1/48 Douglas Bader's Spifire Mk.Va W3185

[Sid de Koning]

As the title suggests.. I plan to build in the near future a 1/48 Spitfire as the personal plane of Douglas Bader, W3185. I understand this was an early Mk.Va (probably converted from Mk.I )

Bader's history is probably very well known here, so I won't elaborate.

I would like to use 1/48 Tamiya's Spitfire Mk.I, kit 61032 as a basis since I believe this wing is usable for the 8 gun mk.Va wing.

I also want to know more about any particulars of this specific plane. I have the Aero Detail book no.8 for the Early Spitfires.

1) Engine:

a- can I use the DH three-bladed propeller and spinner as is in the Tamiya kit?

b- do I need the round Mk.I exhausts or the later fishtail version? I have both.

2) Fuselage:

a- entry door with or without the bar installed? I read the bar wasn't installed until production models in february 1941. But haven't found out when W3185 was build.

b- early windshield with the armoured glass outside and matching canopy or the later version? I have both.

c- Did W3185 have the TR1133, TR9D or no HF antenna wire installed?

3) Wings:

a- Mk.I oil cooler or the Mk.V? Is there anybody who has the Tamiya or Eduard Mk.V oil cooler left over, or one who I could borrow to make a resin copy of?

b- Metal ailerons is pretty much what seems to be popping up on my research iso the fabric ailerons for a Mk.I. I have both.

c- Outside of the outer guns, were there Gun Heating Hot Air Outlets installed? Were they different in size left and right?

d- Was a gun camera already installed in the left wing root? Supposedly from Vb upwards..

e- How many underwing circular inspection panels were in each Va wing? 8 or 9? Tamiya seems to be missing the third one looking from the wingroot to the tip.

4) Cockpit:

a- Did the seat have a padded back and the circular flare holder in front of the seat pan?

b- Interior green inside of the cockpit but also in the aft compartment where the O2 bottles were stowed?

Any other things I should now of?

If anyone has pictures of this particular aircraft, please post them here (or send them to me personally).

Your help is really appreciated!

Regards,

Sid

Edited January 27, 2016 by Sid de Koning

[VG 33]

Hi Sid

A friend of mine who is some sort of "WikiSpifire" made these answers :

1) Engine:

a- can I use the DH three-bladed propeller and spinner as is in the Tamiya kit? / Yes, he must : slim blades and short pointed spinner.

b- do I need the round Mk.I exhausts or the later fishtail version? / Round exhausts are the right ones.

2) Fuselage:

a- entry door with or without the bar installed? I read the bar wasn't installed until production models in february 1941. But haven't found out when W3185 was build. / W3185 made its first flight on May, 10th, 1941, and provision for the crowbar was supplied in February, 1941 therefore, entry door with the crowbar.

b- early windshield with the armoured glass outside and matching canopy or the later version? I have both. / Same as for Mk.Is and Mk.IIs; early windshield and matching canopy.

c- Did W3185 have the TR1133, TR9D or no HF antenna wire installed? / For VHF: tapered mast without triangular prong, VHF TR 1133 radio, no wire although the rudder post may still be fitted. IFF fitted wires running from fuselage roundel to leading edge of tailplane tips. An insulator in the form off a small dot is visible just forward of upper part of the red centre spot.

3) Wings:

a- Mk.I oil cooler or the Mk.V? Mk.V oil cooler

b- Metal ailerons is pretty much what seems to be popping up on my research iso the fabric ailerons for a Mk.I. / Metal ailerons for any Mk.V.

c- Outside of the outer guns, were there Gun Heating Hot Air Outlets installed? Were they different in size left and right? Same as for Mk.Is.

d- Was a gun camera already installed in the left wing root? Supposedly from Vb upwards. / Yes, gun camera in the left wing root.

e- How many underwing circular inspection panels were in each Va wing? 8 or 9? Tamiya seems to be missing the third one looking from the wingroot to the tip. / There were 9 underwing circular inspection panels, as for Mk.Is.

No overwing stiffeners as they were introduced in July 1942.

4) Cockpit:

a- Did the seat have a padded back and the circular flare holder in front of the seat pan? Cockpit display was strictly similar to the Mk.I's.

b- Interior green inside of the cockpit but also in the aft compartment where the O2 bottles were stowed? British Interior Green everywhere but O2 bottles aluminium.

Patrick

Edited January 27, 2016 by VG 33

[Troy Smith]

As the title suggests.. I plan to build in the near future a 1/48 Spitfire as the personal plane of Douglas Bader, W3185. I understand this was an early Mk.Va (probably converted from Mk.I )

Bader's history is probably very well known here, so I won't elaborate.

I would like to use 1/48 Tamiya's Spitfire Mk.I, kit 61032 as a basis since I believe this wing is usable for the 8 gun mk.Va wing.

b- Interior green inside of the cockpit but also in the aft compartment where the O2 bottles were stowed?

Any other things I should now of?

If you want accuracy, don't bother with the Tamiya kit, while a very well engineered kit, it is fat, a bit short and has slightly to broad chord wings.

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234968337-two-148-mkvb-spitfires-tamiya-and-airfix-new-spitfire-collection-expansion-project-finished-photos-now-in-the-rfi-section-080615/page-3

show basic fuselage modifications.

It is fixable, if you like chopping up kits.

If not, get the NEW tool Airfix MkI/II, you may need a circular oil cooler, but this maybe in the kit.

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234978041-2015-new-tool-148-airfix-spitfire-mki-a05126/

If you use Tamiya Mk I you will need to find one anyway, as well as sanding down the ailerons. The Airfix kit ones are separate, which would make that easier.

the new Airfix kit does require care in assembly, missed mould lines and sprue nibs will throw off later alignment, I keep reading of 'fit' problems which are the result of not doing this.

Spitfire cockpits were grey green, but behind the seat bulkhead is aluminium paint, as are the rest of the internal areas, see

http://spitfiresite.com/2010/07/anatomy-of-spitfire-cockpit.html

Due to the fantastic quality of the restoration work which took full 30 years, the cockpit of this Spitfire conforms almost entirely to wartime production standards. For this reason, the following photographs can serve as reliable reference to the cockpit layout of the production Spitfire Mk. V.

The Airfix kit also has correct side walls.

Markings for W3185 were in the OLD tool Airfix Va kit.

see also

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234933213-bader-mkva-w3185-radio-fit/

HTH

T

[Sid de Koning]

Thanks guys for replying!

Hmmm.. I didn't know there was that much to do with the good ol' Tamiya Mk.I I have in stock..

I am thinking of buying the Victory Production decal sheet with the D@B P7966 to make life easier as for the Oil Cooler. The shape is also significantly wrong in the Tamiya Mk.Vb kit. The prop seems to match as is compared to the ones in my Aero Detail book..
I am not fond of Airfix, so I will not buy their products any more.

Troy, is that picture 100% sure of the Mk.Va? And what is in front of the pennant?

It's probably the same aircraft as this?

Looking at the uninstalled crowbar it must be this A/C, the P7966..

Edited January 28, 2016 by Sid de Koning

[gingerbob]

I am not fond of Airfix, so I will not buy their products any more.

Well, I don't know your reasons, but to not buy their new kits because of older kits is missing out on some of the best kits coming out of late. Just be sure of what you're getting, because there are old kits being sold in "new" boxes, too.

I'm not certain of Troy's photo, either, but I wouldn't put too much faith in the crowbar not being present. By the way, metal ailerons for "all Mk.Vs" is incorrect, though they were switched out in the summer of 1941, and you can be sure that Bader got his as soon as possible!

bob