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Vol 2 All the Spitfire questions here


Sean_M

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Having just completed my build of the "New" Airfix Vb Spitfire - option B, JHC BM597 - I have just noticed that the decals for the prop blades show that the blades are numbered 1, 2 and 3 but there is no indication of the "direction" in which the numbering is applied i.e. clockwise or anti clockwise. A decal on the base of the spinner indicates that the prop's direction of rotation is clockwise when viewed form the front of the A/C. Can anybody please advise ?

By the way, the prop blades on the A option provided by the kit are not numbered. Any comments would be appreciated.

TIA

JH-C BM597, is accurately marked as now flown, not wartime standard.

there is a high res walkround here which shows the blade markings

http://www.primeportal.net/hangar/mark_hayward/supermarine_spitfire_vb_bm597/

clear enough to read in this shot.

http://data3.primeportal.net/hangar/mark_hayward/supermarine_spitfire_vb_bm597/images/supermarine_spitfire_vb_bm597_06_of_43.jpg

No idea why, maybe for ease of maintenance records? New blades are expensive, and IIRC the only place that makes them now is in Germany....

HTH

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Troy

Your response was extremely helpful - it answered my question admirably. Many, many thanks. How DID I miss the linked web site - Dunno !

Of course, consistent with Mr Sodd's law, I got the numbering wrong :weep: Never mind, the model is good enough for the error not to be noticed by anybody but me - can't take my b****y eyes off it. I'll give the model to one of my sons and use it as an excuse to do another build :winkgrin:

Actually, your response prompts the question "Which, if any, WWII RAF aircraft had numbered prop blades" ?

Bob

You are quite right about the prop's direction of rotation. I was going off the arrow showing the direction of rotation of the spinner base to lock the spinner to it. You'll see what I mean when you get the kit.

John

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doing Malans spit mk1 from the latest xtradecal sheet, and managed to bugger the port Z, would thre be a replacement in the correct font and size aand colour in the xtradecal BoB codes sheet? there no standard ones so maybe not and I'd have to buy the whole set and flog the rest

1F16DE8B-1B10-4B12-9F60-F72757291EA0_zps

Edited by PhantomBigStu
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doing Malans spit mk1 from the latest xtradecal sheet, and managed to bugger the port Z, would thre be a replacement in the correct font and size aand colour in the xtradecal BoB codes sheet? there no standard ones so maybe not and I'd have to buy the whole set and flog the rest

scale?

I'd suggest asking in the 'wanted' area, as with the BoB anniversary coming up other folks will have this, and may not do Malan.

Also, you can cut down letters, the one above looks quite small, but the width of stroke was pretty consistent, wouldn't work with some letters but a 'Z' would.

HTH

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I checked and the xtradecal code sheet doesn't have the size, considered asking but decided to just buy the whole set and offer them for swaps

anyway I brough the airfix mkii boxing for the early parts for malans one, decided to have a go at doing the mkii, P8088 Borough of lambeth, airfix suggest sky undersides, sky blue band and spinner, is this correct, thought by the time the bands and coloured spinners were brought in the paint issues had been done and everything was Sky type S? Secondly if it is correct which sky Blue would it be, the pale AM Sky Blue or more intense Sky Blue Number 1

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I checked and the xtradecal code sheet doesn't have the size, considered asking but decided to just buy the whole set and offer them for swaps

anyway I brough the airfix mkii boxing for the early parts for malans one, decided to have a go at doing the mkii, P8088 Borough of lambeth, airfix suggest sky undersides, sky blue band and spinner, is this correct, thought by the time the bands and coloured spinners were brought in the paint issues had been done and everything was Sky type S? Secondly if it is correct which sky Blue would it be, the pale AM Sky Blue or more intense Sky Blue Number 1

There are many examples of when the sky bad and spinner was introduced of these appearing a different colour, though this could be due to fresh paint compared to weathered paint or even poor mixing or paint batch variation.

