**** DONE: 1/48 Spitfire Mk.XIVe - Home Country Modern Aircraft/Spitfire Marks GB

[meatloaf109]

Me too!

 

[Airframes]

Looking good Geo. What's that hole near the wing tip? Don't recall seeing that before.

 

[fubar57]

Lord tunderin' Jaysus..I am really, really hoping it's a landing light(one per side) Terry. After I read your remark, I hit the web a-runnin' looking for an under wing shot of real Mk.XIV's. Very few could be found and none were clear enough. Finally I found this at spitfiresite.com.

I hope those are landing lights. If not, out comes the putty

Geo

 

[ccheese]

Looking good, Geo.

Charles

 

[T Bolt]

I like it Geo

 

[Airframes]

Don't know of landing lights in those positions - but I could be wrong. I would think the wing section would be too thin, so far outboard, to accommodate a retractable lamp - on previous Marks, they were nearer the wheel wells. I think they may be some of the circular inspection panels, possibly unpainted. BUT - I'll check and let you know. Afraid I won't get a chance now until Thursday, if that's OK?
(NOTE: if they are lamps, then i have to dig holes in the under side of the wings on my 1/32nd scale MkXIV !!!)

 

[fubar57]

Thanks Terry. I found this picture on the web, airraces.com

Geo

 

[fubar57]

Terry, I hope you don't think I doubt you as I truly value your help. Since looking for photos of under-wing shots, I've actually found more shots that show no lights or what seem to be no lights out there. The 3 I've posted are the clearest ones that seem to show lights. This last one is from the tantopergioco.it site. It has an excellent walkaround of the Mk.XIV.(there will be an error code come up but hit "try again" and it works)

Geo

 

[Airframes]

Just had a quickish look through 'the Bible' and other references. All of the under side photos, the scale plans, wing construction schematics etc, show the circular inspection panels in these positions - no landing lamps shown or mentioned.
The wing was the standard 'E' wing (first production batch 'C' wing), and these particular panels were often doped, sometimes in the dull red used for the gun port patches, and sometimes they appear to be partly bare metal or primer.
I've worked in the past with two MkXIVs, the Rolls Royce owned 'high back' and the former Spencer Flack FRXIV low back (was G-FIRE, now in the USA), and I didn't see these lamps on either of those, nor on the BBMF's PR19s.
One particular under side shot, of Belgian Air Force machine, is very clear, and the inspection panel can be seen, painted as the rest of the under side.

 

[brucejscott]

Looking good there George.

 

[Airframes]

Looks like we were posting at the same time Geo !
I'm fairly certain that lamps were not a standard fit in these positions, but, the size of the panel looks like it might be dual purpose - where an I.D. lamp could be fitted if required. As mentioned, all the photos I've viewed so far, of in service aircraft, do not show lamps, but what I'd suggest, now that you've cut the holes, is to continue, glaze them after painting and, if it's found that the particular machine did not have lamps, then they can always be painted over later - which will also give contrast to the panel, making it more prominent, as in some of the photos.

 

[Crimea_River]

This crop from a drawing of a FR MkXIV E by A.R. Clint shows these features but the drawing does not identify what they are.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Such a dilemma Geo, would tend to follow the experts though unless you can find conclusive proof.

 

[fubar57]

Absolutely Vic. Info I get here removes any doubts(God knows I have many) and as I said, I value the thoughts of others. Great shot there Andy. More questions than answers.

Going to go with Terry's idea and when someone says proof positive I'm wrong, out comes the paint. And thanks all for the encouragement.

Geo

 

[fubar57]

My last photo, again from the spitfiresite. There is a diagram of the e wing but of course, it's the top view. This says Identification light, not landing light. Maybe that's where I'm causing the confusion.

Geo

 

[N4521U]

Well, there you go. Even a Spitfire, and how many have been built in here. Is the reason we get four months for the GB's. So many more questions.

You're doin good tho matey.

 

[A4K]

Good stiff Geo, I reckon that's it... Found these pics amongst my stuff: first four are Mk.VIIIs (2nd and 3rd close ups of first)..., rest close ups of Mk.XIVs.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Nice find Even.

Mmmmmm!!!.............................but what next…………….!!

 

[Wayne Little]

Interesting detail...

 

[fubar57]

Good stuff Evan.

Gaps, I have a few but the fit was still one of my better efforts.

Geo