbox didn't build a 1/24th scale, then it must be Airfix. I built two from the same company around that time. The other was a Bf-109 E4 that I put in the diorama below a couple of years later. As you can see, I was learning quickly then and this plane was both a lot more detailed as well as weathered.

The complete diorama can be seen here.

https://www.modelersalliance.com/forum/bob-letterman/1373-several-of-my-old-dioramas

Bob

 

[Sharkmouth]

Re: A Spitfire from the 1970s.

WOW! If you told me you had just built it, I would believe it as the finish is tight.

Regards,

 

[paddy]

Re: A Spitfire from the 1970s.

Ah the days when RAF aircraft wee Duck Egg Blue underneath before Tamiya invented their very own colour and called it Sky !!

Its something that really winds me up these days with spitfires, people almost paint them green on the underside. I guess its only people of a certain age like me who look at the BoB film and realise they used Duck Egg Blue as well and it looks correct.
Rather bazaarly there was spit on the airshow circuit over here a season or two back and it was painted up for film work with chips and wear and tear, smoke stains running from the gun barrels, the full job, Guess what ? it too was duck egg Blue on the underside. when filming had finished it was painted back to sky again.

 

[bob letterman]

Re: A Spitfire from the 1970s.

WOW! If you told me you had just built it, I would believe it as the finish is tight.

Regards,

Thanks Saul,

I did notice a grease stain on the upper engine cowling that I am sure wasn't there when I built it, must have been from it's current owner!.

Bob

Ah the days when RAF aircraft wee Duck Egg Blue underneath before Tamiya invented their very own colour and called it Sky !!

Its something that really winds me up these days with spitfires, people almost paint them green on the underside. I guess its only people of a certain age like me who look at the BoB film and realise they used Duck Egg Blue as well and it looks correct.
Rather bazaarly there was spit on the airshow circuit over here a season or two back and it was painted up for film work with chips and wear and tear, smoke stains running from the gun barrels, the full job, Guess what ? it too was duck egg Blue on the underside. when filming had finished it was painted back to sky again.

Yeah,

Even way back then, I was still doing my homework. Duck egg blue is such a strange name for a paint, but if you think about it, describes it perfectly! If I remember correctly, I used a Humbrol tin of the stuff to paint the underside.

Bob

 

[Tim A.]

Re: A Spitfire from the 1970s.

Great story Bob and the Spitfire still looks good! When I first stubbled on to this site (Tanks & Things) then, your website was the first thing I remember clicking on. I also remember making my wife look at it too haha. That 109 dio stood out. Heck, everything did :laugh:
I have one model from the 70's, a B17 I built for my Grandad. He was part of the 34th Bombardment Group stationed at Mendlesham England. He past away in 2001 and I was given it back. The model sat on his bar almost 30 yrs and is a bit worse for wear.

Thanks for sharing Bob :v


Tim

 

[paddy]

Re: A Spitfire from the 1970s.

Great story Bob and the Spitfire still looks good! When I first stubbled on to this site (Tanks & Things) then, your website was the first thing I remember clicking on. I also remember making my wife look at it too haha. That 109 dio stood out. Heck, everything did :laugh:
I have one model from the 70's, a B17 I built for my Grandad. He was part of the 34th Bombardment Group stationed at Mendlesham England. He past away in 2001 and I was given it back. The model sat on his bar almost 30 yrs and is a bit worse for wear.

Thanks for sharing Bob :v


Tim

I often drive past Mendlesham. There is a memorial there by the road. the whole airfield is an industrial estate now but some of the original building are still there and aerial shots show the runways which are now roads etc.

 

[Tim A.]

Re: A Spitfire from the 1970s.

Hi Paddy, thanks for posting that pic. My Grandad was part of the ground crews. I have a book that was his of Group (H). One of the photographs shows a LT. with ground crew under the nose of the B17 named "Hit and Miss" I am 99% sure he is one in this pic. I'd like to find out more details about his time there.

Tim

 

[paddy]

Re: A Spitfire from the 1970s.

Hi Tim

What was his name ?
There was a B17G at Mendelsham called Hit and Run. Hit and Miss was a reference to hit a target and miss a mission where bombers would rotate operations on a a hit and Miss rotor, hit one , miss one, hit one ,miss one etc

 

[Tim A.]

Re: A Spitfire from the 1970s.

Hi Paddy, His name is Ronald E. Simpson S/SGT. All I've found is that he flew back to the states as a passenger on a B17G Piloted and crewed by the Mullens' crew

Hi Tim

What was his name ?
There was a B17G at Mendelsham called Hit and Run. Hit and Miss was a reference to hit a target and miss a mission where bombers would rotate operations on a a hit and Miss rotor, hit one , miss one, hit one ,miss one etc