1/24 MK V Spitfire

[javlin]

Alright have gotten some paint laid in the last couple of days.I sprayed the entire model almost with MM AL non/buffing for starters so I could replicate some chipping were I wanted to.This though led me to having to freehand the camo with out strong demarcation lines and I usually do not worry in this scale but I was willing to try something new that another build had done some time ago.I forfeited that ideal when it looked that the paint would come up to easy.So out came the Renegade airbrush with a good pre-clean and off I went,I still have a few touch-ups.The camo is RAF Med Ocean,RAF Dark Ocean and RAF DK Green on top and Med Ocean on the bottom.

 

[Wurger]

Oh... a very interesting camo scheme. Looking very nice.

 

[Crimea_River]

It sure is. Haven't seen that before.

 

[javlin]

It sure is. Haven't seen that before.

Yea that's why I chose it.The colors on the box are really not close at all the for the RAF Ocean Gray and this manuel setting I am using might be throwing alittle more blue tint than what it is but a tint is present some.I am now laying down a coat of gloss ATM.Terry or anyone really? Trump presents two landing lights that look sort of trapazoid? that pop down from under the wings??I have never seen these depicted before in all the Spits I have built.Were these deployed on the ground?

 

[Wayne Little]

Nice camo job Kevin!

 

[Airframes]

An unusual and nice cammo job there Kevin. The landing lamps were only deployed as required, by the pilot operating them, and were not in the 'down' position on the ground.

 

[javlin]

Thks Wayne and Terry.I then will seal up the lights I think? Will look at it aliitle more.I did place one wing decal before I had to spur off to work and it snuggled down just fine but alittle brittle.Thks again Guys.Cheers

 

[Gerry]

Very nice detailing work on the engine and cockpit, Kevin. Two things about your build that I hadn't come across before: the seat and head pad colour; are they standard to the Mk V or unique to your specific aircraft; and the three tone camouflage scheme, is that a USAAF scheme, as I've not seen it before on RAF Spitfires.

Keep up the good work.

 

[javlin]

Gerry the seat is pretty a fabrication by Trump and why is anybodys guess seeing there's mounds of material on these plane.I tried to find a replacement but they are no longer being manufactured since this kit came out in 2001-02.The head pad color seems I have seen both leather and black leather.The three tone camo is US for the 5 FS for the 52nd FG I believe 43-44?Thks for the interest Sir.Cheers

 

[Airframes]

The seat was actually a darker red-brown colour, with the padded back rest in a very dark brown, almost black, leather, as was the head rest. See the attached pic of a seat just removed from a MkXIV at Duxford.
I've never seen that colour scheme either. The USAAF Spits were handed over 'second hand' from the RAF, and were in standard Day Fighter scheme, but with the roundels on the starboard upper and port lower wing painted over, as were the fin flashes. The remaining roundels were over-painted in blue, and the stars added. It may be that this example had additional paint added, unless the profile artist has misinterpreted shades, possibly severe wear and fading, from photographs?

 

[javlin]

Shoot Terry that looks almost Brown there.I made up the color mixing some red and brown and I actually felt I had gone to red I was not going to mess with the leahet padding at all since this seat was such a fabrication on the part of Trump/HobbyCraft.I might could of seen a seat like this in the ProtoType Maybe .Here's a pic from earlier I thought I might of gotten close to what alot of other builders had tried,maybe not?Too late now .I have asked another fella about the paint scheme and his thoughts whom is quite knowledgeable on these matters,will I repaint I did find some schemes at Wings Pallette of some interesting subjects.What I did find were quite alot of of the 5FS in N.Africa and mabe Italy but all were Tropical and 1942 mainly.Cheers

 

[Airframes]

I see what you mean Kevin - it's an odd-looking seat ! But no matter, the shape, and the colour, will not be readily noticed once the cockpit is closed up. I've got a couple of colour shots of really heavily faded USAAF Spits in the remains of RAF colours if you think they'll be useful?

