Some questions about Spitfire K9998 Geoffrey Wellum

[85sqn]

Hi Folks,

 

I’ve been working my way through the new Tamiya Spitfire MkI and using top notch masks I planned to do Spitfire X4330 QJ-G. Believing this to be one of Geoffrey Wellums I have subsequently found that it is a 616 Sqn a/c. The other option in the mask set is K9998 ‘K’ which is believed to be Geoffreys first spitfire. My questions is by the time Geoffrey was flying it in September 1940 how much would K9998 look like a later Spitfire MkI with:

 

armoured windscreen

streamlined aerial mast

voltage regulator behind pilots head

armoured panel on fuel tank

rear view mirror

bent landing gear handle removed

 

etc etc?

 

I have found some comments online of someone asking what variant of spitfire he flew and he describes it has having the pole type aerial mast and no IFF but at what point would these mods occur on K9998 (if they did at all). Presumably he would have the armoured windscreen by Sep.

 

I ask as the cockpit of the Tamiya kit I have made, I have left out the older style landing gear pumping handle and I have the voltage reg behind the pilots head.

 

thanks

 

Nick

 

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

The Battle of Britain Then and Now lists Pilot Officer G.H.A. Wellam with 92 squadron.  No idea about what modifications were done to K9998, the following is the service record to November 1940, in the hope others can date the various modifications and whether they were done at squadron or maintenance unit level to give an idea of the possibilities.

 

K9998 Taken on Charge 9 May 1939, Allotment Number 14451 22 May 1939, First flight 1 June 1939, Pilot date 3 June 1939, delivered the same day, 6 MU Brize Norton 22 August 1939, 504 Squadron 2 November 1939, 603 Squadron 4 days later, AST 4 MU 24 February 1940, 92 Squadron 2 July 1940, 7 OTU 1 November 1940, Westlands SAS "B" 4 November 1940, back to 7 OTU later in November, ultimately became 2822M, SOC 4 December 1941.

 

How much is the aerial tied in with the move from HF to VHF radios?

 

Geoffrey Sinclair

[85sqn]

Thanks for the reply, I know the rod type mast was associated with the TR9 HF radio but that's about as much as I know. The rod type was used from Spitfires K9787 to L1096. Further photos of 92 Sqn aircraft at Pembrey in August 1940 show the later mast but they all have higher serials so not a true comparison.

[lasermonkey]

I remembered that someone had asked about K9998 a while back and this is what I found.

 

HTH,

Mark.

[85sqn]

9 hours ago, lasermonkey said:

I remembered that someone had asked about K9998 a while back and this is what I found.

 

HTH,

Mark.

Thanks for the heads up Mark, some useful information in there.

 

Nick

[Peter Roberts]

Thanks for raising these points Nick. I have Wellums' a/c on my 'To Do list' and hadn't stopped to consider these points. You've prompted me to investigate this plane further.

 

Regards your questions, I can offer the following:

 

Armoured windscreen - these were retrofitted to all Spitfires without them, apparently by May 1940 (source: Hooton) Likely present on Wellums' Spitfire

 

Aerial - the pole type aerial installed on early build Spitfires was retained on these aircraft throughout 1940 (source: Hooton) Likely retained on Wellums' Spitfire

 

Voltage Regulator - Not visible on early build Spitfires. From N3023 to about N3110 installed lower in the cockpit, then behind the headrest. (source: Hooton) Given the desperate times and need to have as many aircraft available as possible, my thoughts are that this wouldn't have changed.  Likely not visible on Wellums' Spitfire

 

Armoured Panel on fuel tank - retrofitted to pre-war aircraft (source: Hooton) Likely present on Wellums' Spitfire

 

Rear View Mirror - not fitted to early build Spitfires, first seen on production Spitfires late June 1940 (source: Hooton) Some pilots had these fitted but I didn't read anywhere in Wellums' book that he used a rearview mirror, or had one fitted. My thoughts are it is unlikely he had one fitted. Likely not present on Wellums' Spitfire

 

Landing Gear retraction mechanism - This aircraft would have had the 'pump-action' landing gear retraction mechanism. Were the later lever action mechanisms retrofitted? I asked this of the late Edgar Brooks some years ago . Edgar was something of a Spitfire guru, and had extensively researched Spitfires using official documentation. He had found no information on this. My thoughts are as per the voltage regulator issue above; the aircraft was operational with the existing equipment and they were unlikely to have had time or resources during the battle to retrofit the latter mechanism. Likely Wellums' Spitfire retained the original retraction mechanism. (I recall hearing Wellum talk of Spitfires porpoising on take off as pilots retracted the u/c, so possibly supports this?)

 

These are my thoughts, based on the information referenced above. I hope that it is of some use, thanks again for posing the questions. Good timing with the BoB GB!

 

PR

 

P.S. Apologies for the delayed reply - took a little while to get time to look these up.

 

Edited July 14, 2020 by Peter Roberts

[85sqn]

Peter,

 

That's excellent. I have drawn the same conclusions as yourself on all of those items which is good! In First Light Geoffrey does mention pumping the gear up, possibly in the paragraph of his first flight in one.

 

I'm too far in on my current Spit build to retrospectively do this as Wellums, so it will have to wait for my next Tamiya Spit to arrive.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Nick

[Graham Boak]

The tapered mast also had the TR9 radio -  the later radio is only when the wire was removed.

 

[Peter Roberts]

Excellent! Thanks for the heads up on Wellums info. 

 

A couple of other points too, in case you haven't got them sussed. 

 

This plane was likely fitted with a metal seat. 

 

Also, I suspect there is likely to be an hydraulic reservoir mounted on the starboard cockpit wall, just behind the frame that mounts the pilot seat (don't have the frame number to hand). The top of it sticks up a little over the sill. It was a feature of these early build Mk I's; I think it was moved at some point, because I don't see it in this position in later Mk I's.

 

Depending on how detailed you want your model, there are two flare chutes in the lower fuselage, behind the cockpit.

 

It also likely had the later, bulged, flat sided canopy fitted and the ring and bead gun sight replaced with a reflector gun sight with round reflector.

 

No crow bar, and the cockpit door may also have had the early locking system - a pin in each upper corner of the door, connected by a wire, the wires meeting at a ring which I guess the pilot pulled to lock and unlock the door (!). There is a photo of the King inspecting an early build Spitfire that illustrates this mechanism well.

 

Spitfires! You gotta luv 'em.  

 

Cheers

 

PR