Edgar
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Posts posted by Edgar
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Until the Echelon 1/32nd kit appeared, all Lightning kits had the same, impossible-to-fix error. The wings were engineered to taper from the wingroot, and, on the Lightning, they don't. The wing is the same thickness, out as far as the outer wall of the wheel well, then it tapers.
Edgar
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From what I can find, not many, since some started re-equipping, with the FGA9, in 1960. 19 went to Nov., 1962; 20 to Dec., 1960; 43 went into 1960; 54 to March 1960; 56 to Jan., 1961; 65 to March, 1961; 66 to Sep., 1960; 74 to Nov., 1960; 92 went to Apr., 1963; 93 to Dec., 1960; 111 to Apr., 1961.
Edgar
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L = low level. For fleet defence, it was realised that most interceptions were at low, to medium, altitudes. The Seafire F.III was fitted with a Merlin 55, and the L.III had a 55M, which had a cropped supercharger, rather like the L.F.V. In "They Gave Me a Seafire," "Mike" Crosley describes, as well, how they clipped the wingtips, cut down on the cannon ammunition, and dispensed with the outer .303, in each wing. They found that this meant that they could cope with the Fw190s; unfortunately, especially on D-Day, they could be mistaken for that a/c., and several were lost to "friendly" AA.
Edgar
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The fuselage, for the 21, was identical to the XIV, if only the Academy kit was accurate, but the fuselage is wrong, around the nose, and the prop isn't too brilliant. Apparently KMC supply a correction set (48-4021,) but that'll make the whole thing expensive. Aeroclub's conversion has been engineered around the Airfix wings, and whether the fit would be the same, with the Academy fuselage..........? If you're considering a contra-prop version, you'll need a rudder, for an XVIII, too.
Edgar
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The solvent, in Brasso, will attack plastic, especially canopies. Silvo, on the other hand, might be possible, but I'd rather go with Micromesh; it lasts for years.
Edgar
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There is a panel line, just aft of the tail bumper, which is, in fact, the front of the tailcone. It has quick-release fasteners, holding the tailcone in place. However, to forestall the more disbelieving, it might pay to take, as well, a second measurement from the transport joint covering band, which is just aft of the wing t/e (that never moved.) Cheeky, to ask, I know, but could you include the F.51, while you're at the Midland Air Museum? I've no idea if it might help, but, if you tell them it's for a project, in which I'm involved, you might strike lucky. I built the Echelon Mk.5, which they have, on display, in the Museum.
Edgar
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It pays to remember that no fabric-covered areas should have flown in red primer. The instructions called for the primer to be covered by silver paint, to stop u/v rot setting in. Only in a dire emergency would this have been ignored. Model Alliance's On Target Profile no.2 leans towards an olive drab replacement.
Edgar
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You know, the only way that this will, ever, be resolved, is with the old, faithful, tape measure. Complete, small-exhaust, Hunters are a bit hin on the ground, but, according to the current Wrecks & Relics., the following are still around:- Henlow, Mk.1; Waterbeach, Mk.2; Great Dunmow, Mk.5; Fleet Hargate, Mk.1; Greenford, Mk.1; Manchester IWM, Mk.1; Newark, Mk.1; Tangmere, Mk.5; Dumfries & Galloway Museum, Mk.4; Inverness Airport, Mk.1; Caernarfon Aerodrome, Mk.1; Kenfig Hill, Mk.1. There are some ex-Denmark F.51s, which should be the equivalent to a 4:- Farnborough, Lasham, Norwich, Sunderland, Brooklands, Charlwood (Gatwick,) Midland Air Museum, Kidderminster, and Sealand. None of them are within easy reach, for me, and it's somewhat annoying to think back to when there were 4s, 6s, and 6As, readily available at Halton, but we always assumed that the fuselage was a standard length, and never considered that they might differ. If anyone fancies doing any of these, and needs further details, I can furnish them, and I'm sure that there'll be a lot of grateful U.K. modellers
Edgar
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I have photos, should anyone want them, 60+. I was given full access, a few years ago, so got the cockpit, wheel wells, open airbrakes, and some externals. The hood was held open by a lump of wood, so it was a little nerve-wracking, especially when I was told it was at my own risk.
