Supermarine Seafire IV

[Col.]

Since we are officially started I better get cracking with this. Back story to follow when I get more time after work but an old Airfix 72nd Spitfire IX and some spares from the same company's more recent Spitfire XIX are in the mix along with a sheet of British Pacific Fleet markings.

[Col.]

Experience gained in the Eastern and Pacific theatres by early 1943, where Japanese fighters had proved a deadly foe to their British counterparts, led the Royal Navy to look for an improvement over the Seafire III that was about to enter service. While a Rolls Royce Griffon engined Seafire was initially considered this option was seen as too far from service entry due to engine shortages following a V1 strike on the production plant, problems with the supercharger clutch failing at high RPM & boost settings, aileron reversal due to the opposite rotation of the new engine in comparison to the old Merlin, and the need for the then new Spitfire XII in the European theatre. An interim solution was offered by way of surplus Spitfire IXs mid-way through production at Westland's factory that could be more easily modified in a similar manner as was being done to the Mk. Vs during their re-working to Seafire III standard.

Wing folds, fuselage and undercarriage strengthening, catapult and arrestor gear were all rapidly worked into the Mk. IX airframe using experience gained from the Seafire I, II & III conversions to produce what was now known as the Seafire IV and the first prototype was ready for flight testing by November 1943. Full production was underway by February 1944 and deliveries to 802 Sqn. began during July of that year.

Right, that'll do for now, here's some photos of the bits;

The kit is from the Airfix BBMF fighters box set and shows its age. While I've no objections to the raised panel lines there's something far wrong with undercarriage well shape and most parts of the undercarriage, hence why some spare bits from the Spitfire XIX kit have found their way into the mix, whereas a distinct lack of cockpit detail is less of an issue due to a canopy who's thickness suggests little will be distinguishable through it anyway.

A pilot figure may be a better option to fill some of the void as well.

The decal pile will give a few options on colour scheme and markings with the various reference books serving as inspiration as well as details for the conversion.

Edited October 17, 2012 by Col.
Updating photo links to new album.

[Daniel]

Looks good Col, you've got plenty of bits to go at there.

Dan

[Col.]

Had a go at dry-fitting the fuselage halves and canopy. They don't. What an utter pile of junk this kit is. Flash-ridden, mis-shapen, ill-fitting junk. Very much doubt there is any way to force the canopy to match the fuselage shape and even if it did the distortion is horrific. Don't mind doing a bit of work to parts but this is beyond my entertainment threshold.

Time for a re-think on this one I'm afraid gang

[Col.]

A trip to my LMS yielded a new mould Airfix 72nd Spitfire IXc kit so back on track for this one.

A quick test fit of the main fuselage halves and canopy shows this kit is a much better starting point. Spent a little time this evening marking out where the wing-folds and strengthening plates will go but with any luck plastic will get maimed tomorrow evening. Still considering options for a clear vac-formed canopy to make any scratch-built cockpit visable or going for the Pavla set. Also been toying with various colourscheme options but that's for another day.

Edited October 17, 2012 by Col.
Updating photo links to new album.

[Col.]

After the best part of a full day of dithering about how to go with this one I put aside any notions of deploying hook and flaps to model her in the landing configuration as too much work for my limited modelling time within this GB and got on with it.

Started with the wings, scraped down the thickness of the lower wing trailling edge to get a better fit into the upper wing parts - this seems an issue with the other new Airfix Spitfire kits as well - then removed the post-war (?) wheel bulges, got the wing fold lines scribed and started boxing in the wheel wells,

Tempted to order a vac-formed canopy and get going with the 'pit detail next. Keeping the kit canopy would make that a fairly pointless exercise but not adding cockpit detail feels 'wrong' if you know what I mean.

Edited October 17, 2012 by Col.
Updating photo links to new album.

[Col.]

Right, last night seen some progress, u/c bays finished and the extra fuselage strengthening plates started,

still got those plates around the hook to add but may wait 'til that's done before they go on.

Also ordered the Pavla cockpit set for this one so will see how that fits before much more progress can take place. Quite tempted to build a 'normal' Seafire III from the old 1974 vintage Airfix Vb kit while I'm at it for comparison...

Edited October 17, 2012 by Col.
Updating photo links to new album.

[Col.]

Well I'm pleased to say some progress has been made and a Pavla Spitfire IX cockpit set arrived yesterday. Unfortunately Photobucket has fallen over and refuses to play so I can't show you anything at the moment

[Col.]

Photobucket has stopped sulking so here you go;

Got the other external bracing added beside the hook. Also painted the previous modifications to see how they looked,

also modified the radiator housings to have flater sides as the kit items bulge too much then added them,

As you can see there isn't much happening inside the cockpit,

so this will get packed in to make things a bit more interesting,

[tc2324]

Great work so far Col.

It`s always the little bits of detail that seem to take up the time.

[davidelvy]

I like the idea of a long nosed Merlin Seafire. Mind you, I'm not sue the advantages would have been that great. The Seafire fulfilled a need for a low level interceptor so the high altitude performance of a two speed, two stage Merlin would be little used. In fact it has been suggested (by Mike Crossly in his autobiography, I think) that the seafires used as spotters during Operation Overlord would out perform a MkIX at low lever.

Still a good Whif, though.

[gingerbob]

If a little "reality" may be allowed to intrude, you might be interested to know that at least one Mk.IX and several (?) VIIIs were hooked for trials. I don't think there was any great interest in following through, however, since the Admiralty had decided to go the single-stage Griffon route (and the V-1s kept away from the factory )

watching with interest...

bob

[Col.]

