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Spitfire Vc No.79 Sqn RAAF UP-X - Finished


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After some false starts on recent group builds, I thought that I would try to restart in 2021 with this kit, the Sword 1/72:

 

IMG_3579

 

As the kit box clearly states RAAF, it seems ideal for this GB and I have had it for some time.   I will be doing the 79 Squadron version which is A58-169 originally ES307 built at Castle Bromwich (kipper tie, no I have just had one thank you).  The airframe history is from ADF serials website:

 

58-169          F.VC   ES307          Arrived in Australia on SS Empire Strength 11/04/43.Rec 2AD ex UK 29/03/43. Rec 1AD ex 2AD 23/04/43. Received streamline cowling modification 1AD (sans Trop)23/04/43. Returned to 79Sqn RAAF 06/05/43. Coded UP-X. Rec 1AD ex 79Sqn RAAF 02/06/43. Rec 79Sqn RAAF ex 1AD 06/06/43. Accident 26/06/43 when after having taken off for a one hour gun test flight, could not select undercarriage on landing. Pilot made a wheels up landing at Milne Bay. Pilot; Sgt G A Chomley Serv#418232 was uninjured. (Code name for Kiriwana was Drake Force) Fitted RR Merlin M46 was #93069. Rec 26RSU ex 79Sqn RAAF 22/08/43. Rec 79 Sqn RAAF ex 26RSU 30/10/43. As LZ844 (A58-213) with 79 Sqn RAAF was now also coded as UP-X, ES307(A58-169) also coded as UP-X, was modified with a white overscore below and another above the grey X, with new Volkes Filter in natural metal cowl. RR Merlin M46 #92661. Rec 12RSU ex 79Sqn RAAF 28/10/44. Rec 6AD ex 12RSU 26/11/44. Rec 8OTU ex 6AD 07/01/45. Rec 6AD ex 8OTU 27/11/45. Authorised for write off 22/05/46. Passed to DAP 26/11/47. Struck off 15/11/48.

 

And I think it is this aircraft:

 

up x 1

 

From the Australian War Memorial Site. Interestingly there isn't any serial code on the aircraft.  The accepted scheme seems to be RAF DE with RAAF Foliage Green painted over the original RAF Midstone with RAF Azure Blue beneath- the repaint for Spitfires originally finished in 'Desert Camouflage'.  The Vokes filter from the above text was a refit and in aluminium which is why it light.  The underneath appears lighter that Azure blue on the wings and darker almost imperceptible from the upper colours at the rear.  Notice also the dark colour of the leg strut.  Of course its not a pin sharp photo.  I think there are two likely-hoods, the aircraft is painted Azure Blue and the wings are reflecting the sand beneath or the aircraft could have been repainted RAAF Sky Blue in its many trips back to Servicing.

 

I have build the Sword Spitfire Vc before and it goes together quite well, but the cockpit canopy can be a bit iffy possibly.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Finally got something done on this!

 

After nearly a month of not going near the kit, I finally have got something done, namely putting it together.

 

It is a nice kit and goes together well, but does not have any locating lugs etc.  

 

IMG_3581

 

The wing to fuselage fit was good on one side and poor on the other which needed some sanding and filing.  Its good to hear that the Airfix version has almost seamless wing fit.  The other bits fitted well, although I used a Vokes filter from a Tamiya kit as the intake mouth  on the kit was a bit ill defined.

 

The cockpit should be open when finished, so I put in the PE instrument panel from the kit and used a resin seat with a Sutton harness moulded on.  The harness is a bit iffy accuracy wise, but the cockpit is small in 1/72.  

 

IMG_3582

 

The kit has resin cannon which I used, but I had to resort to plastic rod for the outer cannon blanks capped with the resin ends, these needed some positive action to get to fit.

IMG_3583

 

 

Coming back to the kit, the next stage will be the Azure Blue undersides.

Edited by Olmec Head
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  • 2 weeks later...

Its all about masking - keeping Tamiya tape in business

 

As @TEMPESTMK5 is cracking on with his silver 79 Sqn RAAF Spitfire that was started later than mine, I thought I should continue. 

