**** DONE: Spitfire Mk.VIII "Fargo Express" Lt. L.P. Molland 308th FS - Aces GB.

[T Bolt]

Spitfire Mk. VIII "Fargo Express" Lt. Leland P. Molland 308th FS, 31th FG -Aircraft of the Aces Group Build

User name: T Bolt
Name: Glenn
Category: 2, Intermediate
Kit: ICM Spitfire Mk. VIII
Scale: 1/48th.
Accessories: None

In January, 1944, 1st Lt. Leland P. "Tommy" Molland, a recent arrival to the 308th FS of the 31st FG, made the first two of his eventual five scores in the Spitfire VIII, in combat with Fw-190s over southern Italy. On February 6, Molland became an ace with his fifth kill in a fight in which his commanding officer, Maj. Virgil Fields was killed. Molland then took over command of the squadron.
On March 24, 1944, the 308th converted to P-51s which he flew while scoring the rest of the 10.5 victories he was credited with before the war ended.
He also won the Silver Star. The citation read:
"Leland P. Molland, United States Army Air Forces, was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with the FIFTEENTH Air Force in the Mediterranean Theater of Action during World War II."
Molland stayed with the Air Force after the war and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before being killed when the T-33 he was flying flew into a mountain during the return from a weather flight over enemy territory during the Korean War on May 21, 1951.

 

[Peebs]

Another really good choice!~

 

[ozhawk40]

Always wanted to do this one myself Glenn. I'll get to it sooner or later. Here's a profile in "Classic Warbirds No 3" by Ventura.

Hope this is a help with this one

Cheers

Peter

 

[T Bolt]

Thank's Peter, that will come in very handy.

Here's the pictures of the box and what's in it. I don't plan to build the Merlin so I won't be using many of these parts. I will also order True Details wheels as I feel they add a lot to the look of the finished aircraft. I may do some minor scratch building to the cockpit depending on how it looks.

 

[rochie]

nice one Glenn

 

[N4521U]

I agree, good choice of a subject......

 

[Airframes]

Good one Glenn. Don't forget about the dihedral problem with this kit - see my thread on the 136 sqn MkVIII and Andy's too.

 

[Coors9]

Nice lookin' bird Bolt.

 

[Crimea_River]

As Terry said, you'll need to take your time with that kit and do lots of dry fits. The end product can be very nice but it takes soem work to get there. I used the ICM kit for Ian Keltie's bird in the Commonwealth GB.

 

[Nxthanos]

Very cool.

 

[Wayne Little]

 

[Wurger]

 

[brucejscott]

Nice choice Glenn. Looking foward to it.

 

[T Bolt]

Terry, Andy, I've already been going through your threads and the info you guys posted about this kit is going to save me a lot of headaches!

Pictures 1 2 show the test fitting of the nose. The bulkhead was too high as mentioned, but instead of sanding it down, I decided to make a new one, saving the kit part for displaying the Merlin at some later date. It looks as though things will go together Ok, as long as I take care with alignment when gluing.

Picture 3 shows the very basic kit seat after I thinned the sides and front of the bucket. I'm not going to get too carried away in the cockpit as I intend to close up the canopy.

Pictures 4 5 show the first of the paint on the interior parts. I may make a new, thinner armor plate as Andy and Terry did in their Commonwealth group builds.

I have a question for you two guys, I see that you both took off the headrest leaving a flat armor plate. Should I do this for this Mk. VIII?

 

[Crimea_River]

I'm pretty sure there would be no head rest on the VIII Glenn but I defer to Terry.

 

[Wayne Little]

Gotten off to agood start there Glenn!

 

[Airframes]

Good start Glenn. Re the headrest, yes, it should be removed, as the MkVIII didn't have it, BUT - there were some exceptions with early production airframes, so a check of photo evidence is worth doing. (Generally, from the MkVc, and 2nd production MkIX, the head rest was omitted, but some airframes which were started as MkVs on the production line(s) and then moved on to be finished as the later Marks, sometimes still had the already fitted head armour with the headrest. Bottom line - cut it off!)

 

[T Bolt]

............ Bottom line - cut it off!)

Already done Terry
Here's a pic of tonight's progress. Nothing here is quite done yet, still detail painting to do. Looking at the pic of the seat I posted earlier, I didn't like it, so I filed down the sides even more, making them thinner. The instrument faces were painted white before the black and I will scratch of the details with a needle. I've never tried this method before.

 

[Crimea_River]

Seat looks good now Glenn.

 

[Wayne Little]