Italeri Vosper MTB

[snapdragon]

Italeri Vosper MTB

This is one of Italeri's big scale 1/35 fast boat series. They are quite highly detailed big kits and most if not all of them can be turned into fast R/C boats that scream around the local lake frightening the life out of the local ducks, swans, Geese and the odd swimmer and bather brave enough to venture in.

This kit is the Royal Navy's early war MTB. Italeri claim to have modelled MTB 77, a 72' 6" boat, but if you look at the picture provided in their in depth Vosper booklet which is part of the kit you can see that there are some differences between the photo and the kit. Never mind as each Vosper was slightly different and there are provision on the decal sheets for other boats.



The box is a big one and on opening it up you are confronted by the big one piece hull (apart from the stern transom) and the deck. There is plenty of moulded detail which is excellently done including deck planking which is very descreet, but under a coat of paint will pop slightly, enough to make it look good!





ON the hull part, right amidships and on the keel is the point where the mould opening is. It leaves a mark which on a finished and painted kit won't be seen, but it is very easy to remove.



The deck, as I have mentioned above has lots of moulded on detail, and also lots of holes to drill through from the underside. There are a lot of deck parts to add on. It is a very sturdy part and there are also holes where you screw this to the hull and then cover the screws with deck detail.







Moving on to the sprues makes you realise that there are not as many parts as you might think, but when you start adding them the MTB starts to look busy and cluttered with deck fittings, armaments etc.





Two torpedoes, stand parts, deck fittings..... lots of parts. All very well moulded and not much, if any flash to be seen, although there are a couple of mould release marks on a couple of parts that may have to be fixed and filled! Also I must point out, and this is me niggling that the exhaust ports that go on the hull could have been moulded in two separate pieces for ease of painting. This is really my only noticeable thing and I have to be very mean to point this out.







There is quite a large etched brass sprue which has portholes windows and all sorts on it.



There is a transparency sheet that is full of portholes and cabin windows. they are all pre cut and just need peeling off the backing sheet and then gluing in place.



There is a little bag with rigging twine and rope and a decal sheet with numbers for 3 boats. Italeri have not left much option for modellers who do not want to do Boat 77 as the decals that go on the stand mention MTB 77. This is something that Italeri should have been more careful with and thought more about!



All in all, this is a very nice and big kit that looks like when done will be, just straight out of the box an excellent representation of a Vosper MTB. I wonder if Italeri are going to release later models or even a MGB as part of the series.

So far their much anticipated and promised X-Craft in 1/35 has not appeared and won't in 2014. I wonder if they have abandoned it and if we are going to get any more 1/35 boats from them!

[number1]

Looks like this is going to be very impressive, can't wait to see what you do with it!

[Mark]

Nice looking kit James. I think it's going to take a little more time than the tanks you've been doing recently. Should look very good when it's done

[steve131]

Good choice as usual Snapdragons ,you got a good eye for kits, the Airfix 1/24 kits have a lot of mold marks in awkward places ,hard to fully get rid of.

[snapdragon]

It's a few days into the build and here's the photos. There is clean up to do on parts. mostly seams, but there is some flash. Not much though and overall I really have to niggle to find much wrong with this kit.

First up is the stand. This you actually build in stage 5, after the hull is complete, but I don't think that's right. With the Italeri big boat kits the stand is the first thing you build, then you have something to put the thing on!



Painted. I have done this in matt black and just needs decals and a clear matt varnish over the top



Lets move on to the hull. Italeri suggest that you paint it first, but there are parts to go on and so it makes sense to put the parts on before painting. The hardest are the port holes. they are etched brass parts and so we have to be careful with the old superglue I tend to use thick glue most of the time as it won't run anywhere.



A close up of one in place.



Porthole glass not installed at this stage.... I have yet to paint the hull.

The hull is painted overall with medium sea grey. It seems to fit, although photos in the accompanying book show the MTB's as a light grey. At the start of the war they should have been in 507C which is quite a dark grey, so I compromised a little.
After that I masked off the waterline. This is going to be flat black. Any parts on the bottom of the hull such as prop shafts and supports are fitted



Painting commences. Solid colours take time and more than one coat.



