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 Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb
In the summer of 1940, the Royal Air Force and the German Luftwaffe were engaged in a fierce conflict that would determine the future course of World War II.
High above the White Cliffs of Dover and across the British countryside, a characteristic silhouette began to appear - that of the legendary fighter plane, the Supermarine Spitfire.
The Spitfire was very fast and noted for its great manoeuverability. Equipped with its powerful Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, it also had a much faster climbing speed that its German rivals. The Spitfire's eternal enemy, the Messersschmitt ME109, was forced to bow to the British plane's fire power: two 20mm Hispano cannon and four 0.303 (7.7mm) Browning machine-guns mounted in its wings, it could also carry two 250-lb. bombs or one 500-lb. bomb.
The Spitfire was produced in greater numbers than any other British combat aircraft before or since the War, 20,341 Spitfires were built in 22 different variants (excluding the navalised Seafire), and the aircraft remained in production for 12 years.
Spitfires fought in every operational theatre of WW II and the aircraft remained in RAF front-line service up to 1954.
The Battle of Britain gave birth to the Spitfire legend - a true icon in the history of aviation.
The Mk.V with its Merlin 45 engine was a remarkably succesful variant, especially when one considers that it was initially intended as an interim aircraft. The first Mk.Vb was produced in 1941, and testing proved it to be very nearly as good as the Mk.III, but without the extra complexity involved in that version. So in March 1941 it was decided to produce the Mk.V instead of the Mk.III. The type had already entered production by this stage, with No 92 Squadron being the first to receive it in February 1941.
So successful was the Mk.Vb that by December 1941, most of Fighter Command's squadrons were equipped with the type.
The Mk.Vb became the first variant to be fitted with bomb racks to allow it to also operate as a fighter bomber. It was also the first fighter version of the Spitfire to see operational use overseas, and was supplied to several foreign airforces. More Spitfire Mk.Vb's were built than any other type.
Spitfire AB910 of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, is a Mk.Vb Spitfire which was was donated by Vickers- Armstrong to the BBMF in 1965.
Overview of the Spitfire Mk.V model:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzGUz0pREeA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLfxqKJUd6M
Officially licensed through the RAF.
This exceptional collection offers you the chance to construct a 1:12 scale replica of the Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb, the most famous fighter of World War II
Model Length 760mm. Wingspan 935mm
Functioning items: Variable pitch propellor. Operable Ailerons, Elevator, Rudder, sliding Canopy and opening pilot access door.
Kit content: Diecast leading egdes, rubber tyres, diecast wheels & undercarriage. Brass instrument panel. Aluminium skin panels. Laser-cut wooden structural parts. Marking masks and a rivet marking tool.
The model is finished with pre-cut aluminum skin panels set upon a wooden airframe. You have the choice to either paint your model in its original wartime camouflage, or leave it in its natural aluminium finish.
The collection also includes a free LED navigation lighting set.
Optional extra's: Motor to turn the propeller. Pedestal display stand and a powered undercarriage pack to deploy the landing gear.
http://s1217.photobucket...re/?albumview=slideshow
The Spitfire collection is only available by online Subscription. http://spitfire.model-space.com/
Instructions are provided via a monthly download for each despatch of parts.
The RS-T squadron code letters on the model, represent that of Robert Stanford Tuck's Mk.Vb Spitfire.
Wing Commander Robert Standford Tuck, DSO, DFC & 2 bars, was one of the leading Battle of Britain pilots with 29 enemy aircraft shot down during this period.
During his outstanding wartime career, Tuck was forced to bale out twice and force-landed twice. The second forced-landing put him down in enemy territory after his Spitfire was hit by anti-aircraft fire and was taken prisoner.
Captured by the very German troops Tuck had been firing upon as his aircraft was hit, he later recorded that their mood was understandably hostile and his own survival was certainly in question. However, "Tuck's luck" came to his rescue when his captors spotted that, by a remarkable chance, one of the last shots from the Spitfire had passed precisely down the barrel of a German AA gun, peeling it like a banana! On seeing this, the attitude of his capor's suddenly changed, they were now smacking him on the back, and shouting "Good shot, Englander-Good shot", which probably saved Tuck's life.
Tuck spent the next two years incarcerated at the notorious in Stalag Luft III where he met many of his old friends that had also been captured, including his old CO Roger Bushell.
Bushell was 'X' - the camp escape officer who organised the break-out that became known as the 'Great Escape'. Before the escape took place, Tuck was transferred to another camp, where in the company of Polish Spitfire pilot Zbigniew Kustrzyński, they managed to escape whilst the camp was being evacuated westwards from Russian forces advancing into Germany, and managed to get to the Russian lines, and Tuck eventually making his way back to England.
At the time of his capture, Tuck had claimed 29 enemy aircraft shot down, two shared destroyed, six probably destroyed, six damaged and one shared damaged. However, in 1978, an aircraft recovery group excavated the site of a downed Me109, where after considerable MOD research, it was decided that the ME109 had been shot down by Tuck, but had only been claimed as "probable" at the time. It was duly accredited to him, bringing his total to 30.
