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Spitfire Vb VCS-7 US Navy


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My submission for this GB is I believe Airfix’s first foray into 1/48th, a scale that Airfix didn’t fully embraced until recently. The mounds state 1979 so within the time scale. The planned markings are a pretty standard RAF mid war scheme but with full invasion stripes. Will give me a chance to practice my masking skills. VCS-7 was a US squadron that was initially equipped with OS-2U Kingfishers flying off catapults for artillery spotting for the battleships but were deemed too vulnerable for the Normandy Invasion. So the USN pilots were trained up in Spitfires at RAF Membury, and were successful in this role over the Notmandy bridgehead until the Wehrmacht realised the role of the Spitfires. I believe this is the initial boxing purchased at this years South Expo. Some photos. 

 

Airfix Spitfire Vb

 

Airfix Spitfire Vb

 

Airfix Spitfire Vb

 

Airfix Spitfire Vb

 

Airfix Spitfire Vb

 

 

Thanks for looking. 

 

Grahame. 

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04100-1/9 04100/04100/10008/74100/04100G/A04100
Supermarine Spitfire Vb
1/48 scale.
Listed as 04100-1 in 14th Edition (1977) catalogue, on 1977 1st & 2nd Edition price lists as NEW - AVAILABLE LATER, in 15th Edition (1978) catalogue and on 1978 1st Edition price list, but not issued.
Available as 04100-1 with decals for QJ-R and BP-H from 1980 to 1982.

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Nice choice!

I recall building this kit as a 12-13 year old in a dirty desert scheme Malta based Trop Vb. It was my first foray in 1/48 and I loved the large chunky pieces.

This looks to be an original issue, so hopefully the parts will be crisply moulded. Looks like a fun kit to possibly revisit one day.

 

Cheers.. Dave

 

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18 minutes ago, Grandboof said:

Nice choice Looking forward to the markings 

Martin H

Here is a link on the background to the makings and use of the Spitfires by the US Navy. I stated that VCS-7 used Kingfishers but in fact was Seagulls. 

 http://spitfiresite.com/2010/04/spitfires-of-the-us-navy.html

 

 

Edited by Threadbear
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6 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Nice choice!

I recall building this kit as a 12-13 year old in a dirty desert scheme Malta based Trop Vb. It was my first foray in 1/48 and I loved the large chunky pieces.

This looks to be an original issue, so hopefully the parts will be crisly moulded. Looks like a fun kit to possibly revisit on day.

 

Cheers.. Dave

 

Some of the parts are certainly chunky! 

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Here is some images of the USN Spitfires. 4Q are the markings supplied by Fundekals. The kill marking is believed to from a previous squadron. VCS-7_mechanics_with_Spitfire_at_Lee-on-And another. Spitfire_Vb_of_VCS-7_during_Normandy_inv

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15 hours ago, Threadbear said:

My submission for this GB is I believe Airfix’s first foray into 1/48th, a scale that Airfix didn’t fully embraced until recently. The mounds state 1979 so within the time 

Ah memories.  I remember it coming out,  I'd got the 48th bug in 77 when I got some Monogram kits while on holiday, and they seemed exotic!

48th kits were pretty limited selection back then, so Airfix today into the scale was most welcome.

Overall this is a really well shaped model, with one obvious glitch, a too high thrust line, making the spinner too big.  

John Adams of Aeroclub worked out the fix, sadly the pics are not up any more, but the front top of the cowling is about 1mm too high, the bottom edge is correct, 

A fix is now much easier as the  current new tool  Vb has two  complete props, so if you can get one of those it's an easy fix.

If easier I can do a photo, but will take time to upload due to very dull computer problems.

If you have an Eduard Spitfire, they have lots of spare bits, including two types of rudder and tailplane, which are much thinner than the kit parts.

I still have a part  converted one I was making a Seafire IIc out of from 1981 or so.

 

 

Cheers

T

 

 

 

 

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36 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

Ah memories.  I remember it coming out,  I'd got the 48th bug in 77 when I got some Monogram kits while on holiday, and they seemed exotic!

48th kits were pretty limited selection back then, so Airfix today into the scale was most welcome.

Overall this is a really well shaped model, with one obvious glitch, a too high thrust line, making the spinner too big.  

John Adams of Aeroclub worked out the fix, sadly the pics are not up any more, but the front top of the cowling is about 1mm too high, the bottom edge is correct, 

A fix is now much easier as the  current new tool  Vb has two  complete props, so if you can get one of those it's an easy fix.

If easier I can do a photo, but will take time to upload due to very dull computer problems.

If you have an Eduard Spitfire, they have lots of spare bits, including two types of rudder and tailplane, which are much thinner than the kit parts.

I still have a part  converted one I was making a Seafire IIc out of from 1981 or so.

 

 

Cheers

T

 

 

 

 

I have the new mould Airfix VB and I couldn’t get on with it so was planning on maybe using that kit to jazz up this project? Any suggestions are most welcome. 

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3 hours ago, Threadbear said:

I have the new mould Airfix VB and I couldn’t get on with it so was planning on maybe using that kit to jazz up this project? Any suggestions are most welcome. 

