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1/48 Spitfire MkI 234 Sqn, Middle Wallop - Bob Doe


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Kit: Eduard 1/48 Spitfire “Spitfire Story: The Few” boxing 

Decals: DK decals Spitfire Mk I/II Aces

 

The newly arrived Eduard Spitfire will be my next entry into the group build. I am really looking forwards to building this kit, so as soon as my Tamiya Spitfire is finished this will be on the table!

 

Middle Wallop is just down the road from me, so I wanted to build an aircraft from one of the Spitfire (234 and 609) or Hurricane (238) squadrons which operated from there during the Battle. When I saw there were decals for Bob Doe’s Spitfire, then that was the natural choice. I think anyone who has watched programmes about the battle will have seen interviews with him recounting his experiences.
Doe went on to fly Hurricanes with 238 in the latter stages of the battle, so there is potential for a Bob Doe double (time and decals permitting).

 

 “We do not want to be remembered as heroes, we ask only to be remembered for what we did ... that's all”

Wing Commander R.F.T. Doe DSO, DFC*

 

A6A77510-3698-44FE-A8E6-85D2B91A0555

 

ED6F903B-F2A1-4B00-B831-04D946A31902

 

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9 hours ago, Ozzy said:

Looking forward to this build.

Me too Ozzy - it looks very nice inside the box. I am really keen to get it started; I really enjoyed building Eduard’s later Mark Spitfires so I’m hopeful that this will be a similarly positive experience.

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I too am looking forward to this. I have one on order - knowing international post at the moment you'll have about a two month head start on me!

 

Matt

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Yes, great subject and Squadron. I believe there’s some conjecture regarding the background colour of 234’s fuselage badge, however please don’t let this get in the way of your build. 
 

Cheers and good luck.. Dave

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  • 2 weeks later...

With the Tamiya Spit put to bed, it’s time to turn attention to this lovely offering from Eduard. I had a little bit of time over lunch, so thought I would make a start and knock up an undercarriage control.  This Spit would definitely not have had the manual pump lever (which Eduard supply) fitted and I think it’s quite a visible part of the cockpit ‘furniture’.  
I used an example from another Eduard kit (Mk VIII) as a guide and then made this from some plasticard.

 

341C7A69-8192-4F43-8CFB-7867C7AB025D

A bit of a tidy up and some paint and it should look fine - particularly as the cockpit door will be closed on this Spit to show off the Squadron artwork. 

 

Steve

 

 

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A bit of reading up on 234 Sqn tonight and on Bob Doe in particular. The 234 Sqn diaries are rather less colourful than the 54 Sqn ones unfortunately so I probably won’t post those on this thread. I haven’t really done much with the model other than wash the sprues and study the instructions. I have to say that I really love the look of the kit and the mix of raised and recessed rivets and fasteners. 

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I have Pat Hughes plane to do, also 234 Squadron, so looking forward to your build.

 

As Dave points out, the recent 'Spitfire' book by WingLeader shows the Squadron badge likely had a light coloured back ground, possibly light grey or blue (MSG, Sky?) but most decals have this as yellow.

 

I have just ordered Bob's book and looking forward to the read.

 

Nice job with u/c controls - that is quite something in that scale.

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Thanks Peter - I’ll look forwards to your Pat Hughes build - @Ray_W is also modelling the same aircraft.

 

The badge is also shown as a white disc in Camouflage & Markings No2 (albeit on a pre-BoB profile). I’m going to stick with the yellow - primarily because that’s what I associate with the old Airfix 1/72 AZ-H, but mainly because producing an alternative is beyond me! Interesngky, I’ve seen pics of 234 squadron aircraft without the marking (a crashed a/c whilst at St Eval spring to mind) So it may not be universally carried - the pic of Doe in front of a Spit has the door open, so who knows I guess.  Either way, a pop of colour on these browns and greens is always welcome I think.

 

Steve 

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2 hours ago, Steve 1602 said:

The badge is also shown as a white disc in Camouflage & Markings No2 (albeit on a pre-BoB profile). I’m going to stick with the yellow - primarily because that’s what I associate with the old Airfix 1/72 AZ-H, but mainly because producing an alternative is beyond me! Interesngky, I’ve seen pics of 234 squadron aircraft without the marking (a crashed a/c whilst at St Eval spring to mind) So it may not be universally carried - the pic of Doe in front of a Spit has the door open, so who knows I guess.  Either way, a pop of colour on these browns and greens is always welcome I think.

 

Steve 

Hi Steve,

 

I'll watch your build with interest. I'll start mine sometime later the coming week depending how far I get with my Bf-110.

 

This is the photo that has been part of the debate claimed to be the only one so far discovered of Pat Hughes last aircraft. The background of the 234 motif is very clear and yet the yellow around the roundel has disappeared in the photography suggesting the motif background is not yellow otherwise it would of appeared dark as well.  If it is not yellow then it's definitely not white when compared to the roundel and looks different to the squadron codes MSG. So then we're up for a guess. I think the aircraft underside colour is a good guess.  However, as it is a guess, and unless there is some clear evidence of the actual colour, I will also probably go with the DK decals background colour - yellow. 

 

 

SpitfireMkI_X4009_PatHughes_Construction_16

 

Ray

 

 

 

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That undercarriage control looks great Steve, nice bit of scratch building there!

 

Looking forward to the kit coming together, think I'll be getting the Profipac when it comes out. Till then I'll be happy watching yours, and all the other in the GB!

 

I've a feeling the squadron motif wasn't on all of their planes, time restraints possibly? I'd agree with Ray that something like Sky is a good guess for the background colour, but, the Yellow will look sooo much better, so gets my vote because, well, artistic licence!

 

Geoff 

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