Kotare Spitfire Mk.Vb (Early) available to pre-order.

[Christa]

Also, American Eagle Squadron ground crew and pilots were breaking U.S. law fighting for a foreign nation! Superb people.

[MikeC]

2 hours ago, Christa said:

Also, American Eagle Squadron ground crew and pilots were breaking U.S. law fighting for a foreign nation! Superb people.

Indeed so. When the three Eagle Squadrons became the 4th FG and thus part of the Mighty Eighth, one step in the transfer process was a Presidential Pardon for all involved.

[dennismcc]

My foray into US operated Spitfires could have done with this kit but there you go, such is life.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

[nmayhew]

5 hours ago, Christa said:

Also, American Eagle Squadron ground crew and pilots were breaking U.S. law fighting for a foreign nation! Superb people.

 

Amen to that, esp when their Government's stance at the time was 'somewhat different' shall we say!

It's just an aesthetics thing with me - stars on a Spit just look odd.

But I re-iterate, if it helps Kotare make the £££ which in turn leads to more kits for us, that is unequivocally a good thing.

 

As to the timing of the announcement / future release, I wonder whether this was always the plan?

Or whether the pre-orders of the Va were not what they hoped?

Or the realisation the Vb and Vc are the ultimate cash cows in the entire Spit series? 

 

Given the variety of marking options (inc Trop and all the Malta crazies), i strongly believe that Vb & Vc have the scope to outsell everything else put together.

 

Can't wait!

[Kagemusha]

Additional information via Hannants:

 

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb (Early)
-141 high-quality injection moulded plastic parts (38 all new tooled parts including new wings).
-High quality Cartograf decals for 3 RAF, Polish and USAAF Spitfire Mk.Vb (Early) colour schemes.
-32 page fully illustrated instruction manual.
-35cm wingspan.

[kalashnikov-47]

OUTSTANDING!  Just what I wanted!

[Pete Roberts]

Vb early = different wing bulge??

[MikeC]

7 hours ago, Pete Roberts said:

Vb early = different wing bulge??

I take it you mean the bulge to accomodate the cannon ammunition drums?  I don't think so - the differences were in detail fit, such as windscreen type, and so on.  Later mods to the V included six-outlet exhausts each side, and reinforcing strakes over the wheel wells.  This is off the top of my head, I'll have a dig in my Spit references and see what I can find.

[Shoggz]

Working my way through the Wingleader Spitfire V book, I picked up:

 

Changes across Spitfire Vbs from ‘early’ to ‘late’

 

Fishtail exhausts with pipe for improved gun heating

Internal armoured windscreen

Full blown canopy with no knock out panel

The two cylinder voltage regulator was beefed up from 12v to 24v, but this was done when the Vc was introduced, so not strictly speaking a Vb only improvement.

Solid wheel covers introduced

Introduction of wing stiffening strakes.

 

The 'pointed' Rotol spinner became the predominant version, though DH examples were still seen.

[Christa]

On 10/26/2024 at 6:57 AM, MikeC said:

Indeed so. When the three Eagle Squadrons became the 4th FG and thus part of the Mighty Eighth, one step in the transfer process was a Presidential Pardon for all involved.

Many American fighter pilots flying with the RAF were dead before the pardon was granted Mike. I know of seven of them.

 

Flight Lt Andy Mamedoff, PO Roy Stout, PO Hugh McCall and PO William White of 133 Squadron died October 8th 1941, flying Hurricanes, when three of them collided in fog with rising ground on the east coast of the Isle of Man. Probably at low level, PO White baled out short of the east coast of the Island. His body was washed ashore sometime later. Andy 'Blackie' Mamedoff's fellow American pilots in Spitfire equipped 609 Squadron, 1940, Vernon 'Shorty' Keogh and Eugene 'Red' Tobin had been killed earlier in 1941. They are not forgotten.

 

Regarding this thread title, I think I'll wait for Kotare to release a Spitfire Vc. My Spitfire collection will then number a modest five. I really would like a few new tooled Hurricane 1s to join them.

[Pete Roberts]

1 hour ago, Christa said:

I really would like a few new tooled Hurricane 1s to join them.

 

+ 1 

[mozart]

2 hours ago, Christa said:

Many American fighter pilots flying with the RAF were dead before the pardon was granted Mike. I know of seven of them.

 

Flight Lt Andy Mamedoff, PO Roy Stout, PO Hugh McCall and PO William White of 133 Squadron died October 8th 1941, flying Hurricanes, when three of them collided in fog with rising ground on the east coast of the Isle of Man. Probably at low level, PO White baled out short of the east coast of the Island. His body was washed ashore sometime later. Andy 'Blackie' Mamedoff's fellow American pilots in Spitfire equipped 609 Squadron, 1940, Vernon 'Shorty' Keogh and Eugene 'Red' Tobin had been killed earlier in 1941. They are not forgotten.

Extract from “The Story of 609 Squadron under the White Rose written by Frank Ziegler (former 609 Intelligence Officer):

 

 

 

 

[Biggles87]

I was originally waiting for the Va to convert to a Vb to replace my HB monstrosity ( abandoned long before the Kotare Mk Vs were announced ) but I’ll just wait for the Vb now. 
My initial reaction to the US markings was similar to those previously expressed, but then I also remembered the Eagle squadrons’ achievements.

 

John

 

 

[Shoggz]

This is a good documentation of the Eagle Squadrons and their activities:

 

[dennismcc]

These were two of the books that I used when building my US operated Spitfires, very handy.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis