Supermarine Spitfire and Seafire

[ysi_maniac]

Do you think these are representations of in service planes?

[Barry Krell]

Yes, and specifically post January '45 due to the yellow ring around the upper wing roundel which was introduced on all 2nd TAF aircraft.  The second looks to be a CO's aircraft as I don't recognise the codes.  The first is a squadron type as the codes look genuine.

Judgind by the serial on the second, it's an F.XVIe.  Most, but not all of the in service F.XVIs had clipped wings.  Many of the warbirds have had them refitted with the wingtips.

Thanks!
BTW What is that colour? PRU blue?

No.  It's a non standard colour.  AVM Robb was obviously high enough to get his own way and colours so it'll have been mixed in the stores.

[ysi_maniac]

... Many of the warbirds have had them refitted with the wingtips.

This is why I asked.

Thanks Barry!

BTW: Thinking in Real World. Could I paint this model in South African markings? I love those orange circles.

[kitnut617]

Thanks!
BTW What is that colour? PRU blue?

Carlos, I had wondered about the colour too because I'm going to do my 1/48 Airfix Club Mk.XVI in this scheme, so I did some research.  The colour shown in this pic is not the original blue colour it was painted just after the war.  The story goes that AVM Robb had a special mix made by an autobody shop and used that for his aircraft, but I've found out that was a bit of a fairey tale.  I had found out that the aircraft is now owned by Vintage Aircraft of Canada and Bob Swaddling there told me that the original blue was the same light colour blue as found in the pennants usually painted on Wing Commanders, Group Captains etc aircraft and after an email to the RAF Museum found that this colour is RAF Pale Blue.  Bob told me that the aircraft was once owned by a guy who's name is Chris Wood and when he first had it it was painted in the standard camo colour, then this guy Chris had it repainted in the light blue you see in the photo I posted which is not the correct blue and has led many people down the wrong path (and probably where the fairey tale came from). Bob had told me it was originally RAF Pale Blue and my email to the RAF Museum confirmed that.  Bob sent me a colour chip of the blue and I found it to be match to Xtracolor's RAF Pale Blue.  By the way, the top photo of AU-J in your post is how SL721 is now painted, it's the same aircraft as the one in my photo.  What the colour Chris Wood had come up with though, I don't know. Some say it's Cerulean Blue but these people are just guessing.

[ysi_maniac]

WOW, Thank you!

[kitnut617]

A few more photos of SL721, top one is when it got repainted to the present camo scheme.  Photos were all sent to me by Bob Swaddling or Bill Burns of CanMilAir.  The aircraft has a historical aspect as far as Canada is concerned, AVM Robb was the guy sent to Canada to negotiate the forming of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan with the Canadian Government of the time, and when Chris Wood found that the Spit he bought had that history he decided to repaint it in the blue colour.  He just got the shade a bit wrong.

[Barry Krell]

The code AU is for 421 sqn, which I think was one of the Canadian squadrons.

[GTX]

A different sort of Spiteful:



regards,

Greg

[pyro-manic]

What did you do to it?

[GTX]

Annular ducted spinner - something different.  Gives it a Ta-152/Fw-190D-9 look I think.

Regards,

Greg

[rickshaw]

Annular ducted spinner - something different.  Gives it a Ta-152/Fw-190D-9 look I think.

Regards,

Greg

Surely that would make the underwing radiators redundant?

[GTX]

Ah, but maybe this was a trials bird .

Regards,

Greg

[Just call me Ray]

What did you do to it?

Something of which cannot be said in polite company :p

[jcf]

Gives it a Ta-152/Fw-190D-9 look I think.

Yeah, fugly.

[kitbasher]

A different sort of Spiteful:

Spitfire abuse.  Stop it or there will be knocks on the door inn the middle of the night!
Mind you, I'd like to see further drawings of the real ducted fan Spitfire II concept as illustrated on page 100 of Shacklady & Morgan's 'Spitfire' (will post and scan when I get the chance).