Spitfire Mk.VII

[renzo]

Hi. I would like to start a Spit Mk.VII prsessurized aircraft........ the aircraft are really two one for me using Hasegava '48 scale Mk.VII the

other is for a friend modifyng the new Eduard Mk.VIII same scale. I need a help because I got one picture of di cockpit where are present

two tubes coming out from the front instrumental panel but the problem is......where they go? Probably the one at right is easy to see

where it stops but the left one.... If someone have information drawings or somthing to help me build it the wright way.

I know that I have to close the rear fusolage and make new rail sistem for the canopy,also that the left door is delated

Thise picture is all I have

.

[Edgar]

Note that photo is the VII preserved in America, and the harness has been replaced by an American version; it should be the standard Sutton.

Also the small shelf, centre-right, should have a second altimeter in the gaping hole; it checked the "height" of the pressurised cockpit, while the standard altimeter, in the panel, did its usual job:-

URL=http://s165.photobucket.com/user/EdgarBrooks/media/35186%20SHT%2012%20D_zpso5qooije.jpg.html][/url]

[Bedders]

Wow - never in the field of Spitfire research has so much invaluable information been conveyed in in such little time by so few words. Great photo and what a useful diagram to complement it!

Juatin

[renzo]

Note that photo is the VII preserved in America, and the harness has been replaced by an American version; it should be the standard Sutton.

Also the small shelf, centre-right, should have a second altimeter in the gaping hole; it checked the "height" of the pressurised cockpit, while the standard altimeter, in the panel, did its usual job:-

URL=http://s165.photobucket.com/user/EdgarBrooks/media/35186%20SHT%2012%20D_zpso5qooije.jpg.html][/url]

Thanks for so quick information. Renzo

[Biggles87]

Wow - never in the field of Spitfire research has so much invaluable information been conveyed in in such little time by so few words. Great photo and what a useful diagram to complement it!

Juatin

Thanks from me also, Edgar. I have just bought the Eduard Mk VIII overtrees with the intention of converting it to a Mk VII.

Good luck Renzo, I will be watching closely.

John

[Mark12]

Note that photo is the VII preserved in America, and the harness has been replaced by an American version; it should be the standard Sutton.

[/url]

I was intrigued by the reference to the US harness on the Spitfire Mk VII.

Bob Mikesh, who over-saw the restoration of EN474 at the Smithsonian, was fastidious.

The harness appears to be the same as the one that I fitted to my Seafire 46 seat restoration, The seat originally came from a Mk 22.

The harness came from AB910 and was gifted as surplus from the BBMF c.1975 when they upgraded to the nylon webbing type.

This harness would not have been original fit to the Mk V AB910 but either fitted, I suspect, by Air Commodore Wheeler or the British Aircraft Corporation when in their repectitive custodianship.

American or late/post WWII Spitfire fit?

PeterA

[Bruce Archer]

Hi Renzo!

I converted an ICM HF.VII to a HF.VII. So perhaps this will help.

There are two Mk.VIIs. The early ones, such as the one at the Smithsonian had a locking canopy, Mk.XII style intake and early rudder and elevators.

The later versions had the AeroVee intake, Mk.XII rudder etc. But regardless there are several things which are need to be done to make a true Mk.VII. First is the removal of the cockpit entry door and sliding hood tracks. These need to be external tracks. You need a LoBelle hood (possibly on the Falcon Spitfire canopy set), And a solid bulkhead at the rear of the cockpit (where the rear non-moving glass goes). You can use either the extended tips or the "standard" wing tips.

There are some other minor differences, but these get you very close.

Bruce

Edited March 20, 2015 by Bruce Archer

[Edgar]

Supermarine's drawing 35135 sheet 1 shows the Sutton harness as fitted specifically to the Spitfire VII (noted at the bottom of the drawing.)

I can find no drawing showing a QL, QS or ZB harness on the VII; it's possible that the harness in the photo is fitted to a spare parachute, set into the well of the seat to assist access, but I didn't see much point in introducing a further complication into the thread.