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G-IRTY Silver Spitfire - Quattro Stagioni - L'autunno - ***Finished***


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Stage 3.

Resuming the story after the events in December 1944, MJ271 underwent repairs and on June 21st 1945 was delivered to 29 Maintenance Unit at High Ercall.

 

By that time, negotiations were already underway with the Air Ministry to buy surplus aircraft in accordance with 'Plan Target One' - the reconstruction of the Dutch Air Force, or LSK (LuchtStrijdKrachten). Starting mid 1946, twentyone low-hour Mk.IXc Spitfires were tested from RAF airfields by Dutch pilots, and when accepted, transfered to the Netherlands for use with the  Fighter Training School (JachtVliegerSchool) at Twente AB.
Amongst which, in November 1946, MJ271.

 

Initially the new arrivals were kept in the familiar RAF scheme, although with (mostly) Dutch markings and a plethora of spare parts exchanged between airframes:

y4mbWdqptE2z1ZfZLqyebwcD0zhmmo7A83J4VG0L

 

 In August 1947 she would receive the registration code H-8, but major overhauls at Fokker (Schiphol) would see her wings clipped, redone in all-aluminium and with the code 3W-8.
By the early 1950s however it was clear that the Mk.IX was no longer suitable for first line use and was succeeded by the Gloster Meteor Mk.4.

MJ271 did not get sold to Belgium, pushed on the scrapheap, or as target on the shooting range (as was the fate of many former Dutch Spits) - rather she was used for a time as a decoy on Volkel AB, then ended up on a playground and a rooftop, looking worse for wear.

 

tattered and forlorn, dressed up as TA-26 'Opa'.

y4mG-EIX93voiiKnV2xtvS0XZChv6-4kMc-6Ab-s

 

Images courtesy of Collection Netherlands Institute of Military History. 

Edited by alt-92
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Familiar box, this is another overtree Mk.IXc from Eduard. 

Not much news to see.
y4mUXIz2p-Wf5Sa9QHqoV9QrNZsU_DnkYJCQMvOr

 

I do have some special markings though. 

First option:  Post-overhaul, NMF as H-8/3W-8 courtesy of a custom FlevoDecal sheet:
y4mvmI02DXw2sAvZGQr8wyq5LZbSJlhIdLeWsgM5

 

The second option is as decoy TA-26 from the excellent DutchDecal Dutch Props sheet:
y4mQY2uMZIDow3H60m606ADfxTuUkumRCbh7_mAu

 

y4m5DX0OHeeWUh7of1tX8yYN9loij6RIaa-4-mdM

 

There's plenty more in that one that will see future use btw:
y4mBu_m7neB-7wyrwErbGTMRrLq2UhcF7InATadA

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  • 2 weeks later...

Cockpity bits primed

y4meZuKJlk-leFEh-h-lXcspHxLQ1QNB9BjGbCWq

 

And the whole enchilada in colour. I'm starting to get the hang of this PE malarkey as well, with that compass holder in 1/72 with straight folds :)

y4m6MNdjPudiqUO9sanKCLiN9ypsCXRTzThPeTDm

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  • 2 weeks later...

Look ma, no gaps!

y4m9kyShT2WV7gD4YoM_Jmpu7EmoLqRMvYJbQGQv

 

And ditto on the notorious two part cowling. 

y4mxLAIKpwYiMxcL3_zkZ6TkGCi0TRorMQn4SL1q

 

Guess it's time to slip in the crew compartment then.

y4mG8aURUor6mlIdmn46d7AvmN0KGVMeavcwWhJt

 

Decision made on the scheme as well. It's going to be the post-overhaul aluminium & blue painted clipped wing version with 3W-8 codes.

 

y4mvmI02DXw2sAvZGQr8wyq5LZbSJlhIdLeWsgM5

 

Off to copy the anti-glare bit from somewhere to properly mask that out.

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Not that much progress yet, but I did squirt some leftover aluminium while detailing to check seams.