Great work so far Col.

It`s always the little bits of detail that seem to take up the time.

You are right there! Although it's all the research and planning I find takes up my time before scalple or plasticard even gets touched.

I like the idea of a long nosed Merlin Seafire. Mind you, I'm not sue the advantages would have been that great. The Seafire fulfilled a need for a low level interceptor so the high altitude performance of a two speed, two stage Merlin would be little used. In fact it has been suggested (by Mike Crossly in his autobiography, I think) that the seafires used as spotters during Operation Overlord would out perform a MkIX at low lever.

Still a good Whif, though.

Thanks for the heads-up on that aspect of the engine performance. Think a little more back-story may be needed to sort that out

If a little "reality" may be allowed to intrude, you might be interested to know that at least one Mk.IX and several (?) VIIIs were hooked for trials. I don't think there was any great interest in following through, however, since the Admiralty had decided to go the single-stage Griffon route (and the V-1s kept away from the factory )

watching with interest...

bob

Not long after starting the thread I came across mention of a real Seafire IV proposal using Mk. VIII airframes but didn't know it went so far as having hooks bolted on them. Thanks for the information Bob

[TaiidanTomcat]

nice additions!

[Col.]

The main parts of the Pavla cockpit are finally fitted. After 3 evenings of scraping, sanding, test-fitting, modifying, swearing, cutting and reshaping I've got this;

It's a major improvement over the kit but for the same effort I have scratch-built the detail in a Seafire III that's getting done in parallel so doubt I'll be in a hurry to try this again. Still need to make a bulkhead in front of the instrument panel before paint can be splashed about but feel like progress should be faster now.

Edited October 24, 2012 by Col.

[The wooksta V2.0]

I've an eye on this one as it's looking quite promising. Rounded or pointy rudder?

A two stage Merlin Seafire is one that's been on my humoungous whif Spitfire list (henceforth known as The Plan) to do for a while, although I'll be going with a sting hook rather than A frame. When I get round to building it, I'll be using some CMR spares that a mate passed me some time back - IX fuselage with a XVII wing.

I kind of agree about the KP kit but it is buildable with some effort. For many years it was regarded as the best IX in the scale. The canopy area is a real pain - I had one all built, primed and when I tried to fit the canopy the whole project fell apart. I've salvaged it, sort of, with some thin plastic card for the coaming in front of the windscreen and a Falcon canopy.

If a little "reality" may be allowed to intrude, you might be interested to know that at least one Mk.IX and several (?) VIIIs were hooked for trials. I don't think there was any great interest in following through, however, since the Admiralty had decided to go the single-stage Griffon route (and the V-1s kept away from the factory )

watching with interest...

bob

Handy to know. As a side note, the Australian Navy used VIIIs with Merlin 32s for taxying training post war according to Air Britain's Spitfire International.

[Col.]

Thanks for taking the time to look in on this one Wooksta. There is the pointy rudder from the KP kit that I keep thinking about but not made a definite decision on it yet. Did wonder about that twined with a sting-type hook to produce a late model IV in overall Gloss Sea Blue but for the moment thinking I'll stay with A-frame hook under round rudder and TSS scheme.

You care to share details on any more Whif Spits in 'The Plan'? It was a close run thing between this one and a striped down RAE Propulsive Duct equiped IX for the GB so be keen to hear what else you have planned.

[The wooksta V2.0]

Propulsive duct would be better with an VIII - the exhaust would knack the tailwheel on the IX.

[Col.]

Propulsive duct would be better with an VIII - the exhaust would knack the tailwheel on the IX.

you are, of course, correct. I'd even made mention of this in my intial notes - use a VIII type tailwheel arrangment or make a heat shield for the IX type.

[The wooksta V2.0]

I used a Hasegawa VIII when I did mine a few years back, mainly as I had it assembled. High altitude day fighter scheme and a Czech unit.

Freightdog do a very nice resin pointy rudder intended for the Airfix kit, although the 3D one fits just as well and you get extra bits too.

My blog over on What if may keep you amused re The Plan.

http://www.whatifmod...ic,34762.0.html

The Plan. Basically, I'm taking the entire Spitfire family, from the Supermarine 224 right through to the Atatcker, and whiffing the lot. It's been going for about two years now and limited only by my imagination.

If you're at Telford, pop over to the What If SIG and we can have a chat.

[Col.]

Cheers for the link, had a quick look but it deserves more involved reading, can't get to Telford this year alas but it's one of those 'must do' events. Hopefully catch up with you there in the future.

Had a look at the Freightdog parts but think the KP kit bits will do the job for my purposes.

[Col.]

Progress report; Cockpit almost done bar making the upper harness straps,

Once that's done the fuselage halves go together and progress will hopefully accelerate.

[Col.]

Got the belts made and fitted yesterday so closed the fuselage halves;

[TaiidanTomcat]

Nice work, lookin' good

[Col.]

Cheers TT

Got a few more bits done last night. Upper fuselage seams sorted and the fuel filler cap drilled out then a piece of rod glued in from underneath to represent the recessed cap.

Wings on and more filling of the underside seams. Elevators cut and dropped then tailplanes on. Rudder actuator rod replaced by some thin stretched sprue and the false one on the right side removed - not seen mention of that before but noticed it last night while fitting the tailplanes. Carburetor intake fairing on and propeller from the KP kit modified slightly then fitted to the Airfix spinner and backplate. Also started work on the Pavla canopy but nothing to show yet. Well, it is clear plastic...