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Supermarine Spitfire F Mk.22


Bill.B

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Another Airfix kit has found its way onto my building board, but this time in the guise of their re-tooled 1/48 Mk.22/24 Spitfire. The kit builds very nicely without any major issues, but the canopy could have done with being bought up to date as it’s far too thick and on my example it was crazed all over. Not wanting to spend money on extras it was simply built out of the box with the addition of just a couple of scratch built parts, ie. the aerial under the starboard wing, seat belts and rudder trim tab actuator. Exhausts , pitot probe and cannons were drilled out and the three lights under the fuselage were painted with Tamiya clear colours and backed with aluminium foil to make them more prominent. The scheme I chose was that of 607 Sqdn.’s entry into the Cooper Air race of 1948 and because of this the weathering was kept very light as the aircraft would most likely have been specially cleaned for the event. Paints are Tamiya acrylics with Humbrol lacquers and a small amount of pastels and oils added for the weathering.
Constructive criticism always welcome chaps. :yes: 
 

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Edited by Bill.B
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To my mind, the Mk.22 is among the most attractive of the Spitfire variants. Your model does it true justice. Very well done!

Edited by SAT69
Mistyped
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  • 1 month later...

Did you pay your half-crown fine for leaving the flaps down?

 

A beautiful build of what is still one of Airfix's finest kits, and I agree with the lack of much weathering: the Auxiliary Squadrons were very proud of their status as the volunteer element of Fighter Command and kept their aircraft much cleaner and often at a higher state of readiness than the regular Squadrons.

 

My Dad flew Mk 22s with 613 Sqn (City of Manchester) and said that from Friday afternoon until Monday morning the Auxiliary Squadrons were Fighter Command, as the regulars stood down, and that, when called to readiness on exercises, 613 was always able to generate at least 12 aircraft (establishment 16), whereas regulars like 54 Sqn might only be able to put up 5 or 6. It was the difference between the regular Squadrons having conscript 2-year National Servicemen groundcrew in the post-war era and the all-volunteer Auxiliaries having the pick of their tradesmen. For example, 613 Sqn's honorary Air Commodore was Sir Roy Dobson, who let it be known to his Avro employees that Avro volunteers would be welcomed on 613 - hence the Squadron had technically-experienced groundcrew who were building aircraft during the week and maintaining aircraft at weekends. Spare parts were another advantage - if parts weren't coming through 'the system' quickly enough, Sir Roy would call up his counterpart at Supermarine (or later de Havilland when they re-equipped with Vampires) and demand to know why an aircraft of 'his Squadron' was grounded for lack of a part: it worked wonders.

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