Grizly Posted July 6, 2022 Share Posted July 6, 2022 The soon to be released 1/24 Airfix Spit IXc kit includes the broad chord rudder as an option. I can find pictures of razor back XVIe Spits with it but no IXc Spits. Did they exist or were they simply produced in limited numbers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jure Miljevic Posted July 6, 2022 Share Posted July 6, 2022 Hello Grizly Spitfire HF Mk.IX RR239, 93 Sqn, found on World war photos website: Serials checks to the Spitfire production list on spitfire.ukf.net website. Unfortunately, it seems that this website is now defunct. Cheers Jure 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastterry Posted July 6, 2022 Share Posted July 6, 2022 I have a colour photo on file of a Mk IXe high back marked AU-E with clipped wings in the SMxxx serial number batch which has a pointed rudder. The last three digits of the sn have been over sprayed with grey presumably when removing the sky band and the spinner is black as per operations in on the Continent after 1st Jan I think. TRF 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted July 6, 2022 Share Posted July 6, 2022 The broad chord rudder was used on a large number of Mk.Ix, actually all those built after its introduction on the production line. Most of these however were IXe with different armament. Even so, there were IXc with the broad rudder, several are shown in this thread: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M20gull Posted July 6, 2022 Share Posted July 6, 2022 2 hours ago, Jure Miljevic said: Hello Grizly Spitfire HF Mk.IX RR239, 93 Sqn, found on World war photos website: Serials checks to the Spitfire production list on spitfire.ukf.net website. Unfortunately, it seems that this website is now defunct. Cheers Jure There is a production list updated here http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/home.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted July 6, 2022 Share Posted July 6, 2022 (edited) 3 hours ago, Jure Miljevic said: ...the Spitfire production list on spitfire.ukf.net website. Unfortunately, it seems that this website is now defunct. No, it isn't, but it did change address some time ago: http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/production.html The "pointy" rudder was a relatively late addition to Mk.IXs, so you probably won't find many with 'c' armament so fitted, if that's something you specifically want. Note: posted my reply before I read all the comments- I guess I needn't have done it! Edited July 6, 2022 by gingerbob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
303sqn Posted July 6, 2022 Share Posted July 6, 2022 Rudders were sometimes replaced, e.g, MH712. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve in Ottawa Posted July 6, 2022 Share Posted July 6, 2022 What I find really interesting about that photo is that it appears to be carrying an RCAF maple leaf marking on the fuel tank cover. But this airframe does not appear to have served with a Canadian Squadron 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted July 6, 2022 Share Posted July 6, 2022 28 minutes ago, Steve in Ottawa said: What I find really interesting about that photo is that it appears to be carrying an RCAF maple leaf marking on the fuel tank cover. But this airframe does not appear to have served with a Canadian Squadron May have had a Canadian pilot at some point during her service with 93 Sqn. ? I believe the picture posted was taken when the aircraft passed to the Italian Air Force, so after the end of the war. Interestingly the engine and propeller of this same aircraft ended on the G.59 prototype (although production G.59s used Mustang propellers) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve in Ottawa Posted July 6, 2022 Share Posted July 6, 2022 Yes, that would be a good guess about a Canadian pilot using the maple leaf marking like that. It was intended to be a national identifier, and not so much for personal nose art. Still, that's as good a theory as any other at this point! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Roberts Posted July 6, 2022 Share Posted July 6, 2022 1 hour ago, Steve in Ottawa said: Yes, that would be a good guess about a Canadian pilot using the maple leaf marking like that. It was intended to be a national identifier, and not so much for personal nose art. Still, that's as good a theory as any other at this point! At least one pilot - a certain Mr James Edgar 'Johnnie' Johnson - is known to have used the maple leaf as 'nose art'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jure Miljevic Posted July 7, 2022 Share Posted July 7, 2022 Hello Thank you for information, gingerbob and M20gull. I am glad the webpage is still available, it is very informative. In view of nationalities 93 Squadron was very diverse. Of six top scoring pilots (three aces) two belonged to RCAF and one to RAF, RNZAF, RAAF and SAAF. Cheers Jure 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted July 7, 2022 Share Posted July 7, 2022 On 7/6/2022 at 1:33 AM, Jure Miljevic said: Spitfire HF Mk.IX RR239, 93 Sqn, found on World war photos website: Note that the aircraft in the photo is a IXe, not a IX[c]. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denford Posted July 7, 2022 Share Posted July 7, 2022 Rudders were interchangeable: I've even seen a photo of a V with a pointed rudder! Somewhere (most probably on this site) is a statement that they were mandatory for e wings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve in Ottawa Posted July 7, 2022 Share Posted July 7, 2022 10 hours ago, Denford said: Rudders were interchangeable: I've even seen a photo of a V with a pointed rudder! Somewhere (most probably on this site) is a statement that they were mandatory for e wings. Now that Mk. V is something I'd like to see! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denford Posted July 11, 2022 Share Posted July 11, 2022 The picture is in the Squadron/Signal 'In Action' series #39 pp20. By now surely out of print. For the record, it is Turkish. From port side, fuselage insignia reads OK-14, though that's not a very precise description: limited by available typefaces eg '-' is in fact level with the bottom of the characters. Though it can't be identified as such, it's a Vc according to the caption. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobsyouruncle Posted July 11, 2022 Share Posted July 11, 2022 Some pointy rudder IXcs: MH712 ‘Pat’ WX-D 302 Sqn, ML293 JH-P 317 Sqn, MK910 JH-C 317 Sqn, courtesy Polish Wings 15. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Roberts Posted July 11, 2022 Share Posted July 11, 2022 A couple of more subjects here https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/X32025?result-token=r0VxY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizly Posted July 14, 2022 Author Share Posted July 14, 2022 Peter Roberts, I think you will find that those in the above 1/32 Xtradecal sheet all have the 'e' wing and include Mk.XVI Spits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Wilko Posted July 18, 2022 Share Posted July 18, 2022 One understands that the larger rudder also increases the aircraft's tolerance to crosswind take off and landing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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