 

[stona]

Interesting scheme. I haven't had time to read the entire thread so I'm not sure what date your aircraft is but the padded headrest was deleted on all marques of Spitfire from 20 July 1942. There is an oft repeated story that this was a result of harnesses becoming entangled on them as pilots attempted to escape from aircraft after ditching,resulting in them being dragged down with their aircraft. Unlikely,I think,as on Seafires (much higher chance of ditching) an "adjustable headrest for catapulting conditions" was introduced on 29 October 1942,a mere three months later.
The seat was made from a reddish/brown composite resin material sometimes mistakenly called Bakelite which it resembles somewhat.
Steve

 

[A4K]

Some great info there Terry and Steve!

Nice work Kevin, hope the scheme is correct now you've painted it!

 

[stona]

After I posted I looked at some notes on my HD (I'm not at home) and the story goes that Paddy Finucane,a very famous ace,was the original pilot dragged down by his headrest,leading to its removal.He was, almost unbelievably,only 21 at the time of his unfortunate death.
I still think it's an apocryphal story but it's a good one.
If we're lucky Edgar Brooks,who has forgotten more about Spitfires than I have ever known,may be along to give a more authoratative view on the headrest story.
Cheers
Steve

 

[A4K]

Very sad.

 

[Edgar Brooks]

Unfortunately, although finding out what the modifications (or most of them) were is fairly straightforward, finding out why is a whole different ball-game. For instance, the Paddy Finucane story came from an (alleged) eye-witness, but, in a book that I recently read, the author said that he simply disobeyed instructions (to always abandon by parachute, and never ditch,) and the Spitfire flipped over onto its back, trapping him inside, and dragging him down.
While it's gratifying to have praise heaped upon my head, over my knowledge about Spitfires, it is, in fact, largely recent, from reading files in Hendon and Kew. There is a bit of a down side to it, though, since I often have to ruin someone's cherished beliefs, and that has been known to cause some acrimony. As an example, and this will bring a "smart-alec" response, I was taken to task, years ago, for using "marque" when referring to aircraft; "Cars have marques," I was told, "Aircraft have Marks." Sorry, Steve.
Edgar

 

[Gerry]

I don't want to go off-topic on this build, but being Irish, Brendan 'Paddy' Finucane was a boyhood hero of mine. When he was killed, at 21, he was to that point the youngest ever Wing Commander in the RAF's history.

The story I was told of how he died, at a lecture on his life by an Irish researcher, was that after a strafing mission in France his Spitfire was hit by ground fire as he was flying low, approaching the coast. Although uninjured, he tried to nurse his plane home but by the time he knew he wasn't going to make it, he was too low to bail out. The researcher's story, having spoken to his surviving brother, was that in all probability he was wearing his seat harness loose, for better visibility and forgot to tighten it, before ditching. It is thought that, although he ditched successfully, he banged his head on the gunsight, knocking himself unconscious and the aircraft sank, before he could escape. I hadn't heard that the aircraft had inverted, which, if true puts a different light on the matter entirely. I don't suppose we'll ever know for sure. I'm not trying to contradict Edgar, who probably has researched the matter directly, just putting the story I heard.

Kevin, sorry if I opened up a can of worms with my question on the seat. I just thought it was an unusual colour in the photos.

 

[javlin]

Don't worry Gerry no problem .Well it has been confirmed the scheme in all actuallity is ficticious as Terry and I imagine Wayne was probably think'in also so what to do now.Red spinner is Med theater colors are ETO.Repainting does not really annoy me so much but I really wanted some Stars and Bars but ETO hopefully.I am open to suggestions my research time is kinda limited ATM with much work because of my fearless leader in the WH ( times are tuff ).Wayne did the painting look any different to ya?I was trying to do a cross technique or idea of yours.Not 100% for sure but the effect of fading was stating to show to me at least.Guys if I have to paint the codes and Stars and Bars(scarry part) I give it a show.I was trying to finish this one so I could pull out a can of whupp a** on Wayno on the new gruppe build.Cheers and good night Kevin

 

[stona]

Gerry's account which has Finucane too low to abandon his aircraft by parachute seems entirely plausible. Finucane would have read his pilot's notes and be aware that the ditching characteristics of the Spitfire were not good to put it mildly. Here's an excerpt from the pilot's notes for the MkIX (which I have on my HD in digital form). I can't imagine that the MkV was any different.

It seems also that many pilots in various aircraft on all sides of the conflict struck their heads on gunsights,even with properly adjusted harnesses.

Cheers
Steve