Looks pretty good on the tail end :)

 

y4mxPBgRDUEGGOf-SJKNliudwgz-zUuFTpY9lVZc

 

Just a bit of extra help needed on the fuel tank cover.

 

y4mvrhsGzckcBzGhO3HrMfx6T_RPRUXWYtGje1QD

 

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Well, the wings and tailplanes are on.
I've also hit the props with yellow for the two Eduards.

Tomorrow will be cool enough again to do the black after masking.

y4mBTeE0mD4TD7I-bB70g-U7xZPGaNVvs4q90qxc

 

Next challenge..

The standard Mk.IXc kit does not have the wheel well bulges for a post revision hard surface landing gear.

This is the restored MK732 for the Historical Flight showing what I need (well except for the standard wingtips)

 

y4mwspumxfZUc8_9AaqmlvIfyQZqRe_FUtGTd6Y7


Looking at a XVI kit with late wings, should be doable with thin sheet and careful sanding/shaping.

The result so far:

y4mkoReX84lCVz7msels6zfWbouJUMdZ665Sm1XM

 

 

 

y4mBT6eCQTKHGhBu4PMadQqZuo5fC3fwg4tywnYE


Needs a bit more knocking down on the height, but pretty close!

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Anti-glare sprayed in Tamiya Black XF-2 and masked off, aluminium on.

Tail tip needs a bit of a touch-up in the blue.

 

y4mDmeuyxbwcg8yyQVz6LeTPZgHEo2H3mXO0UlMi

 

Looking at photo's of most early 1950s Dutch Spits it is hard to discern whether the hard-tarmac mods were present, but I did eventually find a shot of MJ271 in the early 60s as well as MK732 (currently with the historical flight) under repair, showing exactly what I just added.

No need to remove the scratch parts.:phew:

 

 

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Touch-ups done, unmasked the anti-glare.
Working on the undercarriage and small bits, after that she's ready for a gloss coat and decals.

 

 

y4meDCcGRo-sITuG8wOoMaYvo7ssP_T1s7V46hKV

 

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Ready for decals!

First: this is what she looked like in 1973, all broken down in parts.

y4mvkqJPjwFGEVlAFg5-VcwRdJkQJbIdUJQiBKSm

(from Dutch Spitfires - HvdM)

So, modding work is spot on :)

On her legs:

y4moJy3nT2czQxYexxb6TX9_DFh_upfr99AjPeU-

 

Walkways sprayed in Tamiya Rubber Black
y4mb8xRJTnrfvpcBLJjZTh4boA2MKYKD9GAdPaF3

 

Wheels and bits & bobs stuck on (prop is still loose atm)

y4mY8f4GTXqGNTE66noxJIf98foAcX3EGyoEzcZH

 

Only the Decals, mirror & door to do now...and some minor touch-ups.

 

More PE 😱

y4m3OSz_dBfJRempZuP8t_8pI69ehs28H2vUzkGx

 

 

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Flevo decals are very sensitive, you barely can move them so correct placement is really key.

 

anyways: 

y4mHzSlk3DUZ6Lcy4KIxe_CgwMT7QiQ_V6uqdom6

 

y4m5e8RcKH81bHsahMnm1TrJgCNhPPJ5zi5ma3I8

 

y4mG5RBIF19MiLkOFoAjnSICFqAr3TWGexbhAv8U

 

y4mKOAukYK1Xisg2Xa-iRLIPR_GlgKkwKRblw_M8

 

y4mvBsNDn2zooqWDrX9AvnB75muNjiwWsR9xxczv

 

The rest of the gang:

y4mL0o7l0Jgtdu-D1gsMcsNtu__BdPaPBL5wNKHP

 

 

Hop in!

 

y4m10_Ikhw8Cbe9E6NboYv70-UGyJ_03wfFMESw1

 

 

Thanks for the encouragement along the way.

 

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  • alt-92 changed the title to G-IRTY Silver Spitfire - Quattro Stagioni - L'autunno - ***Finished***
  • 2 weeks later...

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