Subject: Re: USAAF Spitfire
From: "Steve Bamford ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "RJ en Ellie Willekens" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2004 00:51:36 -0800

Hi Robert,
Thanks for sending in your Spitfire article.  I'll e-mail you when your article goes on ARC. 

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com
 
Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: RJ en Ellie Willekens 
  To: Bamford, Steve 
  Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2004 2:45 AM
  Subject: USAAF Spitfire

  Gallery =emplate #06

  1/48 =SAAF Spitfire Mk.IXc 

  by Robert-Jan Willekens--------------------

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here 

  This is an =CM (Czech manufacturer)model of their rendition of a Mk.IX Spitfire, built OOB. It =s a faithful replica of Spitfire Mk.IXc MH894/WZ-JJ "Lady Ellen III" The =irplane was flown by Lt. John Fawcett, of the 309th Fighter Squadron, 31st =ighter Group, 15th Air Force, flying out of Castel Volturno, Italy. The date: =ebruary 1944.

  In direct contradiction =o standing orders, the aircraft of the 309th were still carrying the Insignia Red =urrounds to their Stars and Bars, probably because their Spitfires were to be =eplaced by Mustangs, which were considerably delayed  because of high demand =f this type in the Western European Theater.The eventual =eplaceing actually happened on the 30th March of 1944! All the other squadrons of the 31st =G had their red surrounds replaced by Insignia Blue late fall of =943.

        Click on images below to see larger images
       
        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller =ersion of photo 03.jpg here.  =licking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 03.jpg 
        <=MG =rc="http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Article-Templates/03t.jpg" border=0>
        Steve Bamford will insert a =lick-able smaller version of photo 04.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized =ersion of photo 04.jpg 
        <=MG =rc="http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Article-Templates/04t.jpg" border=0>

  The "temperate scheme" of =ark Green and Ocean Grey over Medium Sea Grey has been considerably faded due =o the harsh environment of the Northern Sahara and Mediterranean.  I =imulated that by adding a fair amount of grey to the original paint. The areas of =he RAF markings were carefully overpainted with fresher colours. The =ortion behind the canopy is MSG, no idea why this was done! Probably it was a =amaged area, and no Ocean Grey was available...See the black and white pictures =aken from the book "American Spitfire - camouflage and markings" by Ventura publications (1998) ISBN 0-9583594-3-1. The yellow spot just behind =he canopy is a gas detection patch, which was supposed to change colour =hen exposed to battlefield gas!

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 02.jpg here 

  The Red bands over the =ingtips were additional identification of the group. Also, a small yellow area under =he propellor with the double J is present, in order to help ground crew =pot the aircraft readily from head-on. The double J code indicated that another WZ-J was on strength. The wheels were covered with hubcaps =o reduce the damage by sand and dust to the brakes. The interior was =inished in RAF Interior green; the seat was the bakelite version, which had a =istict reddish colour. Markings came from an old MSAP set, the roundels are =rom Xtradecal. All paints are Xtracolor. The ICM model is not one of my =avourites; it does however capture the lines of this Spitfire Mark quite nicely, =lthough I am a bit undecided about the curvature and shape of the cowling. Fit is =ot as good as the Tamigawa renditions, but acceptable enough for the more =xperienced modeler. 

        Click on images below to see larger images
       
        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller =ersion of photo 05.jpg here.  =licking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 05.jpg 
        <=MG =rc="http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Article-Templates/05t.jpg" border=0>
        Steve Bamford will insert a =lick-able smaller version of photo 06.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized =ersion of photo 06.jpg 
        <=MG =rc="http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Article-Templates/06t.jpg" border=0>

  Photos and =ext © 2003 by Robert-Jan Willekens