Spitfire Vc 6 stack exhaust for the Airfix 2020 new tool

[Cheshiretaurus 2,180]

Im planning to build the shuttleworth collections Spitfire Vc AR501 from the Airfix new tool 1/72 Spitfire Vc, I belive this kit has the parts to make a clipped wing version with a normal air filter. What I also need is a six stack exhaust for it, does anyone havecany recommendations for an after market exhaust?  

 

Thanks

 

Mark

CT

[Wez 5,988]

Both Eduard and Quickboost do 6 stack exhausts for a Mk,IX, any of those would be suitable - as seen here on a quick Hannants search, you just need to choose the appropriate one, fishtail or rounded.

[Cheshiretaurus 2,180]

Thanks I was wondering if a mk IX would be appropriate for a mkV. I'll have a look. 

[Wez 5,988]

30 minutes ago, Cheshiretaurus said:

Thanks I was wondering if a mk IX would be appropriate for a mkV. I'll have a look. 

 

The main difference between the Merlin fitted to a Mk.V and a Mk.IX is the supercharger on the rear of the engine, the cylinder block and thus the exhaust fittings are the same (at least dimensionally).  It looks like AR501 has the rounded style.

[Work In Progress 3,644]

1 hour ago, Cheshiretaurus said:

mk IX would be appropriate for a mkV

Yes in this case (not for most in-service examples).

The bore spacings are the same for all Merlins and Meteors.

[gingerbob 3,153]

So I can put Spitfire exhausts on my Meteor?

 

[Wez 5,988]

6 minutes ago, Work In Progress said:

Yes in this case (not for most in-service examples).

 

Can you explain why?

[Work In Progress 3,644]

Because most in-service Mark V lived and died before being retrofitted

[Cheshiretaurus 2,180]

11 minutes ago, gingerbob said:

So I can put Spitfire exhausts on my Meteor?

 

Would look like a menacing meatbox. Think he meant the RR Meteor engine a derivative of the Merlin for AFVs

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Meteor

[Graham Boak 6,943]

Also, few Mk.Vs were employed in a role where it mattered.

 

Methinks if you put Spitfire exhausts on a Meteor, they wouldn't make the Cromwell go even 5mph faster.  Might run into other problems too - the Germans would certainly hear them coming.

 

[Work In Progress 3,644]

8 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

Might run into other problems too - the Germans would certainly hear them coming.

 

Yes, and they weren't exactly quiet to start with. (There are as far as I know no running Cromwells but here's a running Comet, so for these purposes much the same thing).

 

 

[Wez 5,988]

17 minutes ago, Work In Progress said:

Because most in-service Mark V lived and died before being retrofitted

 

Agreed, I wondered if there was a mysterious technical reason.

 

8 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

Also, few Mk.Vs were employed in a role where it mattered.

 

 

I can't think of many examples although the one that does spring to mind is the Mk.Vs used by the US Navy gun spotters around D-Day

[Graham Boak 6,943]

I'd rule out those too.  The odd few MPH really didn't matter in the slightest for what they were doing.  Some of the ones in Italy might  count, which is where some were indeed seen, but even then they were mainly fighter-bombers so it didn't matter.

[Wez 5,988]

10 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

I'd rule out those too.  The odd few MPH really didn't matter in the slightest for what they were doing.  Some of the ones in Italy might  count, which is where some were indeed seen, but even then they were mainly fighter-bombers so it didn't matter.

 

Third picture down in this link.

 

 

[stevehnz 11,113]

37 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

Some of the ones in Italy might  count, which is where some were indeed seen

An earlier one was the well know mount of Kiwi Ace Rosie Mackie who apparently had his Vc so modified in North Africa & went so far to retrieve the 6 stub exhausts when his machine crash landed for fitting to its replacement.

Steve.

[MACALAIN 101]

Rolls Royce engine also used for Vosper MTB and recue boats

 

Alain

[gingerbob 3,153]

I'm not sure the point of this side discussion.  It is well known that some late Vs had the 6-stack exhausts fitted- it is somewhat associated with LF.Vs, but there's no hard correlation.  IF your Mk.V has 6-stack exhausts fitted, then yes, "Mk.IX" ones should be appropriate.  Whether a set intended for one kit directly fits another is a separate question, but I wouldn't think it would be too hard to make it work.

Edited January 16 by gingerbob

[fishplanebeer 271]

Not forgetting that the Seafire III also had the later style 6 exhausts fitted to their single stage merlin engines along with some IIc's as well, and I've even seen a pic of a hooked Seafire Ib similarly attired.

 

Regards

Colin.

[Work In Progress 3,644]

Mark I G-AIST / AR213 used to have six stacks a side, when in the Battle of Britain movie, when owned by Victor Gauntlett, and for at least a while afterwards. Highly visitble too is the four blade prop, of course

 

 

Edited January 16 by Work In Progress

[Graham Boak 6,943]

I think the point of the digression was not how many examples can be found of Mk.Vs with 6-a-side exhausts, but why was there not more of them.  I would discount warbirds completely: until recently they didn't have a lot of choice in what working exhausts were around, and they see no benefit from them as they never explore the outer limits of the performance envelope.  The basic answer to the question is that the cost of implementing this was outweighed by the lack of value.  There were simply more important things to spend money, time and effort on than semi-obsolete fighters that could carry out less demanding roles perfectly happily as it was.  In the case of the Seafire, there was a genuine need for whatever performance they could get.

[72modeler 6,760]

4 hours ago, Work In Progress said:

Yes, and they weren't exactly quiet to start with.

Bet the Germans didn't know whether to look up or down when they heard one coming! Now, if our M4 Sherman had only been fitted with a Merlin....

Mike

[Work In Progress 3,644]

2 hours ago, 72modeler said:

Now, if our M4 Sherman had only been fitted with a Merlin

Well, any Sherman of mine would have to be R-975 powered even though the GAA and diesels were probably better tank engines

 

[stevehnz 11,113]

Get a lung full of that!  I've long wondered how they got on starting these, they could hardly turn it over on the prop to cleat the lower cylinders?

Steve.

[ColFord 426]

USN VCS-7 on D-Day, what photos are around show their Spitfire Vbs with a mix of the three a side and six a side exhausts across the various aircraft they used.  Examples of six a side:

 

VCS-7 1 by Colin Ford, on Flickr

 

VCS-7 by Colin Ford, on Flickr

 

26 Sqdn RAF and 63 Sqdn RAF who were also part of the Spotting Pool were equipped with Spitfire Vb at the time, from what few photos of them there are from this timeframe, some with, some without.  Looking at the AM78 for the Spitfire Vb issued to them at the time, some had been back into MU and contractors before being issued to the Squadrons before D-Day with various mods being implemented before issue.

 

 

 

[Work In Progress 3,644]

On 1/16/2021 at 11:21 PM, stevehnz said:

Get a lung full of that!  I've long wondered how they got on starting these, they could hardly turn it over on the prop to cleat the lower cylinders?

Steve.

I don't have a Sherman manual but there are several ways to mitigate the risk. I imagine they would motor it over on the starter before switching the ignition on. This can be combined with a slipper clutch on the starter to prevent it pushing over a hydraulic lock with enough torque to bend, and thereby shorten a con-rod (as on the inverted Gipsy Queens on the Rapide I used to dally with). Another likely measure was one or more drain taps in the low points of the exhaust manifolds, as I had on my Yak.