Bagged a Spitfire

[Chris_D]

From when I built airfix models as a kid I think that's a Supermarine Spitfire, if I recall correctly the non marine ones had 2 guns per wing that you couldn't see but the marine spitty's had 1 in each wing protruding. I may well be wrong though.

'Supermarine' was actually the name of the manufacturer John, such as 'deHavilland', 'Lockheed', 'Boeing' etc.
There were literally dozens of marks and variants of the spitfire due to constant development- and role requirements. Predominanently driven by trying to keep one step ahead of the ME109.
The carburettors in the Merlin engine was its's biggest drawback as it limited its's agility in dogfights- the pilots had to be wary of flooding the carbs andalso starving the engine of fuel whell barrel rolling and diving etc. I think fuel injection came in at some point.

I think i just regurgitated that verbatim from my school project 40 years ago! :lol:

 

[Leesfarm07]

That is so nice. I love things that are well made and exude quality. I went to an auction recently to buy a bed and came back with 5 mirrors 4 filing cabinets a sideboard a tv cabinet and 2 display cabinets....got no use for any of them but they seemed a good buy!!!!

 

[Nictrix]

So are you going to get another one to use through the winter to keep that one good :lol:
Kidding aside that looks a cracking model, if a little on the large side.

 

[john-e89]

From when I built airfix models as a kid I think that's a Supermarine Spitfire, if I recall correctly the non marine ones had 2 guns per wing that you couldn't see but the marine spitty's had 1 in each wing protruding. I may well be wrong though.

'Supermarine' was actually the name of the manufacturer John, such as 'deHavilland', 'Lockheed', 'Boeing' etc.
There were literally dozens of marks and variants of the spitfire due to constant development- and role requirements. Predominanently driven by trying to keep one step ahead of the ME109.
The carburettors in the Merlin engine was its's biggest drawback as it limited its's agility in dogfights- the pilots had to be wary of flooding the carbs andalso starving the engine of fuel whell barrel rolling and diving etc. I think fuel injection came in at some point.

I think i just regurgitated that verbatim from my school project 40 years ago! :lol:

That prompted me to have a little read about them this morning Chris, very interesting, a bit embarrassing I did'nt know much about their history considering the impact they had in us winning.

Cheers for that.

 

[TitanTim]

Thanks for the replies and info Chris

I might get the P51 Mustang now for winter use :lol: Seriously thought having seen the Spitfire now I'm gunning for the Mustang to go with it as a pair, they are quite large but as the quality is nice the manufacturer has got away with producing it in that size otherwise I think it would have looked a bit rubbish.

http://authenticmodels.com/collection2/shop/flight/airplane-models/mustang-p51/

The Merlin is still one of my favourite engines in anything thats ever been produced, that sound, just amazing and imagine being given one of those to get to grips with at 20 years old with just a few hours training must have been bloody terrifying. Many of the Luftwaffe fighter pilots at the start of the war were already battle hardened from the Spanish Civil War, Adolf Galland, Werner Molders and Ernst Udet who was an acrobatic flyer before the war and a fighter ace in WW1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2CBx7x5GCI had a uncanny knack of doing his stunts and landing with the engine off. All were highly experienced professional pilots before war broke out and you wouldn't have stood a chance at the beggining of the war. We were so lucky Goering was in charge of them as he concentrated on bombing strategy than his fighters.

Tim.

 

[cj10jeeper]

You should read up on 'Miss Shilling's Orifice'
Such a wonderful name for a diaphragm that prevented carb issues on negative g in early Merlin engines ....
Cannot help wonder what the designer was looking at for inspiration..

 

[TitanTim]

You should read up on 'Miss Shilling's Orifice'
Such a wonderful name for a diaphragm that prevented carb issues on negative g in early Merlin engines ....
Cannot help wonder what the designer was looking at for inspiration..

What a great name, and a bit of a life saver as the last thing you need is the engine cutting out when doing a roll under fire

Tim.

