Question about Spitfire headrest

[Spitfires Forever]

When I build older Spitfires I am not sure about the color of the headrests, brown or black? And regarding the post Mk V Spits, I have seen some Mk VIII and XI's with them but could not figure out the color either. Were they leather stuffed pads or made from other materials? I am sure Edgar would know for sure but anyone who is knowledgeable on this subject is welcome to chime in.

Cheers

Edited April 15, 2014 by Spitfires Forever

[Edgar]

The majority seem to have been black, possibly because they were made from Basil leather (from sheepskin,) and maybe needed dyeing.

Any VIII, IX, or even a late V, should not have had the headrest, since it was deleted, on all Marks, during the Mk.V production run 20-7-42. What has happened on post-war rebuilds is anyone's guess, of course.

Seafires retained them, some of them being spring-loaded, to ease the shock of an arrested landing.

Edgar

[Guest]

Thanks again Edgar, time to break out the old razor saw. By the way, would you know if the early Mk VIII's with the extended wing tips had the longer or shorter air scoops under the engine? I am trying to convert a Hasegawa Mk IX to an early Mk VIII. I know the Mk VII had the short scoop which I would have go buy the Quickboost conversion set for. Thanks again.

Cheers

[Edgar]

Mk.VIIIs had the "tropicalised" intake as standard; it was just one of the reasons for the Mark's delay into service. The only "VIII" that I've seen with a short intake, was a XIV conversion.

Edgar

[gingerbob]

I thought a few very early Mk.IXs had headrests, but I may be mis-remembering. Wojtek Matusiak's book on IXs (Pt.1) should show this. If I get really ambitious I'll check later. I wouldn't expect to see any on VIIIs or XIs, though.

All VIIIs were tropicalized, but a few early ones (no idea how many) had a larger, "clunkier" looking intake shape- same general idea, just a bit bulkier. VIIs were NOT tropicalized (or rather "filtered"), so they retained the small, short intake, as Mr. Addict observes.

bob

p.s. Don't forget those ailerons!

[Guest]

I thought a few very early Mk.IXs had headrests, but I may be mis-remembering. Wojtek Matusiak's book on IXs (Pt.1) should show this. If I get really ambitious I'll check later. I wouldn't expect to see any on VIIIs or XIs, though.

All VIIIs were tropicalized, but a few early ones (no idea how many) had a larger, "clunkier" looking intake shape- same general idea, just a bit bulkier. VIIs were NOT tropicalized (or rather "filtered"), so they retained the small, short intake, as Mr. Addict observes.

bob

p.s. Don't forget those ailerons!

That is another question I have been meaning to raise. Did the Mk VIII with the extended wing have the same aileron set up as the Mk VII? I have some ICM wing tips that should fit quite nicely on the Hasegawa wing but I may have to do a little surgery to provide the shortened aileron. It would seem that it would make the change over to the shorter standard tips much more difficult.

Cheers

[gingerbob]

Sorry, but the VII/VIII airframe ALWAYS had shortened ailerons. The PR.XI, on the other hand, didn't! (Nor did the XIX, but the XIV did- the XIV descended from the VIII, whereas the PR types had more chromosomes from the PR.IV/Spit V>IX airframe, and especially the wing.)

bob