1/48 Spitfire PR Mk.XIX (SwAF S 31) done the hard way.

[flarpen]

Hi

I started this project before the very nice Airfix PR Mk.XIX had been announced (had I known I would have waited for that one instead )

The basis for this is the Academy Mk.XIVc kit with the Daco correction nose / spinner with radiators and gear legs

The bowser wing with lower camera ports comes from the Heritage Aviation Resin PR.XIX kit. (Didn't have the airwaves conversion set).

I used the Aires cockpit set for the Mk.XIVc with some major alterations to get in the PR.XIX specific stuff.

Seatbelts comes from the HGW line of fabric seatbelts (this sure beats pe seatbelts by miles)

4-spoked wheels with block tread comes from Ultracast and the canopy comes from falcon.

Swedish decals are from RBD Decals

Painted with Xtracolor PRU Blue

A WIP can be found here:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234918899-148-spitfire-prxix-swaf-s-31/

Well that's it, on to the pictures. And there's quite a few so bear with me.

best regards

Johan

[PlaStix]

Fantastic looking Spitfire! You put a lot of effort into making this one just right! Well done!

[batcode]

very nice work, looks great some nice detail , nice scheme and paint ,great build nice job

Edited July 16, 2014 by batcode

[Vingtor]

Very nice model, Johan!

Doing a conversion like this, a new kit is destined to appear before you are finished. Myself I am thinking about crossbuilding the Eduard Spitfire Mk.IX and the Airfix Mk.XIX to make a Mk.XI....

Nils

[CanDid]

A lot of patience has gone into that build, with a stunning result. Well done

I'd loved to see that blue bird roaring the skies!

[goon]

So many little details that add finesse, and a beautiful colour scheme. Well done!

[wellsprop]

Looks great to me Great kitbash!

[Steviej]

meget smuk.

[Spitfire31]

This is a really impressive example of the dedicated modeller's art! Respect, man!

The PR Mk XIX/S 31 is my all time favourite aircraft, so please forgive me if I pick a couple of minor nits.

The radiator housings of the Heritage wing are not strictly accurate with their bulged sidewalls. The sides should be flat; the 'roundness' being the contour of the fairing where it meets the wing. It's a common misinterpretation of two dimensional drawing…

And you've missed the little whip antenna with its black cupola shaped housing, located just behind the ventral camera ports. It's shown here, for instance:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/83471605@N00/245237409

I'm sorry that I can't remember its function. I'd guess direction finder, but I'm sure Edgar would know.

You've done a terrific job with the S 31!

Kind regards,

Joachim

[Val]

That's a fantastic model! I really, really enjoyed the build thread as well. The end product is certainly worth all the hassle. The new Airfix kit is a cracking kit, no doubt about it, but this model does have more restrained and realistic panel lines and therefore probably better than making the Airfix version. Top, top work

[flarpen]

Thank you all.

I appreciate all the kind comments.

This is a really impressive example of the dedicated modeller's art! Respect, man!

The PR Mk XIX/S 31 is my all time favourite aircraft, so please forgive me if I pick a couple of minor nits.

The radiator housings of the Heritage wing are not strictly accurate with their bulged sidewalls. The sides should be flat; the 'roundness' being the contour of the fairing where it meets the wing. It's a common misinterpretation of two dimensional drawing…

And you've missed the little whip antenna with its black cupola shaped housing, located just behind the ventral camera ports. It's shown here, for instance:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/83471605@N00/245237409

I'm sorry that I can't remember its function. I'd guess direction finder, but I'm sure Edgar would know.

You've done a terrific job with the S 31!

Kind regards,

Joachim

Hi Joachim

I welcome all feedback.

I was actually not aware of that issue with the radiator housings. Have not looked close enough at my reference pictures I guess. But as the radiator housings come from the Daco Products correction set I assumed that they would be correct in shape. There you go, note to self: always check and recheck against available pictures even for AM "corrections".

I'm aware of that antenna under the belly (can't remember its function either at the moment). But I elected not to install one because the one picture I have of 31036 clearly shows that at the time of the photo it didn't have that mounted.

/Johan

[ViggenFan]

About the radiator shape look here:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Spitfire_mark19_ps853_planform_arp.jpg

I learned something new today from the replies to this thread and so I checked my AZ-models kits of spitfires and the admiral Mk.22 and 24 have wrong outer wall shape of the radiator but the Ib, IIb, Vb, Vb trop and IX all have correct shape. Very strange since they are from the same Company and about same timeframe.

Is an Amazing beaautiful S31 and I love the color that looks about perfect compared to the original S31 PRU bluepaint parts at the F11 museum in Nyköping and not the strange color used on the Flygvapenmuseum example.

[flarpen]

Thanks

Really nice picture. I'll know what to watch out for in my next build.

Yes, I think that xtracolor got a very convincing PRU Blue shade. I actually bought several different makes and compared them to one and another.

I asked the people at flygvapenmuseum about the color on their S 31 and the explanation I got was that the clear coat they used has yellowed during the years and that would explain the wrong color on it. If i recall correctly I think he said that they used the correct (original??) color to paint it with.