Spitfire Mk I engine cowl

[Scooby]

Is the top cowl one piece? On the new Tamiya Mk I there is a small piece at the front of the nose. I noticed most builds online the builder does not eliminate this seam. I can’t see it in any wartime images nor on any restored Mk Is.

 

TIA

 

Edited April 14, 2019 by Scooby

[Work In Progress]

I have no idea why Tamiya did that and would fill the line. I have never seen any such line on a Spitfire I.

[Tbolt]

I'm no Spitfire expert but I see only two reasons why they would mold it like that - one if they was a shape there that needed to be molded separate from the fuselage to make it more accurate or two because there was either a different shape or another feature there on another mark of Spit they plan on releasing, but I can't see either of those needing a separate piece.

 

As you can see on the one Tamiya built, they filled the line.

 

[Work In Progress]

It's not necessary for moulding purposes. Remarkably the recent Airfix kit also has the same feature in a one-piece moulding. It's not a mould part line, it's a panel line very carefully put in, presumably in error as there's no such animal visible on the full size. 

Some good pics in this thread comparing the parts from the two different kits.

 

Edited April 14, 2019 by Work In Progress

[fightersweep]

That seam/panel line does exist on the Mk IX, and the XVI I worked on also had that seam on the cowling. Wonder if that detail carried across to the Mk I in error for some reason? I didn't get my paws on a real Mk I, so can't comment I'm afraid

[Work In Progress]

There are so many variations on the top cowls for the two-stage Merlins and of course they are all longer than the single stage ones. 

 

It's s strange mistake for two otherwise highly accurate kits to make especially since that line also does not appear on a Spitfire II or V, and there being so many of the V around in particular. 

[NPL]

Tamiya's new Mk.I is a very good kit, but not perfect. Somehow I still think that you get more for your money if you buy the Airfix copy ... if it was only to buy.

[Tbolt]

4 hours ago, Work In Progress said:

It's not necessary for moulding purposes. Remarkably the recent Airfix kit also has the same feature in a one-piece moulding. It's not a mould part line, it's a panel line very carefully put in, presumably in error as there's no such animal visible on the full size. 

Some good pics in this thread comparing the parts from the two different kits.

 

You sure about that? The two kits aren't quite the same. Airfix didn't mold the Dzus fasteners that go across the front of the cowl, probably because they realized it wouldn't mold cleanly because of the angle. Tamiya probably realized that to get them molded squarely they would have to make a separate piece.

 

 So instead of molding the whole cowl separately ( which may need a slide mold of some sort ) they though they would break it at a panel line, which unfortunately didn't exist on the real thing.

 

I don't know a lot about injection molding but that's my guess anyway.

[greatgonzo]

On 4/14/2019 at 4:32 AM, Scooby said:

Is the top cowl one piece? On the new Tamiya Mk I there is a small piece at the front of the nose. I noticed most builds online the builder does not eliminate this seam. I can’t see it in any wartime images nor on any restored Mk Is.

 

TIA

 

This type of construction of the top cowling was typical for CBAF Spitfires. Looking for this seem You will find it in pictures sort of easily. The cowling was exchangeable so it can differ later on in service. I have found a pic of MkI carrying that type of a cowling. As a rule of a thumb it should be filled on MkI model, and maybe left as a very delicate line for those cases where the line actually existed.

[Andre B]

For sure we need more pictures of the top cowling on most aircraft types. Not only Spitfire's but also Mustang's and Hurricane's etc.

 

Usually when there is an "walk around" the pictures are taken from the ground. Picture's taken from above aircrafts are rare. But when looking at built kits most picture are taken from above...

 

Cheers / André