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Spitfire VIII - 81 Squadron


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Hi, this is my first attempt at a post so please accept my appologies if all doesn't go to plan.

It's also one of my first attempts at modelling from a nearly 20 year break.

Anyway, here is my interpretation of an 81 Squadron Spitfire VIII flown by F/Lt. Alan Peart DFC. The kit is the ICM 1/48 Spitfire VIII with Ventura decals....

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Thanks for looking.

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Russ,

Great job you've done there. As another poster has said, the finish you've got there is excellent and the weathering is lovely and subtle. She looks used, but not neglected, and with weathering often less is more. On my first couple of attempts after a 20+ year break I ended up with aircraft that looked more suited to a junk yard than over the skies of dover, so well done.

Richard

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Very nice - where did you get the ace of spaces logo from?

I'm just reading Alan Pearts book as part of the research for my current build which is a 81 Sqn Spitfire Vc Trop in 1:32 from their time in North Africa when my father was attached to the squadron as an electrician.

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Again, thanks for those kind words, but I don't think I will ever get to the standard of some of the builds I have seen on this forum, that's for sure.

Kallisti, the decal set was from Ventura and the ace of spades was included. Can I ask, did your father serve with 81 squadron during the Burma campaign?

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Very nice job - lovely build, very tidy and excellent weathering.

I'll be taking the plunge and posting a 'first' soon, so nice to see others doing so well with theirs!

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Again, thanks for those kind words, but I don't think I will ever get to the standard of some of the builds I have seen on this forum, that's for sure.

Kallisti, the decal set was from Ventura and the ace of spades was included. Can I ask, did your father serve with 81 squadron during the Burma campaign?

No he was with 81 Sqn during the North Africa and Italy time but was transferred to 5 Sqn in Burma at the same time that 81 Sqn was moved halfway around the world. In fact he ended up stationed about 5 miles from 81 Sqn in December 1943 as they invited him for Xmas dinner! I have the menu card in my Dad's personal effects and its signed by all his old colleagues.

When starting my research into his past I did initially think he was with 81 Sqn in Burma - hence why I bought a Tamiya Spitfire VIII to build as the plane he worked on, but it was only when I received his war records from the RAF that I discovered he was with 5 Sqn in Burma, working on Hurricane IIc and IId which is why I built the Hurricane IIc diorama you can see in on the link in my sig below. From the information I've collected, it doesn't seem that he was all that far from 81 Sqn in the time he was in Burma.

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  • 1 month later...

Hello Russ,

My Grandfather worked on this very Spit "FL D". He wrote "D" for Doreen (with pilots permission) for your information. He was with Sqd 81 Spits,Hurricanes & later Thunderbolts for their ground attack role in India/Burma.

I could do with making that model...

Best regards Ian

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Thanks Batcode and Ian,

I appreciate your comments.

Ian, can I ask when your grandfather was with 81 Squadron, I have three group photos taken of 81 Squadron personnel (I am not sure if its just pilots but but I think the groungcrew are there aswell). The photos are from Christmas 1943 (A Flight), B Flight no date and B Flight March 1945....I just wondered if he would be on the photos??

Thanks again,

Russ

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Thanks Hans,

That wasn't too bad but I did have a go at the MPM 1/72 Blenheim Mk1 in 45 Squadron desert markings which didn't go quite according to plan...the propellors are terrible! I was thinking of putting a photo on the forum to see if anyone had any ideas on fixing it.

Cheers,

Russ

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