Spitfire Mk 1 - the best route

[scimitarf1]

Nothing is ever perfect. I would be interested to see if he would have used the  Hasegawa Mk1 wing if he had that.

[Pete Roberts]

8 hours ago, nmayhew said:

 

and if it's all in the quest for accuracy, the builder has forgotten that the MkI wheel wells and angle of landing gear are different from the universal wing...

 

I would be interested in your evidence for the difference in wheel wells. I have been chasing this for a while and agree with your comment but don't have firm evidence for that - yet.

[Pete Roberts]

I agree with earlier posts - all this commentary around how to get an accurate Mk I Spitfire.

 

There are plenty of examples around to study and get it right. And moulding technology is much more advanced these days.

 

I'll put my hand up and say I am biased here - it is my iconic plane - but it is sad I think that we don't have an accurate, well detailed large scale kit of this plane.

 

Or perhaps I'm just too picky.

Edited May 21, 2020 by Pete Roberts

[fastterry]

I'm just wading my way through a Hasegawa Mk VI at the moment (engraved lines, new radiator, wheel well detail, offset controls etc) so my interest was piqued. A couple of nits if I may, looking at the Polish model, even the super detailer missed the fact that the area behind the pilot was painted Aluminium right up to at least the Mk VIII and the photo above is a Mk IX nose, somewhat different to a Mk 1. I have been a long time lurker over at Britmodeller and just when you think you know something about Spits someone comes along with new information that shoots you in the bum. Edgar Brooks obviously had a great input into the knowledge pool we now have about this fascinating subject and yes we need Tamiyasan to step up to the plate.

TRF

Edited May 22, 2020 by fastterry
spelling mistake

[petrov27]

On 5/20/2020 at 5:48 PM, Pete Roberts said:

There were some beautiful Spitfire plans prepared in Japan, posted on other sites, but cannot find these now! I think I saw these over on Britmodeller. I'll post a link if I can find them, but hopefully others have better searching techniques than I! Or know of them. After an hour of searching I still cannot find them and starting go a bit gah-gah....

 

PR

 

These possibly?

 

[Chek]

7 hours ago, Pete Roberts said:

 

I would be interested in your evidence for the difference in wheel wells. I have been chasing this for a while and agree with your comment but don't have firm evidence for that - yet.

 

 

See here for what you want. And it's not just the legs and wells, it's the upper wing surface too.

All explained in that post.

[Pete Roberts]

5 hours ago, petrov27 said:

 

These possibly?

 

 

Yes! They're the plans - Thank you!

[Pete Roberts]

4 hours ago, Chek said:

 

 

See here for what you want. And it's not just the legs and wells, it's the upper wing surface too.

All explained in that post.

 

Ah! Thank you, I hadn't seen those posts before.

 

I was aware of the differences noted, but from those photos and some over on ARC, it also looks like the walls of the wheel well are perpendicular to the lower wing on the early Mark Spitfires (I-VB), not slanted like those seen on the VC and later. It is difficult to tell for sure from the photos. Maybe another difference between these Marks (I-VB) and later Marks?

[Chek]

4 minutes ago, Pete Roberts said:

 

Ah! Thank you, I hadn't seen those posts before.

 

I was aware of the differences noted, but from those photos and some over on ARC, it also looks like the walls of the wheel well are perpendicular to the lower wing on the early Mark Spitfires (I-VB), not slanted like those seen on the VC and later. It is difficult to tell for sure from the photos. Maybe another difference between these Marks (I-VB) and later Marks?

 

I've never been close enough to a Mk I to say for sure, but I think you're right about the u/c bay sides being vertical on that wing type, and slanted for the later universal wings.

It makes sense when you visualise the planes (no pun etc) the wheel is moving through as it retracts.

[Derek B]

The undercarriage wheel well bay sidewall angle may have changed as part of the introduction of the 'C' type universal wing (mid-1942 onwards), which not only introduces bulged doors to allow the retracted undercarriage to sit lower in the wing, but also new oleo legs with scissors links which were further raked forward by 2 inches.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire_(late_Merlin-powered_variants)

 

Derek

[Archimedes]

On 5/21/2020 at 9:11 AM, nmayhew said:

 

and if it's all in the quest for accuracy, the builder has forgotten that the MkI wheel wells and angle of landing gear are different from the universal wing...

Thanks for raising that point: can you clarify what the difference is between them? (meaning what is the angular difference as I've noted the detail in Derek's post). 

 

Best regards,

Paul

Edited May 22, 2020 by Archimedes
Further detail

[Pete Roberts]

On 5/22/2020 at 9:03 PM, Derek B said:

The undercarriage wheel well bay sidewall angle may have changed as part of the introduction of the 'C' type universal wing (mid-1942 onwards), which not only introduces bulged doors to allow the retracted undercarriage to sit lower in the wing, but also new oleo legs with scissors links which were further raked forward by 2 inches.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire_(late_Merlin-powered_variants)

 

Derek

Derek, I think the scissors came in for later Marks, from around the VIII/IX on, and could be to the front or rear of the leg. The Mk VC's, for example, don't have these.

[Pete Roberts]

On 5/22/2020 at 8:08 PM, Chek said:

 

I've never been close enough to a Mk I to say for sure, but I think you're right about the u/c bay sides being vertical on that wing type, and slanted for the later universal wings.

It makes sense when you visualise the planes (no pun etc) the wheel is moving through as it retracts.

 

I had a trip to the AWM booked to check out their Mk II Spitfire, conveniently hanging from the roof. Then bl**dy CV came along. I hope to get up there in a couple of months, so will let you know what I find. I did get a chance to look over the VC in the Sth Aust Aviation Museum and it has the slanted wheel well walls.

[GMK]

1 hour ago, Pete Roberts said:

 

I had a trip to the AWM booked to check out their Mk II Spitfire, conveniently hanging from the roof. Then bl**dy CV came along. I hope to get up there in a couple of months, so will let you know what I find. I did get a chance to look over the VC in the Sth Aust Aviation Museum and it has the slanted wheel well walls.

Quite jealous you got to see the VC in person, tbh. Any pics from your visit?

[Pete Roberts]

1 hour ago, GMK said:

Quite jealous you got to see the VC in person, tbh. Any pics from your visit?

 

Yep, gotta few pics, will see if I can get them posted here. Can HIGHLY recommend the Sth Australian Aviation Museum for a visit, based in Pt Adelaide. The guys there are very passionate and helpful as well as having a great range of exhibits, many open for visitors to explore.