No. 457 Sqn. RAAF A58-466 ZP*H

[CanadaMoe]

(Let me try again.)

I'd like to join with an RAAF Spitfire Mk. VIII ZP * H at the time when it was flown by Flt/ Lt Dick Due

Roundels will come from decal stash, "ZP * H will be cut from Silhouette cutter (I might cut the roundels too - we'll see.) and "A58-466" will be printed on a laser printer.

 

Reference:

1)   Peter Malone (See post below.)

2)    http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a58.htm

 

 

 

 

Edited February 22, 2021 by CanadaMoe
Changed reference source

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Hello Moe, I hate to be the bearer of bad news. 155 operated out of South east Asia not Australia or New Zealand. Its a common mistake with the roundels being so similar. RAAF Blue with white centers. SEAC Blue with Lt.Blue centers. 
 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._155_Squadron_RAF

 

If the pilot was from either country then you are good to go ?

[CanadaMoe]

I have since changed the subject of my build.

See above for new subject.

Edited February 17, 2021 by CanadaMoe
Changed subject

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Hello Im sorry this has happened,  if you're sure I wont force you to stay in the build. 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Happy to see you back sir. 👍🏻

[Magpie22]

Moe,

I'm afraid that I also have to be the bearer of some bad tidings. Afew comments re ZP-H.

• F/L Dick Due was Flight Commander of 'A' Flight and did in fact fly ZP-H.
• No. 457 Sqn was based at Livingstone Airstrip south of Darwin, not at Goodenough Island.
• ZP-H was A58-466.
• A58-465 was a 'B' Flight aircraft, regularly flown by F/O C. McLeod. As a 'B' Flight aircraft it was highly unlikely that it would have been coded 'H'. I believe that its code was probably 'N'.
• A58-466, ZP-H, was built as MD252 and was finished in the RAF Desert Scheme.  On arrival in Australia, the Middle Stone was overpainted with RAAF Foliage Green.

I would throw away that MAM reference - it is highly inaccurate. To accept the camouflage scheme as being a desert scheme requires a huge leap in faith to believe, that for some strange reason, Supermarine chose to reverse the Middle Stone and Dark Earth colours on an individual airframe. These aircraft were painted as sub assemblies before those assemblies were mated and, the paint touched up on the completed airframe. To have painted one aircraft in a 'reverse scheme' would have meant undertaking the huge logistics problem of having each sub assembly painted that way as it moved through each sub-contractor or, re-painting the aircraft after it had been assembled. Why??

 

I'm attaching some photos of ZP-H that may help with your model.

 

   

 

  

 

Note that a red/yellow filter seems to have been used for these shots - the sky is quite dark in tone, the roundel blue is very dark and, the Sky Blue codes also have a daker tone. You can also see where the RAAF painters have sprayed Foliage Green on to the Dark Earth section around the roundel where they have reduced its size. They have also over-spayed the Foliage Green on to the Azure Blue undersurfaces in some places, but the demarcation between the Dark Earth and the Azure Blue remains clean. Roundels sizes on the fuselage and on the wing under surfaces can be deduced from the photos. Serial is Black, codes are Sky Blue and spinner may be the original Dark Earth or, red as it was a Fligh Commander's aircraft. Note that the fin flash has been made by simply over-painting the original red, leaving a flash with the white 13" wide and the blue 11" wide.

 

If I can help any further, don't hesitate to PM me.

Regards,

Peter Malone

 

[CanadaMoe]

Thank you, Peter for your assistance with this build.

The pictures you have posted will help immensely with this build. Thank you for sharing.

I will go with a red spinner as it was a Flight Commander's aircraft.

 

Thanks Again

Moe

[CanadaMoe]

Quick update. Nothing special. Scratch built, oxygen bottles, add lower armor plate and seat belts and "wire" tension cable

[CanadaMoe]

It's done!!!!

More pictures in the gallery.

 

I'd like to say a BIG THANK YOU to Peter for his assistance with this build. The pictures and information he provided for this build were invaluable!!

ขอขอบคุณ !

 

 

Hasegawa Spitfire Mk IX 1/72

A58-466 was laser printed decal, National Insignia were from Aussi Decal

ZP H was cut from vinyl stencil, using a silhouette portrait and painted, supposedly using my mix for sky blue. But it turned out more white.

Paints used; camouflage is free handed using a Iwata HP-B

Model Master Azure Blue, Polly S Foliage Green

Dark Earth

XF52 : XF49 : XF3 : XF9

   2    :    2   :   1   :  1/2

Edited May 8, 2021 by CanadaMoe

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Well done Spitfire. 

[Magpie22]

Nice job Moe. Well done, sir!

Re the colour Sky Blue. The samples and paint chips I have of this colour show it to be much lighter than given in many references. It also faded quite quickly under harsh sunlight. I have only to look out the window and see how badly a light blue fades in tropical conditions. FWIW, your rendition matches quite closely what I put on my models.

Peter M

[JOCKNEY]

Terrific job Moe, always great to see a Spitfire especially one with the history this one has.

Cheers Pat