The
Spitfire Mk.XII represents the first major modification of the type. The
development of the Rolls Royce Griffon Engine offered a significant increase in
displacement and available power. The production run of 100 aircraft was limited
to a lot 100 aircraft intended for U.K. use only.
The
dimensions of the airframe were similar to Mk.IXe standards with a slight
difference in length and wingspan due to it's clipped wing tip format and the
new engine and propeller spinner.
There
is no mainstream kit of the type available but the conversion is reasonably
simple due to similarities between the source kits used for the project.
Source
kits:
All
source kits are 1/48 scale.
-
Airfix48
Spitfire Mk.Vb
-
Hobbycraft
Seafire XV
-
Otaki
Spitfire Mk.VIII
-
ICM
Spitfire Mk.IXc
Cost
Breakdown
(last
known retail prices)
-
Airfix48
Spitfire Mk.Vb..................................................$
11.00
-
Hobbycraft
Seafire XV...................................................$ 14.98
-
Otaki
Spitfire Mk.VIII (Arii re-isue).................................$ 13.98
-
ICM
Spitfire Mk.IXc......................................................$ 19.98
$ 59.94
Paragon
Conversion Set.................................................$ ??.??
Plus
Airfix48 kit.............................................................$
11.00
The
building procedure:
The
Airfix Spitfire Vb provided the wing assembly, landing gear, cannon barrels,
stabilizors and various other small parts. The gunsight from the Airfix kit was
also an excellently molded part.
The
Hobbycraft Seafire XV provided the fuselage and several other small parts.
The
ICM Spitfire IX provided the wingtips, the broadchord rudder and one spare
"clipped" wing tip from another kit provided the fairing which
appeared on the top dead center of the nose when it was suitably reshaped to be
symmetrical. The Otaki Spitfire Mk.VIII provided the propeller, the spinner,
bulkheads, dashboard and numerous small parts for the project since there was
little else of use in the kit. Landing gear, tail wheel and other generic parts
may be used from any of the source kits listed.
The
wingtips and mid-upper teardrop fairing may also be cast in resin.
A
rear view mirror from the Monogram Mk.IX also came in handy. as did the clipped
wing tips of the ICM Mk.IX.
My
first step was to begin the surgery by cutting away the standard wing tips from
the upper wing halves of the Airfix Mk.V in order to make room for the clipped
wing tips of the ICM Mk.IX. At this point the shell and link ejection slots in
the wing underside were opened up, Accu-Nazi fashion.
Some
simple fitting was required when mating the Mk.V wing assembly to the Seafire XV
fuselage as the chin fairings on both kits were slightly different. The centers
of the wing leading edges of the kits involved were also slightly different. A
trimming of the bulkheads was also helpful in this fit up. Also, the rudder was
removed from the Seafire XV fuselage as it would be replaced by the spare broad
chord rudder of the ICM Mk.IX kit.
Heat
stretched sprue was used for antenna wire.
Insignia
was culled from the Otaki kit decals and the spares parts box of decal scraps.
Finish:
The color scheme was based on an RAF temperate regions pattern of dark
sea green and medium sea grey shadow shading with a light sea grey underside.
White prop spinner, black prop blades with yellow tips, sky type "S"
fuselage I.D. band and yellow wing leading edges completed the major painting.
Cover tape over the gun muzzle openings was picked out in dark red. Tires
(tyres) were a rubbery flat black and wheel centers were flat aluminum.
Cockpit interior was painted RAF interior green, the wheel well covers
and the wheel wells were painted aluminum. The Otaki instrument panel was
painted flat black with details picked out in yellow, red and metallic shades.
Canopy
from any of the listed source kits.
1
extra wing tip fairing was bent to symmetrical form for use on top dead
center of nose.
Fuselage
and wing components may be assembled per respective kit instructions. Some
fitting is required between the Hobby Craft Seafire XV fuselage chin area and
Airfix Spitfire V kit wing center section. Landing gear, propeller and internal
bulkheads are also assembled per conventional methods. The first cutting step is
to remove the standard wing tips from the Airfix upper wing components to make
way for the "clipped" wing tip inserts.
Camoflage
for # 41 Squadron is dark sea green and sea grey RAF temperate zone pattern.
Squadron identification letter is Sky Type S "E". The outboard leading
edge of the wing is insignia Yellow. The National insignia and rudder flash may
be taken from the Arii kit decal sheet.
References:
On
a personal note, during military enlistments (1964- 1971) this writer worked
with several WW-2 veterans who flew and/or serviced the Supermarine Spitfire in
World War Two. One common thread of off duty conversation was that all the
Spitfire variants with Merlin engines were more manueverable than those with
Griffon engines. A statement frequently heard was: "The Griffon Spitfires
began to handle and feel more like the North American P-51 (B, C & D)
Mustangs!"
My
comment, "So that was bad?" always got a laugh!
Jim
Colchester,
VT
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