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Started pics a bit late,.......new 1/32nd Revell Spitfire Mk.IX- Converted into a Mk.VIII


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I would say the spinner was blue per the instructions - Peter Malone wrote the Aussie Eights book and provided Barracuda with the research for Have a Go Joe so you are looking at single source reporting as we call it in my trade. However also of use to confirm it is this article that Peter wrote about a contemporaneous 79 SQN Spitfire A58-492 "Mac III" as you go through to the bottom it addresses spinner colours and has a colour photo of a line up of 79 SQN Spitfires showing blue spinners. Whilst 517 is not visible the balance of probabilities points to the blue shade not green. 

 

http://www.aussiemodeller.com.au/pages/History/Malone_SpitfireMacIII.html

 

That being said there is one other photo of an aircraft with a green spinner (E) and two with white - but it blue looks like a flight colour and as likely as not.

 

Cheers,

 

Ken

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I would like to offer the possibility the spinner might be both green and blue. In the "Aussie Eight book on pages 92 and 94 the spinner is decidedly darker than the same aircraft on pages 93 and 95. The angles of the respective photographs are different so the possibility of shading, angle of sunlight, etc. can be discounted. But the shades of the spinner on pages 92 and 94 are the same just as the shades of the spinner are the same on pages 93 and 95; it is just the shade of the spinner on the odd numbered pages is definitely not the same as the shade of the spinner on the even numbered pages. That is why I would suggest the spinner was two different colors. (Yeah, I'm a token colonial that doesn't use "u" in color, don't hate!).  I would suggest the odd numbered pages, plus the color scheme on the back inside cover would support your use of blue. Can't really see the book going to print with Mr. Malone being okay with what he believes is an incorrect color profile.  Blue would also be backed up by the Barracuda decal's research. 

However, at some point, I think the spinner was a darker color as evidenced by the pictures on 92 and 94.   (Look I'm trying to create a reasonable presumption of both colors being possible, just go with it!)

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It is worth noting that the aircraft behind 517 in the photo on page 92 is believed to have a blue spinner (Mac III per above link to Peters article). That said colour photos of 79 SQN Mark VIIIs show possibly green, but definitely white and blue (the spinner of A58-508 UP-E could be blue or green, but boy it is hard to tell)

 

At first blush the photo on page 93 (and linked here) could easily be either the blue or green but on balance I would say blue as the flight colour as the colour photos suggest of a line up of squadron aircraft. It is worth noting that 492 had a white spinner as U and dark (blue?) spinner as B, pointing to blue being possibly A Flight and white being B Flight colours.

 

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P02482.011

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A quote from Edgar regarding the underside lights contained here :

 

Don't overdo (or do, at all) the wing tanks, just the filling points really need attention. From late 1942, the paints changed to smooth finish, and the front 20% of the wings was "stopped" (i.e. filled,) rubbed down, primed, painted, then rubbed down, again, with special attention being given to the rivets, and panel lines, especially the line of the mainspar. This added 50 hours to Spitfire production, but added to the top speed.
The VIII (and the VII) originally had red and green downward recognition lights, one in each wing, but they were deleted from May 1943.
In December, 1943, the VIII's cannon cover had two small blisters (rather like the 22/24 later,) instead of the single large, since it was envisaged as carrying four cannon, but this didn't happen, probably due to weight (and possibly wing strain) considerations, so the single small blister became standard, but I can't find out when. Certainly, as late as 1944, there was still talk of the VIII having 4 cannon, or a combination similar to the "E" wing, but, as far as I can tell, it never happened.
Edgar

 

HTH

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10 hours ago, Peter Roberts said:

Hi Tony

 

Two downward lights under wings, one each side. You can just make them out on the Tamiya instructions, outboard of the roundels.

 

You're inspiring me to start my Tamiya kit, great work, really looks the part!

 

PR

Cheers Peter,

                   The thing is I can only see one wing light under the left wing in actual photos of the Spitfire Mk.VIII,.....  hence my concern.

Tony 

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9 hours ago, georgeusa said:

I would like to offer the possibility the spinner might be both green and blue. In the "Aussie Eight book on pages 92 and 94 the spinner is decidedly darker than the same aircraft on pages 93 and 95. The angles of the respective photographs are different so the possibility of shading, angle of sunlight, etc. can be discounted. But the shades of the spinner on pages 92 and 94 are the same just as the shades of the spinner are the same on pages 93 and 95; it is just the shade of the spinner on the odd numbered pages is definitely not the same as the shade of the spinner on the even numbered pages. That is why I would suggest the spinner was two different colors. (Yeah, I'm a token colonial that doesn't use "u" in color, don't hate!).  I would suggest the odd numbered pages, plus the color scheme on the back inside cover would support your use of blue. Can't really see the book going to print with Mr. Malone being okay with what he believes is an incorrect color profile.  Blue would also be backed up by the Barracuda decal's research. 

However, at some point, I think the spinner was a darker color as evidenced by the pictures on 92 and 94.   (Look I'm trying to create a reasonable presumption of both colors being possible, just go with it!)

Cheers George,......you are thinking along exactly the same lines as me,......those same photos were concerning me too.

 

9 hours ago, Biggles81 said:

I would say the spinner was blue per the instructions - Peter Malone wrote the Aussie Eights book and provided Barracuda with the research for Have a Go Joe so you are looking at single source reporting as we call it in my trade. However also of use to confirm it is this article that Peter wrote about a contemporaneous 79 SQN Spitfire A58-492 "Mac III" as you go through to the bottom it addresses spinner colours and has a colour photo of a line up of 79 SQN Spitfires showing blue spinners. Whilst 517 is not visible the balance of probabilities points to the blue shade not green. 

