Spitfire Vc 4 Squadron SAAF

[Beard]

As I'm getting near to the finishing post on my two current builds, I thought I'd start another.

 

In both of my Sword Seafire III boxings, there are spare wings and fuseleage which means that, with some additions from the spares box, a Vc can be made.

 

Here are the Sword bits:

 

 

and the spares:

 

 

Clockwise from top right: 'early' tailplanes from an AZ MkIX; interior bits from a Sword XIV (I realised, after taking the photograph, that they're for a low-back and have been replaced with parts from an AZ MkVb); wide cannon bulges from an AZ MkIX; resin cannon from a Sword MkVc; above them are an Airfix MkV oil cooler and an AZ radiator; wheels are from an AZ MkVb and; undercarriage bits from a Sword MkXIV. Missing is the canopy, which I forgot to photograph, which is from either an AZ Vb or a Sword Vc (I'm not sure which). I just need to work-out what exhausts to use, I'm thinking MkV ones would be appropriate.

 

I'm using decals from the Hannants sheet X72228, 'Fighters over Africa and the Mediterranean Part 1'. The schemes were researched by our very own Tony O'Toole.

 

This one caught my eye:

 

 

It'll make a nice change from my recent diet of Middle Stone/ Dark Earth over Azure Blue.

 

Thanks for looking.

Edited December 7, 2016 by Beard
To correct spelling

[rob85]

Your a machine! 

 

Really like the scheme and your cunning plan of cross kitting!

 

 Rob 

[Beard]

I have a couple, maybe three, more builds planned before 25th December as well. We'll see how well this one turns out before then.

[tonyot]

Great minds think alike,......I was thinking of putting all of my left over wing and fuselage parts together and seeing if I had a complete kit project on the books,.....so good luck.

 

Here is some info about this Spit, although I cannot personally vouch for this scheme as the info comes from South African enthusiasts;

Here is a `similar' aircraft,.......although this one does seem to have MSG upper surfaces with PRU Blue undersides.;

 

I would also recommend this build by Jonners;

Personally I think that this Spit, KJ-Z would have been painted in the MSG/PRU Blue high Altitude scheme,.......but the Hannants artist preferred to go with the South African info and who am I to say that this is wrong,. (although he did also get the fin stripe colours the wrong way around,...so don`t fall for that one!).... something just tells me that the MSG/PRU Blue is more probable. There is a fuzzy photo of KJ-Z in one of my SAAF books,......if I can get to it I`ll try and copy a pic for you, which was also sent to the artist,

 

Cheers

             Tony 

 

Edit,.....here it is,...note that they have it as a Mk.Vb rather than a Vc even though it has visible outboard cannon stubs and a large cannon bulge further forward than that on a Vb,.....so therefore it is a Vc.;

 

Edited December 8, 2016 by tonyot

[Beard]

Thanks for the information and photographs Tony, most useful and will stop me making a big mistake because I hadn't spotted that the fin flash colours were the wrong way round. I'll annotate the instructions to remind me, because I will forget!

 

If it had the official HA scheme (MSG over PRU Blue) then both profiles are wrong but what if the Squadron used what was at hand (i.e. Light Med Blue) for the undersides, rather than PRU Blue?

 

The photograph of the actual aircraft certainly suggests that it wasn't PRU Blue over MSG.

 

Good luck with your kit-bash, the only issue I've found so far is the fit of the Eduard elevators to the Sword fuselage. They'll work but, without some filing of the fuselage attachment point, there's not a lot of contact area to glue and will need some filler (I hope that makes sense but I'll post a photographs later to illustrate my point).

 

 

Edited December 8, 2016 by Beard
to correct text.

[CedB]

12 hours ago, rob85 said:

Your a machine! 

 

Seconded! Assembling from spare bits... very Johnny Johnson! 

And three more before Christmas! Wow...

I'm in Simon

[Beard]

Well, the Sword bits fit together...

 

 

I haven't put any glue on the wing roots yet but a test fit shows there shouldn't be too much of a seam.

