Ash-82 Spitfire

[McGreig]

All this talk about the impossibility of radial engined Spitfires inspired me to put aside my Piston Perfection builds for a couple of days and bring forward a project that I've had in the back of my mind for some time.

The background to this build is that, while the Russians received 1,337 Spitfires, they didn't particularly like them. 74 Regiments, including at least one Guards Shturmovik Regiment, were equipped at one time or another with Hurricanes and 59 with Airacobras, but only 18 Regiments had Spitfires and units such as the 57 Guards Fighter Regiment and the 821 Fighter Regiment were only too happy to switch from Spitfires to Airacobras. Neither the Merlin engine nor the narrow track undercarriage were robust enough for front line Russian conditions and the Spitfire wasn't really designed for the low altitude Eastern Front air war. Most Spitfires were sent to PVO air defence units which operated from fixed locations with developed airfields around major cities.

Although the Hurricane was more suited to Russian conditions, it too suffered from excessive engine wear and the Soviets came up with a plan to overcome this problem by re-engining Hurricanes with Ash-82 radials. Although the plan came to nothing, I've  wondered if something similar could have been done with the Spitfire. It wouldn't have solved the undercarriage problem, but it would have improved the Spitfire's reliability and suitability for the Eastern Front air war.

[McGreig]

The Spitfire is the 1/72 Airfix Mk-Vb and the engine was donated by a Revell La-5FN. I'd have preferred the smoother look of the La-7 but that would really have needed a Mk-IX to fit the time frame. Fitting the La-5 engine and forward fuselage on to the Spitfire wasn't too difficult because the La-5  was itself an adaptation of the in-line engined LaGG-3 and so the fuselage tapers quite sharply aft of the engine.

This is the Ash-82 Spitfire after approximately two days work. The cockpit interior has to be finished, some more filling and sanding is required and the undercarriage and details have to be added. Then on to painting and finishing some time next week.

[Chap]

Fantastic work McGreig , I've had similar plans to re-engine a P-40E or K with an Ash-82 as the Klimovs didn't quite cut it.

~Steve

[Mossie]

I like it.  It actually dosen't look as ugly as I thought it might, although I've got a feeling the profile shot might not look so great!

[Maverick]

Looks bloody nice, quite different but emminently plausible either way.  Looking forward to seeing this one finished.

Regards,

Mav

[famvburg]

 Nice! Something about hanging radials on inline-engined airframes. This makes me think of a slimmed-down Sea Fury. Any drawings or anything on the Ash-82 Hurricane?

[Brian da Basher]

That looks great McG and works very well! The radial definitely makes it appear ready to take on any adversary.

Brian da Basher

[Jetfixer]

Looks sweet, I'll have to dig out my Radial Spitfire and get piccies up here.

Greg

[Mossie]

Nice! Something about hanging radials on inline-engined airframes. This makes me think of a slimmed-down Sea Fury. Any drawings or anything on the Ash-82 Hurricane?

Here you go, boxart from the Omega kit:



IIRC someone here's kitted it & might be able to post it for comparison?

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Looking very convinciing so far.  When you finish this project, I hope you send a few "courtesy copies" of the build to all of the "Nay Sayers" that have espoused all of the hate speech regarding the adaption of a air-cooled radial engine to an airframe designed for an a liquid cooled in-line "V" engine which could lead to other cross-breeding ideas with the Mosquiito...  

[McGreig]

Thanks for the positive feedback.    Filling and sanding is now finished, so I'm hoping to get the detailing done over the weekend and maybe even get to the painting stage.    

[McGreig]

IIRC someone here's kitted it & might be able to post it for comparison?

That was me too. I had hoped to have it finished for Telford, but I didn't make it. However, as you can see from the photo, it's almost there so I'll try to finish it alongside the Spitfire.

[gooberliberation]

It wouldn't have solved the undercarriage problem,

Spatted undercarriage would.

[Martin H]

Spatted undercarriage would.

now dont you start that sillyness as well son shine    

[Brian da Basher]

*Ahem*. There is nothing "silly" about spats, sir.

Unless you put them on, um, everything[/i].



Brian da Basher