Another (Tamiya) Spitfire Mk IX question....

[Chris Preston]

Happy Easter All,

Another plea for help from the Spitfire gods ...................the Spitfire I'm moldelling (443 Sqn, RCAF), was - according to to the replies I received to my last post - fitted with a Gyro Gun-sight (June 1944). If so, would aircraft fitted with this sight still require the (refelctor) gun-sight spare bulb stowage, Tamiya part # F30? If not, would the stowage assembly be removed completely, or left in the aircraft minus spare bulbs?

Thanks again for your help.

Chris Preston,

Victoria, BC

[Edgar]

This is the ideal layout of the G.G.S. IID, which doesn't show any spare bulbs, nor can they be seen in the XVI's Pilot's Notes. It's possible that the bulbs (there were two) were inaccessible in flight, so spares would have been a waste of time (and space.)

On the XVI, the "selector dimmer" was on the starboard cockpit wall, not on the front panel, so the IX's likely to have been the same, I'd say.

From photos, it looks as though the "junction box" was fixed into the front RH corner, replacing the spare bulbs rack, but, again, I have no absolute proof.

Note that Tamiya have not included the special "twist grip throttle control," nor the Bowden cables leading to the gunsight.

Edgar