More Vampire Prototype questions

[John R]

Does anybody know how, or even if, the registration letters were positioned on the underside of the wings?

The only picture I have is the somewhat grainy ones in Dave Waktin's book and I cannot see any trace of underwing markings and there is nothing on the u/c covers

On the underside of the fuselage of the model (an Amodel F1) are four holes which line up nicely with the gun ports. This leads me to believe that they are perhaps exhausts for the gun gases which would be inappropriate on the prototype as it did not appear to have guns fitted.

Am I right?

John

PS. This might amuse. I only just made the discovery about the guns when starting to mask for the upper surface painting and I looked at a photo for reference.

Edited December 21, 2017 by John R
another question

[John Aero]

It did not carry any under wing serials, Only small roundels placed well inboard from the tips. Under wing serials became mandatory at the wars end.

 

John

[John R]

Thanks

John

[John R]

1. Can anyone please tell me the size and patterns and positioning of the upper and lower surface roundels?

Photos seem to suggest that the upper ones were just blue and red,  underside were blue, white and red, the white being a narrow band but how large and where were they?

On the internet I have seen a side view which looks as if it came from a warpaint publication - do top and underside views exist?

2. Did it have a pitot on the port wing when it first flew?

John

[Troy Smith]

16 hours ago, John R said:

Photos seem to suggest that the upper ones were just blue and red,  underside were blue, white and red, the white being a narrow band but how large and where were they?

Hi John

the roundels look  standard,  so underwing I'd presume to be 32 inch C type.

The fuselage roundels are C1 type,  usually these are 36  inch,  these are smaller due  to size available.

 

look to be  the same  as  this F.1

 

 

 

 

in this shot,  which may not show as on PB, from here

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/61192-dh-vampire-prototypes-colors/

 

less visible  here

 

Regarding the upper wing roundels, there was a formula, where they were placed one- third of wing span in from the tip,   and sized to fill the gap leaving a 2 inch gap between leading  edge and trailing edge, which would be the wing/aileron join in this case, if that makes sense?

 

Now,I'd  suggest that a F.1 would be a reasonable guide to the upper wing markings,  but they all look smaller, 

I'd suggest this is a better guide

  DH100 Sea Vampire F1 landing on HMS Ocean 3rd December 1945

from

https://www.baesystems.com/en/heritage/de-havilland-vampire 

reproduced under "Fair Dealing"

 

which look to replicate the "formula"   above.

 

The Vampire Warpaint doesn't have an upper view of the Spider-Crab,  and couldn't spot details of the roundel sizes,  but that was on a brief check.

 

I know you don't do much WW2 era projects John, I have Modeldecal sheets of the type of roundels above if you need some,  email or  PM me if you do, (I can eyeball against a Vampire kit if needed)   and it would be  good to see you down the IPMS again,   you and your aluminium tubes are missed.

 

HTH

T

 

 

 

[John R]

Thanks Troy. The blocked PB picture is one from Dave Watkins book that I referred to. I think that it shows a Type B roundel and applying your positioning formula to the Amodel Vampire seems to indicate that the size is 54 inches.

 

4 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

you and your aluminium tubes are missed.

You haven't missed much. Only two have been made this year and one of those had to be torn apart and is being refinished at the moment. Frustratingly Modelsvit is turning them out faster than I can get around to building them.

John

[John R]

Troy - I tried to send a PM but got a message that you could not receive messages

John