Edgar

According to Vickers, the Martin-Baker hood jettison gear was introduced on the Mk.V with the new hood and windscreen originally developed for the Mk.III. The only photo I have, of the III canopy, shows a double thumb-push style of release.

Why is it my job to provide all the evidence? You said that you didn't believe that the Tempest used the reflection-off-the-windscreen gunsight, and, now that you know that they did, you want evidence that early Tempests were as stated in the A.P. A.P.2458C states that the Series 1 airframes were not supplied with the modified sight; if you read the test report from the AFDU, the change was done by a simple repositioning of the sight's bracket, so could be done by any pilot or Squadron wishing to make the change. Very true, but I am trying to earn a reputation for digging out, and passing on, accurate information to modellers who have an interest in such things; that reputation goes out the window if I write a load of garbage.

True, and at some stage (don't know when) we went over to "Scheme Z," which was five red coats, two of which were a 50/50 mix of dope/thinners.

There may well come a time when "I don't believe," becomes acceptable in aviation research, but, in the meantime, I'll stick with looking at the physical evidence (from various sources.) This illustration comes from the Air Publication for the Tempest V, and, as you can see, the reflector glass is missing. In the list of modifications, for the Tempest V, 36 is for a "windscreen reflection gunsight," and it applied only to the Series 2 Tempest, not the Series 1, so early aircraft didn't have them. This comes from a report by the AFDU; note how it instructs the removal of the glass, and fitting of the sight on the other side of the mounting bracket from where your Indian pilot has it mounted, and where it is in the photo which came with the report (which I supplied before.) Missing from the part of the report I've supplied is the date, 28-2-44, long after the car-door Typhoon came into service, so it's hardly surprising there are photos of early Typhoons without the modified sight. And, incidentally, Typhoon pilots found the single red dot was far easier for aiming rockets, since there were fewer distractions.

You'll find several hundreds of them in Westminster.

The Typhoon and Tempest did away with the reflector glass, and had a single spot reflecting off the front windshield. Beamont came up with the modification, and, after a fierce fight with the know-alls at the Air Ministry, he got it accepted. This is taken from early trials at the beginning of 1944; the final result differed because they also found that the sight was too near the pilot's face, so the overall layout was changed:-

Going by Peter Cooke's drawings + some odd photos, it looks to be 15" (possibly 18") long, 2" in width, and has an aerofoil cross-section.

Aerials were normally not painted, since the material was often stainless steel, so the yellow sounds like a post-war "elfin safety" addition for museum staff crawling around underneath. The only material (that I've found so far) that had yellow paint advocated was (magnetic) armour plate, as on the Lancaster pilot's headrest.

If it's 230 Squadron, the IO seems to have been a modeller's friend, since codes and serials, for Sunderlands I, II, III, & V, appear in "Coastal Support and Special Squadrons," by John Rawlings, which implies they also appear, usually with pilots' names, in the ORB, which is viewable at the National Archives.

"Break the straight lines on stbd side & port side. Spinner - light green. Vertical surface of nose - light green. Green struts should be light. Another view from stbd bow (I think - it's very indistinct) Light green on top of fuselage under centre section."

Sorry, but not true; shadow shading was introduced in January 1935 (at least,) so would have been well established by the Munich crisis. Note the date in the bottom right-hand corner.

Only the fabric was coloured, not the area of the leading edge underneath, though it's possible that, if the patches were clear-doped after application (as it appears in some early photos) some of the red dye might have leached through onto the paint underneath. The belief is that the patches fulfilled a double role, both as a barrier against cold air getting into the (open) breeches during flight, and the contrasting colour was also a warning to personnel that the guns behind the patches were cocked, and walking in front might not be a good idea. We know that, before the patches, the Spitfire used covers which exactly filled the muzzle holes, and appear to have been painted red, but finding a photo of a Hurricane so equipped is proving elusive.

Seafires were painted with the same synthetic finish as Spitfires, which was known to fade and chalk quite markedly (the formula was discarded, post-war, and a different synthetic paint used.) Also, the "different pattern" on the nearest airframe to me looks more like a shadow from part of the ship's superstructure; if you look through the darker area, it's possible to see the normal pattern forming a sort of "X," and no ship's NCO would allow that.

Spot on, thanks. As I said, the early Malcolm hoods (produced about 15 miles from here, and used on the Mustang III/B/C) were not blown, but pulled. Hoods on the D/IV Mustang (which were blown) were not supplied by Malcolm. .

Me neither, since it was actually the reference to the "centre frame" that has me foxed.

For a dummy, like me, that requires further explanation, please.

This is from the Pilot's notes (note to "tailwheel":- the landing lamps control is that bunch of knitting over the pilot's left knee, with the switch just above it on the instrument panel) British instruments were a standard (Imperial) diameter, so, if it appears to be the same as the direction indicator or altimeter, then it probably was. The flap position indicator was deleted mid-June 1940, and, since it was common practice to modify master drawings, that probably explains why you're unable to find a drawing showing the dimension (I haven't got one.) Also, note that the seat with the Very cartridge rack is metal, therefore probably made by Supermarine themselves to a drawing which includes the rack. The plastic seat didn't have the rack as standard, though they did appear, especially on Westland-built airframes, probably designed for the Seafire.

See if you can get hold of a copy of the Patrick Stephens book "Classic Aircraft no.1" on the Airfix 1/24 Spitfire; in Chapter Five there are illustrations of the bulkhead, heating & demisting arrangements, and the extra altimeter in the cockpit, plus a cutaway drawing in Chapter Six. If you can't get one, give me an E-mail address, and I can scan them and send them to you.

The only possible difference would come from the undercoat; silver over red on fabric, and silver over grey on metal. I don't know enough about paint, but, as the undercoat and finishing coat specifications were 1.25 ounces per square yard each, they sound fairly thin to me.

It depends on how the ambient pressure is displayed/set on the internals. Some had a circular disc, on which figures were displayed, and which rotated as the setting knob was turned (hence the curved window.) Others (as in the picture above) were set by a mechanism akin to the mileometer on your car, with four inter-connected drums, which rotated as the knob was turned.

Ted Hooton told me, once, how he was involved in three-up experimental flying post-war. He got the navigator's seat (never think of it as comfortable,) while a boffin was laid full-length in the bomb-aimer's position, with his feet sticking out of the tunnel. "Cosy" was how Ted described it.

Not really, they're giving their main customers (the retailers) priority, with no favouritism. Incidentally, there was no such colour as high speed silver; it was "silver, to a high speed finish," which isn't the same thing, since it was plain old silver with a gloss varnish over the top.

It was mandatory with the fitting of the extra fuselage fuel tank, which really only applied to the XVI, of course.

The "Mk. XII" rudder was introduced in production from February 1944, so, after that date, anything is possible, since, although not strictly retrospective, a new type could be fitted during repairs and overhaul.

1/4" black Letraset (or similar.)