1/32nd Scale 'Revegawa' Spitfire MkXIVc

[Airframes]

22+5= XIV - a cross-kiting exercise
A recent post by Evan (A4K) has inspired me to embark on a second attempt at building a 1/32nd scale model of one of the best looking Spitfires ever to take to the skies.
Evan suggested a 'theme build' centered around wrecked, abandoned or scrapped aircraft, and this gave me an idea to resurrect a cross-kitting exercise I almost completed some years ago, but this time without 'wasting' the bulk of the donor kit involved. Around about 1991, an almost finished Spitfire MkXIVc model I had built was wrecked when it 'spun in' off the top of a wardrobe whilst packing and preparing to move house. Ever since, I've often thought of starting over again, but didn't really want to waste about 75% of a relatively decent kit. So, when Evan suggested the wrecked or abandoned aircraft theme, it gave me an idea for an interesting diorama which could utilise the remains of an otherwise wasted, and therefore useless kit, in this case, the ex-Matchbox mid 70's vintage 1/32nd scale Spitfire Mk22/24, now reissued under the Revell lable. This 'donor' kit will be dealt with separately, and the build, and subsequent diorama display, posted in a separate thread.
But first, a little history.
The first Griffon engined Spitfire to see service with the R.A.F. during World War Two was the MkXII, something of a 'stop gap' fighter, employed in the medium to low level role, mainly to combat the hit and run raids, by FW190's, on British coastal towns and other targets. This aircraft was basically a MkV airframe, with clipped wings, and powered by the Rolls Royce Griffon III engine. Only two squadrons of Fighter Command used the type, numbers 41 and 91 Squadrons, from January and April 1943 respectively.
The first Griffon powered Spitfire to see large scale production, however, was the MkXIV, which equipped 37 squadrons of the R.A.F., commencing with 610 (County of Chester) Squadron, Aux.A.F., in January 1944.
The type was based on the airframe of the MkVIII, which itself had evolved from the MkV via the MkIX, and saw service well into the post-war years, making it the most widely used of the Griffon engined Spitfires.
To build this model, I'll be canibalising the aforementioned Revell kit, using everything forward of the cockpitl, as well as some other parts, such as the radiators, supercharger intake, cannons, rear wheel assembly and other bits and pieces. There will also be a lot of scratch-building, filling, moulding and sanding, in order to blend the whole lot onto the main airframe and wings of the Hasegawa MkVB, which is still a good kit, and offers the best 'platform' for this realtively drastic conversion attempt.
The attached drawings show the differences in shape between the three separate Marks already mentioned, and give some idea of how the early and late designs should combine to produce the MkXIV.
I'm still waiting for delivery of the Hasegawa kit, which I've used for three previous conversions to different Marks, so at the moment I'm busy measuring and marking out where various cuts and other butchery needs to be done to achieve the desired result. With a bit of luck, I should have the MkV kit in about a week, so I'll post some pics of the first stages of what, I hope, will be an interesting little exercise.
Meanwhile, I'll get back to the PTO build, and the huge decalling job on the Hunter!
Thanks for your interest,
Terry.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Ok, you have me intrigued now - I'm really looking forward to this!

 

[Sweb]

If the XIV was such a prodigious Mark you'da thunk there'd be a model available already. I have the same Mk 22/24 kit I've yet to open the box on. From the drawings you've posted there's much to be done. I'll be watching this ambitious undertaking. Good luck.

 

[ellis995]

can't wait for this Terry

 

[Wurger]

Looking forward to this Terry.

 

[Wayne Little]

...and will Chief Surgeon Wojtek be assisting in this operation?

 

[lesofprimus]

Im sure Wojteks gonna be sitting up in the glass room up above the sugical table for this one...

Really lookin forward to this one Terry....

 

[Airframes]

Thanks very much for the eoncouragement guys! I think Herr Professor Doktor Dipl.Eng. Plastik Praktitioner Surgeon General Wojtek certainly will be up in the glass balcony - with a very critical eye!
Joe, you're right, it's always puzzled me why there hasn't been a 1/32nd Spit XIV, or a MkIX (until recently). There have been / are a couple of 1/48th MkXIV's though - the old Hobbycraft one, and the two versions from Academy.
Just found out the MkVB is out of stock, so The Aviation Hobby Shop are sending me the MkVI instead, the 'long wing' version, but it's still got the 'nomal' wing tips included and, best of all, it's almost 25% cheaper!!

 

[Wurger]

I'm considering using the Ryanair airline for providing my assistance in that?

 

[imalko]

I looking forward to this too. No better way to learn new things than to watch master craftsman at work...

 

[Airframes]

Why not Wojtek? You are of course most welcome here - you could teach me a little Polish, and I could teach you a lot of gibberish!!
Oh, and it's cheap beer on Monday nights in my local pub!

 

[Wurger]

Thnak you Terry....

 

[Wayne Little]

Just found out the MkVB is out of stock, so The Aviation Hobby Shop are sending me the MkVI instead, the 'long wing' version, but it's still got the 'nomal' wing tips included and, best of all, it's almost 25% cheaper!!

Sometimes it's good to not get what you want hey Terry!

 

[Airframes]

Sure is Wayne! I've just read an old review/build of the MkVI, where the modeller suggests that the MkV parts aren't included - I hope he meant all the extra bits such as the tropical filters etc. Still, if the 'normal' wing tips aren't included, I can always scratch-build some - I hope!
I also found out of course that the MkVI has the four blade prop - would have made life much easier when I converted the V to a IX, I wouldn't have had to mould new prop blades!

