BAC Spitfire XIV.

[Ian M]

OK regarding the following comment it is allowed to laugh.

I have figured out why there are so many small differences between the photos I am finding and the kit that I have.

The kit is a mkXIV TD248 was a mkXVI.

So when you have had a good laugh, any one got any ideas.

Ian M

[Guest]

You might need to grovel, but Hornby issued the 1/48 Mk.IX, with bubble-top fuselage, to Airfix club members, a few years ago, and I believe that it included TD248 markings; I think that ICM do/did a XVIe, as well.

Edgar

[Ian M]

Correct on both items Edgar.

I found a couple of original XIV photos on the www, from 41squadron. So I might just do it as one of those.

Codes would they of been grey or sky, do you know?

Ian M

[Guest]

Sky, and note that 41 used the XIV into 1945, when the tail band was painted over, the spinner went to black, and the upper wing roundels, though staying the same size as before, now resembled the underside roundels in style, namely with a thin white ring. Some Squadrons got it wrong, and added a yellow ring to the wing roundels, but that was due to a misinterpretation of memo from an Air Ministry official, and, as far as I can tell, 41 Squadron got it right.

Edgar

[Ian M]

Well I'm sitting here in a cloud of primer and feeling "happy".

Mr. Brooks: Do you happen to have any good references regarding MV 268 as flown in 1945 by a certain Mr J Johnsen? I am a little troubled by the code. On a resent "repaint" the codes are presented in the normal way. I have only seen a couple of profile drawings of the war time aircraft and that had all three code letters in one group.

I would like to be more sure about this before I commit to paint.

Which is correct. JE-J or JEJ - Being the last war time Spit that JJ flew I thought it appropriate to paint this kit as that aircraft.

To all of those that are expecting to see an air-races Spit: Fear not! This thread will continue in that vein. Consider this a little diversion.

Ian M

[Guest]

MV268 had "JEJ" as a single block (no gaps and no dashes) ahead of the roundel on the starboard side, with the back edge of the second "J" immediately level with the rear corner of the "quarter light." From the look of the photo, in Dilip Sarkar's "Spitfire Ace of Aces" biography, I'd say that the letters were 24" white, with very stylised Js - no top crossbar, and shaped like a slightly flattened fishhook.

I don't have a photo of the port side, but I'd expect the letters to be identical in style and position, with regard to the cockpit, not aft of the roundel.

Although MV268 was a low-back XIVe, I can't see any sign of a camera port, which would equate to an F.R.XIVe; hardly surprising, since a Group Captain was hardly likely to abandon his Wing to take photos.

Edgar

[Ian M]

Many thanks Edgar, the photo port is no problem. It has been filed in!

Time to find the frisket film!

Ian M

[Ian M]

Not much to report at the moment. I have started to throw a bit of paint at it.

Here is the underside in MSG a la Xtracrylix

[ATTACH]38265.vB[/ATTACH]

I will give that time to harden off then mask the bottom and start the camouflage.

Ian M

[ATTACH]42371.IPB[/ATTACH]

[Vaughan]

Looking good Ian. There's some nice panel line and control surface detail there.

Vaughan

[Guest]

This looks like a very good build Ian, and knowing you, will turn out very well. I'll be watching with interest!

Patrick

[Ian M]

Thanks Patrick!

Well got the camouflage painted, sort of.

[ATTACH]38380.vB[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]38378.vB[/ATTACH]

Port and starboard. Needs a bit of tidying up, and then maybe a little bit of panel shading.

There was a minor problem with the masking tape taking off the paint and the primer!!! Just goes to show that no matter how careful you are with the prep work, just one touch of a greasy finger can wreak havoc!!! Good job its not a very obvious place!!!!! lol. So that should give me some thing to do tomorrow.

[ATTACH]38379.vB[/ATTACH]

right now my biggest problem is getting the serial and the codes sorted. Serials are black so no real problem other than the printer has run dry for ink! The codes, as Edgar pointed out are most certainly white, so they will need painting.....Ov!

Looking at the photos I see there are a couple of knife marks where I have cut the mask in situ. Another rub down and touch up!

Ian M

[ATTACH]42465.IPB[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]42466.IPB[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]42467.IPB[/ATTACH]

[Guest]

Can I sound a note of caution, please? There were no low-back Spitfires in service before 1945, so weathering would have been minimal in May of that year. Erks were also taught how to look after the finish (without polishing, though some pilots insisted on it,) especially on the wings' leading edges, which were filled, smoothed, primed, back to the wingspar, before being painted. By the end of the war, even the tailplane and fin's leading edges were the subject of TLC.

Johnson didn't get a single victory in his XIVs (or 1945, come to that,) so cordite stains, on the wings, would not have existed, either. There's also a mistaken belief that dirt/grime/oil got between the panels, so each panel needs to have a (usually black) outline. This is (possibly) true on the removable panels, like gunbays and engine covers, but Spitfire panels overlapped, usually front to back, and the lines were covered with paint, as well, so there was little for the grime to stick to. Also, part of the TLC, mentioned before, was a rub-down with medium-grit waterproof paper, and a final wash-down with plain, clean, water.

Edgar

[Ian M]

Thanks Edgar. Duely noted !

Ian M

[Ian M]

The curse of the XIV continues.....

Got the tape pull rubbed out, primed and resprayed the Ocean Grey yesterday, before heading off to the city with the misses.

Now I thought I had done a good job with masking off the rest of the parts that did not need paint. I also took the opportunity to give the pattern on the top of the cowl a bit better shape/flow.

Today I went to do the Dark Green. It would seem that I had made a total hash of it. :-( It was for the first like sand paper, and there was overspray, UNDER the masks, how that worked God only knows! AND at some point my AB had farted and distributed small spots of Ocean Grey all over the place. Even on the Tail plane surfaces, which are about as far away as you can get from the nose!!!

Water 7200 wet n dry and a pack smokes later..... it will do.

So I finally got the Green down. Damn it! Edges!!!!! More wet n dry.

I came, for the first time, very close to giving this the once over with oven cleaner but resisted the temptation.

Rubbed down, washed and waiting for some clear coat.

No pictures. I will admit to making a hash of things but take photos of it! No bloody way!

Ian M

[Ian M]

Had a nice relaxing day playing with masking tape and scalpels.

I think it worked out rather well.

Only one thing left. The Pendent !!! None of the decal bits I have has one so I see little choice. Paint the darn thing!!!

Edgar!!!! I need to pick your brains again. Do you have a picture I could go after of the leaders pendent, you know that little triangle jobby just forward of the windscreen!

Dark blue cant light blue ground but how many red bands? He was after all a bit more than squadron leader.

Ian M