Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia in foreign service

[Jack109]

Dear All

 

I have the Airfix Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia (I think is this one as its not very cleare from the box) kit, 2006 version here the link Scalemates link

 

As this is not a great mould its at the bottom of my stash, but nevertheless I want to give it a chance and build it... but in foreign service.

 

which countries do you think had this version of the spitfire?

 

I am also open to suggestions for nice alternatives even if not accurate, its a not amazing kit so I want just to make it fun. when I want to do a serious one I will build a Tamiya or a newer Airfix that seem to be amazing.

 

All suggestions are very appreciated.

 

 

Thanks

[Jack109]

I have asked for this post to be moved to the right section, sorry for the mistake

[Graham Boak]

The French had one, and the Portuguese received several late in the war.  Some were intended for the Turks, two set off but I don't think they got there, ending up in a Middle East OTU.  There were a large number of customers prewar, but all such orders were cancelled or denied in 1939.  You may or may not care to include the Fleet Air Arm, who used some as fighter trainers late in the war.

[Max Headroom]

The Germans had a captured example. Someone here did a build on that recently.

 

The Portuguese machines were I think provided mid war, so may have had some Mk.V characteristics retrofitted (spinners, exhausts, wheels and oil cooler) but check photos.

 

Two Turkish machines ended up with the RAF in the Middle East (again someone here's done one). Never seen them in Turkish markings though.

 

Trevor

[Hornet133]

The Turks had three (yes they saw actual service in that country).  But after the outbreak of war they could not get spares. One was cannibalised to keep the other two flying.

 

They were pursueded to pass the extant two airframes onto the RAF in the M.E who used them as operational trainers in exchange for the promise of Spit Mk.Vs later.

[Jack109]

Thank you, I will have a look if I can find some photo of the version you mentioned.

 

I had another one and I painted in silver with a red stripe.. I think there is also an airfix model of a newer kit with this...

 

 

what about a black paint for night operation under british colours? something possible?

[tempestfan]

The Luftwaffe Spit was the one for which decals were provided in the original issue (and several afterwards) of your kit, AZ-H. IIRC it was flown both in Luftwaffe and in fake RAF markings for Propaganda pics - if you see a Spit I with odd single letter codes on both sides of the incorrect "B" fuselage roundel trailed 15 m by a 109E, that's the one. Discount every book or article in which this is described as a "real" dogfight for incompetence.... just like books showing a Hispano Buchon with original engine (From "Star of Africa" movie) claiming this to be a German 109 (yes, you know who you are...).

[Mark12]

An original print in my collection.

 

L1066 & P9566

 

PeterA

 

[303sqn]

L1066 was prepared for shipping to Poland in 1939 but never reached there and was diverted to turkey.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Hello jack my two cents if you dont mind. I believe there were two mk1's used by hollywood in 1942 for the movie "Spitfire" here in the states. I believe released as "the first of the few" in Britain Starring David  Niven. The story goes that they were loaned to hollywood for propaganda and to boost the battle of britain story here in the states. Those might be interesting to do say as a scene from the movie ? 

[Wm Blecky]

You might want to do a search on Hannants' website.  They have plenty of decal sheets for Spitfires.  I am sure you could find something that catches your fancy.

[Wm Blecky]

Just as a follow up, KORA offers several sheets of captured Spitfires (Max made mention of this):

 

Here is an Estonian Spitfire Mk.I

 

There is also this Turkish example from Tiger Head Decals:

 

Hope these give you some ideas!

[modelldoc]

Nice to see these sheets, but the Estonian, real or only a project?

 

modelldoc

Edited July 1, 2017 by modelldoc

[303sqn]

12 Spitfires were ordered by Estonia in 1937. The order was cancelled when war broke out.

[Nick Millman]

China also requested to purchase Spitfires in May 1939 but plans for the sale were dropped with the outbreak of war. Had it gone ahead there might have been an interesting encounter between the Spitfire and the Zero over China during the summer of 1940.     

 

Nick

[Brad]

Blackbird Models do a nice sheet of Turkish Spitfires that includes the MK 1 'black 3'. Here a link to my completed model here.

 

 

 

[Mark12]

On 01/07/2017 at 5:23 PM, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Hello jack my two cents if you dont mind. I believe there were two mk1's used by hollywood in 1942 for the movie "Spitfire" here in the states. I believe released as "the first of the few" in Britain Starring David  Niven. The story goes that they were loaned to hollywood for propaganda and to boost the battle of britain story here in the states. Those might be interesting to do say as a scene from the movie ? 

 

I would be inclined to check that out a little further. 

 

PeterA

 

The film contains historically significant footage that would otherwise have been lost to posterity:

• Film footage of the Supermarine S.4 in taking off from Southampton Water, and in flight, now available nowhere else.^{[citation needed]}
• Footage of many real-life Battle of Britain fighter pilots in the opening and closing scenes. RAF fighter pilots such as Tony Bartley and Brian Kingcombe (with pipe) have cameo roles in the scenes at the dispersal, and are seen discussing their flights with David Niven before take off and after landing.
• Film footage of Jeffrey Quill flying a Spitfire Mk II in the final scenes of the film. Jeffrey Quill's log book records that the aerobatic flying sequences featured in the last 20 minutes of the film were made by him from Northolt on 1–2 November 1941, in a Spitfire Mk II, flying for one hour, five minutes on 1 November and for 45 minutes on 2 November 1941.
• The workers seen building the Spitfire, near the end of the film. These are the real workers, filmed at the Hamble Supermarine Factory, one being Wilfred Hillier (wearing spectacles), working on the only left handed lathe, imported from Germany.

[warhawk]

Another foreign "almost" operator was the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

Having successfully obtained some early Hurricane Mk.Is (as well as licence to produce them locally), the same order was places for the Spitfire.

Due to worsening situation in Europe, this was rejected.

 

However, Serbian company Lift Here makes a "what-if" set of fictitious decals for the Spit Mk.I, as well as some other unrealized orders:

 

https://lifthereserbia.wordpress.com/2010/06/27/717-lh-so-what-unreal-yugoslav-fighters-part-1-in-172/

 

Regards,

Aleksandar

Edited July 4, 2017 by warhawk

[Antti_K]

Hello Jack!

 

My offer is a "What If". After the Soviet Union's attack against Finland in November 1939 Finland asked to buy Spitfires from Britain. As we all know Britain needed desperately each and every Spitfire that could be produced, so we got Hurricanes instead.

 

How about a Spitfire with RAF camouflage complete with black and white under surfaces but with Finnish national insignia and serials?

 

Best Regards,

Antti

[Dave in Oxford]

On 04/07/2017 at 11:42, Antti_K said:

Hello Jack!

 

My offer is a "What If". After the Soviet Union's attack against Finland in November 1939 Finland asked to buy Spitfires from Britain. As we all know Britain needed desperately each and every Spitfire that could be produced, so we got Hurricanes instead.

 

How about a Spitfire with RAF camouflage complete with black and white under surfaces but with Finnish national insignia and serials?

 

Best Regards,

Antti

I'd love to do some 'what if' models with Finnish markings, I lived around Kouvola from 1996-2012 and of course, Utti is just outside town.