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

Old Wombat · July 18, 2018, 02:49:43 AM

That is brilliantly done, old son!

nighthunter · July 18, 2018, 02:59:50 AM

Love it!

Dizzyfugu · July 18, 2018, 05:02:14 AM

Thanks a lot. I am curious about the beauty pics this time, esp. those with filter effects.

Mossie · July 18, 2018, 02:12:34 PM

Really good so far.

The LF wingtips and stars and bars add to the 'not a Spitfire' signals that my brain is getting. The canopy might bring the Spitfire look back a bit.

Dizzyfugu · July 20, 2018, 01:00:46 AM

From certain angles the conversion reminds a lot of an early Fw 190.

PR19_Kit · July 20, 2018, 02:01:23 AM

Quote from: Dizzyfugu on July 20, 2018, 01:00:46 AM

From certain angles the conversion reminds a lot of an early Fw 190.

So long as you can't see those curvy wings, but you're dead right.

nighthunter · July 20, 2018, 05:10:08 PM

Hey Thomas, your Flickr description of the Spitefire is different than your decals, specifically your statement "Aircraft VF-Q/EN210", when the decal says EP120, LOL!

Yet another Dizzy creation that gets the FD profile treatment:

Doug K · July 21, 2018, 01:23:00 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on July 20, 2018, 02:01:23 AM
Quote from: Dizzyfugu on July 20, 2018, 01:00:46 AM

From certain angles the conversion reminds a lot of an early Fw 190.

So long as you can't see those curvy wings, but you're dead right.

I thought Sea Fury when I first glanced!

Dizzyfugu · July 21, 2018, 01:57:15 AM

Quote from: nighthunter on July 20, 2018, 05:10:08 PM
Hey Thomas, your Flickr description of the Spitefire is different than your decals, specifically your statement "Aircraft VF-Q/EN210", when the decal says EP120, LOL!

Yet another Dizzy creation that gets the FD profile treatment:

Ah, that error occurredbecause I had EN210 as serial in my mind, until I found EP120 on the OOB sheet - it would fall into the same batch of serials that was allocated to early Spitfire and I was too lazy to create the code from single letters and I've forgotten to update the description! That'l be considered in the beauty pics and the originals at FlickR. Thanks a lot for the hint, and I feel honored by the profile!

Besides, I was finally able to take beauty pics, but the editing will take some more time. In parallel, the Marlin makes slow progress.

Dizzyfugu · July 22, 2018, 03:13:03 AM

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EP120 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Some background:
The Supermarine Spitfire was a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, using several wing configurations, and it was produced in greater numbers than any other British aircraft. It was also the only British fighter produced continuously throughout the war.

The Spitfire was designed as a short-range, high-performance interceptor aircraft by R. J. Mitchell, chief designer at Supermarine Aviation Works, which operated as a subsidiary of Vickers-Armstrong from 1928. Mitchell pushed the Spitfire's distinctive elliptical wing designed by Beverley Shenstone to have the thinnest possible cross-section, helping give the aircraft a higher top speed than several contemporary fighters, including the Hawker Hurricane. Mitchell continued to refine the design until his death in 1937, whereupon his colleague Joseph Smith took over as chief designer, overseeing the Spitfire's development through its multitude of variants and many sub-variants. These covered the Spitfire in development from the Merlin to Griffon water-cooled inline engines, the high-speed photo-reconnaissance variants and the different wing configurations.

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EP120 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EP120 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EP120 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

One exception was the Spitfire Mk. X: it was the only variant powered by a radial engine, and it looked quite different from its sleek Merlin-powered brethren. Early in its development, the Merlin engine's lack of fuel injection meant that Spitfires and Hurricanes, unlike the Bf 109E, were unable to simply nose down into a steep dive. This meant a Luftwaffe fighter could simply "bunt" into a high-power dive to escape an attack, leaving the Spitfire behind, as its fuel was forced out of the carburetor by negative "g". An alternative engine was to solve this issue. Another factor that suggested an air-cooled engine were theatres of operations in the Far East, primarily India: the hot and humid climate was expected to be a severe operational problem for the liquid-cooled Merlin. As a further side effect a radial engine was expected to be easier to maintain under these conditions than the Merlin.

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EP120 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EP120 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EP120 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The project of a radial-powered Spitfire variant was eventually launched in late 1940. The choice for the power unit fell on a Bristol Taurus II 14-Cylinder engine, which had an appreciable small diameter, was available in ample numbers and had about the same power output as the early Merlin variants used in the Spitfire Mk. I and II (1.030 hp/740kW). In order to save time and keep the radial engine variant as close as possible to the Spitfire V design, the production type of that era. The new type's structure and fuselage were only adapted to a minimum to allow the bulkier power unit and its periphery to be taken. The fuselage was widened in front of the cockpit section, a new engine mount was integrated and the Merlin's radiator bath and respective piping were removed. The oil cooler under the port wing was retained, though, and the Taurus engine was from the start outfitted with dust filters, so that all resulting Spitfire Mk. Xs left the factory tropicalized. Like the Spitfire Mk. V, different wing armaments were available, e.g. an "A" wing with eight .303 in machine guns and a "B" wing with two 20 mm cannon and four machine guns.

