Derek B

Thanks Karl. I'm not sure if I can still get that and have no idea how much it would cost? (these days, my funds are limited!) Many thanks Derek

Hi Ali, If you have an opportunity in your impossibly busy work schedule, is there any chance that you can throw some consideration to producing a replacement windscreen and canopy for the truly awful Revell 1/32 F-15C Eagle kit smoke tinted offerings please? (this is the only thing - apart from decals - stopping me from making/completing the kit I started back in the mid-80's!). Many thanks Derek

Nice project Ali. Like many, having flown in a few of these during my time as an Air Cadet in the early 70's, my heart says 'Yes'. However, my retired salary says 'No'! Nonetheless, it is a worthy and noble venture, so I wish you good luck with it and hope that, if you proceed with it, that you sell many copies. Best regards Derek

I think that I might quite well like one of these! Derek

Lovely image of the Supermarine 300 (Prototype Spitfire) there Martin, thank you. Derek

Nice work Tom, I'm enjoying this! Derek

Hi Thierry. In a number of cases, yes, I agree that some airframes may not have had sufficient time to become extremely weathered, however, even a few weeks service during that critical and demanding period of time would still have resulted in a degree of weathering, if only superficial or light. As to the topic of surface skin distortion (the so-called 'oil canning'), this could, and was, evident on many airframes, even after only a relatively short number of flying hours from new. Therefore, it may not have been unusual for a relatively new aircraft to show little sign of paint wear and tear, but still exhibit a degree of surface skin distortion. Derek

A little more info on the images I posted. First, the black and white IWM image of the banking Spitfire VB: Spitfire Mark VB, R6923 QJ-S, of No 92 Squadron RAF based at Biggin Hill, Kent, banking towards the photographing aircraft. R6923 was originally a Mark I, converted to a Mark V after serving with No. 19 Squadron and No. 7 Operational Training Unit in 1940. It was shot down over the sea by a Messerschmitt Bf 109 on 22 June 1941. So, although it is a Mk.VB aircraft, it was originally a Mk.IA aircraft which had seen service during the BoB, therefore, the stressing may be considered typical or representative for the aircraft type in general. Additionally, it is also a well known aircraft (in Mk.IA form) in its own right. https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/R6923 As for Spitfire IA R6915, its wartime history is well known: http://www.warbirdregistry.org/spitregistry/spitfire-r6915.html This aircraft scored six aerial victories during the BoB and what makes it unique is the fact that it is one of the very few surviving Spitfire airframes to retain its original (unrestored) WW II BoB paint finish, which makes it pretty special and therefore representative of the type. HTH Derek

Derek

Ventral fuel tank find. I was less than overwhelmed by the oversized flat plates provided by the kit which are supposed to be the ventral fuel tank stabilizing find, so I decided to scratch build replacement items from 1.5 mm plastic card. The real find are tapered (unlike the kit parts). I based mine off the Echelon kit instructions reference for them, but modified to fit my reworked ventral fuel tank (at the moment they have the Trumpeter kit top curvature shape, but I will modify that shape once I have worked out the correct location and how to eventually mount them!). I based the rivet detail on photographs of the actual find (always better than relying on drawings, which are normally incorrect - the rivet detail on the kit provided fins is entirely fictional!). Derek

Thanks Troy. I did notice that the leading edge of the outer mainplanes on the prototype aircraft appear to have less sweepback than the production aircraft, so this is useful confirmation. I must admit that the specific image that you have provided does appear to show or indicate that the inboard leading of the wing is straight, forming a continuous root to tip sweep (of particular note are thr dark coloured inboard leading edge areas - more about this later). As for the book you mentioned, I do actually have a copy of it (somewhere!). I cannot recall from memory at the moment the full development history of the Hurricane, however, I belive that at that time, like the Spitfire, the aircraft may have originally Benn designed to use the RR Goshawk engine utilising an evaporative cooling system. Those dark areas on the leading edge of the inboard wings may well have been intended for the evaporative cooling tanks (much again like the Spitfire), but we're not used when the decision was made to switch to the much more reliable and powerful RR Merlin engine? It would be interesting to find some confirmation of this theory somewhere that might shed some light if this was a reason to initially flown the aircraft (perhaps only the first flight or first few) with a straight wing, and then subsequently flying it with a modified inner/centre section mainplane? Cheers Derek

Agreed Paul, it does appear to have sweep back on the leading edge of the outer mainplanes. Troy, do you have a definitive image or other data to prove that the leading edge of the prototype Hurricane was straight from root to tip? (my interpretation of all of the photographs and images I have seen appear to indicate that it does have sweepback as per the A L Bentley drawings?). Many thanks Derek

Still enjoying your progress on this Pete. In the meantime, something that you may enjoy: https://theaviationist.com/2022/11/17/flying-with-the-vfc-111/?fbclid=IwAR3X57zwTpE3MxMh-eEpv-nn80M1aJ6YKCYdHt9LTydGrj-BYFMGGHyA5v0 Derek