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When Hollywood Ruled The Skies - Volumes 1 through 4 by Bruce Oriss


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 Post subject: Photo Recon Spitfire
PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2004 12:30 pm 
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Joined: Fri May 14, 2004 2:16 pm
Posts: 33
Location: Aylmer, Quebec, Canada
Hi all,

Just noticed this forum down here at the bottom of the page.

I recently got the 1/48 Tamiya Mosquito, which I plan to finish in blue as a PR Mk IV. It will be my first model in many years, and I have no idea how long it will take to complete. But I am really looking forward to it.

Thing is, once it is done, it needs a friend. Obvious choice is a Spitfire, but there seem to be few choices in 1/48. No one seems to make either a MkXI or a Mk XIX. I know there are a couple of conversion kits around, and the IMPS Stockhold page, and excellent reference, had an article a while back on building an XIX in various scales.

Any of you have any suggestions on how to get myself a 1/48 XI or XIX without blowing the budget on conversion kits??

Charles


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 10:03 am 
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Joined: Wed May 05, 2004 8:03 pm
Posts: 1081
Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Hi Charles--

You'd still need a conversion canopy and camera ports, but the PR.19 airframe is so close to the highback F.XIV that I'd think the easiest choice would be a Hobbycraft 1:48 Spit XIV. There are various 1:48 Mk.IXs and at least one Mk.VIII, but making a PR.X or XI from one of those would be more of a process, I think. Hmm. There was, I recall, a field-modified IX with cameras, called, I think, an FR.IX; I also think one or more of those wore the "PR pink" livery. Now that ought to be an easy conversion from a IX kit. Hang on, I'll see if I can find the reference...

...Yep, found something. Three photos taken summer of '44 in Normandy, on pp 156-7 in Alfred Price's The Spitfire Story. They're normal mid-production Mk.IXs but with an oblique-camera port behind the cockpit on the port side. Still have standard two-cannon/four-gun armament. Colour scheme: pale PR pink, B-type (blue/red only) roundels, partial D-day stripes under the rear fuselage. Single code letters aft of the roundel; serials above the fin flashes. One of the FR.IXs in the pix, BTW, is MK915...just three serials away from the Ed Russell machine. Wonder if Ed's bird was an FR as well?

Cheers

S.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 10:44 am 
Hmmm.... Thnanks for the reply. Gives me a few options. I never knew about the FR.IX. Interesting option. I wonder if any were painted blue? I would prefer a XI or XIX though. Something about that clean wing that makes them look even better.

Sounds like PR.XIX is my best bet as a stable mate to the Mosquito, even if the Mossie PRIV and the Spit XIX are not exactly contemporaries. Is the Hobbycraft kit any good?

Maybe by the time I finish the Mosquito, Tamiya will have come out with a XIV or XIX!!

Charles


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 1:10 pm 
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Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2004 4:11 am
Posts: 210
Location: COMFORTABLY NUMB
Hi Charles,
Are you looking for just 1/48 or would you consider 1/72?

Fujima produced a PR.XIX in 1/72 (Kit Nr is/was 72132) and can be found on eBay occasionally but not sure if its still in production!

I've modelled this kit and I would happily recommend it.

HTH

PS
I've also got the Tamiya Mossie you mention and am still pondering whether to go the B.IV or PR.IV route but I'm leaning towards the photo bird!

_________________
...and pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in Space cos there's bugger all down here on Earth!


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 7:07 am 
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Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2004 6:50 pm
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Location: Montréal
Charles, the Occidental 1/48 Spit IX has a very badly shaped nose, almost like the one on a XI.

So that would be a good starting point.

8)

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Olivier Lacombe -- Harvard Mk.4 C-GBQB


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 1:16 pm 
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Joined: Fri May 14, 2004 2:16 pm
Posts: 33
Location: Aylmer, Quebec, Canada
Thanks for the tip about the Occidental kit,Ollie. That would sure be a good example of making the best of a bad situation!!

I do want to stick with 1/48 though. My plan is to finish it gears up and hang it, but 1/72 is just too small to hang, in my opinion. Still not totally decided though. Tamiya does not seem to have given the option of having the tailwheel retracted on the Mossie - might have to make it on final approach, gear down. Off course then I'd have to cut the wings to put the flaps down. Decisions, decisions, decisions.....

Thanks for the advice.

Charles


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