As above, this will be an attempt to build the Airfix's big new Spitfire.
I’ve been wondering which aircraft to represent with this model. I want a standard Mk IX, to represent the majority of the thousands built, rather than some exotic scheme. To that end I’m going to attempt EN398, a Spitfire made famous as J-EJ when it became ‘Johnnie’ Johnson’s personal aircraft when he was leading the Kenley Wing. I won’t be making JE-J (again!), but rather will be making this model of EN398 as it was as a new aircraft, flown by Flying Officer Ian Keltie of No. 402 (RCAF) Squadron in the spring of 1943, coded either AE-I (February) or AE-B (March).
The only element of exotica might be the Popeye nose art. According to Keltie, several of the squadron’s aircraft sported Disney cartoon characters, though in his words, “whether they had any significance for the pilots or ground crew, other than just being fun, I don’t know”. Keltie did not remember when it was applied but the aircraft was not delivered with it and it must have been applied at the squadron, probably at the same time as the code letters were applied, but which ones?
This is one of the options in the kit:
Relevant history, the aircraft first flew on 13/2/43 and was delivered to 402 Squadron on 18/2/43 and then coded AE-I. In March (Keltie thought 1/3/43) it was re-coded AE-B. Keltie’s last mission in this aircraft was on 13/3/43, so my window is quite small, just 13 days.
Johnson arrived at Kenley on 16/3/43 and, being a Wing Commander, seems to have ‘acquired’ this aircraft.
The plan is to build this out of the box, though I will be using masks and painting many of the markings.
Anyway, I won't bore you with a load of pictures of plastic on sprues. I'm sure that's been done better by someone else elsewhere! Suffice to say that on a first look it all looks very nicely and cleanly molded, though I did notice one or two ejector pin marks in interesting places. Here's just one picture, showing the nice detail on the lower fuselage/main plane.
It'll be an interrupted build (work), but hopefully not never ending
Cheers
Steve
I’ve been wondering which aircraft to represent with this model. I want a standard Mk IX, to represent the majority of the thousands built, rather than some exotic scheme. To that end I’m going to attempt EN398, a Spitfire made famous as J-EJ when it became ‘Johnnie’ Johnson’s personal aircraft when he was leading the Kenley Wing. I won’t be making JE-J (again!), but rather will be making this model of EN398 as it was as a new aircraft, flown by Flying Officer Ian Keltie of No. 402 (RCAF) Squadron in the spring of 1943, coded either AE-I (February) or AE-B (March).
The only element of exotica might be the Popeye nose art. According to Keltie, several of the squadron’s aircraft sported Disney cartoon characters, though in his words, “whether they had any significance for the pilots or ground crew, other than just being fun, I don’t know”. Keltie did not remember when it was applied but the aircraft was not delivered with it and it must have been applied at the squadron, probably at the same time as the code letters were applied, but which ones?
This is one of the options in the kit:
Relevant history, the aircraft first flew on 13/2/43 and was delivered to 402 Squadron on 18/2/43 and then coded AE-I. In March (Keltie thought 1/3/43) it was re-coded AE-B. Keltie’s last mission in this aircraft was on 13/3/43, so my window is quite small, just 13 days.
Johnson arrived at Kenley on 16/3/43 and, being a Wing Commander, seems to have ‘acquired’ this aircraft.
The plan is to build this out of the box, though I will be using masks and painting many of the markings.
Anyway, I won't bore you with a load of pictures of plastic on sprues. I'm sure that's been done better by someone else elsewhere! Suffice to say that on a first look it all looks very nicely and cleanly molded, though I did notice one or two ejector pin marks in interesting places. Here's just one picture, showing the nice detail on the lower fuselage/main plane.
It'll be an interrupted build (work), but hopefully not never ending
Cheers
Steve
Comment