SA Model Expo (Adel) 2007

[Catch22]

Very nicely done!

 

[Wildcat]

Nice!! Desert spits rock!

 

[Trebor]

beautiful looking Spit. but I've always hated that model. no pointed wingtips. the pointed wingtips is what makes a spitfire a spitfire.

 

[Heinz]

I gotta say I agree Trebor. I have this kit and I haven't started it yet because I just can't decide whether do the clipped wing version or not

 

[Trebor]

heh, I wouldn't. IMO, it's the ugliest model spitfire I ever laid eyes on. clip the wings, you break the spirit of the spitfire. (I'm wierd. yes I know XD)

 

[tpikdave]

Why did they clip the wings? Was it so it would look ugly or fly worse? I have my doubts about that.

 

[Trebor]

Theory: they clipped the wings to reduce drag, but ti ended up being shot down by its own kind, cos it looked more like a BF-109 so they put the tips back on.

anyone care to state a fact?

 

[Heinz]

I thought it was to improve low level handling?

 

[A4K]

Thanks for that picture of the Fw 190A-5/U-12 or A-6 (or something..!)
Only had a chance to check out the link just now.

Looking at my books again, Erprobungsstelle 8/JG 11 and 2/Jg11 shared the same emblem (I'd copied the guys arm wrong!), though who was first I don't know. They used atleast one Fw 190A-6/R-2 (the one now preserved at Saxonwold military museum in South Africa, along with an Me 262B-1a/U-1), but I don't know what other variants they used.


You're right about the wooden props too, I've seen a few photo's of D-9s with shattered paddle blades. Some late D-9s even had wooden tails due to the shortage of metal, the new tail being larger than the standard D-9, more similar to that of the Ta 152H.

Great model photo's again too - if it's the Hasegawa 1:32 Spitfire Mk.Vb, then I made it as a kid, the difference in end results is more than a little obvious..

 

[A4K]

Forgot to mention..

As Trebor said, low level (LF) Spits had the wingtips clipped to reduce drag, medium altitude (F) aircraft had the 'standard', and high altitude (HF) aircraft like the Mk.VI, some MK.VII and early VIII's had extended tips.

I didn't know that about them being shot down for Bf 109's, but I can believe it.... By the same token, I wonder if a few early BF109F's got away before the Allies cottoned onto the fact that the wingtips had been extended..?!

 

[Wayne Little]

Moving on...this was in the Melb thread so some will have seen it before,but it is a fantastic build, a resin kit by Fisher.

 

[Catch22]

I remember that one, great model!

 

[Wurger]

 

[Matt308]

WURGER!!!! How you doing, man?!?!?!? Get better and glad to see you haunting the site.

And that Tempest is superb. Wow factor there. My god that is a beatiful airplane.

 

[Wurger]

THX I'm better.Fortunately I haven't had to stay in a hospital.

 

[tpikdave]

Seems to me that if a gunner or a fighter pilot had a visual of the clip wing Spit, they would have clearly noted the elliptical shape of the wing, shaved tips or no.
I can't buy the theory of the clip wing Spit being a look-alike for the 109, hell, even the horizontal stabs were elliptical.

 

[A4K]

I mentioned this on another thread already, but I read once that P-51 pilots had to waggle their wings before approaching USAAF bomber streams because 'they resembled 109's head on' - how, with that large intake I don't know - but apparently on one occasion a mustang was shot down by a B-24 tail gunner as he 'neglected to carry out this procedure'

 

[Wurger]

I agree with you Tpikdave.How was it possible to mix Spifire up with Bf109?
But during struggling everything is possible,especially when head to head.

P-51 looked much more like BF109 so it's no wonder.

 

[Heinz]

wonderful model!

 

[Wayne Little]

Messerschmitt time!...