**** DONE: GB-62 1/48 Spitfire Mk.Vb(1) - Spitfires

[fubar57]

Username: fubar57
First name: George
Category: Advanced
Manufacturer: Tamiya
Model: Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb Trop Kit #61035 1994
Scale: 1:48
Add-ons: Seat harnesses, spare decals

My build will be Spitfire V⦾SH, sn BL614 as flown during "Operation Starkey". Not a lot of Spitfire photos of this operation but this is representative of the special wing markings

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BL614 had normal wing tips and this is possibly a photo of it sometime after March 31 1943 when it moved to 64 Sqn and before the operation

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I hope to get into this in a few days

 

[fubar57]

The kit, 1994 vintage I believe I read

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Not a lot of parts. Obviously I won't be using the Trop intakes and will be using the little grey blob instead. Years ago I was building another Spit and the intake from that kit pinged into the ether so I borrowed the one from this kit. A few years later, I was cleaning out a box and at the bottom was the little grey blob; never give up hope

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Got me a new printer because Shaq said I needed one so I printed off a bunch of Tamiya's painting diagrams so that I can use them with Oramask film to create the camo on the wings and tail

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[fubar57]

BL614 sorties during "Operation Starkey". Starkey | Operations & Codenames of WWII There was a gap in service after Aug 17 due to Cat Ac damage

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Aircraft history, first flight Dec. 41 and parts of it still going

 

[Wurger]

 

[fubar57]

Added innards

 

[fubar57]

Added history

 

[SaparotRob]

It's incredible what you guys do to these shards of weirdly colored plastic. Turning them into oil and smoked stained constructions of faded aluminum, worn fabric and old paint is impressive.

 

[Ralph Haus]

BL614 sorties during "Operation Starkey". Starkey | Operations & Codenames of WWII There was a gap in service after Aug 17 due to Cat Ac damage

View attachment 776912

View attachment 776913

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View attachment 776915
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Aircraft history, first flight Dec. 41 and parts of it still going

Now that's a sparse part count kit!! I thought AirFix had the prize for this but I stand corrected. So, you'll be finished in what...a week?

 

[fubar57]

Ralph Haus You are correct about the parts count Ralph, mostly because one of the sprue trees failed to upload, my error. More parts added to the innards Post and thanks

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Nice one George and s great history to go with it.

 

[Airframes]

Good stuff George.
Note that the series of photos of the 64 Sqn Spits is possibly from 1941 or early 1942. The camouflage pattern may still be Dark Green and Dark Earth, before the change to Mixed Grey or Ocean Grey.
The fuselage roundels for your subject would be the C1 type, not the A1 type shown in the photos.

 

[Wayne Little]

This kit is an oldie, but still good kit.

 

[Crimea_River]

Looking forward to this.

 

[le_steph40]

 

[fubar57]

Hoping for a Wednesday start when I get home. Blood work right after I get off the bus and a short nap first

 

[rochie]

nice one Geo

 

[fubar57]

Alrighty then, Hellcat complete...pics shortly. Looking for info about when the interior colour stopped behind the seat. My Tamiya instuctions say green all the back into the fuselage. Airfix and Eduard say no paint behind the seat bulkhead. Edgar Brooks says this started with the Mk.IX

 

[Crimea_River]

le_steph40 seems to have some info about that given he told another builder the bare aluminum started with the V. I'm going with the bare aluminum unless someone proves me wrong.

 

[fubar57]

That's how I did Buck McNair's Mk.Vb so I'm with you

 

[fubar57]

Got a start by thinning the side of the seat by half. Paint starts shortly