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1/48 - Supermarine Spitfire F.R. Mk.XIVe by Airfix - released


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54 minutes ago, VMA131Marine said:

The new Airfix kit has the 'e' wing. Where there any high back Mk.XIVs with 'e' wing armament?  I thought they all had the 'c' wing.

Most of them apparently,  @gingerbob  posted some info on this,  (I will edit in if I can find it) 

only the very early XIV's had the c wing, which makes sense, as the e wing was a more effective armament set up.

edit

On Page 3 of this thread! 

 

On 27/04/2019 at 12:26, gingerbob said:

Since there was some mention, and I've recently been investigating, there were only about three squadrons' worth of "c-wing" XIVs (initially 610, 91, and 322 in order of equipping).  After a small amount of "offensive operations", they were pulled into the anti-Diver campaign in mid-June.  No. 91 Squadron began to receive XIVes in mid July, and in August some juggling went on that resulted in only two squadrons on XIVcs, but also two on XIVes.  (91 and 322 were now on LF.IXs.)  Another XIVe squadron was added in September, and a direct swap late in the month between 130 and 350, with the result of:

XIVc: 610 and 350 (both at Lympne)

XIVe: 41 (also at Lympne)

XIVe: 130, 402 (RCAF) (more or less together in 2TAF on the Continent)

 

These five squadrons continued to be the XIV (fighter) users to VE day, with the exception of 610, which was disbanded in early March in order to feed the others.  All were on the Continent by the end of 1944.  Note that I have not yet figured out whether (or how) 610 and 350 eventually replaced cs with es- the ORBs and individual records get frustratingly vague at times, and more work is needed.  (I suspect that some XIVcs were fitted with 'e' armament, for example if needing enough repair to be sent away from the Squadron.)  Edit: subsequent work and a lucky photo find (see later post) suggest that others continued merrily along as built, being joined by some newer aircraft (including some low-backs) in 1945.

 

In November 1944, two other squadrons began to fly Spitfire XIVs: 2 (or No.II(AC)) and 430 (RCAF).  These were in the Army Co-operation / Fighter Reconnaissance role, and were equipped with specially modified high-back XIVes, fitted with an oblique camera.  These were new aircraft, with only one or two exceptions.

 

Total production of all high-back Spitfire XIVs was 500, not counting the VIIIG testbeds.  Of those, I'm guessing [and be aware of that choice of words!] that only about 100-150 were delivered with 'c' armament.

 

As for the low-back XIVs, all were built with 'e' armament, and only 27 were pure fighters.  My information on those is extremely limited!  The FR.XIV [as in the subject of our anxiously awaited kit, 430 built] began to come to 268 Squadron in February '45, and to 414 (RCAF), as well as a few to II(AC), in April '45.  Some may also have found their way to fighter squadron VIPs.

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2 hours ago, Andre B said:

 

Why does Airfix go on with Hu 30 as "Dark Green"? I tought the Hu 163 was the accepted shade of dark green...

 

Cheers / André

They have apparently reformulated H30, and H163 is a satin/semi gloss paint

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25 minutes ago, Dave Fleming said:

They have apparently reformulated H30, and H163 is a satin/semi gloss paint

 

Ok, and if so... ...how do one knew if the Hu 30 tin is the old one or the new reformulated shade?

 

Has there ever been any questions made to Airfix about Hu 30 vs Hu 163?

 

Cheers / André

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As a very frustrated Humbrol user I've switched to Sovereign Hobbies enamel paints. Give them a try and I assure you that you will not regret it.

 

If Hornby want to sort out their paints then getting Jamie to produce them would be a very smart move. They seem incapable of getting any consistency of colour/finish/coverage. The Hornby boffins can then apply themselves to something more productive like perpetual motion machines....

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55 minutes ago, SleeperService said:

As a very frustrated Humbrol user I've switched to Sovereign Hobbies enamel paints. Give them a try and I assure you that you will not regret it.

 

If Hornby want to sort out their paints then getting Jamie to produce them would be a very smart move. They seem incapable of getting any consistency of colour/finish/coverage. The Hornby boffins can then apply themselves to something more productive like perpetual motion machines....

Same here. Though at there best a tin of Humbrol enamel is very good, but getting one of those is very hard. Colourcoats are a lot more consistent and have more colour matches ( though a few of their colours are not, or were not accurate ) with new ones being added.

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Tis true they do seem to have mucked about with the formulae for producing the paints. An 'old' tin frequently gives better results than a new one and the 'new' RLM paints they produced are so watery they're untrue. I chucked mine. That said where would we be without good old Humbrol Matt 33, never let me down, never had a duff tin. Plus if I throw numbers at you you'll know what colours they are instantly... 30,29,24, 78, etc... :)

 

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5 hours ago, Biggles87 said:

Never mind the paint, I think we should start a lottery on when Airfix will change the release date to June!

They say May, but did they say which year?

Edited by NPL
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1 hour ago, NPL said:

They day May, but did they say which year?

As I noted earlier in this thread, Hornby have charged me for my pre-order, which they usually only do when they have the kits in stock.

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On 5/14/2019 at 3:34 PM, TEXANTOMCAT said:

Plus if I throw numbers at you you'll know what colours they are instantly... 30,29,24, 78, etc... :)

 

 

:lol: Very true! 

 

I now use acrylics but the numbers are meaningless - 28.0345.8 etc etc 

 

Humbrol numbers were long ago embedded in my brain's eccentric knowledge bank. Ever to remain!

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9 hours ago, David A Collins said:

Here are the three sprue photos.

 

Thanks for those.

 

The copy that was at Telford showed the left hand gun cover, right hand edge had the fastener blending into the panel line and it looks like it's still the same. They had this on their P-40 as well. Not to hard to fix, but it's a shame that the moulds that are produced for Airfix just can't match the quality of their CAD.

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I don't know the official terms, but this is what they look like for the tyre options:

1) Square block tread.

2) Diamond tread.

3) Circumferential groove "tread".

4) Wheels-up version of the circumferential groove.

 

Also there are three and four spoke wheel hubs.

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37 minutes ago, Biggles87 said:

but the've ruined it by moulding it in that awful colour

Perhaps they're chanelling the ghost of Matchbox!

Not much delicacy in the panel lines either.

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Thank you for posting those. Mine is on order and this has increased the anticipation! Bit surprised at the sprue gates - hopefully it is just the photographs - as they look rather clunky?

 

I take it that the different height rudder means that an FR18 can be made out of the box?

 

Will

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Can't wait for this one to arrive over here. I just dropped a line to DRAWdecal if they are probably going to re-publish the decals for Spencer Flack's G-FIRE (NH904). They seem to have taken over the decal catalogue from Red Pegasus Decals who also did Mk.XIVe TZ138 in #80 "City of Edmonton" race "colours" (bare metal actually).

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6 hours ago, Biggles87 said:

OK scratch the lottery, I was wrong ( not for the first time you'll be surprised to hear ), but the've ruined it by moulding it in that awful colour. I think I'll send mine back when it arrives.

:banghead:

Could have been worse...

 

32930167607_6c80a13f87_o.jpg

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