1/32nd scale Revell Spitfire Mk22.

[A4K]

She's looking great Terry - love that firewall especially !

Thanks for looking for the slides too! I'm about to start on the cockpit.

 

[Wayne Little]

Have the outmost faith in you and your abilities(?) old boy! Carry on!

Sums it up mate!

 

[Airframes]

Thanks chaps. Evan, cockpit shots are one thing I haven't got for the PR19. As there isn't an entrance flap, as on other Marks, I couldn't get the right angles. I tried doing it sitting in the seat, but I was too close to the panel to get anything except a view down the nose! However, it was virtually the same as the MkXIV, with the exception of course of being sealed for pressurisation, and the Type 35 camera control in the top centre of the panel, where the gunsight would be on the MkXIV.
If you look on the 'net under 'Spitfire MkXIV', you'll find that marvellous panoramic view of the MkXIV cockpit at Hannover, it should help a lot, but some of the fittings are not present. Meanwhile, I'll see if I have anything in books.

 

[Colin1]

Terry
from Pilot's Notes for Spitfire XIV XIX, seems to portray the XIV but as you say, the 'office' was generally similar

 

[Airframes]

Great stuff Colin, that should help Evan a lot, thanks mate! BTW, do you happen to know if that company in Lytham St. Annes, still produce the (facsimile) British Pilot's Notes, the ones that were identical to ww2 RAF issue? I've got a couple, and I seem to remember they were only a couple of quid each, back in the '80's.

 

[Colin1]

...do you happen to know if that company in Lytham St. Annes, still produce the (facsimile) British Pilot's Notes, the ones that were identical to ww2 RAF issue? I've got a couple, and I seem to remember they were only a couple of quid each, back in the '80's.

I got mine back in the (early) 80s
absolutely no chance of remembering where I got them though

 

[Airframes]

OK, thanks Colin. I think they've probably finished production. I called on the small company which made them, around 1989 I think, to sort out a printing probleem, and I remember the owner was preparing to retire then. Shame, they had the whole range too.

 

[Colin1]

OK, thanks Colin. I think they've probably finished production...

Wow
talk about it coming to you in a flash of inspiration
It was Airdata Publications!

They're now online at

Twenga

No idea where I plucked that one from 8)

 

[Colin1]

Now I'm even shocking myself
I daresay there's an extra 1 in that area dialling code by now Terry
otherwise give them a twirl

 

[Airframes]

That's them, Airdata! So they're still going, great! Thanks very much Colin, it could turn out useful.

 

[ian lanc]

This is the 1st time i've looked at this Terry and all i can say is ''your doing a fine job and give yourself a pat on the back, then knock back a sherry'' 8)

ian.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Ian, but this is the one to use up the 'spare parts'! Have a look at the 'real' one, the Spit XIV.

 

[Tony Hill]

Looking great as always Terry!


I hope this is not to late to help...the only two cockpit shots of a Mk XIX that I have tripped across:

Note the detail of the filled in cockpit wall in place of a door.

In particular, note the PRU version fuel gauge rather than the older 37 gall or the twin small gauges of the Mk XIV...and, could that be a Blind Approach Gauge above the Nose Trim indicator?

Not sure where I got those two photo's sorry.

The PRU fuel gauge (photo credit SpitfireSpares)


Darryl

 

[A4K]

From here probably Darryl: Spitfire PR Mk XIX in detail

Is that the fuel gauge lower right on the panel? The markings seem slightly different to the Spitfirespares example.

 

[Airframes]

Yep, that's it Evan. And yes, that should be the Beam Approach Indicator, the rod antenna was mounted on a small 'blister', on the port underside, just at the joint of the trailing edge of the wing root fillet. As far as I can remember, the BBMF's Mk19 had a Tacan indicator mounted here, and the modern comms radio was fitted where the Type 35 camera control is. Interesting that this example (presumably ex-Swedish AF) has the gun button, which I'm guessing is wired to the camera controls.
Evan, for your build, I still need to check, but I believe the bulkhead frame at the rear of the cockpit, where the small glazed rear canopy meets the fuselage, was sealed-off, because of the pressurisation system. This is open, far as I remember, on the BBMF examples I have close-up pics of, just like 'normal' Spits, allowing a view down inside the fuselage. The seat harness therefore had a totally different layout and attachment, as the original wire extensions couldn't pass down the fuselage to the attachment pulley.

 

[A4K]

Thanks Terry, interesting info!
I have the impression she would have been sealed off too, going by a couple of pics I've seen. Read too, that not all XIXs were pressurized, which might account for the BBMF examples lacking the sealed bulkhead ?

 

[Airframes]

Again I'd have to check Evan, but I think both of the PR19's the BBMF had at the time (one since sold) had originally been presurised, but the equipment was removed when put back into 'serice'. In fact, I'm virtually sure they would have been, as the intake is on he cowling. Far as I recall, it was only the first few, 12 or so(?) that weren't pressurised. Again, I can check and let you know. I'm a bit peed off with my mate, he told me he'd bring the transparency scanner to my place, so that I could scan all my slides and negatives at leisure, rather than have to keep going to his office. That was nearly three weeks ago, and he still hasn't turned up! He was bringing me a new computer keyboard too, so I hope he won't be long, my present one I think is f..er.. not working properly!
Soon as I get the scanner, I can get cracking on the pics for you.
BTW, I've seen the ad at Model Hobbies for the Airfix 1/72nd scale Spit PR19, which is incorrectly shown as PRXIX on the box art. (From the PR19, the numbering changed from Roman to Arabic.) Anyway, it's £5.29 at MH, whih I suppose is reasonable these days for a 1/72nd scale kit, although it seems like daylight robbery to me, considering the price of the average 1/48th fighter-sized kit, or some of the newer large kits by Revell Germany.

 

[Lucky13]

Again, baffling old boy, totally spiffy I dare say....help yourself to a snifter!

 

[A4K]

Cheers for that info Terry - interesting that she should be a Pr.19 and not a PR.XIX aswell!!

No hassles with the scans either, I'll be happy whenever you can do them!