seiran01 Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 Does anyone here know if the spitfire 11s and other specialized recon variants retained the armour plates behind the seat and headrest? I can see design logic for both keeping and eliminating them, and since they'd be so visible with an open canopy I'd like to toss the question to the experten. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastterry Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 PR birds are not really my thing but Spitfires are, so here goes. All of the photos of wartime PR XI aircraft that I looked at are not really helpful but I am pretty sure that at least back armour was fitted. Morgan & Shacklady is not all that forthcoming except to say that some armour was deleted but then they fail to say which armour. There is a PR XI at the USAF museum, and from the photos I have looked at, it has back armour. Remember that the XI is unpressurised and has a 'standard' sliding hood. The X was pressurised and was fitted with the Lobelle hood which has a wider frame around the perspex. I mention this because I have viewed a few builds online and there seems to be some confusion. Anyway I hope that helps. TRF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seiran01 Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kagemusha Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 Yes, the armour plated windscreen was replaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenshb Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 (edited) The Spitfire PR.XI preserved at the Defence Forces Aircraft Collection at Gardermoen, Norway has the head armour and armour behind the seat. The aircraft (one of three) was purchased in 1947, stored for a couple of years, and served until 1954 when it was bought by the pilot who flew the last sortie. Apart from receiving some inaccurate and inappropriate paintjobs, nothing has been done to the aircraft. Norwegian text only, but the pictures are international:) https://flyblader.com/onewebmedia/Nr 2 Spitfire XI.pdf Edited October 26, 2020 by jenshb Kagemusha, Fanes and Lothar 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockie Yarwood Posted October 26, 2020 Share Posted October 26, 2020 Thanks for posting that link! Page six has one of the clearest views of the flat area on the windscreen I have seen. I'm just about to start work on a PR.XI conversion of the Revell Mk.IX using the AlleyCat set. Happy modeling, Rockie Lothar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seiran01 Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 Beauty, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob MDC Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 For PR Spits this is good !! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Merlin-Spitfires-Detail-Classic-Warbirds/dp/0958229651 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockie Yarwood Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 2 hours ago, Bob MDC said: For PR Spits this is good !! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Merlin-Spitfires-Detail-Classic-Warbirds/dp/0958229651 Holy Crap, Batman! One copy available from Amazon USA for the low, low, price of $902.81 USD! Makes me want to cry. Rockie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thierry laurent Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 All PR XI I have seen kept the armor plate. What is different is the presence or absence of the head cushion. This is really variable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastterry Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 (edited) 16 hours ago, thierry laurent said: All PR XI I have seen kept the armor plate. What is different is the presence or absence of the head cushion. This is really variable. The head rest is interesting because as you say some Spitfires had one and others didn't. They were removed early on because there were cases of pilots having trouble abandoning ship because the harness was caught on the head rest. I don't know whether the removal was official or down to individual pilots as there are lots of photos with and without. TRF A little further info. According to Edgar Brookes headrests were to be deleted from all types from 29-10-42 except Seafires. This was into Mk V production hence some with and some without. According to Edgar PR pilots were a law unto themselves and could do whatever they wanted regarding headrests. And to clarify my earlier post, by back armour I really meant head and back armour. Edited October 29, 2020 by fastterry additional info thierry laurent 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeC Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 (edited) On 10/28/2020 at 3:44 AM, Rockie Yarwood said: Holy Crap, Batman! One copy available from Amazon USA for the low, low, price of $902.81 USD! Makes me want to cry. Rockie Could make me very happy, were it not for the fact that my copies of this and its companion volume are not for sale at any price. Having said that, the price for the single copy on Amazon UK is a bit more reasonable. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Merlin-Spitfires-Detail-Classic-Warbirds/dp/0958229651 I had a quick flick through, and there is no mention of seat armour being absent or present. There is one drawing of the seat, which shows the armour in place, but whether that drawing is specifically of a PRXI seat or a generic Spitfire seat is not specified. Edited October 29, 2020 by MikeC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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