Experimenting with Nobi's free Spitfire IXc 1:48

[Leif Ohlsson]

I wanted to learn how to use a vector drawing programme, like Adobe Illustrator, and so I opened up one of the many fine free downloads, this time Nobi's free 1:48 Spitfire IXc.

I wanted to see if I could figure out how to design proper cockpit interior parts, so that you could make the canopy transparent. The result is attached below, as an illustration (don't download that). Unfortunately, the file is too large (even at a modest 376 kb) to attach here, but you can have it from this thread at Katonbau.de.

Nobi's perfectly fine Spitfire can be had for free from his own site, Thai Paperwork, or directly by clicking this link.

I also attach two photos of Nobi's own whitebuild of his Spit, plus an illustration of what I've made of it myself so far - a rescaled kit to 1:87, in order to be able to use standard HO-scale plastic figures. All parts, including my own modifications, fit neatly into a single A4, which is nice. Anybody wanting to try on this challenge, give me a PN with your email (the file is too large to attach here at 1.2 Mb).

The extra parts offered here of course are the same scale as Nobi's model, 1:48. Let me know what you think.

Leif

[GreMir]

Excellent work Leif!

[papiro]

Very good idea !
Improves the model a lot! and turns it more enjoyable...
A new defy solved, congratulations !

[lee4752]

Thanks so much for the great looking cockpit.

[Barry]

Nice design work Leif

[BARX2]

Great work! Thanks, Leif.

[Don Boose]

Very impressive, Leif! I really like your 1/87th variations on models and your variation on the Spitfire is excellent.

Don

[Leif Ohlsson]

I want to thank Nobi, the designer, first of all for publishing a free version fo this Spitfire; secondly for publishing it in a form that enables reworking; and third for letting me share what I have done with it so far.

I used Nobi's model to really learn the basics of working with a vector-based graphic programme; something that I never thought I would get the hang of. Right now I am pretty pleased with what I've learnt so far.

Here's what I did, and why:

• The model has got an entire inner skin, sort of enlarged joining strips. I always thought this would be the next logical step. Since formers, etc, already are dimensioned for double layers of paper (due to the joining strips), it wouldn't be too hard to enlarge them to entire inner skins, I thought.

• This made it possible to make a reasonably detailed cockpit for the present version. In the future, I thought it might lead to more cut-away models, showing various other interior details.

• The wheel wells have been opened up and the interior skin and frame members are coloured appropriately. A snug wheel-well as such was beyond me at present, but is entirely possible to add if you are the least bit clever.

• Some additional reinforcement details and wire parts were added.

• I am a sucker for arranging parts neatly on the sheets, and I hope what you get here is to your satisfaction: All fuselage parts on one sheet; left & right wing parts on separate sheets; inner parts on one side; outer on the other.

• The sheet for *-parts has been designed for folding up around the reinforcement layer, which enables backside colouring in the future (not much use here, although I applied some to demonstrate the principle).

• It is always nice to have full-size three-view drawings of the model you build, so I blew them up to correct size.

• I love instruction pages, but cannot make 3D versions. So I did the best I could with ordinary 2D sketches.

• Finally I adjusted the colours for a smaller model. I checked the colouring with Urban Fredriksson's IMPS colour chart, and lightened it up some 15 percent for a small model.

Here's what the sheets look like. Downloads in the next post.

[Leif Ohlsson]

Nobi very kindly allowed me to publish this version, so here goes. What you get here is not the original quality, but a reasonably sized pdf-version to fit into the site's restrictions. But since it is vector-based, quality is really well preserved.

I must say I am very enthusiastic about the vector way of doing things. I know everybody else has been so for ages, but better late than never.

The best part of it is that you can go on working on this version, recolouring, adding details, resizing, etc., with very little problems. It's really great.

Leif

[Lex]

Nice work!!! I never expect a model can be re-worked in 2d! Thanks for sharing!!

P: I'm not actually sure the formers took into account of paper weight though...