DONE @p.3 +++ Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk. Xb, Operation Torch, late 1942

Knightflyer · July 17, 2018, 01:13:36 AM

Really looking forward to seeing this

nighthunter · July 17, 2018, 03:32:16 AM

Me too

Dizzyfugu · July 17, 2018, 04:39:35 AM

Well, I try to keep the tension high. I am really curious what others say.

Old Wombat · July 17, 2018, 05:16:35 AM

I'm just sittin' here waitin'.

Dizzyfugu · July 17, 2018, 05:59:23 AM

I'll see if I can upload the WiP documentation soon. Beauty pics might take a while, though.

Dizzyfugu · July 17, 2018, 09:11:26 AM

The kit and its assembly:
My third contribution to the "RAF Centenary" Group Build. This one was spawned by the simple thought of "What would a Spitfire with a radial engine look like...?". I have seen this stunt done in the form of a Fw190/Spitfire kitbash – nice result, but it did IMHO just not look like a "real" Spitfire with a radial engine, rather like an Fw 190 with elliptical wings. And the fact that I had already successfully transplanted a Centaurus engine onto a P-51 airframe made me feel positive that the stunt could be done!

Consequently, the conversion was pretty straightforward. The basis is a Revell 1:72 Spitfire VB (1996 mold), which was – except for the nose section – taken OOB. A simple, nice kit, even though it comes with some flaws, like a depression at the rear of the wing/fuselage intersection and the general need for PSR – not much, but I expected a better fit for such a relatively young mold?

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EN210 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EN210 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

For the engine, I used a personal replacement favorite, the cowling and the engine block from a Mitsubishi A6M2 "Zero" (Hasegawa). The Nakajima Sakae radial engine has a relatively small diameter, so that it serves well as a dummy for the compact Bristol Taurus engine – a replacement I have already used for a radial-powered Westland Whirlwind. The other benefit of the small diameter is that it is relatively easy to blend the round front end into the oval and very slender fuselage of the early Spitfire airframe. This was realized through massive body sculpting from scratch with 2C putty, widening the area in front of the cockpit and expanding its width to match the cowling – I guess that real life engineers would have followed a similar, simple path.

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EN210 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EN210 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Since the radial engine would not need a radiator, I simple omitted this piece (cut out from the single piece lower wing half) and faired the respective underwing area over with a piece of styrene sheet and PSR. The asymmetrical oil cooler was retained, though. The propeller is a replacement from the scrap box, with a smaller diameter spinner and more slender blades which better suit the open cowling.

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EN210 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Since the Taurus had its best performance at low altitudes, I used the Revell kit's OOB option of clipped wing tips – a move that makes the aircraft look much faster, esp. with the new, deeper nose section.

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EN210 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Tophe · July 17, 2018, 11:21:14 AM

Congratulations!

Knightflyer · July 17, 2018, 11:52:10 AM

Yep, my eye is definitely saying that ISN'T a Spitfire! I think partially because the rear fuselage is lost at present in the clutter on the workbench (quite understandably so...it is a work in progress after all!

) All that can clearly be seen at the moment is that BIG GREEN ENGINE!

Old Wombat · July 17, 2018, 02:10:18 PM

I'm impressed!

nighthunter · July 17, 2018, 06:38:04 PM

Holy crud! That's awesome!

Dizzyfugu · July 17, 2018, 11:45:38 PM

Wait for some additional paint!

Painting and markings:
I did not want classic RAF markings, but still keep the model well within the Centenary GB confines. The original plan had been a classic Dark Green/Ocean Grey livery, which all Spitfire's in USAAF service and based in the UK received. But I rather wanted to create a frontline aircraft, operated during Operation Torch in late 1942/early 1943 with American roundels – and the grey/green look would not look plausible on a machine taking part in the North African campaign. In fact, any Spitfire with American roundels I found that was used in North Africa carried the RAF Tropical Scheme in Dark Earth/Middle Stone. And, AFAIK, during Operation 'Torch' all British aircraft received American markings in the hope that the Vichy French, who were anti-British due to them bombing their ships in 1940, would switch to the allied cause. They were supposed to think that the Americans would be invading, not British troops as well. So I eventually switched to the classic Tropical Scheme (using Humbrol 29 and Modelmaster 2052 as basic tones), and it does not look bad at all - even though the yellow trim around the roundels does not stand out as much as on a Grey/Green aircraft.

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EN210 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EN210 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Typically, the RAF codes were retained, as well as – at least during the early phases of Operation Torch – the RAF fin flash. A little personal twist is the pale blue (Humbrol 23, Duck Egg Blue) underside of the aircraft, instead of the typical Azure Blue. The rationale behind is that the Tropical Scheme was originally designed with Sky undersides, and the blue shades were later modifications after initial field experience.
The red spinner is a typical Northern Africa marking, and found on many 5th FS aircraft.

The interior (cockpit, landing gear wells) was painted with RAF Cockpit Green (Modelmaster), while wheels and struts became light grey.

As a standard procedure, the kit received a light black ink wash and a post shading treatment.

And here it is, in an almost finished state:

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EN210 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The decals were puzzled together from various sheets and sources, the design benchmark was a real USAAF Spitfire Vb from Operation Torch, though. The code letters were taken from an Xtradecal sheet, the roundels come from a Carpena Spitfire sheet, even though I placed American markings in all six positions – the roundels without yellow trim under the wings were taken from a Hobby Boss F6F sheet.
The serial number comes from the Revell kit's OOB sheet, because it fits perfectly into the kit's intended time frame. The nose art comes from a P-38 sheet (PrintScale) – not a typical feature for an RAF Spitfire, but a frequent personal decoration among USAAF machines during Operation Torch (e.g. on P-40s).
The Allied yellow ID markings on the wings' leading edges, which were typically carried by Operation Torch Spitfires, too, were created with generic yellow decal sheet (TL Modellbau), while the maroon machine gun nozzle covers are part of Revell's OOB sheet.

Finally, the kit received some soot stains around gun and exhaust nozzles, and was finally sealed with matt acrylic varnish.

Knightflyer · July 18, 2018, 12:04:42 AM

That is excellent so far (and I don't think it'll get any less excellent!)

You've created a very smooth transition from the Spitfire rear to the 'Taurus' front, much more smooth that the mis-step my brain takes as it looks at the same model. "Spitfire Tail - Check", "Spitfire Cockpit - Check", "Spitfire Wings - Check" , "Spitfire Nose ....WHAT!!!

NARSES2 · July 18, 2018, 12:51:30 AM

That really works, especially in those markings

Certainly suits clipped wings, not sure if the standard wings would work ? but that's probably just me.

I now see this in FAA markings, but I see most things in either those or SEAC

Tophe · July 18, 2018, 01:00:23 AM

VERY good

PR19_Kit · July 18, 2018, 01:36:16 AM

It looks much more 'Spitfire like' now that it's painted and the engine doesn't stand out so much as it did in the raw plastic.

And it looks wholly believable too, just as if the Air Ministry ordered a version with a radial in case Rolls Royce couldn't make enough Merlins fast enough.

Cracking job Thomas.