 

[paulgs1000]

The main problem was chasing after 109s as they would roll and dive to get away in combat - they had injected engines so they could keep power on during this manoeuver whereas the Merlin engines had gavity fed carbs and would be starved of fuel as they went inverted, losing power and contact with the 109 (standard evasion tactic).

Your Spitfire model looks to be an early version (fabulous model by the way ) - the exhaust stubs (3 each side rather than the later 6) point to it being one of the first versions as does the three blade prop. Don't think it's a Mk 1 as they had 4 machine guns in each wing and very early ones had a double not triple prop. It looks like an early version from the intakes underneath. The early Spitfires started to be fitted with canon instead of machine guns as heavier armament but they had a tendency to ice up at altitude. Famous fighter pilot Douglas Bader preferred the original 8 machine guns (4 each wing) as they were more reliable and he was prepared to give up the heavier calibre and hitting power of the canon by getting up close with his fighter and delivering a concentrated cone of .303 machine gun bullets. His Spitfire stayed fitted with the 8 machine guns.

At Christmas one of my mates brought me this tiny model of a Merlin engine (He'd seen it at a Boot Sale and gave £2 for it! - I've never seen such a model so small and I was delighted - he knows my love of aviation especially WW2 aviation. (Though my favourite WW2 fighter is the often overlooked Hurricane)

 

[TitanTim]

The main problem was chasing after 109s as they would roll and dive to get away in combat - they had injected engines so they could keep power on during this manoeuver whereas the Merlin engines had gavity fed carbs and would be starved of fuel as they went inverted, losing power and contact with the 109 (standard evasion tactic).

Your Spitfire model looks to be an early version (fabulous model by the way ) - the exhaust stubs (3 each side rather than the later 6) point to it being one of the first versions as does the three blade prop. Don't think it's a Mk 1 as they had 4 machine guns in each wing and very early ones had a double not triple prop. It looks like an early version from the intakes underneath. The early Spitfires started to be fitted with canon instead of machine guns as heavier armament but they had a tendency to ice up at altitude. Famous fighter pilot Douglas Bader preferred the original 8 machine guns (4 each wing) as they were more reliable and he was prepared to give up the heavier calibre and hitting power of the canon by getting up close with his fighter and delivering a concentrated cone of .303 machine gun bullets. His Spitfire stayed fitted with the 8 machine guns.

At Christmas one of my mates brought me this tiny model of a Merlin engine (He'd seen it at a Boot Sale and gave £2 for it! - I've never seen such a model so small and I was delighted - he knows my love of aviation especially WW2 aviation. (Though my favourite WW2 fighter is the often overlooked Hurricane)

Thanks for the info Paul, I think you are right, its not the earliest of the type, maybe a MK2, I know by D-Day I think they started to introduce 4 bladed props, different airtake and cannon blisters which the model doesn't have. I'm just going to leave it unpainted as it looks stunning in aluminium especially when the sun catches it, I might need to nick your engine though as it doesn't have one Thats a lovely miniature

Tim.

 

[paulgs1000]

It certainly does look stunning and I think it would loose something if you started to paint it - and then there's the decision on how to paint it - what camouflage and squadron etc. Totally with you on the features your model doesn't have making it an earlier version - maybe even a 1b? Whatever, you've got a terrific representation of an early Spitfire and I'm not jealous at all :lol:

I was 60 in April and my kids have bought me a helicopter flight from Goodwood (bit of a trek from Newcastle!) but that's because it's a flight in formation with a Spitfire and a Hurricane. Goodwood was the only place that offered this with a Hurricane included (and they knew of my love of that fighter). Apparantly the Hurricane is a Battle of Britain survivor (the Spitfire is a model 19). They formate on the helicopter and then do a little tail chasing/dog fighting then some attacks on the helicopter. I'm booked in for this, this coming Saturday (weather being on side). What a present - can't wait!