Spitfire Mk IX c Early Version 1/48 Eduard
- Thread starter ajcmac
- Start date
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Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Looking good.
- Thread starter
- #83
I need help.
In most models I saw were built without the yellow stripes on the leading edge of the wings and also without the black lines on the wings.
But
Eduard
Do not have the black lines and has yellow stripes under the wings only.
In other paint schemes all have yellow stripes and black lines.
Techmod
Has yellow stripes but does not have the black lines.
Tamiya
Do not has yellow stripes but has black lines.
Can you help me? Thanks.
Regards
ajcmac
In most models I saw were built without the yellow stripes on the leading edge of the wings and also without the black lines on the wings.
But
Eduard
Do not have the black lines and has yellow stripes under the wings only.
In other paint schemes all have yellow stripes and black lines.
Techmod
Has yellow stripes but does not have the black lines.
Tamiya
Do not has yellow stripes but has black lines.
Can you help me? Thanks.
Regards
ajcmac
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
BEAUTIFUL!
To be honest there isn't any good picture of the Spitfire Mk IXc EN315 ZX-6 that could show these markings. Spits for the PFT were wearing the standard RAF comouflage for the ETO initially and then were repainted what can be noticed in the shot with the ZX-1. Although the fin flash and RAF roundel were left some of overpaiting can be seen. Also stencils aren't seen. So.. we can assume that stencils and these lines on wings might have been overpainted too.
As far as the yellow leading edges are concerned... here you are two known pictures of the EN315. I have enlarged them a little bit and used the Gamma correction trying to make the wing leading edge seen better. If somebody would dig his heels in ... the yellow strip can be seen.
However in the image below , you may notice that the leading edge of a wing could be yellow. But as it can be seen, the yellow seems to be overpainted untidily with a colour that made it looking "dirty" rather, contrary to the yellow ring aorund the RAF roundel on the fuselage. So it is possible that nobody would take care of the yellow strips while repainting the entire plane.
Nicely done so far!
dneid
Staff Sergeant
Excellent information, Wojtek. ajcman, the paint job looks very nice.
Crimea_River
Marshal
I'd agree those stripes are there. I could see how they could potentially be over painted when the middle stone was painted over the dark green.
Great work there Ajcmac and cracking paintjob, what brand of paint are you using, Gunze?
Following with interest as i am currently building the same kit in the same option but have only just got the primer on.
Would like to see what conclusions everyone draws from this as i cant find anything to say if the leading edge was yellow or not, although the photos do look to show a change in tone there?
Dont know if the mast is grey as well, looks to be a different colour in the first photo in Wurgers post above and can see a nice build of this plane on spitfiresite.com where it has been interpreted as such.
Crimea - if the DE/MS could have overpainted the top part of the strip, would the bottom part not have been overpainted with the azure blue, was all this field applied?
Couple of other things i was wondering in relation to the Eduard instructions and dont know if anyone has any ideas please:
The spare cannon stubs show a raw edge instead of the rounded fairing (as can be seen in the photos) - would these have been taped over, filled or hollow?
The Eduard profile shows radio wires from the roundel to the tips of the horizontal tailplane but looking at the photos i cant see any evidence of these, not even a cable entry on the roundel, or a mast to tail wire either - is this just a trick of the photos or were none fitted, i know its a fiddly job i would love to give a miss?
Sorry Ajcmac hope this isn't meant to be a thread hi-jack!! Really looking forward to the next installment!
Cheers, Stu
Following with interest as i am currently building the same kit in the same option but have only just got the primer on.
Would like to see what conclusions everyone draws from this as i cant find anything to say if the leading edge was yellow or not, although the photos do look to show a change in tone there?
Dont know if the mast is grey as well, looks to be a different colour in the first photo in Wurgers post above and can see a nice build of this plane on spitfiresite.com where it has been interpreted as such.
Crimea - if the DE/MS could have overpainted the top part of the strip, would the bottom part not have been overpainted with the azure blue, was all this field applied?
Couple of other things i was wondering in relation to the Eduard instructions and dont know if anyone has any ideas please:
The spare cannon stubs show a raw edge instead of the rounded fairing (as can be seen in the photos) - would these have been taped over, filled or hollow?
The Eduard profile shows radio wires from the roundel to the tips of the horizontal tailplane but looking at the photos i cant see any evidence of these, not even a cable entry on the roundel, or a mast to tail wire either - is this just a trick of the photos or were none fitted, i know its a fiddly job i would love to give a miss?
Sorry Ajcmac hope this isn't meant to be a thread hi-jack!! Really looking forward to the next installment!
Cheers, Stu
Stu,
Welcome to the site. As far as the antenna wires are concerned.... these going from the horizontal stabilizers to the fuselage sides weren't the radio wires but the IFF ones.