Somehow there is overspray! I can't see why as I thought I had masked off enough. Some paint lifted on the grey and I will have to do that again. No problem. Just means more time with the airbrush! You can just see some of the overspray and a couple of areas where the paint has been lifted or damaged. Easily repaired.



Moving back to the workshop from the paintshop I start doing components for the deck. Propeller less torpedoes. Ready for the paint shop



Torpedo Tube ready for the paint shop







OOH! Shiny! Main screws painted brass. a mix of 1:1 bright brass and silk varnish produced this. I would have used gloss varnish, but I don't have any in yet - Still it is a nice effect.



Flying bridge and cabin panels built and just waiting for the grey paint! There are still parts to add but I need to paint them separately.





Painted one of the Torpedo tubes. This is ready for the matt varnish and the rigging to be added.



Both Torpedo tubes now built. One painted, one not.



Other bits and pieces have been done such as the depth charges and their racks, smoke discharger, anchor..... Torpedoes currently in the paint shop and the main deck has been painted. I just have to tidy up the non slip areas and correct over spray. The clear portholes have been added to the lower hull.

This is a really nice kit. I am enjoying it. If the typhoon wasn't so close I would get the MAS to do!

[steve131]

As usual very nice Snapdragons ,what varnish you use

[number1]

Very very nice, love the colour of the props.

[snapdragon]

Varnish is the Vallejo Matt and silk Varnish that goes with the Model and Model Air colour range. More photos coming soon

[Mark]

It's coming on very nicely James. The props look excellent.

[RedRoo]

YOUR attention to detail is something to behold, and do you have the EM folding device too ? because the edges on the brass is crisp from what I can see.

Have a few K's mate

[snapdragon]

Here's an update.

Not much to show really apart from a completed hull so there are pics of that. The props. shafts, rudders etc are on. The deck is on, Hull decals on (not too happy with them. they silvered a bit. I did try spraying matt varnish but it must have gone off as I got a whitish bloom instead. It doesn't show on the photos!

For what there are in the way of decals I wondered about seeing if there are any mask sets around.







Red Roo, Thanks for the comments. I don't have any etched folding sets. I use a pair of pliers, my fingers, eyes and lots of patience. I have thought about investing in a folding aid but not acted on it yet. at this moment I am OK with long nosed pliers, files, fingers etc.

As the hull is to all intents and purposes done The only way now is up and the fitting out starts.

[Mark]

Coming on nicely James. Have you got any decal softener ? That may help with the silvering problem you're having. A coat of glass varnish before you apply the decals will also help. They don't like a matt surface. You can give them a coat of matt or satin varnish afterwards to seal them in and given them the right finish.

The bloomed matt varnish ? Was it damp when you sprayed ? That is a common cause of blooming (and it's a blooming nuisance ! )

You're making great progress. Have a K

[snapdragon]

What was meant to be damp?

Next time I will try a coat of Gloss Varnish and then decal fix, softner and then some matt varnish.

Funny thing is that it happened to some silk varnish too. I am not sure on what happened at all, but I am sure that the paint was cured and dry, the weather was hot and dry.... anything else???????????

[Mark]

Sorry, I wasn't very clear - I meant damp humid weather. High humidity can cause paint/varnish to bloom.

Your plan of attack on the decals should give perfect results.

[snapdragon]

Things are moving now as the fitting out reaches a frantic pace to get this finished so that the bench is clear for the Tiffy.

This update I put the wheelhouse and the flying bridge together. The clear acetate windows are put in with glue and glaze, fine detail is painted and the lifebelts are installed. This is a major part of the build and once this is installed and complete then we can start putting in rigging and armaments.

















Next time we add the final part of the flying bridge after it has been in the paint shop and add detail and rigging to the bow area.

[number1]

Looking good, near the finishing post now

[casper]

looks excellent snaps
K posted

[denzel]

Did you get her finished ?

[snapdragon]

Indeed I did finish her. I have forgotten to take photos. If I can get a decent weather day then I will take some finished photos and post them. I'm sorry for not doing so. Consider it a

[Julian]

Nephew Sunk Her..