Supermarine Speagle - REALLY done!

[PR19_Kit]

Supermarine proposed a very powerful fighter for the FAA during 1944, to be designated the Type 391, and this was to be powered by the 3000 hp Rolls Royce Eagle H24 engine. then under development. In the end nothing came of the the proposal and was overtaken by the Type 382 Seafang which used the much more available Griffon engine.

While developing the Eagle for the Type 391 Rolls Royce took a Spitfire F24 on charge at their Hucknall development site and fitted it with an early Eagle, producing the most powerful Spitfire ever made. This aircraft, VA250, was part of RR's test fleet for many years, and lasted till the late 50s, although in later life it was re-engined with more developed versions of the Griffon engine.

This then, is VA250 as it was originally built during late 1944.

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The mandatory kit box pic.


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The equally mandatory 'start of build' pics, but it's not much use showing how the cockpit and wings go together, almost everyone here knows what Spitfire cockpits and wings look like with their eyes shut! The Airfix F22 goes together quite nicely, with only some hefty sprue gates to chop away first. The joints and fit are generally perfect, even though this isn't one of their really modern 'Hi-tech' mouldings.

The hefty Eagle is a resin moulding supplied from unknown sources............



Starting a bit late in the GB, but what the hell, it shouldn't be THAT complicated, should it? It's only an OOB Airfix F22 with a different engine. (Famous last words....)

[perttime]

Interesting...
Apparently, Type 391 didn't look much like a Spitfire.
https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/supermarine-391.29445/

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[Dizzyfugu]

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I have plans to turn a Ki-64 into a Type-391ish whif some day. Size and shape come quite close. 

[PR19_Kit]

By the time the Speagle's finished it won't look much like one either, except from the cockpit rearwards. 

With a bit of filing and chopping the main assembly's done. A couple of packing pieces were needed either side of the fuselage as the Eagle's a pretty wide engine, being a flat 24 cylinder H pattern device, but nothing that some 20 thou and some PSR can't fix.

I can see a dorsal fin in its future too, there's a heck of lot of side area to compensate for!

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I do like the look of the 391 myself, very sleek. If it wasn't for the jet engine they might have built it I guess. They're presumably Spiteful (or Attacker....) wings too.

[perttime]

The 391 was to be significantly larger than the Spiteful.
Spiteful specs say
Length: 32 ft 11 in (10.03 m)
Wingspan: 35 ft (11 m)

while the dimensions listed in the 391 drawing are
Length: 39 ft 9 in
Wingspan: 43 ft 6 in

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[PR19_Kit]

Have to be 1/48 scale Attacker wings then. 

[Wardukw]

This is going to be cool..love the Mk22/24 Spits 

[The Wooksta!]

That engine looks familiar...

[PR19_Kit]

That engine looks familiar...

Odd that, isn't it? 

[jcf]

Something Tempesty on the vertical?

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[The Rat]

Can't wait for this one!

[Wardukw]

Can't wait for this one!

👍 👍  yup 

[PR19_Kit]

Something Tempesty on the vertical?

Yes, something very much like that. 

It's had lots of PSR on the nose and fuselage sides now, and the wings are glued in place too. That's one LONG nose!

[kerick]

Oh just put a triangular piece in front of the tail like the Mustang.

[jcf]

Oh just put a triangular piece in front of the tail like the Mustang.

That just won't do, dear boy, it'd be much too angular and wouldn't flow smoothly into the rounded fin.

Also, it's far too American of a solution.