Fernando Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Gentlemen, Other than the information in the chapter "Pressurized Impostors" and picture in pg 30 in the Ventura´s book on PR Spitfires... is there any other information on these five machines? I managed to find some (even in this very forum) of them in their high altitude fighter form, but nothing, literally, after their conversion for PR work. Is there any "educated opinion" around in the distinguished readership as to how these machines actually looked like? From the aforementioned picture, it looks like the machine depicted has extended wingtips, no armament and possibly "PR" roundels (reduced diameter). "Aboukir" filter and extra oil reservoir (thus deep chin)? Remnants of wing bulges, or those would have been erased (were they present in MG-only armed HF.VIs?) Would it have been kept in DS, or it would have been repainted in some specialized PR colour ("Royal Blue"? PR Blue? Dark Mediterranean Blue? the roundel doesn´t seem lighter than Roundel Blue, yet is clearly visible) It doesn´t certainly looks "light painted" as BR416 in its "high altitude" guise. Lastly... is the rather frustrating conclusion that the machine depicted in the picture is no PR at all but a "marker" component of the HF team (and thus no armament protruding the wing´s leading edge) a possibility? Thank you in advance, Fernando Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveCromie Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Hi Fernando, just had a look at the page you mention in Matusiak's book and I have to confess that the lower one just isn't clear enough to get much detail out it (or possibly my eyesight is going the way of the rest of my body went years ago) whereas the upper one of BS124 'A' is nice and clear....hence the reason I built this one! I modified an Italeri MkVI (yes, I know, it was a horrible experience!) with a Vokes filter from an Italeri Mk VB (another horrible experience but they were too cheap to resist!) and added some resin 5 spoke wheels and then finished it of using Rising Decals' Mediterranean Spitfires sheet no 72-037. This sheet then led me on a merry dance having been bought specifically for BS124, I then went on and built EP829, EP200 (both Mk VBs, one with clipped wings and one with a Vokes filter), MA466, MA504 and MH496 (all Mk IXs with late style elevators, the latter two stripped right down for high altitude interceptions and with field modified extended wing tips). And I am still looking for build slots for the Mk VC, the Mk IXC and the Mk VIII! This sheet was out of print when I was looking for it and a member of Risng Decals' staff sent me one from his personal stash Cheers DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kari Lumppio Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Hello! I posted something about Spitfire VI in the thread Beuteauswertung 10: Spitfire VI cockpit walk-around some three years ago http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/53345-beuteauswertung-10-spitfire-vi-cockpit-walk-around/?hl=spitfire Image links are still working. BTW I did not know there was only five Spitfire VI built. Did Germans get the subtype right in their report above? Cheers, Kari 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Kari, he was referring to five that were sent to North Africa and were subsequently used for PR work, or so the story goes. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 There were 97-100 built, depending on the sources; five (only) were sent to the Middle East, in October 1942, to combat the Ju-86P-2 flying at 50,000' (but locally-modified Vs had a better performance,) so I suspect that's where the number 5 came from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando Posted February 23, 2015 Author Share Posted February 23, 2015 Hi, Edgar, a pleasure, According to the Ventura book, the five machines were BS106, 124, 133, 134 and 139. Is there any further information about those anywhere? IWM photos? Thanks in advance, Fernando Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elger Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 There was a discussion on Hyperscale on Spitfire BS124 some time ago: http://www.network54.com/Forum/149674/thread/1280014186/Spitfire+Mk+VI+%28Trop%29....Photo The thread (2 pages) includes some photos of this aircraft. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando Posted February 23, 2015 Author Share Posted February 23, 2015 Hi, elger, Yep, the thread is about the machines when used as H fighters... but there is nothing regarding their subsequent conversion to the PR role. Fernando Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 I have the fifth machine as BS149, 139 wasn't a Mk.VI. I take it there's no "cross-wiring" with the genuine P.R.VI (aka Type "F")? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando Posted February 24, 2015 Author Share Posted February 24, 2015 Hi, Edgar, No. They are called "Mk. VI (PR)" in the Ventura book. True, it is BS149. Fernando Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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