 

http://www.aussiemodeller.com.au/pages/History/Malone_SpitfireMacIII.html

 

That being said there is one other photo of an aircraft with a green spinner (E) and two with white - but it blue looks like a flight colour and as likely as not.

 

Cheers,

 

Ken

Thanks Ken, I really appreciate you taking time out to help and the attached article has added to my RAAF Spit memory bank!  Your second mail was really useful too, cheers for the confirmation re flight colours.

 

8 hours ago, MIkeMaben said:

A quote from Edgar regarding the underside lights contained here :

 

Don't overdo (or do, at all) the wing tanks, just the filling points really need attention. From late 1942, the paints changed to smooth finish, and the front 20% of the wings was "stopped" (i.e. filled,) rubbed down, primed, painted, then rubbed down, again, with special attention being given to the rivets, and panel lines, especially the line of the mainspar. This added 50 hours to Spitfire production, but added to the top speed.
The VIII (and the VII) originally had red and green downward recognition lights, one in each wing, but they were deleted from May 1943.
In December, 1943, the VIII's cannon cover had two small blisters (rather like the 22/24 later,) instead of the single large, since it was envisaged as carrying four cannon, but this didn't happen, probably due to weight (and possibly wing strain) considerations, so the single small blister became standard, but I can't find out when. Certainly, as late as 1944, there was still talk of the VIII having 4 cannon, or a combination similar to the "E" wing, but, as far as I can tell, it never happened.
Edgar

 

HTH

Cheers Mike,..... that makes a lot of sense mate, much appreciated and thanks to Edgar too,...... he was a treasure trove of Spitfire info. It does explain why some Spit VIII`s don`t appear to have lights under the wings and some have only one! 

 

Thank for your help fella`s,

Cheers

          Tony

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Right then,....an update following last nights paintwork,......and strange to think that it was a week ago today that I bought this kit!

 

After applying the kits fin stripes and masking off the rest of the model some blue tack was applied to certain area along the wing leading edges and of course on top of the tail stabilisers where the white paint was rubbed away by the bottoms of the blokes holding the tail down during engine run ups on th ground,.....here is how t looks this morning before some remedial paintwork;

 DSCF0006_NEW_zpswv102zry.jpg

DSCF0001_NEW_zpsojsuhgju.jpg

DSCF0004_NEW_zpsqtzlzg0k.jpg

I was hoping that the original RAF fin stripes would just show up through the white paint,..... I have also attacked the white areas with sandpaper to represent wear and tear,..... hope it looks OK?

Cheers

            Tony 

Edit- here is a photo showing the tail of Have a Go Joe to show the worn paintwork on the tail stabilisors;

Image result for spitfire 79 sqn raaf

Edited by tonyot
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Cheers Beard, Neil and George,......you know what I`m like when I get the bit between my teeth!!

I`ve just painted the spinner blue, put a coat of gloss varnish on the model and left it out in the sun to dry!

DSCF0007_zpsvvbaf6xo.jpg

 DSCF0010_zpsx2ufttho.jpg

So while the varnish is drying I`m cracking on with the bombs, undercarriage, props etc,

Cheers

           Tony

 

PS,....Oh yeah, I`ve repainted the fuselage roundel outline all in grey. After scanning the available pics it now appears that the entire outline was one colour, although it first appeared that the colours were split.

Edited by tonyot
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Blimey Tony, you don't hang about do you. 

This is a shining example to us all of what can be achieved by just getting on and doing it.

Exemplary brushwork as usual. 

I can't wait to see the finished model. 

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3 hours ago, JimHead23 said:

Looking excellent Tony. The kit seems worth the money don't you agree?

 

Regards

 

Jim

Oh definitely,.....I`m getting at least one more,...... I do wish we had a Hurricane in this scale which was so easy to build, such quality and so cheap. 

 

2 hours ago, Biggles87 said:

I had not realised just how much of the white was worn off the tailplanes, not seen that picture before, thanks for posting. The bluetack idea is brilliant, I'll pinch it if I may.

 

John

Fill yer boots John,.....I got the idea from a fellow BM`er myself! Just shows what you see when you study photos closely doesn`t it!

 

Cheers fella`s,

                      Tony

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Brilliant job on the wear and tear there Tony, amazing work! It looks spot onto me.

 

Another option I have seen is to use Vaseline, but not sure about that one. Blutac a nice option.

 

PR

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Hiya Folks,.....here I am again,.......this time I`ve got the decals on and also got most of the ancilliary items painted up ready including a slipper tank from a Tamiya kit and Barracuda resin treaded tyres (although I`m still waiting for the set that I ordered plus a resin side door to arrive from Hannants!);

DSCF0013_zpshepfr39w.jpg

DSCF0016_zpsx0c4gwvj.jpg

DSCF0018_zpsazkhl7tc.jpg

 

I`ve also added the Barracuda resin seat with its plastic card armour plating and an MDC `Q Type etched harness;

DSCF0022_zpsuvtgqqcf.jpg

 

And I`ll be bombing the model up too;

DSCF0024_zpst15ltiey.jpg

Edited by tonyot
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Hiya Folks,.......cheers for the lovely comments,.......here is another update;

 

Brushed a coat of matt varnish on last night and after running over the panel lines and some rivet detail I`ve applied a watercolour wash, ready to scrub it off with a paper towel;

DSCF0025_zpsai801ynv.jpg

DSCF0026_zpsekqlo0qp.jpg

 

After this I can do a bit of weathering and start to add the undercarriage etc,

Cheers

           Tony

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Wow Tony, just picked up on your build. Magnificent, I love the distressed paintwork on the wing LE's and the wash you have applied to get the panel lines. Considering it's 32nd scale it looks more like a 48th scale model. More power to your elbow mate.

 

Colin

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