Black Spitfires

[Vic Fezensac]

Evening all,

First post and already wanting something!

Currently building the Tamiya Mk Vb as an all-black night fighter from the Victory sheet 'Aces of the Empire' but screwed up with the fuselage codes when decaling.

Any chance anyone has a spare set they're not going to use - all I am looing for are the JU-H codes as I have yet to destroy the roundels and fin flashes?

It is suggested that there are no wing roundels on this one - can anyone confirm this?

TIA

[Derwentsider]

I have that sheet in my stash,and I won`t be building that particular machine.PM your details and I`ll bung it in an envelope and send it to you.

Tim.

[Vic Fezensac]

Cheers Tim,

PM sent - what excellent service!

[drdave]

I think JUH had upper wing roundels, but no underwing. Theres a Polish book on the Vb with a good photo.

[Vic Fezensac]

I think JUH had upper wing roundels, but no underwing. Theres a Polish book on the Vb with a good photo.

Thanks drdave

Can anyone expand on this lead? I've since found a couple of photos in the Osprey book on Mk V Aces but the photos, whilst of JU H, are not conclusive wrt the wing roundels.

TIA

[Seahawk]

I think JUH had upper wing roundels, but no underwing. Theres a Polish book on the Vb with a good photo.

There's a sequence of pictures in Spitfire At War 3 (pp 42-3) that show JU-H, mostly the same ones as in the Osprey but reproduced much larger. The way the light is playing on the wings makes it difficult to be sure either way. However the accompanying captions say "the aircraft was painted matt black overall and wore no serial number and no roundels above or below the wings. The aircraft carried normal fuselage roundels and toned-down identification letters." Given that all the photos in the chapter and 90% of the text were provided by the aircraft's pilot, Sgt Peter Durnford, I'd assume he provided that information as well and therefore be inclined to go with that. I read the pictures as Osprey have: no markings except standard A1 fuselage roundel and medium sea grey codes.

On the other hand we all know how unobservant pilots can be about their steeds.

First post by the way: hello, everybody.

Nick

[Hepster]

There's a sequence of pictures in Spitfire At War 3 (pp 42-3) that show JU-H, mostly the same ones as in the Osprey but reproduced much larger. The way the light is playing on the wings makes it difficult to be sure either way. However the accompanying captions say "the aircraft was painted matt black overall and wore no serial number and no roundels above or below the wings. The aircraft carried normal fuselage roundels and toned-down identification letters." Given that all the photos in the chapter and 90% of the text were provided by the aircraft's pilot, Sgt Peter Durnford, I'd assume he provided that information as well and therefore be inclined to go with that. I read the pictures as Osprey have: no markings except standard A1 fuselage roundel and medium sea grey codes.

On the other hand we all know how unobservant pilots can be about their steeds.

First post by the way: hello, everybody.

Nick

Hi Nick, welcome aboard (belatedly.) Glad to see your encyclopaedic knowledge is being put to use.