This is my Spitfire VC in scale 1/72 that I built by grafting the nose of the of the Italeri Spitfire V at the fuselage of the AZ Spitfire IX. Wings also came from the AZ kit. The cockpit was scratch built.
I tried to build the BR 344 that was a Merlin 46-powered Mk. VC Trop. An interesting feature is the wavy demarcation line between the upper camouflage and lower surfaces. The operational career of this aircraft on Malta lasted only 8 days – it was struck off charge on 17 May.
I was launched from the US aircraft carrier wasp in the course of Operation Bowery, which was the first delivery of 64 Spitfires to Malta with 62 of them arriving to the beleaguered island.
In terms of coloring it I based myself of the well known and extensive research of Paul Lucas that was published in several numbers of SAM under the title Color Conundrum. I used Humbrol enamels that I mixed accordingly.
Decals came from my spares and from the Kits World Defenders of Malta.