IPMS South Africa - Building SAAF Spitfires in Scale

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Building SAAF Spitfires in Scale

Written by Charles Hugo - IPMS SA Media Group

Sunday, 31 December 2006

Page 1 of 5

Kits

Kits with SAAF decals included

Airfix's 72nd scale Spitfire Mk VC has markings for DB-R of 2 squadron included

Hasegawa's 48th scale Spitfire Mk VB "Ian Glead" has WR-R of 40 Squadron included

Airfix's 48th scale Spitfire Mk VC has markings for DB-R of 2 squadron included

The Models

1/72nd Scale Tamiya Spitfire Mk VB

As my 48th scale models have covered some of the other major SAAF Spitfire users and I was not ready to tackle another Spitfire Mk VC (or any other Mk?C conversion) I looked around for alternatives. In “The Spitfire in SAAF Service” is a clear side on photograph of a line up of 1 Squadrons Spitfire Mk VB's and the desert colour scheme, resplendent with 1 Squadrons red wing tip markings appealed to me. Thus it was decided to use the Tamiya MkVB kit for this quick build. I did no corrections to the kit at all other than adding basic seatbelts made from masking tape.

1 Squadron for a time period operated their aircraft without the main canopy so after I had painted and decaled the model I removed the center section by carefully cutting with a razor saw. These MkVB Spitfires did not have the later wide chord Rotol propeller with the better known large spinner fitted - so into the spares box I dove. I looked at various Spitfire propeller options that I had to hand and chose the one from the Airfix MkI kit. I found that there was a discrepancy in the diameter of the Airfix propeller and the Tamiya cowling with the Airfix part being decidedly smaller than the Tamiya section.