Spitfire gun patches

[cocky05d]

Hi ,might seem a trivial question ,but how big are  said items in 1/48 scale ,finishing off my Tamiya spitfire ,thinking of using Tamiya yellow masking tape .

Also in the version i am doing why are the squadron codes so big ,talking about the DW -O  version ,and the fuselage roundel seems a bit on the large size .

[Troy Smith]

The standard size i think was 8 inch square, early on it was doped on fabric, later it came as roll of patches like Elastoplast.

 

I posted up a training film a while back, I'll try to find it.

Edit here you go

 

The oversize roundel was the original was 35 inch A type, ie red white and blue, each ring being 7 inch, in may 1940 a yellow ring was ordered to be added,  and variations occur, total repaint, add thin yellow ring, add equal width stripe of yellow, then you get an oversize 49 inch

Read this

https://boxartden.com/reference/gallery/index.php/Modeling-References/Camoflage-Markings/01-Supermarine-Spitfire

As it will explain all, but here's an example from above..

[Beard]

I use Rizlas (aka Cigarette Papers), painted red then cut to size and stuck on with white glue, for gun patches.

[johnd]

57 minutes ago, Beard said:

I use Rizlas (aka Cigarette Papers), painted red then cut to size and stuck on with white glue, for gun patches.

Me too. The thin ones favoured by smokers of a certain type of "tobacco" are especially useful.

 

Incidentally, they weren't just in red: 40 Squadron SAAF had blue ones.

 

John.

[3DStewart]

The red is roundel red (brick red, my description), not bright red, just in case.

 

If your wondering why the RAF used patches in the first place, then the primary reason was that the automatic weapons favoured by them were open breech designs; i.e. when not firing the breech was open. When flying, a fast chilling airflow would enter the barrel and leave via the open breech. This tended to cause jamming when firing for the first time, either through excessive cooling or foreign objects being blown in. The patch stopped the airflow and resultant problems before use. It also had the advantage that on landing the armourers could immediately see any weapons that had failed to fire at all.

 

The Luftwaffe favoured closed breech weapons, so weren't bothered with excessive cooling etc and didn't need patches.

 

Edited October 6, 2018 by 3DStewart

[Vanroon]

5 hours ago, Beard said:

I use Rizlas (aka Cigarette Papers), painted red then cut to size and stuck on with white glue, for gun patches.

Red Texta marker pens on the gummed portion of a Rizla is my method. ✋🏽

[dogsbody]

Regarding the colour of gun patches, any idea what colour patches were used on this RCAF Hurricane Mk.I? I know it's hard to tell from old B&W pictures, but this and some other images do not look red to me. I'm wondering if the RCAF might have used Dark Green.

 

All opinions welcomed.

 

 

Image copied from a Library&Archive Canada photo.

 

 

Chris

Edited October 6, 2018 by dogsbody

[stever219]

As always it’s not easy to accurately interpret colours from black and white images but on my iPad it looks like the patches have had the local camouflage colours applied over them or a clear shrinking dope which has allowed the camouflage colours to show through (you can see all of the colour demarcations across/through the patches) and the slight shadow cast by the lower edge of the patches on the underside finish.  I await correction.................(oo-errrrr).

[Troy Smith]

1 hour ago, dogsbody said:

Regarding the colour of gun patches, any idea what colour patches were used on this RCAF Hurricane Mk.I? I know it's hard to tell from old B&W pictures, but this and some other images do not look red to me. I'm wondering if the RCAF might have used Dark Green.

 

All opinions welcomed.

 

 

 

Image copied from a Library&Archive Canada photo.

 

 

Chris

Hi Chris

On Hurricane's in peacetime, and phoney war, as they were not shooting often, it seems that touching up the patches with the camo was done for neatness,

This from July 1940

From

 

HTH

T

 

[dogsbody]

Thanks, Troy.

 

 

Chris