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"Your Spitfire I believe Sir?"


mozart

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I'm a bit late to the Tamiya Spitfire Mk IX Appreciation Society party, but better late than never!  This won't be a proper detailed build WiP for several reasons, one of which is that I actually started the kit in 2016 but (and say this quietly) got bored with it!! :shrug:  However like the phoenix it has risen from the ashes inspired by:

 

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This is a figure of an ATA girl, Air Transport Auxiliary, amongst whose duties it was to move aircraft to various locations during the war so that squadrons always had spare aircraft to hand. It transpires the figure is based on a famous photo of Maureen Dunlop:

 

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I had to buy the figure as soon as I saw it, but then, what to do with it?  She had to be delivering an aeroplane to somebody, and a little research soon revealed that a Spitfire LF Mk IX was delivered to 56 Squadron from 39 MU on 2 March (I don't know if Maureen was the pilot, but let's pretend she was.)  So out came the dusty box.   The engine I had previously worked on:

 

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so that's almost ready, but yesterday I assembled the wings:

 

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and was blown away by the precision and fit, just WOW!  Today on with the cockpit which includes Barracuda upgrade:

 

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Lots still to add but it's progress!  Talking of fit:

 

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I lost one of the flap indicator covers so had to make one!  Sharing the diorama with Maureen will be a motley crew:

 

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all of which will be repainted.  More soon I hope!

 

Edited by mozart
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Always good to see some interest in a thread......the magical word SPITFIRE!!

 

So, a little background.  Castle Bromwich in the English Midlands was one of the main sites for Spitfire (and other aircraft) production during the war, this photo is dated 1944 so right in the time frame for my Mk IX.  A couple of Lancs in the background then rows of pristine Spitfires waiting to be picked up.  Camouflage, ID bands, roundels and serial numbers applied but no squadron codes:

 

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So the ATA would have flown these either directly to the squadron or to an aircraft storage/maintenance unit awaiting onward movement.  For my chosen Spitfire it went to 39 MU, Colerne which is 4 miles from Bath.  This aerial photo is dated 1943:

 

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The record showing the the serial number MK517, CBAF is Castle Bromwich, confirmation the engine was a Merlin 66 and that she was delivered to 39MU on 2 March 1944 and delivered to 56 squadron on 9 May:

 

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and then she was on ops:

 

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so her squadron codes would be US-P, on this day flown by Flying Officer R K Dean on a Ramrod op. which was a small bomber force with fighter escorts.

 

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Lots of Spits, no squadron codes. :hmmm:

 

 

Edited by mozart
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Not too much chance for modelling today, a beautiful day so out walking, but I did get the characters primed:

 

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He'll have a proper spanner later!

 

So looking forward to painting Maureen.  I had to repair the parachute strap hanging down in front of her right leg, the resin was so thin it snapped.
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This poor chap is a "Bitsa" bloke.....started off as an ICM figure supplied with the Gladiator but now had new arms and a head, must get his neck joined properly.  He looks rather out of proportion in this pic but he's OK really!  He'll be holding the receiving chit in his right hand.
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Can't remember where this one came from, he originally was a Meteor pilot.  Nice moulding though, should scrub up well.
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I'll be using oils for all of these, mixed with Liquin which gives the paint a thinner consistency and makes it dry more quickly.  I like working "wet on wet" to be able to blend the paint then and there.  It has a satin finish so a matt coat will be necessary.

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Very nice job on the engine Max and great choice of figures to tell your story! These Tamiya kits are superb as you mentioned and nice to spoil yourself and build one now and again isn't it, I've put my Corsair away twice now as it was just to easy to build. Your Spit is looking excellent and looking forward to more progress.

 

Regards. Andy 

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