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EP120 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EP120 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EP120 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EP120 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The first Spitfire Mk. Xs, finally outfitted with a more powerful Taurus VI engine, were delivered to homeland RAF units for evaluation from May 1941 onwards. From the start, the radial-powered Spitfire proved to be inferior to the Merlin-powered variants - even to the early Mk. Is – and they were no match to the modern German fighters, especially at high altitude. As a consequence many Mk. Xs received clipped wing tips for better roll characteristics at low altitude (receiving an additional "L.F." designation), but this did not significantly improve the type's overall mediocre performance. Only a few Mk. Xs were actually employed by front line units, most were quickly relegated to training units. Later production aircraft were immediately shipped to the Far East or to units in Northern Africa, where they could be used more effectively.

A few machines were also delivered to Egypt (30), the Netherlands (12 for the East Indies NL-KNIL, which eventually ended up in RAAF service) and Turkey (24). In 1942, many machines still based in Great Britain were handed over to the USAAF, being either used for USAAF pilot and conversion training, or they were allocated to the Northern Africa invasion force during Operation Torch.

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EP120 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EP120 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EP120 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Since the Taurus-powered Spitfire turned out to be quite ineffective (it was no good either in the fighter or in an alternative ground attack role and 20 mph slower than the comparable Mk. V), production was already stopped in late 1942 after 353 aircraft. At the same time, the Spitfire Mk. IX with a much more powerful Merlin engine entered service, and all resources were immediately allocated to this more potent fighter variant and the idea of the Spitfire with a radial engine was ultimately dropped. Since the Taurus-powered type was quickly phased out of frontline service, the designation was later re-used for a pressurized high-altitude photo reconnaissance variant of the Spitfire, the PR.X, of which only 16 machines were built.

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EP120 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EP120 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

General characteristics:
Crew: one pilot
Length: 29 ft 6 in (9.00 m)
Wingspan: 32 ft 2 in (9.80 m)
Height: 11 ft 5 in (3.86 m)
Wing area: 242.1 ft2 (22.48 m²)
Airfoil: NACA 2213 (root)
NACA 2209.4 (tip)
Empty weight: 5,065 lb (2,297 kg)
Loaded weight: 6,622 lb (3,000 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 6,700 lb (3,039 kg)

Powerplant:
1× Bristol Taurus VI 14-Cylinder sleeve valve radial engine, 1.130 hp (830 kW)

Performance:
Maximum speed: 350 mph (312 kn, 565 km/h)
Combat radius: 410 nmi (470 mi/756 km)
Ferry range: 991 nmi (1,135 mi/1,827 km)
Service ceiling: 36,500 ft (11,125 m)
Rate of climb: 2,535 ft/min (12.9 m/s)
Wing loading: 27.35 lb/ft2 (133.5 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.22 hp/lb (0.36 kW/kg)

Armament:
2× 20 mm Hispano Mk II with 60 RPG
4× .303 in Browning Mk II machine guns with 350 RPG

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EP120 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk.Xb (early); aircraft VF-Q/EP120 of the USAAF 5th FS (52nd FG, 12th AF); during Operation Torch, Northern Africa, November 1942 (Whif/modified Revell kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

A bold experiment, and it turned out well. The Zero's cowling has the perfect diameter for this transplant, and the scratch-sculpted new front fuselage section blends well with the new engine – the whole thing really looks intentional! I am just not certain if the resulting aircraft still deserves the "Spitfire" designation? Even though only the engine was changed, the aircraft looks really different and has a Ki-43ish aura? I guess that a dark green livery and some hinomaru would also look great and pretty plausible?

Tophe · July 22, 2018, 03:49:15 AM

Congratulations!

PR19_Kit · July 22, 2018, 04:01:27 AM

EXCELLENT Thomas, that's a real blinder!

The backstory is a marvel too, a superb job all round.

Old Wombat · July 22, 2018, 05:20:54 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on July 22, 2018, 04:01:27 AM
EXCELLENT Thomas, that's a real blinder!

The backstory is a marvel too, a superb job all round.

Agree completely!

nighthunter · July 22, 2018, 11:45:43 AM

How about "Spitefire"?

Doug K · July 22, 2018, 12:00:52 PM

Excellent, and so plausible