Spit Mk Vb strengthening plates above wheel wells

[Spitfires Forever]

Happy New Years to all

.  Got a question regarding the strengthening plates (my interpretation, someone else can clarify this term) that were placed on the Spitfire B wings for certain production runs of the Mk Vb. My conundrum is basically whether I can use the Tamiya kits very often because there is precious few pictures that I could find of Vb's with the strenghthening plates. Luckily I have several Hasegawa kits, but to be accurate I can't use any of the five Tamiya kits I have accumulated over the years because all my markings are for aircraft with the "clean wings." I imagine the Spitfire that Tamiya picked to make their mould for the kit had the strikes/strengthening plates on the wing. Where these plates retrofits? Any help would be appreciated. From the pics of Stanford-Tuck's aircraft, which I have decals for, I did not see the strengthening plates.

Cheers

[Vanroon]

The stiffeners were retrofitted to prevent the collapse of the surface over the wheel well. 

Removal is relatively simple using a sharp knife and file. As most of my Mk.V Spitties have been converted into Mk.Vc Trop, it is just one of the steps required to get there. 

Happy modelling

Grant

[Alex Gordon]

This thread should provide the answer.

 

[gingerbob]

My take on the situation, in a very general "big picture" way:

 

The rails were a Mod of a certain date, so no Vb before that time would have them.  A different mod was incorporated into production that rendered the rails unnecessary, so no Vb built after that would have them.  (Yes, they are sometimes found on other versions, but the Vb is the most common.)

 

I recently got the new(ish) Airfix Vb in 1/48 second-hand, and the chap had removed the rails that are also on that kit, and done such a clean job of it that I was grateful.  It isn't a big deal, but one less thing I'll have to do for that particular kit.

 

bob

[Guest]

11 hours ago, Alex Gordon said:

This thread should provide the answer.

 

That seems to confirm my suspicion, and I believe the Hasegawa Mk lX has a similar pedigree. Oh well, if we expect perfection in plastic modeling we might find it more profitable to take up stamp collecting or another pass time. I will stick with my little plastic replicas regardless.

Cheers