"In May and June of 1940 a small batch of Spitfire Is was fitted with a new VHF (Very High Frequency) transmitter/receiver, the TR1133. The new equipment with its shorter wavelengths did not require the aerial wire from the mast to the fin and the mast housed the antenna.The triangular prong was removed from the mast. After some months of delay, from September 1940 front-line Spitfires were re-equipped with the new radios as a matter of priority and by the end of 1940 most aircraft had the mast without the wire and prong, although most retained the redundant anchor point on top of the rudder. It is more than likely that the various Maintenance Units (Mu)s would have have been responsible for fitting the new equipment to factory fresh Spitfires.By the end of 1940 most front-line Spitfires would have been fitted with VHF and IFF. As per usual changes could take a few months to filter through from the factory and photos of factory fresh Spitfire IIs still show the mast fitted with the triangular prong well into 1941. By the end of 1941 the plain tapered mast was universally fitted. The attachments points for the prong were still visible on the back of the mast. In early 1943 a new IFF, the Mk III started being fitted to all front-line fighters. On the Spitfire the fuselage to tailplane wires were replaced by a single rod aerial mounted under the starboard wing.At about the same time the updated TR 1143 radio sets started replacing the TR 1133s, although no external changes were visible."
So all depends on when the EN315 was made. Unfortunately the starboard wing isn't seen and it can't be said if there was the IFF antenna on undersides or not. Also the IFF device needed the radar system to work with. I'm not sure but there wasn't a such one in the North Africa and we can assume the IFF device wasn't needed there. So antenna wire might have been removed.
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Far as I know, the 'old' wires IFF were not fitted to the MkIX, although early models might still have had the small 'button' attachment/lead in terminal on the fuselage, as they would have been modified MkV fuselages. If aircraft were fitted with IFF at all, it would have been the rod aerial under the wing, regardless of 'old' or 'new' models, and of course there would not be any radio antenna wire.
Lucky13
Forum Mascot
Beautiful work and excellent info chaps!
nice work!
Crimea_River
Marshal
I was wondering the same when I built Ian Keltie's EN398 before it was given to Johnnie Johnson. EN 398 still had the IFF wires:
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Yes Andy, the early MkIX's would originally have the 'old' IFF fit, which would have been replaced with the 'new' version either at squadron level or in a MU refit (or on replacement aircraft when a squadron's aircraft went to a MU for refit), and this is likely to have been the case with your EN398 at some time. Period photos show the lead-in 'button' still in place on these aircraft, without the wires, and the MkIII rod antenna beneath the wing. From memory, Duxford's MH434 still has the 'buttons' to this day.
By the time the MkIX reached the MEAF, the MkIII IFF was well established and, if IFF was fitted to aircraft in a particular region, it would more than likely be the MkIII.
On the photo you've posted, although that line certainly looks like the IFF wire, it just might be a scratch on the print (see other scratch to the right), although I admit it would be a heck of a coincidence. That said, the wire normally terminates at the button which is just about in the position of the chap's right bicep, in the roundel, and I can't see the button (which might be just hidden by his arm), or the continuation of the wire against the darker tones of the photo.
By the time the MkIX reached the MEAF, the MkIII IFF was well established and, if IFF was fitted to aircraft in a particular region, it would more than likely be the MkIII.
On the photo you've posted, although that line certainly looks like the IFF wire, it just might be a scratch on the print (see other scratch to the right), although I admit it would be a heck of a coincidence. That said, the wire normally terminates at the button which is just about in the position of the chap's right bicep, in the roundel, and I can't see the button (which might be just hidden by his arm), or the continuation of the wire against the darker tones of the photo.
- Thread starter
- #98
First of all I want to thank you all for your kind words. Thank you.
Wurger.
Thanks for the information and pictures.
.
I just paint yellow stripes and no stencils.
stoohoo
I am using mixtures with Tamiya paints.
XF-52 Dark Earth (1) + XF-64 (1)
Midle Stone XF-59 (1) + XF-60 (1)
Azure Blue X-16 (3) + XF-2 (10) + XF-18 (5)
Painted yellow stripes on the leading edge of the wings.
Now the decals.
Best regards
ajcmac
Wurger.
Thanks for the information and pictures.
.I just paint yellow stripes and no stencils.
stoohoo
I am using mixtures with Tamiya paints.
XF-52 Dark Earth (1) + XF-64 (1)
Midle Stone XF-59 (1) + XF-60 (1)
Azure Blue X-16 (3) + XF-2 (10) + XF-18 (5)
Painted yellow stripes on the leading edge of the wings.
Now the decals.
Best regards
ajcmac