The Stanford-Tuck Biography: "Fly for your life: The story of Bob Stanford Tuck" by Larry Forrester, is a fascinating life story.
Official video build:
https://www.youtube.com/...pgNgQOxIsu6RXKw2D67cirm
Tomick attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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The official build diary will follow the format of the instructions download. You are of course free to build, enhance and finish your model how you so choose. Please Note: Official build diary images & text are protected under UK copyright law. Pack 01 contains Stages 1-4Stage 1 - Contains diecast propellor blades, gears, photo-etched brass intrument panel and an aluminium skin section.
Use a fine file to smooth the casting lines from the edge of the propeller blades, then use fine emery paper to smooth any imperfections the surface of the blades.
Glue the gear onto the shaft of each propeller blade, (I used epoxy).
Later on, the propellor blades will be added into the propeller hub along with a gear ring to create the operable propeller pitch.
Thats it for this stage, carefully store the remaining parts within a numbered bag.
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Stage 2 - Contains the left fuselage side, fuselage former, wheel rims and a tyre.
Fit one of the wheel rims into the tyre, apply glue to the seating area of the second rim, align the notches and fit the rim into the tyre, hold the rims together until the glue has set.
Take the left fuselage frame and the the fuselage former.
Position the frame in the orientation shown, then identify the location of where the first former will be fitted.
Apply PVA glue to the edge of the former and fit into the frame. Check that the former is set at 90 degress to the frame.
This completes this stage, store the wheel for later use.Tomick attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Stage 3 - Contains the right fuselage side, a fuselage former, diecast propeller crown ring, spinner back plate, propellor gear ring and an aluminium skin section.
Take the left side framework assembled at the previos stage and the fuselage former provided in this issue.
Locate the position for the former then glue it in place, ensure it is set at 90 degrees to the frame.
The right frame will be attached to the left frame in the next stage, you can test fit it, but DO Not glue it in place yet.
Take diecast the propeller unit parts, use a fine file to remove any burrs from them.
Test fit the propeller ring onto the back plate to check the fit, then set aside for later use.
This completes this stage.
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Stage 4 - Contains a rivet marking tool, propeller spinner, aluminium skin section and a fuselage former.
Take the framework previously assembled and the fuselage former provided in this issue.
Identify the location of the former on the frame work then glue the frame into position, check that it is set at 90 degrees to the frame side.
Take the right fueslage frame, apply PVA glue at the contaict points of the frame and formers, then fit the frame in place and secure with clamps while the glue sets. In the next stage you will fit the end former.
Take the propeller blades, back plate, ring and spinner (set the geared ring aside).
Fit the blades into the propellor unit, add the ring and then the spinner. This gives an idea of what the propeller unit looks like, further parts will be provided later on to secure the parts together and create the variable pitch mechanism. For now, carefully store these parts.
The final part of the instructions how the rivet marking tool is used to create rivet heads upon the skin panels.
At this stage DO NOT mark any of the three panels provided thus far, but store them safely for later use along with the rivet marking tool.
Panel marking information will be provided at the relevant points in the build.
This completes pack 1
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Pack 02 contains Stages 5-8Stage 5 - Contains a tyre, wheel rims, wooden stringers and a fuselage former.
Fit and glue the former into the indicated slots of the fuselage framework, then glue the front of frame onto the end former.
Fit and glue the stringers into the indicated slots on both sides of the fuselage, they should butt up to the aftmost frame and run their full length forward.
Assemble and glue the wheel rims onto the tyre as before.
This completes this stage.
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Stage 6 - Contains the starboard aft fuselage side, wooden stringers and a fuselage former.
Test fit, then glue fuselage former #5 at the aft end of the fuselage framework, clamp the frame in place until the glue has fully set.
Take the aft fuselage side, check its orientation with that of the images, then glue it in place onto the right (starboard) side of the fuselage framework as shown. The aft frame should be set so that it follows the angle rearwards of the forward fuselage section.
That complets this stage.Tomick attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Stage 7 - Contains the left aft fuselage side, wooden stringers and a fuselage former.
Fit and glue the port (left) side, aft fuselage side in place as before, then set aside until the glue has set.
Cut two 58mm long strips from the 3x3x300mm wooden strips provided.
Glue the strip lengths along the joint of frame #5 and the fuselage aft sides just fitted.
Test fit then glue frame #6 into the first pair of slots on the aft fuselage section, clamp the frame in place until the glue has set.
This completes this stage.Tomick attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,051 Points: -13,308
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Stage 8 - Contains wooden stringers and four fuselage formers.
Test fit then glue frame #7 into the aft fuselage framework. Clamp until the glue has set and also place a clamp at the end of the framework, to ensure that both side are level and the end is flush.
Testfit then glue frame #2 in place, place a clamp at the end of the framework until the glue has set.
This completes this stage and despatch. Carefully store the two remaining frames from this stage and the wooden strips.
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