chuck540z3 Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 Hi Guys, I'm building the Tamiya Mk IXc kit for a Spitfire that was circa 1942-3 or so and I'm wondering about the red fabric covers over the gun ports. I know nothing about this feature, Google isn't much help and the kit instructions and other sources of info that I can find aren't much better. Now the questions: 1) Were these for aerodynamics and to prevent dirt from getting into the gun? 2) Were the covers always red? 3) When the gun was fired, were the openings always repaired? 4) Should the cover show the hole impression behind? 4) Any other info on these covers that I should know about? Thanks guys, Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Ron Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 This video will explain it all at around the 34 minute mark it goes over arming of a Spit and the gun tape. It was normally red dope color. Ron CANicoll and chuck540z3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 (edited) It was a fabric patch to reduce drag so increase speed, the dope used to taughten it was red, there are only really two coloured dopes, red. And silver, silver is a top coat that also protects the material from ageing by sunlight, no point using that on a patch that will last literally hours, the patches were self adhesive, they also kept the guns from freezing, kept crud out and were a quick indicator if the guns had died etc, I would read https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/fabric-over-guns.23467/ Edited January 10, 2018 by TonyT chuck540z3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVbob Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 Go to the 36.25 minute mark if you don't want to watch the whole vid. (But I must ask what Spit head would not want to watch the whole thing)??????????????????????? RLWP 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TorbenD Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 Hi Guys, I'm building the Tamiya Mk IXc kit for a Spitfire that was circa 1942-3 or so and I'm wondering about the red fabric covers over the gun ports. I know nothing about this feature, Google isn't much help and the kit instructions and other sources of info that I can find aren't much better. Now the questions: 1) Were these for aerodynamics and to prevent dirt from getting into the gun? Both + helped insulate a from freezing at high altitude 2) Were the covers always red? Generally Red doped self adhesive if RAF Spits as far as I'm aware. Cannons had tubular sleeves over the end, (6"?) not sure what colour or whether or not these were put over every single time. 3) When the gun was fired, were the openings always repaired? Yes, always after rearming 4) Should the cover show the hole impression behind? Most references show a slight indentation over the hole area when patched over - especially during or after flight 4) Any other info on these covers that I should know about? Generally replaced completely after rearming but if i have seen these occasionally over patched. Usually neat and pretty regimented too but again speedy turn around may have wobbled to odd rigger's hand... An added benefit was to indicate to the ground crew whether or not the guns had been fired and needed rapid rearming before the pilot had even landed. Similarly if one or more of the guns had jammed before firing it would be easy to see which very early. Thanks guys, Chuck Tony T's caught this. My quick answers in bold FWIW Torben chuck540z3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Ron Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 Just watch the video I posts at the 34-35 min mark, it goes over all of this... CANicoll 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck540z3 Posted January 11, 2018 Author Share Posted January 11, 2018 Thanks guys! This info answers all my questions- in spades! Great video too. Cheers, Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloorwestSiR Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 On my last couple Spitfire builds, I've made the covers by painting a strip of Tamiya tape red then cutting it into small squares to apply over the barrel openings. Carl chuck540z3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 Out of interest, what did the Luftwaffe do? Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 (edited) Accept the bullets from them gracefully?... Did you know that the Army used to issue condoms to put over the end of rifle barrels to keep all the water and crud out until some dogooders heard about it and accused them of providing troops with condoms to use elsewhere... so a sensible Idea was scuppered.. Also on a lighter note... Stalin worried about the state of play with his russian troops and their sexually transmitted diseases contacted Churchill and requested condoms for his men.. Churchill contacted Durex and requested them to make extra large condoms and package them as small, these were then supplied to the Russian army in the hopes that it would make them feel inferior. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/churchills-toyshop-secret-ww2-lab-5743580 Edited January 11, 2018 by TonyT chuck540z3 and TorbenD 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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