The famous colour shots of a Spitfire in 1941 show this variation well. Compare band to bottom of rudder.

article-2016667-0D13A25500000578-524_964

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Apparently the MU which was the main paint issuer was not aware of the name "Sky", and in November 1940 asked the Air Ministry just what colour they were intended by this name. The MU stated that they were issuing a Stores Number that belonged to Dark Earth, but is only one mis-typed number away from Sky Blue - the pale wartime colour. I don't know whether the prewar Sky Blue ever had an RAF stores issue number. It does not appear to have featured on any published schemes.

Had there been significant variation in the colour of "Sky", we would reasonably expect to see examples where the trim was darker than the underside - I know of none, nor has anyone else suggested any, as opposed to many photos showing the trim lighter. This includes a number of colour photographs where the trim is either Sky Blue or a colour highly resembling it - for model purposes this is much the same thing.

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On Troy's Va example, I blocked the upper camo colours with my hand, and suddenly the Sky and the Sky didn't look very different. Maybe it isn't such a great example, and there are certainly far more obvious examples, and there have been some lengthy threads in this forum about the question.

bob

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doing Malans spit mk1 from the latest xtradecal sheet, and managed to bugger the port Z, would thre be a replacement in the correct font and size aand colour in the xtradecal BoB codes sheet? there no standard ones so maybe not and I'd have to buy the whole set and flog the rest

1F16DE8B-1B10-4B12-9F60-F72757291EA0_zps

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234929881-sailor-malans-spitfire-zp-a-k9953/

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234981253-spitfire-mk-i-sailor-malan-zp-a/

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Just stumbled on this one, looks to be an odd shaped gas detection patch?

As the shape changes between the two stills, I'd say it's more likely to be involvement of the censor's sticky fingers, for some reason. The detection patches were actually sheets of paper, taped down onto the surface, not painted on.
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Never thought of a censor entering the picture ... I think the shape change is a result of the person shooting the film approaching the two persons from behind and to their left, eventually standing very close and directly behind them. The odd organic shape may be to make it less conspicuous from the air?

65675041016_001150_3.jpg

regards,

Jack

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Now I look at properly, and without trying to be over-dramatic, going by the direction of the light (medium height from the left,) I begin to wonder if it's a reflection off the windshield quarter-light, or the canopy breakout panel.

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Or maybe it's just an unusually shaped gas detection patch! The ones in North Africa are a weird but fairly consistent shape, unless of course I've mis-identified that splotch, which is entirely possible.

bob

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I'd tend to agree with some sort of painted marking. Not knowing much about has detection patches, I won't comment on that, but I'm pretty sure that it's not a reflection, and that the shape hasn't changed.

Regards,

Jason

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Very crisp demarcation indeed.

Viewing the film clip has convinced me that it is a gas patch. In very much the same location as the sometimes seen diamond.

Mine opinion.

G

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Evening all, I have a PCM 1/32 Spitfire XIV which I plan to convert to a Mk 18. I have compared the rudder with the Aeroclub Spitfire 21 rudder, which I am sure is as accurate as we are likely to get, and it looks to have the same proportions ( except for the trim tab ). Can anyone confirm this please?

Thanks in advance.

John

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Evening all, I have a PCM 1/32 Spitfire XIV which I plan to convert to a Mk 18. I have compared the rudder with the Aeroclub Spitfire 21 rudder, which I am sure is as accurate as we are likely to get, and it looks to have the same proportions ( except for the trim tab ). Can anyone confirm this please?

Thanks in advance.

John

Mk XVIII rudder is bigger.

Been discussed before, this is the thread with John Adams drawings

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/2415-spitfire-mk1418-rudders/

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234943864-spitfire-fr-xviii-colours-and-fin-shape/

HTH

T

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Or maybe it's just an unusually shaped gas detection patch! The ones in North Africa are a weird but fairly consistent shape, unless of course I've mis-identified that splotch, which is entirely possible.

bob

Could it just be a paint & surface repair that hasn't been finished with final colour painting?

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For those to whom it may be of interest I have just been informed, by David Hannant, that the Xtradecal sheet X48129 is currently being reprinted and is expected to be back in stock in 3 to 4 weeks time :yahoo:

Now for the Eduard Spit Mk VIII overtrees :winkgrin:

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