Fred's Portugese Spitfire V ***Finished***

[fredk]

Its time I got involved in this.

I'll use this Revell Spitfire kit




These are markings for Hurricanes, but the national markings are the same size for the Spitfire. I'll just have to raid my other spares for suitable code letters;

[Zen]

Very good choice, watching closely!

Cheers!

Zen

[fredk]

I've made a start but there isn't much to show yet.
Parts are painted, mostly matt black undercoat. Cockpit is nearly done. I corrected the oil cooler radiator under the port wing. On this kit its a MK1 type.

[Old_Tonto]

Nice choice Fred. I've always liked the Portuguese markings.
In fact here is my attempt using the old Airfix kit.

[fredk]

Thats a nice one O_T.

With a lack of good reference photos about I'm going to make mine look like one in a museum. Yellow spinner and fuselage stripe.

Cockpit done. The cockpit on this Revell kit is very nice.



Fuselage all closed up, wing halves joined, ready for joints to be sanded smooth;


All the sticky out bits added, a bit of orange [as undercoat] painted on the rear of the fuselage. All ready for masking up and main painting to begin.


I was looking at photos on t'internet of a Spitfire in a Portuguese museum.
Some photos show it as a Mk Vb, but some show it as a Mk IX. Are there two airframes with the same markings?
It looks like it/they are numbered ML255, which is a Mk IX,
Which scunders my build.
Unless I can find a picture of another Mk V.
or get a Mk IX from the stash, if I have one.

[Molly-new]

According to my research the Portuguese Air Force only ever received 15 MK IA's, followed by 50 Spitfire VB's, most of which were delivered in 1943 and remained in service until 1952. No mention of any MK IX's being sent over.

There is a potted history of ML255 here: http://www.warbirdregistry.org/spitregi ... ml255.html;

There are some Portuguese MK VB schemes on the wings palette site: http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww2/f/52/11/0;

[fredk]

Thanks;
Yup, I have that potted history, through the build record.
The Portuguese displayed ML255 as a Mk V, then made it back to a Mk IX, or the other way round. There are photos on t'internet of it looking both.
I've looked at WP.
I'll just go with one of them even though I would prefer a photo.
I've seen a photo of a V but its poor b&w and no idea of spinner or stripe colour.

[ejsnotgrass]

According to Carpena Decals Exotic Spits the fuselage band and spinner are both red

[fredk]

Depending on the squadron the spinner/stripe could be blue, red or yellow

[fredk]

It now has two coats of grey underneath and on top and a first coat of dark green on top;

[Zen]

Hi, Fred.
The IXc which is in the museum at Sintra, is the only surviving example with the Portuguese markings.
According to this blog: http://aterrememportugal.blogspot.pt/20 ... do-ar.html; , it was traded by a Beaufighter with the South African government. They performed some "plastic surgery" to convert it back to a Vb, which the PoAF really operated.
Re the spinner's color, you're right, it's depending on the squadron you're doing.
The camo is looking great!

[fredk]

I had the same problem others have had; paint bleed under the masking.
I had to sand back the area of the tail stripe and remask and repaint.
The problem was fortuitous as I had made the stripe too narrow and having to re-do it I made it broader.

Whilst handling it I dropped it and broke off the spigot for the prop. The prop has now got a bar in it to go into the fuselage.

All glossed up now, ready for decals

[fredk]

Finished;










Edited to put in better quality photos

[Clashcityrocker]

Very nice looking Spitfire.

Nigel

[Old_Tonto]

A great result Fred, love it. You can never have too many you know.