 

As my Kittyhawk I is approaching decalling (it's just a had a first coat of Kleer), I think I'll be starting either a Smer Fulmar, Smer Kittyhawk III or, Hasegawa Kittyhawk IV (although the only markings I have are one Tony O'T has already made in this GB). I'll definately be doing at least one more Spitfire Vb as I have the last kit from Joypack (Plus I found a Sword Malta Spitfire/ Re2001 double pack whilst going through the stash yesterday (I also found a Sword PR Spitfire with MTO markings but that's for another day)). to do and some decals in mind.

 

Thanks for looking and the support. All comments are welcome.

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

Hi Beard - good to see another KJ-Z spring(bok)ing to life!

 

I spent along time trying to get to the bottom of this scheme when I built mine, and that pic T O'T has posted is the ONLY photo of this crate.

I "really" wanted it to be in the blue, but the balance of probabilities is that it's Medium Sea Grey on the top.  4 sqn records show they often flew top cover escorts for Kittyhawks, and my feeling is this machine was repainted in a more high altitude scheme to act as a bounce aircraft on such missions. However I took the view that as it was probably delivered in the standard Azure blue over DE/MS scheme, they would have left the Azure alone and just repainted the top camo colours.  So at least it looks a little different. The serial remains elusive to this day alas.

 

Good luck  - whatever you choose to do colours wise it will look cool, if not lekker man!

 

 

Jonners, aka Johannes Van Tabinuis

 

PS Hmmmm, Spitfire - not built one for a while.....

 

 

 

 

[Beard]

Thanks Jonners. 

 

Funnily enough, I was re-readying my reply to Tony O'Ts comment and thought, perhaps it's MSG over Azure Blue rather than Light Med Blue.

 

However, I think, looking at the first photograph Tony posted, it's clearly a light colour over a darker colour (which would suggest MSG over PRU Blue or Light Med Blue). The second photograph is harder to interpret, it looks (judging from the Vokes filter) to be darker over lighter.

 

I'm going with MSG over PRU Blue. At least until I get to the painting stage.

 

I've also been looking at your build (which is splendid, by the way) and you should make more Spitfires. You know it makes sense.

[Beard]

With the Sword fuselage bits assembled, I moved onto the tailplanes.

 

Here's a slightly wobbly photograph of the attachment point.

 

 

And here are the AZ tailplanes attached.

 

 

There's a gap but I think some Humbrol filler will sort it out.

[rob85]

Looks better than the gap in the nose of my Boston and that was (supposedly) made to go together...

 

i think you will take this in your stride 

 

Rob

 

 

[Beard]

Two coats of Humbrol 165 later.

 

 

 

[CedB]

Nice and smooth Simon, looking very smart.

[Beard]

Topside painted:

 

 

and underside (I used Xtracolor PRU Blue):

 

 

It's since had a bit of a rub-down with fine Micromesh and I've installed the cannon.

[rob85]

This will be a beautiful aircraft Simon, love the colours

 

Rob

[Beard]

23 hours ago, rob85 said:

This will be a beautiful aircraft Simon, love the colours

 

Rob

 

Thanks Rob.

 

Most of the decals are on...

 

 

The decals haven't had the 'very hot water' treatment yet.

[Beard]

A quick, no photograph, up-date.

 

All the decals have had the 'very hot water treatment' (sometimes known as the 'Beard method', although I can't claim credit), the canopy has been installed and painted (must remember to always do it that way in future as its much easier), the aerial mast has been installed and, I'm now waiting for the underwing decals to come loose from the backing paper.

 

This one will be finished with a couple of days to go.

[Killingholme]

That's a really attractive scheme, will certainly have to have a go at that.

 

Good luck getting finished.

[rob85]

Excellent news Simon!

 

Rob

[Beard]

Finished! Photographs are in the Gallery.

 

Thanks to every-one who commented, helped, and liked along the way.

[CedB]

Very smart Simon and an interesting and unusual scheme - good job! 

[Beard]

17 hours ago, CedB said:

Very smart Simon and an interesting and unusual scheme - good job! 

 

Thanks Ced. Also, thanks to Jonners and Tony for their advice and, to Jon and V-P for hosting the GB.