1/72 Airfix Spitfire PR XIX and Seafire side-by-side build

[36feet10inches]

Couple of small points about PS888 if you want her to be completely acurate: her spinner was White, she carried the 81 sqn. crest below the front windshield (port side only), she had the large black wing walk patches, and large underwing registrations.
The fueslage roundels should be smaller too, as you suspected - top level with top of the camera port. Size approx. 10 mm in 1:72 by my reckoning.

Thanks for the feedback - interesting. I find myself vaguely narked at Airfix now. The roundels I knew about and that's bugging me a bit. I noticed that the XIX at Coningsby had a white spinner but didn't think too much of it - but now looking at the period photo of PS888 I posted a couple of pages back I see a white spinner, not the two-tone affair specified in the instructions - unless at some stage in its life the plane had the two-tone spinner? Maybe I can do some fiddly masking and overpaint it white, or put a whole new one on. The omission of the squadron crest and the walkways is just sloppy (there is a decal missing in the Swedish option to, despite it being referred to in the instructions?)

I found this ither profile of PS888 which shows the white spinner, "The Last" painted on the cowling and the black walk board but no underwing markings of any kind.

Note to self: "do your research!" Is it not safe to trust the kit manufacturers to get it right?

 

[Airframes]

Nice work mate.

 

[Pusskyfly]

Minor quibble aside, thats a beautiful pair of Supermarines you've made there
I'm only really starting to like colour schemes like that on the PR version now thanks to seeing nice builds like this.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Very nice.

 

[36feet10inches]

I have a cunning plan

 

[Airframes]

Eh up!!

 

[A4K]

Thanks for the feedback - interesting.

I found this ither profile of PS888 which shows the white spinner, "The Last" painted on the cowling and the black walk board but no underwing markings of any kind.

Is it not safe to trust the kit manufacturers to get it right?

Firstly, no worries mate! Bugger to hear afterwards though, sorry about that...

Second, though not shown in the plan you found there, she should have the large underwing registrations -they are clearly visible in two photos I received from George and his wife Beryl, taken by Brian Rose in 1954 after the last flight.

Thirdly, NEVER!
Kit manufacturers generally do a great job with their research, especially given all the 'grey areas' in period markings, but they do make mistakes. If you want a kit to be completely accurate, it pays to do your homework.
My modelmaking ratio is about 2: 1: 1 - 50 % of time involved is usually spent on research and prep, 25% planning construction/ painting, and around 25% actually modelmaking, depending on level of detail involved...

 

[Wurger]

In addition, there is always something new appeared when your model has just been finished.

 

[Wayne Little]

In addition, there is always something new appeared when your model has just been finished.

Standard operating procedure, I reckon.... It's the normal way of finding out new stuff....

 

[Wurger]

That's true...

 

[36feet10inches]

Right then... just like the real PS888, my PS888 has now been retired from the RAF and flogged off to the Royal Thai Air Force, who have painted over the RAF markings and added RTAF markings:

I also took the opportunity to sort out that dodgy spinner and add the walk boards. Underwing markings? Only evidence I can find of markings while in RTAF service is roundels, but if that's wrong, what the heck!

Just like the real thing, my PS888 has now served with two air forces... now if that's not authentic, I don't know what is!

 

[Airframes]

Nice one!

 

[Wurger]

With Terry here.

 

[Heinz]

With the guys

 

[A4K]

Great work mate!

Good news too...Thai version: NO underwing serials!

 

[36feet10inches]

Good news too...Thai version: NO underwing serials!

Hallelujah!

 

[A4K]

Thought you'd be happy!

 

[Wayne Little]

Nice change CK!

 

[36feet10inches]

I picked up a copy of "Military Aircraft" magazine from WH Smith today, never seen it before - for anyone that's interested there's a fantastic article about XIXs and their colour schemes/markings (article sponsored by Airfix! ) that would anwer every question you could think of and then some! Great source material for anyone thinking of having a crack at the new Airfix kit.

Oh, and I bought the Airfix Vb kit today, which is exactly the same kit as my "Seafire" kit but with different decals and markings. Learning all the time!

 

[Screaming Eagle]

Looking great!