1/48 Spitfire Mk.Vc – Mediterranean Theatre of Operations

[Vic Balshaw]

Username: Vic Balshaw
First name: Vic
Category: Judge – Non competing
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Special Hobbies 48051

Extras: Eduard: ED49426 detail set, EDEX259 Mask. Rising decals RD48013 decal set and a couple brass cannon.

Up and at it, entry number 3 is Spitfire Mk.Vc Ser No BR498/PP-H.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

According to the records I have found, the aircraft was shipped along with 9 other Spitfires from 52MU aboard SS Empire Clive* and arrived in Malta on 3 August 1942, it was allocated to 126 Squadron. The aircraft was jointly flown by Wg Cmdr Peter Prosser Hanks, RAF, Luqa Wing, Malta and Flt Lt Bill Rolls of 126 Squadron during August and September 1942. This was one of the top scoring Spitfires over Malta with a total of nine kills to its credit, PP Hanks claiming four and Bill Rolls (named Ross on the decal sheet) a further five.

The colouring of the aircraft is debatable, the decal sheet portrays a desert scheme as well as the usual European colouring, the former it is suggested was more for a publicity photo shoot where as the latter seems more feasible. From other information gathered the aircraft could also have been in the pale grey/dark green upper scheme rather than the local Malta blue grey. The aircraft was also delivered with the tropical filter but these were removed in favour of a better performance against the Bf 109's. This aircraft continued in service within the Middle East and was eventually SOC in September 1945.

* Some sources say the aircraft was flown from HMS Eagle in Operation Baritone.

The Kit:-

 

[Wurger]

 

[Jeff Hunt]

Oh Yea!!!

Jeff

 

[Crimea_River]

On a roll Vic. I wonder if those brass cannons will work, given they are for a Hurricane.

 

[Catch22]

Looking forward to this!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

On a roll Vic. I wonder if those brass cannons will work, given they are for a Hurricane.

Spot on Andy, took pic of the wrong cannon, found the right ones in a Hurricane kit. Problem rectified.

 

[Wayne Little]

What? Another one...you got lots of time on your hands mate, that's a good thing...

 

[rochie]

jeez Vic, your onto No 3 and i have not even opened the boxes on mine yet !

 

[JKim]

Build on Vic!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

OK folks, it's been a little slow, but were up and running. Pit is done and today she was buttoned up and with luck there'll be some wings on her tomorrow.

 

[JKim]

Upping your game Vic? One of the better looking cockpits in this GB, regardless of experience level.

 

[Wurger]

 

[dneid]

damned nice work there, Vic! Looking forward to watching you work your magic on this Spitfire. Any comments on the fit so far?

 

[Crimea_River]

With John. Very nice pit Vic.

 

[Totalize]

Sweet Vic. Excellent work on the pit.

Looking forward to checking back on on this one to see your progress.

 

[javlin]

That's looking smart Vic

 

[chris brown]

Man that looks sweet!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Thanks for looking in folks and for the kind words.

You asked about fit Dale, well as you can see from the pics below, it's not been an easy ride with this one. The kit moulding is quite rough and alignment of parts is none to good either. As you can see on the underside where the rear wing and fuselage meet, there was a sizable gap and the cockpit panelling also interfered with the meeting of the wing to fuselage. Even to get the fit I have, a sizable slice of the inner panel wall had to be removed on the lower inside.

I think that the kit was also designed to be issued as a Seafire at some future date as there is a long panel to be fitted on the underside rear fuselage and the fit of this was appalling and as you can see, fractured on one corner. I should also mention the vertical fin had a distinct starboard bias which had to be given the boiling water treatment in order to get it vertical.

Anyway, were now done with all the problems which sadly make it look a bit of a mess at the moment. Today I did some pre-shade spraying and if time permits, we'll get the underside blue on tomorrow.

 

[le_steph40]

Great work !!!