DominikS Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Hi Everyone! I'm considering buying new Airfix's Spitfire Mk.V in 48th scale and build her in Afeican camouflage. But, as far as I know, there aren't any aftermarket decals with African Spits (or maybe I can't look for them). Those available allow to build, mainly, Spits from Great Britain and sometimes from Malta. Generally I find African campaign forgotten. Similar situation is with early Spitfires Mk.Vb painted in Temperate Land. Can anyone explain such situation? I'll be also very grateful for any information where I can find such decals. Cheers! Dominik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 If you're referring to the North African campaign there are three options on the Victory Productions Spitfire sheet, two for Neville Duke and one for Ian Gleed. http://www.ultracast.ca/products/Victory%20Productions/48-Scale/VPD48006/default.htm A 145Sqn option on this Techmod sheet http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/TM48029 and a couple of options here https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/X48132 Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NPL Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 If you mean Africa markings in general, there are several, including quite a few American ones. Generally the markings are not different from the Italian campaign (all so-called MTO, Mediterranean theatre of opetations). Dedicated sheets for the RAF in Africa seems not to be normal, but there are a number of individual planes reachly represented, not least Gleed's "Figaro"-adorned Mk.V But lets see from my collection, mostly American specimens: AeroMaster Decals 48-624 US Spitfires Africa & Italy Mk.Vc, MX&P ER180, 307th FS Seafire Mk.IIc 6H&B MB113 Operation Torch Mk.VIII, HL&K L. Molland; Mk.IXc, WZ&JJ, John Fawsett Eagle Strike Productions 48227 U.S. Spitfires Part 1 (Africa and Italy) Mk.Vc, ER570 [Robert Levine], WD&Q, Circa, June 1943 Mk.Vc, JK189 [Richard Lampe], QP&X, 52 FG Mk.Vc, 5 FS; Mk. IX, EN447, WD&L Eagle Strike Productions 48228 U.S. Spitfires Part 2 (Africa and Italy) Mk.Vc, WD&Q [Moss Fletcher] Mk.Vb, QP&C [bob Curtiss], Corsica March 1944 Mk.Vc, VF&P [Terry Yon]; Mk.IX, QP&N [Ohr] Eagle Strike Productions 48229 U.S. Spitfires Part 3 (Africa and Italy) Mk.Vc, ES276, WD&D [s.D. Feld] Mk.Vc, ES353 [Jerome McCabe], VF&C Mk.Vc, WD&F [John Blythe] Mk.Vc QP&A [Richard L. Dixie Alexander], 2nd Fs, 52 FG Eagle Strike Productions 48269 The 31st Fighter Group in WW II Mk.IX, ‘Eleanor’ [Garth Jared], 306th FS, Nov 1943 Mk.VIII, ‘Lonesome Polecat’ [bill Skinner], 308th FS Mk.V, ‘Lima Challenger’ [Roland Wooten], 307th FS Mk. IX, ‘lady Ellen III’ [John Fawcette], 309 FS Rising Decals RD 48-013 Mediterranean Spitfires Mk.Vb, EP829, T&N [sqd.ldr John J. Lynch], RCAF, 249 Sqdn, Krendi, Malta, April 1943 Mk.Vb trop, EP706, T&L [Plt.Off. George Beurling], No. 249 Sqdn, Takali, Malta, October 1942 Mk.Vc, BR498, PP&H [Wg.Cdrt. Peter Prosser Hanks], Luqa Wing, Luqa, Malta, August/Sep 1942 Mk.VIII, JF814, WDF [AVB W.F. Dickson], AOC, Desert Air Force, Italy, Spring 1944 Mk.IX, MA466, BQ&S, 451 Sqdn (RAAF), Poretta, Cordica, Spring & Summer 1944 Rising Decals RD48017 Yankee Spitfires in the MTO Mk.Vc trop, 4th FS, 52nd FG, 1st Lt. John Blythe, North Africa, Feb 1943 Mk.IXc, MH897, 5th FG, Madna, Italy, 1944 Mk,Vc, 5th FSm 52nd FG, Lt.John Anderson, Corsica, late 1943 Mk.IXc, 4th FSm 52nd FG, F/O Bob Hoover, Corsica, Jan 1944 Mk.IXc, 2nd FS, 52nd FG, Maj. George V. Williams, Bocca di Falco, Sici- ly, JUL-AUG 1943 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 (edited) Another option might be to purchase a set of squadron and serial codes and make your own combination. Likely won't save you any money, but at least you are not left with a decal sheet where only the one aircraft profile interests you. I can start you off with Spitfire Vb AB321 coded ZX-N from 145 Sqn. Piloted by Canadian Joseph Sabourin, this would be the first Spitfire to claim a victory over the western desert. The event occurred on June 8th, 1942. All information sourced from Osprey's publication on Spitfire Aces of North Africa and Italy. regards, Jack Edited October 19, 2014 by JackG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
is it windy yet? Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 417 squadron RCAF flew Spitifre Vb, and Vc in Africa. Actually this was the only RCAF squadron posted outside the ETO that flew Spitfires. Later flying Viii and iX out of Italy. There are after market decals depicting 417 squadron, or use your own white squadron codes, and black serials. 417 was coded AN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NPL Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 417 squadron RCAF flew Spitifre Vb, and Vc in Africa. Actually this was the only RCAF squadron posted outside the ETO that flew Spitfires. Later flying Viii and iX out of Italy. There are after market decals depicting 417 squadron, or use your own white squadron codes, and black serials. 417 was coded AN. Third Group Decals 48-011 Royal Air Force: Supermarine Spitfire Mk. Vb/c Mk.Vb, EN951, RF&D, 303 (kosciuzko) Sqdn [Jan Zumbach] Mk.Vb, RS&T, Biggin Hill Wing [R. Stanford Tuck] Mk.Vc, BR195, AN&T, 417 (RCAF) Sqdn Mk.Vb, EP464, NN&E, 310 (Czech) Sqdn Probably difficult to find. But it's the plane of which a colour photograph has survived in desert splendor.