sprue

Here's my attempt at the Airfix Mk Vb (kit AO1525) finished as a tribute to Jean Offenberg a Belgium fighter pilot who came to Briton to help fight against tyranny in WWII. His exploits are documented in a book titled Lonely Warrior. Thanks for looking.

Beautiful

Just bought a MKI on ebay for £40.98 including Eduard FE212 and 49212, Tamiya Bracing set and includes postage. Thanks guys for the tip. Mike

Thanks guys, your suggestions are certainly food for thought. Thanks again Mike

Is it possible to build a MK I from the MK II kit as the later seems to be more easily available? Mike

A master class

Hi Gingerbob It's all very interesting and I've put a request on the RAF Commands forum just in case someone has info or (its a long shot) photographs. Best wishes Mike

Well done Gingerbob. I'm following your research with great interest. Hope you you had a good Christmas.

Hi Graham Yes I see what you mean, 2 months is a long time. Mike

I'm tempted to think that W3236 PR-M was still in Dk Earth / Dk Green / Sky camouflage in October 1941 but I'm sure someone will be along shortly to say one way or the other. I can't find any photographs so I think it might have to be an informed guess. Here's hoping Mike

A lovely spitfire, cracking build and finish

Many thanks for this. Referring to Lonely Warrior Offenberg was on leave in Chichester in Oct and returned on the 22nd. But on Oct 21 Maurice Choron "who piloted Offenbergs aircraft" M for Monkey ran out of juice returning from an op over N France and crash landed some where in the country. All this seems to tally well and therefore I'm content that Offenbergs usual aircraft was W3236 PR-M. While I'm at it the same operation according to the book reveals PR-K as Sgt Palmers aircraft who was killed during this operation and Vicky Ortmans was also shot down but was picked up out of the channel. Incidentally in the latter part of the book there are a few mentions of Spits running low on juice so I can imagine duration was becoming an issue over France.

Thanks for all of the input. According to the book "Lonely Warrior" the quote which refers to the drop tank is taken from an action on November 15th 1941 when 609 operating out of Biggin Hill were escorting "Hurri-bombers" over Northern France. 2 days later the squadron moved to Digby. According to Alfred Price writing in "The Spitfire Story" the Vc started to appear in October 1941 with fittings under the fuselage for 30 or 45 gallon drop tanks as operational range was becoming an issue. I'm now coming to the conclusion that the Spitfire I'm researching in September 1941 W3574 PR-M was indeed a Mk Vb while some time later the 609 started to receive the Vc. As far as I can tell the references to drop tanks only appears at the end of 1941 when I assume 609 was receiving the new Vc as they were flying over northern France regularly.

In his diary Offenberg mentions the jettisoning of a drop tank from his Mk Vb. This would be the latter part of 1941. What kind of tank would that be ?

Many thanks and you're quite correct but it went to 453 after repair. It definitely started out with 609. The photograph is useful though as it gives some clue to the camouflage pattern assuming that all that has changed since it's time with 609 is the codes.

I'm researching for a model of Spitfire Vb as flown by Flight Lt Offenberg of 609 Squadron in September 1941. Drawing on internet sources and his diaries published as "Lonely Warrior" it appears at this time he regularly flew Spitfire Vb PR-M which I think was W3574. I assume it would have been in ocean grey / Green / med sea grey at this time. Any thoughts anyone?

Re the waist gun positions, i found the blanking plates E46 and E47 best fitted on the opposite fuselage sides shown in the instructions. Perhaps the instructions mislabeled them?

Its the business

Top class modelling

beautiful

exquisite

cracking job, well done.

I've been painting with enamels since the late 1960s employing both hairy sticks and airbrushes and I've seen brands come and go but Humbrol are still here. The reason why I buy Humbrol is because I have a Hobbycraft store nearby and I can make good any shortages fairly quickly without incurring postage and packing charges. However the tinlets I've bought recently contain paint which is either too thick, excessively granular even when thinned or the lids don't fit properly and they dry out in no time. Also colour consistency has been an issue. This afternoon I've bitten the bullet and ordered Colorcoat paints from Sovereign Hobbies. Its a pity the postage is so costly but that's the Royal Mail for you. I wonder if anyone else has had the same problems with Humbrol?

Probably like a lot of modellers of my age who can remember the original Airfix magazines I'm becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the quality of some of todays magazines. They seem to be regularly blighted with typo errors, text printed on coloured pages which make them difficult to read and photographs which are either miscaptioned or not captioned at all. As for SAM Sept 2018 there's a nice piece about the Fairey Swordfish but unfortunately once again the artist doesn't know the difference between a WWII upper wing roundel and a modern version, as we all know the proportions between the red blue segments are quite different. I must confess that as the date for subscription approaches I find myself wondering is it worth it? Mike

I would recommend Lonely Warrior by Jean Offenberg I think its a classic. It tells the story of a Belgian fighter pilot who escaped to Britain and carried on fighting.