Spitfire Mk. IX, 1/48
Well I have been wanting to build a Spitfire for some time now...I read somewhere on iModeler that "you can't have too many Spitfires", so I may just have to build another one!
This is from the Italeri "American Aces" kit. Leave it to me to get a kit that has decals for 5 different American-flown spitfires and build the only one that is in RAF markings! Well, that leaves lots of good spare decals for future use and I have been wanting another British plane, this makes 2, my other being a Mosquito.
This is the markings of Capt. "Gabby" Gabreski, an American of Polish descent, whilst with the RAF's 315 "Delblinski" squadron, which he was with starting in late 1942, before going on to greater fame in American made fighters (per history in the instructions)
Building this raises a question, why aren't RAF insignias the same on the wings, sides and undersides? The roundels are different, they come in 2 color (wing tops) 3 color (undersides) and 4 color (sides). I'm sure there is a reason, I just don't know it.
This model is stock, except I made some seatbelts out of tape with leftover PE buckles, not liking the stark white seatbelt decals that the kit came with.
Thanks for letting me share -
Nicely finished and photographed, Ralph...and a good choice for markings as well.
Nice build Ralph, and as you said , you cannot have enough Spitfires.
Greetings :
Nice looking SPITFIRE, very keen choice for the markings. One only sees to many times his P-47 THUNDERBOLT.
Heresy! A little love for the Republic Iron and Foundery works! Honest aircraft, bring you back, even if a brick wall gets in the way, and large chunks of the airframe are missing! Try that in your spamcan! Watch that glycol spew!
If memory serves me well, this is Italeri's reboxing of the Occidental Spitfire Mk.IX. And if memory still serves me well, the Occidental Spitfire Mk.IX was much maligned because of certain shape issues. Yet I look at this completed Mk.IX and I see...well...a Spitfire Mk.IX. Looks correct to me and quite nicely executed. Experts malign and builders build. Well done Ralph.
Seamus, I wondered whose Spit Italeri was selling, I thought maybe ICM, or whatever they call themselves these days, Alanger? Thanks for answering that. Seems to me Revell had an ICM 109 they boxed, maybe thru Revell Germany?
With all the musical molds these days, it's hard to keep up.
Occidental also had a bargain Spit XVI, with no decals, a bubble canopy version. It's here someplace.
Very very niceSpitfire. I agree it's great to see something other than his P-47s. Not that there's anything wrong with them too. 🙂
re RAF roundels - there's a long and complex (and interesting, too, if you like that sort of thing) history of roundel types and codes, detailing the changes from pre-War until about 1950. I remember ordering a decal sheet of roundels a few years ago, thinking I'd just get a few replicated types, and was amazed at the variety and frequency of changes.
I remember the ICM Spits, as being covered in sinkmarks and literally dripping mold release (cosmoline?). Don't know if that's still the case but you'd never know it looking at yours, thought it was an Eduard Spit.
Well Done Ralph, beautifully built and finished.
Thanks so much everyone. This kit did not seem to suffer from excess flash, sink marks or anything like that and the fit was for the most part very good. As far as the shape goes, if it was wrong I wouldn't be knowledgeable enough to know the difference.
Nice finish on the Spit - she looks "flown!" That's the way I like to build them (and see them built).
The RAF insignia on the upper wings is two color to lessen its visiblity, while being larger so it is "visible enough". It's 4-color on the side because (theoretically) that doesn't show up so much when viewed from above, but makes it more visible for others joining up in the air (less chance of "friendly fire") and is "normal" on the lower surface though smaller so as to not "advertise at long range." That's the shorthanded underlying idea for the insignia.
You've certainly made a fine silk purse out of what is an admitted sow's ear.
There is one small niggling thing you might want to correct, which will make your model really nice: the Spitfire does not have dihedral on the horizontal stabilizer. The solution to that one is easy.
Thanks for the roundel explanation, The tail was the single (or two) worst fitting part(s) of this.
Ralph, she looks fine to me. I don't know if I've ever seen one of these built, prior to this. Is this the one with the optional beer barrels under the wings? I always thought that was show stopping. Using a fighter for a brewery dray! During the Normandy campaign, if I recall. I saw a picture years ago, and never forgot it.
No beer kegs came with this, there are a few extra parts (including an entire canopy set, very similar to the one I used) so it must fit other versions too. Thanks
Thanks, Ralph! I suspect there's another boxing with those in it. It's a unique and little known sidenote, which I found interesting.
I saw the boxing, but passed on it that time, I had other plastic fish to fry, as it were. In a continuing series...
Is it Spring down there, yet?
Beautiful Ralph. Serves as inspiration to me to finish my 1/48 Airfix Mk XIX. You can't have enough of the most iconic and classic fighter of WW II. Well done!