Seawinder Posted October 28, 2019 Share Posted October 28, 2019 As I continue my build of the Airfix 1/48 Spitfire as a Mk.IIa, I'm at the point of installing the exhausts and finishing the propeller. Airfix provides both the straight and fishtail exhausts. I'm using the Xtradecals markings for P8522 RF-W (303 Sqn. Polish mid-1941). In their instructions, they show all the Mk.II's with fishtail exhausts, but I think I've seen a couple of photos of Mk.II's with straight ones. Does anyone know if there is a recorded serial number when the exhausts changed from one to the other? In the absence of any further information, I plan to go with fishtail. Regarding the propeller, I'm using the Rotol option also provided in the kit. I've been unable to find any photos showing the blades from the front, so I'm at a loss as to whether they had the typical Rotol circular labels. I'm guessing that, if present, these would have been pink for Jablo-coated Jablo. Can anybody clarify the presence or not of the labels and/or the composition of the Rotol blades used on Mk.II's? In the absence of any further information, I'll probably apply pink circles as an educated guess. Many thanks, Pip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
303sqn Posted October 28, 2019 Share Posted October 28, 2019 I don't think any of 303's Spitfire Mk IIs were fitted with fistail exhausts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted October 28, 2019 Share Posted October 28, 2019 Hi Pip, First of all, P8522 is a IIB. A photo of P8658, another IIB delivered to the same MU the previous day, shows it with "straight" pipes, not fishtails, and a DH prop. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
303sqn Posted October 28, 2019 Share Posted October 28, 2019 303 Sqn had three Mk II 'W's in 1941 . Mk IIa P8038 March - May Mk IIa P8336 May - June Mk IIB P8522 June - July Suspect they maybe confusing P8522 with P8038 (above) which is the famous one. So all you have to do is change the serial number. I don't see any discs on the prop blades in photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seawinder Posted October 29, 2019 Author Share Posted October 29, 2019 Thanks all for the information. Unfortunately, the decals have been applied and flat-coated, so I'm just going to go with the wrong serials. However, I will use the straight exhausts, and I won't apply the circles to the prop blades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greatgonzo Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 Mk IIs used aluminum Rotol props. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 Earlier metal Rotol props were magnesium, as I understand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greatgonzo Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 Oh, I meant metal. 4 blade duraluminum Rotor props were used occasionally on Spitfire later on. Didn't care to check for MkII and wrote carelessly. Thanks for correction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 The magnesium props were seen on one Spitfire squadron at the time of Dunkirk. I don't know what the Mk.II props were made of, and did wonder whether this was known. Still wondering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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