Tamiya 1/48 Spitfire I
No. 610 (County of Chester) Squadron was a Royal Air Force Squadron of the Auxiliary Air Force. Comprising very high quality pilots, often ex-RAF officers and occasionally locally based company test pilots from companies such as de Havilland and Airwork, its pilots were initially part timers who would spend their weekends and spare time flying and practising combat manoeuvres. The squadron was named the "County of Chester" and adopted the motto "Alifero tollitur axe ceres"; which translates as "Ceres rising in a winged chariot", Ceres being the Roman Goddess of Wheat, a reference to Chester's Agricultural sector. Its badge contained the image of a garb (sheaf of wheat).
The squadron was formed on 10 February 1936 at Hooton Park, Wirral, Cheshire and was initially equipped with Hawker Hart light bombers. As war approached, these were replaced by Hawker Hinds in May 1938. On 1 January 1939 the squadron role was changed to that of a fighter squadron, and on the outbreak of war in September 1939 it received its first Hurricane fighters. By the end of that same month it was flying the more advanced Spitfire.
The squadron gained its first experience of aerial combat against the Luftwaffe whilst desperately attempting to protect the Army and Navy during the Dunkirk evacuation. It was a very tough few days for ‘The Chesters', operating in difficult conditions from RAF Gravesend, against an enemy air force which was a battle-hardened foe. In just four engagements with the enemy, 610 Squadron lost seven pilots Missing or Killed In Action and one wounded; 610 made claims of ten enemy aircraft destroyed, three unconfirmed destroyed and one damaged, which shows the lethal nature of the dogfights.
During the first two months of the Battle of Britain, 610 Squadron operated out of RAF Biggin Hill as part of 11 Group, where it was one of the units bearing the brunt of German attacks.
In 1941, 610 Squadron moved south to RAF Westhampnett where it was one of Douglas Bader's three Spitfire squadrons of the Tangmere wing. It remained based in the UK until late 1944 when it moved to the Continent to provide fighter cover as the allies entered Germany. 610 Squadron was disbanded before the end of the war at RAF Warmwell on 3 March 1945.
The squadron was re-formed on 10 May 1946 at RAF Hooton Park as a Royal Auxiliary Air Force fighter squadron, embodied in June of that year and receiving its first Spitfire F.14s in November 1946, switching to more powerful Spitfire F.22s in March 1949.
As for the Spitfire Mk.1 that the Squadron started receiving from September 1939, little can be said that hasn't been told: a high performance, maneuverable fighter, especially in the context of the Battle of Britain.
This the well known (now older mold) Tamiya quarter scale Spitfire, which was introduced in the early 90's as Mk.1 and Mk.Vb/trop, being periodically reissued totally unchanged till mid-2010's decade, before being superseded by the superlative newer (2018) version.
This older mold still has all the virtues “modern” Tamiya has become famous for: crisp molding, superb engineering and ease of construction (this is certainly one of the kits that defined “shake and bake” in modeling). It has been reported that there are a few accuracy issues, but it definitely looks like a Spitfire when finished.
https://modelingmadness.com/review/allies/gb/spits/pens1.htm
Happy Modelling!
Well done Spiros. I can never get the hang of those sausages so I use the paint diagrams and Oramask film
Thanks a lot, my friend @blackadder57!
Paint diagrams and Oramask film sound perfect!
I used the film on my Typhoon, among others
Looks perfect!
Hi Spiros. I saw your Spitfire posted on MM and waited for you to post it here to say what a nice job you did with it. And weren’t we fortunate to have this kit for twenty-five years before the uber kits by Tamiya and Eduard came along. I will go back to see the build thread just to learn what got you to such a nice result.
Thank you kindly, my friend @russjurco! I still love the now older Tamiya offering, despite the latest and greatest kits 😊
Nice job, Spiros. She looks like a classic Spit to me as well...and a very nice one!
Thanks so much, my friend @gwskat!
Great job Spiros on a classic kit and fighter. Beautifully done! 👍
Thanks so much, my friend @v1pro!
Very nice build...and I love the history that you put with it. To me, my builds are more than just "bits of plastic". Well done!
Thanks for those kind words, my friend @trod348! I totally agree!
Vere nice build Spiros, @fiveten. I really enjoyed the historical information about the squadron. It is a good looking build and nice article.
Thanks so much, my friend @luftwaffe-birdman!
That is a great looking Spitfire, Spiros @fiveten! Beautiful paintjob with the camo and i did not know about all that rigging, to be honest! Thank you for participating in the early war group, looking forward to seeing your Lysander next 🙂
Thanks so much, my friend @fxrob! I am honored to participate in your Group. Lysander next!
Really a nice realization Spiros 👏👏👏👏 bravo 👏
Thanks so much, my friend @tarantinopaolo!
Excellent finish, Spiros. I really like the subtle weathering on the underneath. Well done, great modelling. Westhampnett airfield Is now known as Goodwood. There are regularly a couple of two seater Spitfires flying from there. Being about 10 miles from me, I pop over there for a nice cooked breakfast whilst watching the flying.
Goodwood’s one of my favourite places, Julian @shipwreck71, but I prefer to watch the cars and motor cycles.
Thanks so much, my friend @shipwreck71!
You are lucky to live near Goodwood!
A perfect model to put up today, the 85th anniversary of the final day at Dunkirk.
I plead guilty to having moved on from this kit, but you're right that it can still be a very nice looking model. Well done!
Thanks so much, my friend @tcinla! Certainly there are much better kit options available today.
It certainly looks like a Spitfire, Spiros, nice work as always.
Thanks so much, my friend @chinesegeorge!
Absolutely wonderful, Spiros @fiveten
Those early Spitfires are the nicest one and your build clearly shows that.
Thanks for the interesting historical part.
Thanks so much, my friend @johnb!
Nice one. I'm not as big a Spitfire fan as most but have 2 of the later release ones to build Spiros. One of a Middle Wallop based cab (I'm still based there with the HAAF) and a Polish aircraft (TBC). Nice job chap. There was a lot going on down my neck of the woods during the war, still plenty of evidence about.
Thanks so much, my friend @chrisballard! Looking forward to your Spits mate!
My daughter and son in law go to the Goodwood Revival every year. It certainly is a very big attraction.
Indeed!
Very Nice Spiros! subtle and effective.
Thanks so much, my friend @jimh!
Very nicely and carefully done. Excellent.
Thank You so much, my Friend @milantesar!
A lovely Spit, Spiros!
Thanks so much, my Friend @gkittinger!
Very sharp Spifire, Spiros (@fiveten)
Nicely done 👍
Thanks a lot, my friend @georgeswork!
Great Spitfire!
Thanks a lot, my friend @lis!
A great build and interesting history.
Thank you very much, my friend @chasbunch!
Lovely as usual my friend!
Thank you kindly, my friend @mvtb!
Superb build Spiros! You have given me motivation to build my Mklla
Thanks so much, my friend @neillroos. Looking forward to yours!