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Airfix Spitfire Mk.IIa in 1:48 scale


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Here are some photos of my recently completed Spitfire Mk II.a. of 315 Squadron, August 1941. Its based on the Airfix Mk.I. 1:48 kit, with a small scratch built Coffman starter.

 

- Interior was Eduard pre-painted PE - I found the steel seatbelts much easier to work with than the brass as they seemed to be less springy.

- Paints were a mixture of Vallejo and Tamiya, with Mig lucky gloss varnish and then Vallejo matt varnish.

- Decals from the Polish Spitfires ModelMaker.pl sheet 

- Weathered with various MiG pigments and washes.

- Radio and IFF antennae were Uschi van der Rosten fine rigging line.

 

To fix the well known fragile undercarriage joint I scratch built a m/f joint using short lengths of brass (0.6mm dia) and associated locating holes which seemed to work quite well. 

 

16d803bc-8651-49dd-9d42-933e686a535d.jpg

 

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Edited by neillydone
Wrongly attributed squadron
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Great looking Spitfire! I really like the philosophy of subtle weathering, and the typical droop of the elevators!

 

Two small research based niggles…

 

The dorsal formation flying light behind the cockpit was white, not red.

 

Also, in 1941, no Spitfires retained a main radio antenna of the wire type. Already in the autumn of 1940, their HF radios were exchanged to a VHF type and the antenna was integral to the original aerial post. So you can safely snip out that delicate Uschi van der Rosten line. The IFF wires are fine as they are, though. 😉

 

Everything is explained in the on-line 'Gospel of Spitfire aerials', here:

http://spitfiresite.com/2010/04/spitfire-masts-and-aerials.html/2

 

Kind regards,

 

Joachim

 

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Spitfire Mk IIa P8387 PK*H ‘Halina’ with the presentation name ‘Barty’, 315 Squadron August 1940. Previously served with 308 Squadron which is the origin of the large chessboards. Served until the squadron they converted to Mk Vs in early September. The photograph of this Spitfire has appeared in a number of publications, e.g. Gifts of War. It little unusual as it was fitted with a de Havilland spinner and prop not the bulbous Rotol unit usually found on Mk IIs. Canopy had a breakout panel. No crowbar. Was one of the options for the AZ Model Spitfire Mk IIa kit released a while ago now.  Unfortunately there were several errors in the markings  in particular the name ‘Barty’  in the wrong colour which was Medium Sea Grey, not white or yellow.  References: Gifts of War, Henry Boot & Ray Sturtivant, Air Britain. Polish Wings 6, Supermarine Spitfire I/II, Wojtek Matusiak, Stratus, 315 Squadron MMP.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 11/30/2018 at 10:01 AM, Spitfire31 said:

Great looking Spitfire! I really like the philosophy of subtle weathering, and the typical droop of the elevators!

 

Two small research based niggles…

 

The dorsal formation flying light behind the cockpit was white, not red.

 

Also, in 1941, no Spitfires retained a main radio antenna of the wire type. Already in the autumn of 1940, their HF radios were exchanged to a VHF type and the antenna was integral to the original aerial post. So you can safely snip out that delicate Uschi van der Rosten line. The IFF wires are fine as they are, though. 😉

 

Everything is explained in the on-line 'Gospel of Spitfire aerials', here:

http://spitfiresite.com/2010/04/spitfire-masts-and-aerials.html/2

 

Kind regards,

 

Joachim

 

 

Thanks for the feedback everyone, fixed the light colour and aerial...

.cbfdd3de-e8f7-414f-b6b5-c349ba11d9ee.jpg

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