Edgar
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Well, I did see the Hunter T7 conversion, in TAHS.
Edgar
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The Aviation Hobby Shop has some old(er) Aeroclub items, so it might be worth a call. The owners are anticipating (it might even have happened, by now) the imminent arrival of another grandchild, so don't be surprised if the response is a little disjointed. And, no, there isn't a JP; I've already looked.
Edgar
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The unrestored 24, at Duxford, has a green interior, and, although, at first sight, the 24, in the RAF Museum, is grey, it was obviously repainted, since it's possible to see areas of green showing through the wear, and the seat shows the standard red, in patches, too.
Seafires (which had areas of black as early as the XVII) were built by Westland, but Supermarine stayed with "normal" Spitfires, and even took over some which had been started at Castle Bromwich. I'd stick to green.
Edgar
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So, if I were to use say, a Revell Hurri, I wouldn't have to worry about using codes. Just roundels?
I also have a Revell vb Spit, which I could use in clipped wing form. Again, no codes or letters?
For the Transport Command Hurricane, you should be O.K., but not the Spitfire; being on the Squadron strength, code letters should have been worn, but, sometimes, the stripes obliterated them. The BBMF's AB910 flew, on D-Day, with 402 Squadron, and, in 1994, was repainted in those colours. The codes were only partially visible, according to the repaint. 64, 118, 130, 234, 303, 345, 350, 501, 504, 611 Squadrons also flew the V, but D-Day photos are like the proverbial hens' teeth.
Edgar
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Sorry, folks, my ***** server cut me off, as I was writing this, so I had to start again
Edgar
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Hurricanes:- 1449 Flight, St. Mary's, Isle of Scilly, flew Mk.II Z2985, Z5307, BE173, (IIB) BN114, HV839, (XII) JS340, JS383;
309 Squadron, (all IIC) LF331(G), LF335(Z), LF342(Y), LF620(A), LF633(T), LF650(J), LF658(E), LF685(O), LF695 "B", LF699(L), LF705(K), LF647 (?); LF363(F) was not flown in June, but flew ship protection patrols in July.
1697 Flight Transport Command (MW340 & MW339 were the first a/c to land in France, on 10th June.) MW367 "B" was another, with LF770, LF773, LF774, MW335, MW336, MW338, MS359, MW360, MW361, MW367, PG546. Most seem to have carried no codes, or even individual letters, just stripes, and all appear to be IIC.
Spitfires:- there were VB, VI, VII, IX, XII, XIV, plus PR versions, and some Seafires, on ship gunfire spotting. There were no VIIIs in the U.K.
Edgar
P.S. Sorry, but a flaming emoticon insists on replacing a capital "b", after LF695 & MW367, so I've had to add "
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I've never seen any; Frank's, in the Echelon kit, are, probably, the closest. Al Trendle was given a duff set, which explains the errors, in the Academy kits (the same thing happened with the Spitfires.)
Edgar
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I have both sheets, from the single-seat Echelon kit, since I worked, with Frank Brown, on the instructions, and built, at least, 12 of the kits. The marks 1-5 had the same diameter exhaust (.63", 16mm in 1/32nd scale;) the 6 had a larger exhaust (.765", 19.4mm,) and the 6A & FGA9 had the parachute housing, with the same size orifice as the 6. The sheets are A2 size, and impossible, for me, to scan.
Since all of the RAF's two-seaters were converted 4s, they only had the smaller exhaust, even if they had a parachute housing. Some (if not all) export two-seaters had the larger exhaust. The only two-seater, in the U.K., with the large exhaust, was the sole Mk.12.
