phat trev Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 I am currently converting the 'new tool' 1/72 Airfix Spitfire Mk.IXc into an earlier Mk.IX with the larger (Vc style) canon bulges -borrowed from the Airfix Vc release- Can anyone give an indication of squadrons that may have used this earlier version? I have found an image online of a 412Sqn Squadron Machine in D-Day Stripes which encouraged me to start this mod. Also I understand that Early Mk.IX had a slightly different engine cowl shape but I think I am going to keep it simple (getting rid of the IXc bulges with Airfix's thick plastic is enough effort!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Fox Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 IIRC 611 was the first unit to have Mk IXs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 I thought 64Sqn was first or was that first kill? Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Fox Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 No I'm wrong, 64 Squadron took the Mk IX into action on 28th July 1942, 611 was re-equipped afterwards. 72 and 402 also had Mk IXs in July 1942. Info from pg. 83 of Fighting Colours. Some codes and serial for 611: FY B EN133, FY F BS435. The later machine had a very glossy finish. From the above source. There is a Ventura book on early Spitfires but can't find it at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 A number of squadrons used the early Mk9. Some of the Polish units had them at Northolt. 303, 306 and 315 for certain. And don't forget the early 9's also had the smaller carb intake under the chin. Rolls Royce did some mods to Mk5s to 9's and the differences were by the rear edge of the cowling sides. Freightdog did a resin conversion nose for this . A word with Colin there will confirm the mod I'm on about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 I'd like to see your image, but I wouldn't think any would still have the big bulge by the time D-Day stripes were on. If you want to do the big cannon cover bulges (I like small ones, myself...) you probably need to represent a subject before sometime in '43. But if your photo shows one later, more power to you- and please let me see it! The "Rolls Royce cowling" that Paul refers to was only on (I think) around 50 aircraft (or was it 100?). Don't confuse that with "regular" early Mk.IX production. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phat trev Posted June 19, 2013 Author Share Posted June 19, 2013 I feel that most 'older' early Mk.IX Spits would have been upgraded or taken out and replaced by newer builds by D-Day (that picture I found was an artwork that stumbled across doing a google search and I cant find it now! going to trawel thought my history to find it..) Found this photo on spitfiresite http://www.spitfiresite.com/photos/historic/uploaded_images/spitfire-mk-xic-cannon-blisters-793910.jpg If this Squadron still flew thier Mk.IX with 'large' bulges during D-Day then mine will be this one, had better do a bit of research into this Squadron now. _just glued the cockpit floor in and dry fitted the fuselage halfs together so the floor would be level when it is dry, only I put glue on both sides of the floor panel and now the fuselage is well stuck together, the cockit is detailed but not painted Ooopps. very small brush needed?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 According to the caption that's BS319 of 416 Sqn, the aircraft being lost in June '43, by which time it was with 421 Sqn, 416 having switched back to Mk.Vs. They didn't get IXs again until Jan '44, and those were new LF.IXs. Good point about older ones being "taken out"- I didn't even think about that, but you're right that most of the Spits with 2TAF were newer production, almost entirely LFs. Older F.IXs remained in the UK with Air Defence Great Britain, primarily. I don't know whether all of these also got the invasion stripes, or whether squadrons that were not expected to have anything to do with the invasion would remain without. It is possible that some retained the big blisters, but I'd expect that they too would be cleaned up when the parts were available in adequate supply. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phat trev Posted June 19, 2013 Author Share Posted June 19, 2013 I know this is not the 'build' page but... Carefully seperated that fuselage! and fat gunblisters added The kit blisters were cut off with a flat knife blade and the area sanded smooth (one of the cannon doors has a bit of pitting where the knife dug too deep but the new blisters cover quite a lot of the mistake here. The Airfix Vc blisters have then been sanded on a block so the surrounding plastic is ground away leaving the teardrop shapes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenshirt Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Seeing your in-progress piccy...for an early IXc the wheel bulges come off? Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Yes, they do. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Don't forget that in addition to the other mods mentioned, the early IX's also had the original I-V type 'original' elevators. The shot above from the rear shows this perfectly Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennings Heilig Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 You also can't count on *anything* to determine what cannon fairings a given aircraft had other than a photo. Al Deere's IXc was one of the RR Mk.V conversions (and thus a very early Mk.IX) and when he was flying it coded "AL" it not only had the normal Mk.IX style cowling panels, but it had the 'late' style narrow cannon bulges (both proven by photos). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phat trev Posted June 19, 2013 Author Share Posted June 19, 2013 Ok thanks, I can take those wheel well bulges out when the glue has dried! As for MkI-V elevators I have raided the spares and found none. anyone with these spare please get in contact? Also a chin intake from an Italeri MkV would be handy by the looks of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Ok thanks, I can take those wheel well bulges out when the glue has dried! As for MkI-V elevators I have raided the spares and found none. anyone with these spare please get in contact? Also a chin intake from an Italeri MkV would be handy by the looks of it. Trev For the elevators/tailplaines either get a cheapo Airfix V, or else resort to cutting, glueing and plastic card. The other Trev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennings Heilig Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Also a chin intake from an Italeri MkV would be handy by the looks of it. Not really. The carb intake on the Mk.I-V is totally different from the intake on the early Mk.IXs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 For the elevators, I'd just fill the different hinge line and rescribe or cut according to the older style line. I've done this before and it's quick enough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phat trev Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 Filled and cut new hinge lines (eady job) thanks. Primed the wings and they look good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aero Imageworks Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 there were some nice big photos of some early IX's on the internet but can't find the addy now. Cheersy http://www.aeroimageworks.com/spitfiresintheantipodesblog.htm Prof-meisterrrrrrr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Some are in the Flight photo archive, but I can't tell you just where offhand. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aero Imageworks Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 here it is http://www.flightglobal.com/airspace/media/historical1939-1945/default.aspx?PageIndex=8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Yes, thanks. There are one or two on the previous page, too. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Russell Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 CMR do a kit of the very early version with some interesting markings options http://www.cmrmodels.co.uk/cmr72-175/supermarine-spitfire-f_mkix_rr_conv.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Maas Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 Seeing your in-progress piccy...for an early IXc the wheel bulges come off? Tim For most wartime IX's the wheel bulges come off, they were a very late war mod (~April '45) to accommodate a tweaked axle for operations off paved runways and most IX's and XVI's didn't receive the mod until after V-E day. Dunno why Airfix kept making that error (it's on their 1/48 IX E-wing as well) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Maas Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 (edited) triple post Edited June 22, 2013 by Adam Maas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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