Airfix

[Captain Canada]

That little Tiger Moth is gonna be awesome !

[Librarian]

Another Airfix kitbash, Mk.22 forward fuselage with rescribed camera port, PR.XIX rear fuselage, tail section and propeller with a E wing from the spares box. Canopy I think is from a XVI sprue in the I/II kit...very nice transparency. Vaguely accurate camo scheme courtesy of dodgy photos off the internet....I must get some books on these planes.



I know there were several correction kits issued for this a/c but they seem to be non-existant now, and I prefer to do things this way. Interestingly, I'm kitbashing an Airfix XII with a Seafire XVII to make a Seafire XV. You'd think this would be shake and bake but no. The XII fuselage is definitely fatter and some cutting, sanding and test fitting is required at the wing root area, and the rudder area needs some modifications.

[PR19_Kit]

Interestingly, I'm kitbashing an Airfix XII with a Seafire XVII to make a Seafire XV. You'd think this would be shake and bake but no. The XII fuselage is definitely fatter and some cutting, sanding and test fitting is required at the wing root area, and the rudder area needs some modifications.

Ahah, but the question is will you have the small bulge on top of the cowling just behind the spinner or not?

There are two schools of thought on whether the Seafire XV had them, all the XIs did apparently but it seems early XVs did but the late ones may not have had them. How confusing can you get?

[andrewj]

The bulge over the front of the cowling on the Mk XII covered the magneto , on the Mk's XV and XVII the magnetos were moved so the bulge did not appear.

Andrew

[Librarian]

I'm going for a later variant with the wide chord rudder. I'm no expert on these planes but I certainly couldn't see the magneto bulge on the photos garnered from Yahoo images so filled the two holes with plastic rod and sanded smooth. If this was a whiff I'd have left it as I like the look, as with the XII.

Did the 1/48 XIX come after the 1/72 kit or vice versa, I only ask as I think the pantograph may have undersized the 1/48 kit as wings from any other kit (apart from the new wings from 22/24/Seafire46/47) are too wide (front to back) to fit and require serious surgery...one reason I didn't attempt the high back XIV. I prefer it this way as I love the Spits with clipped wings and Seafires without.

[NARSES2]

I wasn't going to get the Tiger Moth but whilst in Costa's this am (other coffee shops are available - but Costa's has the nicer young ladies  ) I had an idea. So one will be sourced 

[PR19_Kit]

The bulge over the front of the cowling on the Mk XII covered the magneto , on the Mk's XV and XVII the magnetos were moved so the bulge did not appear.

Andrew

The problem is trying to find photos of XVs that show that part of the aircraft, from normal ground level it's impossible as I've proved myself from trying to see it on the FAA Museum's XVII.

But I have seen a few photos, usually taken from the 'Goofer's Gallery' on a carrier that DO show the bulge on some XVs.

[Librarian]

Another problem between early and late Seafire XVs is the strengthening strip that runs along the side of the fuselage under the cockpit. Some have it and others don't. The old quote "check you references" really holds here.

After my last post I did some fiddling with the XIX fuselage and Academy XIV wings and the fit, again with some sliver-removals, is a damn good fit. This is fortunate as the wing is one of the redeeming factors....a little thick but a light sanding deals with that. The radiators from the XIX fit perfectly once a little is sanded from the sides, as do the u/c legs etc. I'm tempted to have a go at a XIVc now..... .

[andrewj]

Whilst not 100% , Seafire XV's fitted with the sting-hook did not have the strengthening strips , but early builds with the A-frame hook did.

Andrew

[kitnut617]

I think the differences in the kits is who actually mastered them, the only two different marks of Spitfire that Airfix make that were done by the same guy (it would seem) are the new tool 1/72 Mk.I and Mk.22.  The wings for instance match either fuselage/root fairing and can be swapped around with ease ---

[kitnut617]

Interestingly, I'm kitbashing an Airfix XII with a Seafire XVII to make a Seafire XV. You'd think this would be shake and bake but no. The XII fuselage is definitely fatter and some cutting, sanding and test fitting is required at the wing root area, and the rudder area needs some modifications.

Ahah, but the question is will you have the small bulge on top of the cowling just behind the spinner or not?

There are two schools of thought on whether the Seafire XV had them, all the XIIs did apparently but it seems early XVs did but the late ones may not have had them. How confusing can you get?

Having a quick look at the Morgan/Shacklady book, the photo of the Seafire Mk.XV prototype does not have the bulge.  Nor do any of the other photos in the chapter pertaining to the Mk.XV (there are quite a few) and none of the drawings show it either.  Don't know if that helps or adds to the mystery

[Librarian]

I would suspect that half the problem here is designation sharing between the Spitfires and Seafires, as well as the fact that a, b, c etc was the type of wing. The differences between the early and later XVs would, without the wing types, would allow calling them XVa and XVb. If their wasn't already a Spitfire XVI then the differences between the early and late XVs could have allowed the late XV to be an XVI.

[Librarian]

This is a photo of the XIX and Academy XIV wing:



Very close.

[kitnut617]

The length of the wing root chord remained the same through the whole Spitfire/Seafire production, the wing root fairing shape however, was refined as later marks came on line.  The wing root fairing were not built into the fuselage structure, they were removable panels that did two jobs, one to cover the gap between the wing end and fuselage, and two, to direct the air flow as efficiently as possible over the fuselage/wing joint.

[Aircav]

I wasn't going to get the Tiger Moth but whilst in Costa's this am (other coffee shops are available - but Costa's has the nicer young ladies  ) I had an idea. So one will be sourced 

So your going to source a nice young Lady?......