Timo Starkloff

It's been a while since I looked into your building thread the last time, your Percival is looking fantastic 🙂 Regards, Timo

Until now it looks really good, I'm very happy with the result. Tomorrow I'll apply some smaller black markings. It'll get to the details again. The masking film is called Oracal 810, cheap and easy to work with. I just recognised I need a transfer tape after cutting out the markings. Regards, Timo

The new airbrush is very easy to clean, but with all these different colours it's still some work. And of course, applying all the paper cover over the rest of the plane.

I try to keep it simple in my own style. Apart from the printed pilot everythings done the same way as Brian Taylor would have done it. Just some pieces of balsa and plywood.

I'm trying to complete the basic finish until end of July. There's a big and friendly warbird meeting in South Germany, once every year with that group. So I'm busy with the cockpit to be able to glue the canopy in place and also applying the major markings and colours. Timo

Hi Peter, we're already in contact via private message. To all others, the plans are finished 75%. Enough to build a model, but still a good way from publishing. Actually I'm busy with the 1/12 Spitfire, but I will resume work on the Whirlwind plans again. It's lots of work and takes time. An important milestone, this weekend I've airbrushed the upper parts of the aircraft. Weather was good and I had the time. Several hours of work but the result looks great 🙂 And we've just had the latest online meeting of the Whirlwind Fighter Project. They have made good progress on the rudder and afterwards we had a nice chat. If someones interested to join, here's the link: https://www.whirlwindfp.org/ Timo

I wanted to have the reconnaissance versions since reading stories about the planes and pilots. My colours are brighter than the original, there are not many scale colours available with Oracover and I wanted to avoid airbrush this time. Of course, brighter colours help in close dogfights with seven models. Timo

Finishing the fuselage.

Due to a motor failure (loose magnets) I swapped for a slightly bigger motor. Flies fine, doesn't get as hot but I have to increase prop diameter a bit for better performance.

Two links to markings with dimensions: RAF Roundels WWII Army Air Force Markings And the Cold War story of Swedish Spitfires: Sweden's Spitfires in the Cold War Of all aspects of the Spitfire’s service, its post-war use as a photo-reconnaissance platform by the Swedish Air Force is one of the least well-known — especially as regards clandestine overflights of www.key.aero Regards, Timo

Attaching the cowling parts to the fuselage (without the fuselage looks too sleek). And I managed an after work flight during sunset at calm and warm spring weather 🙂 Timo

Time to order the missing parts and material for finishing the models! Timo

Some work with adding details. Regards, Timo

Last week I went flying again. Uncomplicated and good fun to fly 🙂

Another interesting story I found: https://www.key.aero/article/how-rolls-royce-bought-spitfire-ps250