 

I painted the RAF Azure Blue undersides (Vallejo thinned down with white and then a sort of blue grey concoction), as usual my applied pre shading did not show through that well.  I then tried to recreate a worn upper side RAF DE using Vallejo DE 029 (Model Air)  as a rough base and then the later 323 Vallejo DE as a lighter second coat followed by some further lightened 323.  This sounds better than it was!  Again I had significant Vallejo clogging problems - my love/hate with Vallejo is moving to hate/hate.  

 

The next colour is the much debated RAAF Foliage Green, which was sprayed over the top of the original RAF Mid Stone on arrival in Oz.  I rather roughly masked the DE (still sulking about the Vallejo quality):

 

IMG_3585

 

To cover all the bases of what Foliage Green could look like I did a rough first coat of Black Green with then a bit of Olive drab and then a spray of RAF DG  (all Tamiya) with a light final spray of Vallejo BS Dark Green 324 to green it up.  Again the results did not match the intent, it just looked - Dark Green.

 

Undeterred, the masking moved up a gear, covering the model apart from the tail and wing leading edges for the white Theatre markings:

 

IMG_3587

 

These were sprayed on as slightly grey white, perhaps too grey...

 

IMG_3590

 

And to demonstrate I can mask I put some more on for the wing walk way lines.

 

IMG_3593

 

These were done in Tamiya NATO Black.  Next will be to put on the markings for UP-X, I am not sure how good the Sword decals will be.  I also have to work out to do the open cockpit canopy.

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Markings and Varnish now on

 

The markings for UP-X were quite simple - 6 roundels and the sqn codes.  the original picture I am using as reference had no a/c serial on it that I can see and of course no fin flashes.  There again, their is no usual Aussie risque nude like UP-T so it is swings and roundabouts.  I put some basic stencils, but not the small ones

 

 

 

IMG_3595a

 

Next is putting on the open cockpit which I am not looking forward to.  I did this as an open cockpit as the previous Sword Spitfire that I did had closed canopy fit issues.  I am hoping that this won'y happen again.

 

 

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Now Completed

 

I pushed on and got the slightly worrisome open cockpit canopy done.  Not my best effort, but it is completed and my first GB entry for 2021 after a couple of false starts.

 

IMG_3601

 

IMG_3606

 

IMG_3603

 

And the original:

 

up x 1

 

 

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  • Olmec Head changed the title to Spitfire Vc No.79 Sqn RAAF UP-X - Finished
19 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Nicely done Spitfire, Im happy you could join in and with a well done build. 

 

1 hour ago, tonyot said:

Nicely done mate,...... this Spit is on my `to do' list too at some stage. 

Cheers

           Tony

 

9 hours ago, TEMPESTMK5 said:

Very nice looking Spit Olmec

Congratulations

Patrice

 

15 hours ago, Romeo Alpha Yankee said:

Very nice, lovely finsh!

 

18 hours ago, Andwil said:

Beautiful Spit Olmec, well done 👍

 

AW

 

Thanks all for your kind words. The RAAF roundels and white ident markings make an interesting change to RAF Fighter Cmd.  

 

I am now looking to do my next GB entry as a Biafran Air Force DH Heron using the Airfix kit, that I have had on the shelf for a long time.  Google searches suggest one example existed in 1967 but there is only a photo of a DH Dove in Biafran colours.  At least it will be hopefully a 'unique' build of an aircraft that probably existed.

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Quite special and a great contribution to this Group Build. Wonderful to see the RAAF roundels on such a well presented rendition. Nice attention to detail and solid execution.

 

Ray

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On 26/03/2021 at 17:14, Ray_W said:

Quite special and a great contribution to this Group Build. Wonderful to see the RAAF roundels on such a well presented rendition. Nice attention to detail and solid execution.

 

Ray

Thanks Ray, I may try to use the spare kit markings on the new Airfix Vc  to make a Darwin Wing version; maybe for the under a tenner GB if Airfix keep their prices down!

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