**** DONE: GB-61 1/72 Spitfire Mk. XIV– Spitfires

[T Bolt]

User Name: T Bolt
Name: Glenn
Category: Advanced
Kit: Academy Spitfire Mk. XIV

Scale: 1/72th
Accessories: Xtradecal 70th Anniversary D-Day Part 1, and wine bottle foil harness


The Mk XIV was a development of the Mk VIII and was powered by a Rolls-Royce Griffon 65 or 66. It was the first large-scale production Griffon-engined Spitfire

I will be building spitfire Mk.XIVe RB188 DL-K 'Brunhilde' of 91 Sqn RAF West Malling flown by flight sergent Ken Collier.

I will be using the Xtradecal 70th Anniversary D-Day Part 1 decal sheet I have already used for 3 other builds

 

[T Bolt]

Here's what's in the box

 

[Crimea_River]

Good stuff Glenn. Looks like not too many parts to deal with.

 

[T Bolt]

Yes Andy, pretty simple kit, but very nice like most of these 1/72 scale Academy kits. I was thinking about building one of my ICM spits, but with summer here I'm not going to have a lot of spare time so I decided to keep it simple so I could finish.

Here's the three I built with the same decal sheet, and I still have an Academy P-51B/C kit in the stash for another one on the sheet. I sure got my money's worth out of it!

 

[fubar57]

Good subject

 

[Wurger]

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Great idea Glenn, I like it.

 

[T Bolt]

I made a start on it last night. Cleaned up some parts, sprayed on some interior paint, thinned down the seat, and glued together the wings and spinner.

A question for you guys who know more about spitfires than me: What color should the seat of a Mk. XIV be. The instructions say gray, but that somehow doesn't seem right to me. Also, should it have the same type of harness as say a Mk. V or Mk.IX

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Nice start Glenn and I recon Terry will pop in with the info your looking for.

 

[Wurger]

A question for you guys who know more about spitfires than me: What color should the seat of a Mk. XIV be. The instructions say gray, but that somehow doesn't seem right to me. Also, should it have the same type of harness as say a Mk. V or Mk.IX

Humm ... sorry but you had to misread the colour for the seat. The orginal instruction says that should be the olive green while the cockpit interior of the chromate green. Certainly both names are incorrect and too general in their meaning. It is interesting because they mentioned ( at least ) the FS paint number in the instruction for their Spit XIVc but of the 1/48 scale. Undoubtedly the FS 34226 is nothing more but the RAF Interior Green.
The chair could be made of the pressed paper/resin mix of the redish brown tone. See the pic below. The back cushion was either of the dark olive green almost black or just black. However the seat could be made of the matal as well. In the case, it was of the RAF interior green as the whole cockpit. Both seats were interchangeable. Regarding the seat belts these were the same as for the Mk.IX, XVI etc. ... IIRC.

 

[Airframes]

The seat could be the red-brown composite type, and I've seen these in airworthy restored Spits, but more likely the metal version, painted in the grey green colour.
These eventually replaced the composite seat, and were often retro-fitted to later Marks, as engine power increased, due to instances of the composite seat collapsing or breaking under higher "G" loads.

The seat harness could be the standard Sutton harness, as fitted to earlier Marks of Spit, or possibly the later Sutton harness, with the quick release box, as shown below.

 

[T Bolt]

Did a bit of work the last few days
Built, painted and installed the cockpit and added a harness made from wine bottle foin and Ox bottles made from bits of sprue. They are oversize but will be barely visible. Also glued up the fuselage. Nice fits all around with this kit.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Looks great Glenn particularly the seat harness, a great effort.

 

[fubar57]

Agreed

 

[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

Great job.

 

[Jock Tamson]

Pit looking good. Love the seat harnesses.

 

[T Bolt]

Thanks guys
Cleaned up horizontal tail fins and the glue joints on the wings and spinner and painted the prop blades while the fuselage glue joint cures.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Looks nice and clean Glenn and those prop bladed, it must be the camera angle, they look very short.