1/72 Heller Spitfire Mk XVIe decals

[johnd]

I've just been given a Heller 1/72 Spitfire XVI and it looks a nice kit apart from the bizarre shade of green the D-GE decals come in.

I understand that Lifelike did the same codes but their sheet is no longer available, as did Matchbox but these are white. No problem, I thought, I'll just buy a sheet of medium sea grey RAF code letters and use those. I was surprised to find there are none available at Hannants and good old Google hasn't found any either. This is a pity as I fancied building this one because of the blue spinner. It also calls into question some other ideas I'd had.

Is this a temporary blip in supply do you think, or has demand dried up because people are using the decals supplied with the kit these days?

[Nigel Bunker]

John

I think you'll find you need Sky Codes for a late war Spitfire, Not medium Sea Grey. Heller's interpretation of Sky is interesting & unique. Send me a PM with the code letters you require and their size and I'll see if I have any suitable.

[johnd]

Oops, yes, absolutely correct. Sky is the colour.

Many thanks for your kind offer, PM sent.

John.

[johnd]

Panic over!

Hannants have in fact got MD051, MD052 and MD053 which includes the codes I need. Someone had deleted them from their web site but they're there now.

John.

[Doug Rogers]

Remember making that kit many Moons ago, it is a lovely little kit.

[johnd]

It is indeed a lovely kit, I'm really enjoying building it.

Having correctly realised that the green codes were wrong I then went along quite happily and applied the wing decals as shown in the instructions - that is, a large type A on the lower surfaces and smaller type C on the upper. Something is now telling me that this not correct. Could someone advise as to what roundels I should use for TB900 in 1945?

Thanks,

John.

[Test Graham]

I would assume large C roundels top and bottom, C1 on the fuselage. Unless there is something really odd about this individual aircraft.

You might like to reduce the depth of the radiators slightly, and perhaps sand out a little of the "pigeon-breast" appearance of the nose. But yes, a nice little kit.

Edited August 19, 2010 by Graham Boak

[petetheplane]

56 inch diameter Type C1 upperwing roundels from January 1945, 32 inch diameter Type C underwing roundels and 36 inch diameter Type C1 roundels should do the trick if it is camouflaged, type C upperwing roundels if aluminium-doped.

[Chris Thomas]

56 inch diameter Type C1 upperwing roundels from January 1945, 32 inch diameter Type C underwing roundels and 36 inch diameter Type C1 roundels should do the trick if it is camouflaged, type C upperwing roundels if aluminium-doped.

TB900 joined 349 Sqn in 2nd TAF circa 24 April 1945. It would therefore have had Type C1 roundels in ALL positions. It is possible that the outer yellow ring on the upper and lower wing roundels were painted out a a later date in its peacetime service, but this was not a priority. Unfortunately the only photo I know of this aircraft is undated and does not show the detail of the wingroundels anyway.