Downfall Grumman Spitfire F.36

[comrade harps]

Grumman Spitfire F.36
Sinbad II, personal mount of Squadron Leader Brian Sailor
Tsushima Island, April 1946


The Spitfire F.36 was the last of the American built Spitfires. From 1940 to mid-1945, Grumman supplied American versions of the Supermarine Spitfire to the RAF, USAAF and Allied air forces. From early 1942, when the type came under USAAF contract, the USAAF P-50 designation was applied, the F.36 model being the P-50N in USAAF parlance. Although development was handled by Grumman in cooperation with Supermarine,  all American Spitfires with the Packard Griffon engine were built by Kaiser.



Designed specificly to counter the kamikaze threat in the Pacific, the P-50N was roughly the equivalent of Supermarine's F.22 model. Differences included a broader, blunter 5 bladed Hamilton Steel propeller and American M3 20mm cannon.



In the kamikaze attacks that follwoed X-Day, 1 March 1946, Squadron Leader Sailor was credited with the destrution of 14 Japanese aircraft. This tally added to his 3 German and 2 Italian kills over North Africa and the Mediterranean and 4 more over Burma. However, the German and Italian kills were unable to be displayed on Sinbad II because, after The Seperate Peace with Germany in August 1944, the RAF ordered that no European Axis kill markings be displayed on aircraft. Based on Tsushima (mid-way between Korea and Kyushu), 33 Sqd claimed 137 Japanese aircraft over the course of the 4 day kamikaze assault.



Sinbad II's camouflage and markings were unusual. A partial camouflage finish was common on 33 Sqd Spitfires at the time, but all others had the rear horizontal tail surfaces camouflaged. On the rear fuselage, squadron colours as side bars to the SEAC roundel were featured instead of the usual squadron letter codes.

[sequoiaranger]

I like it! 


[psst--the P-50 was the twin-engined Grumman "Skyrocket" that didn't make it to operational service---I *SUPPOSE* they could have transferred the designation to one of theirs that did!]

[saintkatanalegacy]

pretty shiny

[GTX]

 

[ChernayaAkula]

Just brilliant!

[comrade harps]

[psst--the P-50 was the twin-engined Grumman "Skyrocket" that didn't make it to operational service---I *SUPPOSE* they could have transferred the designation to one of theirs that did!]

Correct! After Pearl Harbour, the USAAF was desparate for fighters and seized Grumman Spitfire XXXIs built for Britain, cancelling the XP-50 Skyrocket at the same time. In a slight of hand, the first USAAF Grumman Spitfires became the P-50A and more were ordered under an amended P-50 contract.

Thanks for liking this. The kits is the Xtrakit 1:72nd Spitfire F.22. A few problems, some of my own making, but I'm happy how it turned out.

[Army of One]

Awesome....!!! Love it...an the scoreboard....!! Great colour scheme well applied...

[su27rules]

Great colour scheme!!! !

[Mike Wren]

very colourful Spit! 

I think the only P- number not allocated was P-74, which I used for a US manufactured Mk XIV I did a few years back, should be pics somewhere on this site still...