Small updates:
Wings are complete, save for the radiators and landing gear which will go on later to avoid damage from handling. I cut out the cannons from the kit but decided it would be better to carve some toothpicks for durability.
I completed the rear control surfaces, via the usual method of making a slot through the fuselage, and wrapping the skin around formers with a long tongue and groove that fits through the fuselage piece. I carved the formers from mount board to match the profile of the entire horizontal stabilisers in order to prevent any surface creasing. The vertical fin has a former supplied.
The rest of the fuselage sections are the expected series of cone sections. At the front I modified the pieces to better depict the long 'Griffon scoop' unique to the last two Seafires, by cutting off part of the former and shaping the side profiles. The sides were also cut to have more realistic placement of the exhaust stubs.
The centre fuselage will require the cockpit to be built before it is closed up, so I started on scratchbuilding that with the help of reference photos and plastic model kit parts. Having printed the model twice I had some extra formers to use for the profile of ribs but most of this is guesswork. I find the inside of the Spitfire's door a particularly tricky part to get convincing in this scale, the framing always seems too thick or not thick enough.
I also came across an excellent site which is a complete reference to all the Spitfires with some lovely illustrations:
Spitfire and Seafire | Illustrated guide to all marks and variants