HI Grahame

 

In what way didn't you get on with it?   I've seen a few folks on here who had problems, without meaning to be rude, often user induced,  though this is where written instructions over pictorial would help, essentially if you don't know that the fit is very very precise, and that a coat of paint or missed sprue nib early in the cockpit, it can and will throw off later fit of parts, like the fuel tank, you suddenly find gaps and detail wrecking filler job....

There are some links here 

as well as some Spitfire details you might find of use.

 

Note that the nose is right on this,  if you line up the fuselage halves of each kit, it will show what needs sanding down, basically a long thin triangle whose base is by the spinner.

Use that as guide, and use one of the new tool spinners and you have solved the thrust line problem.  As you have both if you compare the Rotol spinners and it will be obvious.

 '4Z' above looks to have the Rotol spinner, but the later six stack exhaust, and covered wheel hubs, I can't see what kind of prop is used by '4Q' 

 

The new tool kit is full of bit that's that are finer,  but it's made of the weird plastic Airfix use,  the old tool kit given the boxing is proper stuff like they had when I were a lad...

 

There was a Polish chap who did a very impressive build of the 1978 tool kit on here,  which I can't find now. he did pretty much everything except deal with the thrust line.

Funnily enough the thrust line problem was mentioned back in the original review in Scale Models back 78 when it came out, but without John Adams easy solution.

 

HTH

 

T

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On ‎29‎/‎05‎/‎2018 at 19:51, Threadbear said:

VCS-7 was a US squadron that was initially equipped with OS-2U Kingfishers flying off catapults for artillery spotting for the battleships but were deemed too vulnerable for the Normandy Invasion. So the USN pilots were trained up in Spitfires at RAF Membury, and were successful in this role over the Notmandy bridgehead until the Wehrmacht realised the role of the Spitfires. 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking. 

 

Grahame. 

That's a great 'back story' Grahame - I bet you get loads of support for this one - looking forward to it.

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you learn something new every day (and at my age at the expense of something else forgotten ;) ).

 

I didn't even know the USN FLEW spitfires!

 

As I said, I want one of these kits so will be interested to see how it goes....

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Before even getting the glue out on this Spitfire I have come across the worst example of warping of a fuselage half I have ever experienced!! 

41676612155_a07a0a0456_b.jpg

 The starboard half is fine. So I plunged the port half into some near boiling water to straighten it out. But the fuselage is twisted lengthways as well!

41676611945_0a46657030_b.jpg

As you can see, the left fuselage is nose down and you can see the stress marks where it has been straightened out. Obviously there isn't much give lengthwise for correcting this. Any suggestions or just clamp it working from the tail??? I am reluctant at present to progress with this....

 

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looking it the interior of the fuselage, the warped left fuselage as straight and on the right "straight" half, the ribs mid way are thrust up...… 

42527495452_bd224bac84_b.jpg42527495412_b19b5c1412_b.jpg

I am seriously wondering if this is a not starter? I was looking forward to this. I don't believe that the cockpit components will have the strength to take the stress of a clamped fuselage under stress? You can understand why the original owner of this kit got shot of it! 

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Looking at the original sprue shots you can almost see the bend in the fuselage...

 

Sorry I can;t be of any help on how to tackle it tough :(

 

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On 5/30/2018 at 3:24 AM, Threadbear said:

Here is some images of the USN Spitfires. 4Q are the markings supplied by Fundekals. The kill marking is believed to from a previous squadron. VCS-7_mechanics_with_Spitfire_at_Lee-on-And another. Spitfire_Vb_of_VCS-7_during_Normandy_inv

Cool! Look at how wavy some of those invasion stripe edges are! And the bottom picture is clearly a Mk.V with individual ejector exhausts instead of the typical twinned stacks.

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38 minutes ago, Lawzer said:

Looking at the original sprue shots you can almost see the bend in the fuselage...

 

Sorry I can;t be of any help on how to tackle it tough :(

 

Wish Id bleedin` noticed it then. I have to say the wings aren't exactly chipper either! 

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Another Airfix Spitfire Vb arrived in the post today and this time no problems with the moulding. And made a start so the kit is now ready for some paint in the cockpit etc. The lower wing required some scraping back of the inner surfaces for a better fit near the wingtips but otherwise no problems. The original kit I was planning on using is going in the bin. 

 

42690003212_8f8fa45604_b.jpg

 

28865897578_f2666df9e5_b.jpg

 

40928852490_e0a7108e87_b.jpg

 

42690002882_bf4f0fa40e_b.jpg

 

42690003452_6bed14eb89_b.jpg

 

Started at last. Thanks for looking. 

Edited by Threadbear
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Glad you've got round the problem! 👍

 

I bought the old school 109/spitfire vb dog fight double kit which arrived yesterday and I was a bit apprehensive when opening it in case it had the same problem....

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Don’t throw away the old kit yet. You just might need something small from the warped kit and then realise that it was binned a few weeks back!! 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

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8 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Don’t throw away the old kit yet. You just might need something small from the warped kit and then realise that it was binned a few weeks back!! 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

Can help insulate the loft👍👍

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