Spitfire 21

[Bill Neill]

This is Aeroclub Spitfire 21 conversion for the Airfix 22/24

The fuselage is assembled the tailplane and wings are just sitting there right now to sort out the fit

The wing and cockpit interior were salvaged from an Airfix 24 build that went bad.

I sawed off the cannon stubs got to find something that looks less like drainpipe.

No real fit issues so far but I had to deepen the groove that the control panel slots into by about 1mm and remove the inside piece on the wing that makes the interior of the inboard flap to get the wing to sit right. Going to be flaps up anyway. Both due I think to the Areoclub plastic being a bit thicker than the Airfix.

More later....

Bill

[Artie]

Mmmmmmmm......Another good looking Spitfire, reveals a modeler with loads of good taste.

I've always thougt the Spit is the sexiest plane ever made, and the bubble canopy ones are second to none.....

Good luck, and please keep us informed...!!!

Cheers..

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Nice! Spit 21s seem to be rather popular, but it's hardly surprising. I'm surprised that someone hasn't seen fit to release a mainstream kit of the mark.

The Aeroclub conversion kit is nice, isn't it? However, I have to admit to not using it when I built my Spit 21. I grafted the rear fuselage from an Airfix IX onto an Airfix 24.

What markings are you going to use?

[Edgar]

Bill, one point to remember, if you're doing the 41 Squadron 21, since it had a contra-prop, it also had the broad-chord rudder, with a 2" deeper horn. If you don't have the makings, Airwaves do one, as part no. SC48-093, but you'll need to deepen the horn.

Edgar

[TheModeller]

Nice, I'm doing the same thing myself using some Cooper Details bits a Hasegawa Mk.IX cockpit and based on the Seafire 46/47 to get the contra prop.

Edgar posted a detailed description of the colour scheme some time ago I saved a copy to a text file...

"Blackpool Air Pageant 1947, 41 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire Mk.21, (LA232?) Contra-Prop.

Mk.21s fitted with a contra-prop had a Mk.18-type broad-chord rudder, with a 2" deeper horn, with the corresponding 2" taken off the fin top. The stripes are correct, in total, but there was a 3" wide black stripe, running from the windshield, to the spinner, down the centre of the cowling.

Under the side frames of the windshield (both sides,) a Squadron Leader's pennant was carried. Hidden by the open door, but carried on both sides, there was an 18" high Sky letter "D." The wing stripes were 12" (same size as the fuselage stripe,) but continued to the wingtip join line, not to the very tip. The tailplane stripes were 6", and went right to the edges of the planes, finishing at the same angle, but did not extend onto the elevators. The whole a/c was painted silver, except for the cowling panels, and the fuselage fuel tank cover, which were burnished bare metal. The cowling badge was a spearhead, not an arrow head, 18" long, and yellow, thinly outlined in red.

No serial no's were carried at all and the ORB does not say which a/c was used."

Nice work so far.

Edited August 6, 2010 by TheModeller

[Bill Neill]

Nice, I'm doing the same thing myself using some Cooper Details bits a Hasegawa Mk.IX cockpit and based on the Seafire 46/47 to get the contra prop.

Edgar posted a detailed description of the colour scheme some time ago I saved a copy to a text file...

"Blackpool Air Pageant 1947, 41 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire Mk.21, (LA232?) Contra-Prop.

Mk.21s fitted with a contra-prop had a Mk.18-type broad-chord rudder, with a 2" deeper horn, with the corresponding 2" taken off the fin top. The stripes are correct, in total, but there was a 3" wide black stripe, running from the windshield, to the spinner, down the centre of the cowling.

Under the side frames of the windshield (both sides,) a Squadron Leader's pennant was carried. Hidden by the open door, but carried on both sides, there was an 18" high Sky letter "D." The wing stripes were 12" (same size as the fuselage stripe,) but continued to the wingtip join line, not to the very tip. The tailplane stripes were 6", and went right to the edges of the planes, finishing at the same angle, but did not extend onto the elevators. The whole a/c was painted silver, except for the cowling panels, and the fuselage fuel tank cover, which were burnished bare metal. The cowling badge was a spearhead, not an arrow head, 18" long, and yellow, thinly outlined in red.

No serial no's were carried at all and the ORB does not say which a/c was used."

Nice work so far.

I seem to have two threads going here my internet connection blew out during the first try so I re did the post

Now I have to figure out how to shut one down..

Bill

[Prop Duster]

I seem to have two threads going here my internet connection blew out during the first try so I re did the post

Now I have to figure out how to shut one down..

Bill

unless you think, there's a better way

ps like what I have seen so far Good Luck

Edited August 7, 2010 by Prop Duster

[TheModeller]

I seem to have two threads going here my internet connection blew out during the first try so I re did the post

Now I have to figure out how to shut one down..

Bill

my mistake, I posted before I noticed the other thread with Edgars detailed info and the debate over the likely serial.

Edited August 8, 2010 by TheModeller

[Mike]

Now I have to figure out how to shut one down..

No ya don't Bill - done it for you and amalgamated all the replies

[Bill Neill]

No ya don't Bill - done it for you and amalgamated all the replies

Thanks mike

Progress today...

Cut the fin down for the deeper rudder balance the top pencil line is the original fin top lower line is the cut line as per John Aero post on Spitfire 18 rudder.

Rudder is the one I salvaged from the Airfix 22/24 reshaped to match the John Aero drawing blutacked on for now to check shape

Dont like the shape of the radiators on the Airfix wing going to cut them off and use the ones from the Aeroclub conversion set

Bill

[Bill Neill]

Ok got some more bits on

Wings and tail are glued and filled spinners and rudder are blutacted to check fit

Normally once I get to the major airframe complete the build goes into a pause where I can wait for the filler to settle down

Going to be a pause for a couple of weeks I am going to work on the DH Comet 1 conversion

Bill

[AnonymousDFB1]

I'm enjoying this, nice progress

[Doug Rogers]

Coming together nicely Bill, looking forward to seeing her done.

[Warris]

Interesting build Bill

[Bill Neill]

Ok got some more bits on

Wings and tail are glued and filled spinners and rudder are blutacted to check fit

Normally once I get to the major airframe complete the build goes into a pause where I can wait for the filler to settle down

Going to be a pause for a couple of weeks I am going to work on the DH Comet 1 conversion

Bill

Ooh shiny!

Tamiya silver leaf out of rattle can over Tamiya white primer.

I'm going to go with red decal strip for the stripes easier to correct mistakes and it's all plain stripes except for the canopy

Bill

[Doug Rogers]

Looking good Bill, can almost hear the PA system and the crowds cheering already!