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 I suspect there may well be many modellers of the original Airfix 1/48 Mk.Vb who still possess the Desert option from that kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paramedic Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 If you're referring to the North African campaign there are three options on the Victory Productions Spitfire sheet, two for Neville Duke and one for Ian Gleed. http://www.ultracast.ca/products/Victory%20Productions/48-Scale/VPD48006/default.htm A 145Sqn option on this Techmod sheet http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/TM48029 and a couple of options here https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/X48132 Stephen Victory Productions´ set above is extremely good! Nice roundels, good quality and excellent options. Those three "African" Spits is just the icing on the cake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NPL Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 (edited) Victory Productions´ set above is extremely good! Nice roundels, good quality and excellent options. Those three "African" Spits is just the icing on the cake. I understand that they have Gleed's Mk.Vb (Mk.Vb, AB502, IR&G, 244 Wing [i.R. Gleed]), but more Mk.Vs? Dominic was asking about Mk.Vs. But it is quite strange that there are no decal manufacturers who has processed a specialized set devoted to the RAF in the desert. Edited October 20, 2014 by NPL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DominikS Posted October 20, 2014 Author Share Posted October 20, 2014 The Victory Productions set is great (I have it) but, as NPL said, no-one has done a set devoted to RAF Spitfires over the Desert (both Mk.Vs and IXs). It seems to me that for most of the producers that theatre of operations didn't exist. Xtradecal's set dedicated to Mk.Vs has two Spits from Africa - both Mk.Vc. I'm gonna buy it and wait for Spitfire Mk.Vc. Think I must ask someone to design and print some custom decals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
is it windy yet? Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Third Group Decals 48-011 Royal Air Force: Supermarine Spitfire Mk. Vb/c Mk.Vb, EN951, RF&D, 303 (kosciuzko) Sqdn [Jan Zumbach] Mk.Vb, RS&T, Biggin Hill Wing [R. Stanford Tuck] Mk.Vc, BR195, AN&T, 417 (RCAF) Sqdn Mk.Vb, EP464, NN&E, 310 (Czech) Sqdn Probably difficult to find. But it's the plane of which a colour photograph has survived in desert splendor.. Indeed that is one set, which I have somewhere. On another note the 1:48 Tamiya spit vb trip kit decals also represent a 417 aircraft AN@V. Perhaps you could ask around and see if someone has any leftovers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NPL Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 I would not be surprised if I have one, but Tamiya decals from that period are awful and not really usable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
is it windy yet? Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 I would not be surprised if I have one, but Tamiya decals from that period are awful and not really usable Indeed they are not very good kit decals. I've always just taken to making my own. I've yet to see 417 squadron spitfire photos with any customized markings. Just stock codes in white and serials in black with red spinners. Thankfully with no nose art. I am currently making a mix of mark Viii's from the Tamiya 1:32 kit. One each of extended, standard, and clipped wings in desert scheme from 417 squadron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NPL Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 The Victory Productions set is great (I have it) but, as NPL said, no-one has done a set devoted to RAF Spitfires over the Desert (both Mk.Vs and IXs). It seems to me that for most of the producers that theatre of operations didn't exist. Xtradecal's set dedicated to Mk.Vs has two Spits from Africa - both Mk.Vc. I'm gonna buy it and wait for Spitfire Mk.Vc. Think I must ask someone to design and print some custom decals. Maybe you should not wait but buy a Mk.Vc wing from Alley Cat. There are four versions, and they are splendid, and designed for the new Airfix kit. And if you are not definite that it should be a RAF version, there are plenty of American options as shown by the list I published here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 The other problem with the Tamiya decal for their Vb trop is that BR487 is listed as a Vc on the Spitfire production page. The listing also has no mention of it being with the Canadian 417 Sqn, but instead with 93 Sqn and coded HN-V. Taking another look at the Osprey book I had mentioned earlier, they've only included three Spitfire Vb in the colour profile section for those based in North Africa. There are many though of the Vc type, more than you can shake a stick at. So that does beg the question why decal manufacturers have not given the modeler more variety in this theater. regards, Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NPL Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 The other problem with the Tamiya decal for their Vb trop is that BR487 is listed as a Vc on the Spitfire production page. The listing also has no mention of it being with the Canadian 417 Sqn, but instead with 93 Sqn and coded HN-V. Taking another look at the Osprey book I had mentioned earlier, they've only included three Spitfire Vb in the colour profile section for those based in North Africa. There are many though of the Vc type, more than you can shake a stick at. So that does beg the question why decal manufacturers have not given the modeler more variety in this theater. regards, Jack Maybe decals manufacturers have the probably misguided idea that people who might spend more than 10£ on a new wing, are not willing to use money on transfers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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