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Malta Spitfire Mk V


John1

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17 hours ago, Kagemusha said:

 

good reference material is rare - 90% of most of the books I see are garbage rehashes of rehashes etc -  but ultimately worth it

i have this book and knowing the contents,and the fact that it's out of print, I'd say that's a fair price

 

as to kit bashing, it depends how skillful you are, and how much you want to spend, but bottom line is there is no decent V out there

 

i suggest making peace with Hobbyboss' offering for a Vb - and even then you will need replacement canopy parts from a later marque (I suggest Revell's IX given it is dirt cheap)

 

a Vc is harder all round, though a member here recently did a great build i think but i cannot recall who did it, sorry

 

best of luck, and buy that book!

 

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On 10/17/2020 at 7:51 AM, PhilB said:

No, there is evidence from people who were there at the time.

Accounts from ground crew and others.

Research from historians like Brian Cull and Brian Cauchi who have spent years on this subject.

I'd dig up my father so you could argue with him but I'm afraid he was cremated.

:)

 

You might want to look at this documentary about returning a Hurricane and Spitfire to Malta for the anniversary a few years ago.

The blue paint is mentioned at around 21 minutes in and why they went to the trouble to fully repaint the Spit.

 

 

Nice video. Anyone has an idea what type of blue (and what modelling color would be a match) was used on BM597 for Merlins over Malta ?

 

Sincerely

 

Pascal

 

 

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23 minutes ago, Jennings Heilig said:

Then there's the mysterious, as-yet unexplained "bump" on the outer wing top surface that's only seen on the Malta birds...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na8v-nuvUnk

 

No bump here.  But more googling found this:

 

Denis-Barnham-Spitfire-Malta.jpg

 

You can see a bump behind the un-hatted armourer sat on the wing.  Not exactly outboard.  Is this what you're referring to?  Could this be a clearance bulge for the second cannon that could be fitted to the C wing that Malta Spitfires had??

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

Edited by Dpgsbody55
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On 10/16/2020 at 12:17 PM, Dpgsbody55 said:

True, but in this case and in the absence of any documented history, I think the best thing is to go with the story as related by Brian Cauchi.  Like his models, I'm sure his account is very well researched.

 

Cheers,

Michael

 

That name sounds familiar. Was he ever a member here at one time?

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No bump here, caption says HMS Eagle bound for Malta 1942. Or is this a B-wing ? :

 

Spitfire-MkV-aboard-HMS-Eagle-bound-for-

 

But on this one, there's something that looks like a bump (USS Wasp, no date) :

 

Spitfire-MkVcTrop-RAF-3B-BR136-USS-Wasp-

 

Not the greatest photo, but no bumps here :

 

Spitfire-MkVcTrop-RAF-BR22x-could-be-BR2

 

Colorised from a B/W photo I presume, but interesting :

 

Spitfire-VbTrop-RAF-126Sqn-EP257-at-Luqa

Edited by Pascal
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My thinking is that it has something to do with the guns.  Some Spitfires Vc's were sent to Malta carrying 4 20mm cannons and 4 0.303 machine guns.  On arrival, the outer cannons were removed as Spitfires with the C wing typically flew with 2 cannons and 4 machine guns. 

 

However, I'm also wondering if any were fitted in the field with 0.5 inch machine guns in place of either or both of the .303's??  That might have necessitated such a bulge.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

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I'll have to check my refs but IIRC the later spits that had the 303's replaced by 50 cals had them mounted inboard of the single cannons closer to the wing root but I'll have to check on that.

EDIT.

The E wing appeared in Autumn 1944.

Removed the four 303's and mounted a 50 cal in the inner cannon position leaving a single cannon in the outer position.

So not on any Malta spits.

 

Edited by PhilB
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