Spitfire BR416 -X, 74 OTU. Calling all Spitfire experts!

[Tony Whittingham]

Hello All,

I’ve been mulling over a conversion from the old Airfix 1/24 Spitfire 1 to a PR.IV, with BR416 as my chosen subject. One of the anomalies I have found is that this aircraft appears to have a much more pointed spinner than I was expecting for one with a DH prop. 
In fact, it looks like a Rotol spinner with a DH prop. 
 

BR416 was apparently overhauled before going to the OTU, and they were known to “mix and match” parts on refurbished aircraft. Could the Rotol spinner fit on a DH prop?

 

TW
 

[Graham Boak]

I wouldn't have thought so, else we'd see many more examples.  It has been said that those aircraft with the DH Hydromatic props had a longer pointier spinner than the earlier ones with the bracket-type props.  Could this be the case?

 

it is also true that problems with the DH prop freezing at altitude led to an early recommendation for the Rotol on PR types, although this does not seem to be well supported by the available photographs,  Could this actually be a Rotol prop, perhaps one of the earlier magnesium-bladed sets?  (This freezing problem was later to cause considerable trouble in operations from Australia, resulting in several "unnecessary" losses. and a lack of success.)

[Tony Whittingham]

Thanks for the info,@Graham Boak!

It would appear that BR416 started off with a DH prop, and acquired a Rotol with metal blades when overhauled. I’ll have to see what I have in my spares that could become a Rotol spinner. 
 

TW

[V Line]

The specified (Manual) prop/blade combination for the Spitfire P.R. IV with Merlin 45 and 46 engines was the 5/29/DP55409 of 10ft 9ins diameter. Visually speaking the standard Spitfire dH.

 

The Spitfire P.R. (Merlin III) used similar bracket props and the same 'standard' blades.

 

The earlier Spitfire 'D' had the option of the Hurricane Rotol 10 ft 10ins dia prop with DR291 blades (Battle of Britain type).

 

Having quickly googled photos of the subject aircraft, the prop shown (on those photos) is clearly the dH hydromatic (45/1 or 45/4) with  DP454509 blades commonly seen on Vc and Vb Trop aircraft. The spinner for this prop was indeed slightly longer than that of the bracket type..

 

Later photos may show something quite different but I hope this helps.

 

 

[Tony Whittingham]

7 hours ago, V Line said:

The specified (Manual) prop/blade combination for the Spitfire P.R. IV with Merlin 45 and 46 engines was the 5/29/DP55409 of 10ft 9ins diameter. Visually speaking the standard Spitfire dH.

 

The Spitfire P.R. (Merlin III) used similar bracket props and the same 'standard' blades.

 

The earlier Spitfire 'D' had the option of the Hurricane Rotol 10 ft 10ins dia prop with DR291 blades (Battle of Britain type).

 

Having quickly googled photos of the subject aircraft, the prop shown (on those photos) is clearly the dH hydromatic (45/1 or 45/4) with  DP454509 blades commonly seen on Vc and Vb Trop aircraft. The spinner for this prop was indeed slightly longer than that of the bracket type..

 

Later photos may show something quite different but I hope this helps.

 

 

Thank you, V Line,

that makes sense. 
 

Tony