 

[Micdrow]

Dont ask me why Terry but I always prefer'ed the looks of the MkVb spits. Good luck on the build

 

[Airframes]

Yep, know what you mean Paul, especially with the later 3 blade prop and pointed spinner; got to build one, as all the Hasegawa kits I've done have been conversions!
Anyway, here we go!
The first thing to be done, whilst waiting for the Hasegawa kit, is to mark out which areas of the Revell Mk22 will need to be used, and then cut them in such a way that they will be able to fit into the modified parts of the MkV (or MkVI as it turns out!). Back in the mid 1970's, the original Matchbox tool makers deigned the Mk22 kit with a separate ventral spine as a centre section, presumably in order to facilitate the forming of that elusive gull wing shape on the underside of the wing root. This includes the lower cowling section, and the rear portion of the supercharger intake, and actually makes life a lot easier for this conversion, and the subsequent use of the Mk22 hulk later.
First, one lower wing section was taped onto the centre spine, in order to check where and how the wing would ultimately fit when the Mk22 is constructed later, as shown in PIC 1.
Once satisfied that the lower nose cowling could be cut leaving plenty of plastic on either side, to make this later joint, a heavy pencil line was marked around the edges of the intake, as a guide to cutting. PIC 2.
The rest of the nose section of the Mk 22, needed to replicate the cowlings for the MkXIV, are separate parts, designed to be removable to display the engine. The cowling over the forward upper fuel tank has an angled forward edge, unlike the vertical joint on the MkV/VI and, although it would be possible to duplicate this on the Hasegawa fuselage, I decided that the eventual Mk22 display would benefit from the fuel tanks being visible, and that the cowling could be successfully grafted onto the Hasegawa fuselage. So, another heavy pencil line was marked along the panel lines for the cowling, on both fuselage halves, as a cutting guide, as shown in PIC 3.
With everything now ready for the first stages of surgery, the first cuts were made around the supercharger intake of the lower cowling, using the excellent razor saw kindly sent to me by Matt. PIC 4.
This really is a beautiful tool, allowing fine, precise cuts, and it didn't take long to separate the lower cowling into one, intact piece. PIC 5.
Although not difficult in itself, cutting off the upper cowling was a little more tricky, due to the flex of the fuselage half. In order to prevent stress marks, or worse, a lump of 'Plasticine' was positioned under the part, to prevent bending, and the razor saw used to carefully cut along the engraved panel lines. PIC 6.
PIC 7 Shows the first half of the upper fuel-tank cowl removed, ready for grafting onto the Hasegawa nose. The other half was carefully removed in a similar manner.
Before putting aside the Mk22 fuselage, some of the panels were thinned down around the cut lines and around the cockpit hatch, and one of the rear fuselage hatches was also cut out, ready for a little scratch-built detailing for the small diorama which will display the forlorn hulk of a once-proud machine. To give an idea of the remaining shape of the Mk22, the fuselage halves were taped togrther for PIC 8.
The Revell (ex-Matchbox) kit includes quite a reasonable representatation of the Rolls Royce Griffon engine, and I've decided to include this in the finished MkXIV. The kit provides parts for the very substantial engine bearers, which are much 'beefier' than the tubular mounts used on the smaller, lighter and less powerful Merlin series of engines. In order to incorpororate these into the build, and the oil tank and other ancilliaries also provided, I thought it better to use the front firewall bulkhead from the Mk22 kit on the MkXIV, and this was cleaned up ready for use, although I suspect some filing and sanding will be required to fit it snugly into the fuselage of the Hasegawa kit.
So as not to detract from the Mk22 model, depleted hulk or not, I used the kit firewall as a pattern from which to make a paper card template, which will then be used to help fabricate a new, though less substantial, firewall for the Mk22, from plastic card.
The major components for the nose of the MkXIV are now ready to be adapted and mated with the modified forward fuselage of the Hasegawa MkVI, as shown in PIC 9.
The FINAL PIC shows the long spinner for the 5 blade prop, and cowling parts loosely taped together, to give an idea of the new shape.
Once Surgeon General Wojtek has approved and signed-off this first piece of surgery, I can then continue with the operation!
When the Hasegawa kit finally arrives, the forward fuselage will be cut as required, and then the fuselage halves taped together, in order to trial fit the wing and the nose sections. The neccessary cuts will then be made, before the interior work on the fuselage is carried out. More trial fitting will take place, and the fin will then be modified with a piece of thin plastic card, before joining the fuselage.
Then the real work of blending-in the fin, new broad-chord rudder, and the firewall and front section will then begin, before moving on to modifying the wing panels, radiators and armament fit.
Thanks for your interest, and I'll post some more pics and descriptions as soon as I get the Hasegawa kit.
Terry.

 

[Screaming Eagle]

Looking good Terry! Can't wait to see how this one turns out!

 

[Lucky13]

Marvelous old chap, splendid indeed!

 

[A4K]

Great idea and work Terry!

Glad you liked the idea too! Credit goes to Alex (Heinz) aswell, as the theme was a combination of his and my ideas.


I'd really like to try my Seafire XV conversion now too, since reading of your build, but I don't know if that's wise - nothing seems to be working out at the moment.

 

[Wayne Little]

Go Terry!