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'Grace' type two-seat Spitfire in 1:32


Iain

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Have been commissioned to build a 'Grace' type two-seat Spitfire model in 1:32 - based upon the superb Tamiya Mk IX kit and my client has kindly given permission for me to post progress here.

 

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Photo by Darren Harbar, via Eastern Daily Press

 

This is a complex project and will have to create a lot of things from scratch, but will have assistance in terms of drawings and details from one of the UK's leading Spitfire engineers.

 

As an example of the changes the front 'pit is moved foward by 13.5 inches on the full-size airframe, and the rear canopy is not the standard Spitfire 'bubble' (it's longer) - so it's not as straightforward as first meets the eye.

 

Aiming to complete the project early in the New Year - but in order to make a start with some of the more straightforward work, I've commenced with that glorious Merlin:

 

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Rocker covers have been replaced with the excellent Barracuda items which feature the Rolls-Royce name.

 

Small gaps in assembly now filled and should start getting paint on later today...

 

This project will take priorty over my other builds.

 

Blue Skies!

 

Iain

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I was in Duxford around 2005, 2006 and as I was leaving the museum, I heard the distinctive growl of a lonely Merlin late in the afternoon and it was the Grace Spitfire taking off. What a sight!

 

So yes I will be watching this build!

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Awesome project Iain, I want to do one of these myself eventually. I have seen Ben from Firefly models: http://www.firefly-models.com do one of these on commission too. It's under his projects tab on his website. He had talked about maybe producing a resin conversion set for the Tamiya Spitfire Mk IXc kit. I'm definitely interested in watching you build this especially if you are going to be in contact with the Spitfire's UK engineers.

 

Cheers,

Brady

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What was the purpose of the original two seater Spit?

Training?

How many were produced?

It is so well designed that it keeps the beautiful looks of the single seat Spit.

Lovely.

ML407 was built as a single seater and I believe is credited with kills during D-Day. It was later purchased and converted by Nick Grace into It current configuration though I'm unsure if this was before his accident and then completed by his family, or before!

 

I'm pretty certain that there is a dedicated website for the Grace Spitfire!

 

The RAF did not use two seaters and those built, known as the T.9, were for international Air Forces (the Irish Air Corps being one) and I think that it is these that were built with the raised rear bubble canopy whilst some recent restorations Mk.IX's, have been converted into two seaters by their owners.

 

This is all from memory and could of course be total rubbish, so check before quoting me :lol:

Edited by Tony C
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