Edgar
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Well, for a Swiss Hunter, there's "Hunter Fascination," by Christophe Donnet, ISBN 3-9520906-0-3, at around £60, if you can find it. Crowood's book, by Barry Jones, ISBN -86126-083-0, is quite useful, especially at half price, which it's been, recently. Haynes did a "Super Profile," which will only be available second-hand, since it was published in 1985. Sentinel Aerospace did a rather nice (and cheaper!) book, on Swiss Hunters, written by Peter Gunti & Peter Lewis, ISBN 0 9523572 0 8, but, having been published in 1994, will tkae some finding. "Hawker Hunter Fifty Golden Years" is a slim volume, by Ray Deacon, on the worldwide users; published by Vogelsang Publications, in 2001, ISBN 0-9540666-0-X. "Hunters" by Martin W. Bowman, was a touch overpriced at £25, but Midland Counties sold their copies off at £9.99; Sutton Publishing, ISBN 0 7509 2935 9. "Archive Hawker Hunter Mk 1-5," by Francis K. Mason, was published by Shalmead Ltd, no ISBN. Richard L. Ward did a book, for Linewrights, on "Hunter Squadrons of the Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm;" ISBN 0 946958 13 0, but it dates back to 1985. Linewrights did another, Aeroguide 9, on the F.6/T.7., ISBN 0 946958 08 4. Squadron Signal did "Fighting Colors Hawker Hunter in Color," by Robbie Robinson, ISBN 0-89747-181-4, in1986, and they did "In Action," no 121, ISBN 0-89747-273-X. 4+ produced a Mark 1 guide, on the 6/6A, ISBN 80-86637-02-6, in 2001. Finally
there's Warpaint no.8.Oh yes, and I have photos of the F.3, F.5 F.6(exteriors,) + details of 6A, FGA9, GA11, T7.
Edgar
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I use Peter Cooke's method. Finish the model, completely, including decals, then smear black Designer's Gouache over it. Wipe, in the direction of the airflow, with a damp rag (handkerchief, if you do your own washing!) It sounds revolting, but we've found that moistening the cloth with saliva has the best result, possibly because it's slightly sticky. Wiping with the airflow means that, like the real thing, colour builds up in lines that cross the airflow, but not in the fore-and-aft lines. Being water soluble, it's easy to wash the gouache off, if you don't like the effect, and have another go. With practice, it's possible to do oil streaks, with a dark brown, and exhaust stains.
Edgar
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If the formula has altered, then.......maybe. I tried it, when Hannant's first stocked it, on an Echelon Lightning. It took 3 bottles, to get complete coverage, and wore off the wings, as I was handling it, trying to use the powder. After several hours of fighting with the powder, getting the model, me, and my clothes, liberally coated with the stuff, the model went in the bin, my clothes went into the washing machine, and I went into the bath, swearing that I was finished with n/m finishes. I was persuaded to change my ideas, when I found the original Alclad, so much so, that our local shop was the first to import it, at my recommendation. I suspect that money would need to change hands, before I could be persuaded to give it another go.
Edgar
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I have an MDC update set for my second build, but plan "C" is to convert this to a Mk 21, I have a Hasegawa Vb in stock which may well form the basis of the fuselage.........whether I revert to an earlier plan or end up with plan "M" or "N" remains to be seen!!!
Do you know, Bill, that a set of 21/22/24 wings are nearing readiness, from MDC, which are designed for the Hasegawa fuselage? Using the Matchbox wings, on the Hasegawa fuselage, is a bit of a nightmare, since the wingroot fairings don't match, at the trailing edge. I did the conversion, about 20 years ago, and wished that I'd never started.
Edgar
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All of my drawings show dihedral, on the wings, and dead-level tailplane.
Edgar
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Out of the three, major, players, Airfix, Hobbycraft, and Hasegawa, I'd say that the Airfix kit still edges it (if you can find one.) The "heavy" ribbing, on the Hasgawa kit, only needs a few swipes, with wet-and-dry. If the Hobbycraft kit is all that you can find, don't turn your nose up, at it, though. The Monogram kit tries to be all things, to all men, being, allegedly, a Mk.I to IV, and the cockpit comprises a bulkhead, with a slot, into which the pilot fits.
Edgar
there's Warpaint no.8.
Contra-prop Spits
in Aircraft WWII
Posted
Actually, that's not, strictly, true. The standard 21 used the same fin, and rudder, as the XIV, but the contra-prop version used the rudder from the XVIII, which had a bigger, overall, area, longer cross-section, and the "kinked" trim tab. Additionally, on the 21, only, the horn was made deeper, which took a small amount out of the fin. Inspection of the photos, in "Spitfire the History," will show this. I suspect that the larger rudder was needed because the fin still had the offset, for the Griffon engine, (which would cause its own torque,)and the deeper horn was necessary to stop overbalancing.
Edgar