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[msaspence]

I watched james mays toy stories the other week where he builds a 1:1 model spitfire and was inspired to pick up the paint brush for the first time since I was a boy

I bought, built and painted an airfix 1:72 mkIa which I enjoyed but I wanted something with more detail so after a bit of research have just bought a 1:48 icm mkIX

the kit looks amazing (I also bought my nephews a couple of fujimi mkv and for a couple of quid extra the icm is a factor of ten better, anyway...) whilst at this stage I'm more concerned with my painting technique than getting a 100% accurate model I would like to take some effort to make it realistic

one change i'm aware needs to be made is removing the headrest as the mkix wouldn't of had these, is that right?

is ok to use the wing mounted bombs and the centrally mounted bombs together or is it one or the other?
what would a correct gun/cannon configuration be for having bombs mounted?
When would it have the bump mounted in the centre (D13)?
when would it have the air intake on the underside of the nose (D7,D8,D9) and when would it have the intake on the under side of the wings (D11,D12)
when would it have the rounded (D5) or pointy tail (D6)?
when would it have the rounded (E9) or flat (E7) wing tips?

I would like to paint it with invasion stripes if this has any baring on the above questions.

[magnusf]

The easiest way would probably be to find yourself a photo of a Spitfire you like and pick the configuration from that one. I have however tried to answer your questions below and I hope that clears things a bit! This page might offer some inspiration by the way!

is ok to use the wing mounted bombs and the centrally mounted bombs together or is it one or the other?  No, I don't think so. I am almost sure it is either/or!

what would a correct gun/cannon configuration be for having bombs mounted? Depends on how the aircraft was built, with a C-wing or an E-wing. For D-day I would go for C-wing!

When would it have the bump mounted in the centre (D13)?  I don't have the ICM kit but if the bump is a slipper tank, I would say likely not when in combat!

when would it have the air intake on the underside of the nose (D7,D8,D9) and when would it have the intake on the under side of the wings (D11,D12)  There is always an intake below the nose but there
were different types of intakes. As for the wings: always!

when would it have the rounded (D5) or pointy tail (D6)?  Pointy tail is for late build machines, D-day - typically rounded I would say!

when would it have the rounded (E9) or flat (E7) wing tips?  Depends on if it was specifically built for low altitude operations.


Typical gun/cannon arrangement of a C-wing!


Photo showing slipper tank and short nose intake.


You could pick this as your "typical D-day Spitfire":

C-wing
No slipper tank
Long under nose intake
Rounded tail
Rounded wing tips

Good luck!

Magnus

[NZTyphoon]

Okay, a few things really need some clarification - sorry to contradict magnus on some points but there are some things worth noting:

1) The majority of the Spitfire IX squadrons based in England from D-Day on were part of the Second Tactical Air Force (also known as 2 TAF) also 2 TAF which was set up by the RAF in mid-1943 specifically to provide air cover and air support for the invasion forces. ALL Spitfire IX (later also XVI) units were equipped and used as as fighter/bomber units - whenever possible they carried out ground-attack missions and/or armed reconnaissance missions using their fixed armament and/or bombs.

2) For short-range missions Spitfire IXs were armed with combinations of 3 bombs: one under the fuselage, using the bomb rack provided in the ICM kit, (often 250 lb bomb; sometimes 500 lb) and one (invariably 250 lb)  under each wing, again using the racks provided in the ICM kit. Other possible combinations, for longer-range missions, were a 30 gallon (or larger) blister tank, mounted under the centre section, or one 45 gallon "torpedo" tank mounted on the fuselage bomb rack, plus one 250 lb bomb on each wing rack. The torpedo tank is very similar to 45 gallon tanks used under the wings of some Hawker Typhoons.(An unofficial modification [Mod. XXX] enabled Spitfire IX MJ329 to carry a single large beer barrel on the wing racks...)

3) This book makes it quite clear that the majority of the 2 TAF Spitfire IXs were using the "E Type" armament ( two 20mm Hispanos and 2 .50 cal Brownings) by D-Day: This armament fit was known as Modification 1029: The 20 mm Hispano cannon were moved outboard and a more effective .50 calibre Browning .50 cal M2/AN heavy machine gun with 250 rpg was added to the inner gun-bay. The first trial installation of the installation (modification 1029) was made in BS118 in November 1943; by mid-March 1944 the first Spitfires to be modified were from 485(NZ), 222 and 349 Squadrons. Spitfires with this armament were referred to as Spifire IX LF .5 and the E suffix was not officially introduced until early 1945. (Shores and Thomas 2008, pages 586, 607)  Careful examination of photos is essential because there were still Spitfire IXs with C type armament, but these were in the minority. See also Type E installation. 4) While the majority of Spitfire IXs used the original round topped rudder, some were using the pointed. large area rudder first used on the Mk VII/VIII family this photo of 485(NZ) Sqn!!! ( NOT 312 Sqn ) was taken on 30 March 1940 - careful examination shows a Mk IX with a pointed rudder just behind OU-S MK202 5) The majority of the Spitfire IXs used by 2 TAF were properly known as Spitfire  L..F Mk IX  - the L.F stood for Low altitude Fighter; this refferred to the engine installation, which was a Merlin 66  rated for maximum performance at low-to-medium altitudes, up to about 10,000 to 15,000 feet (depending on the octane rating of the fuel) [/url which suited the role of the Spitfire IX as a fighter-bomber . The designation was not determined by the wingtips fitted. 6) No Spitfire IXs built from 1943 on were fitted with headrests. 7)I had an ICM Spitfire IX years ago - from memory only "the bump mounted in the centre" (D 13) is a small, half-round piece which fitted just behind the rear wingroot? This was an antenna for a "Rebecca" Beam Approach landing system, which enabled the aircraft to home in on an airfield's runway in poor visibility. This was carried by the majority of 2 TAF Spitfires. All in all the best advice is to find a good, clear photo of a 2 TAF Spitfire IX with D-Day stripes and stick to that as a reference. Jeff W.

[Editor]

3) This book makes it quite clear that the majority of the 2 TAF Spitfire IXs were using the "E Type" armament ( two 20mm Hispanos and 2 .50 cal Brownings) by D-Day: This armament fit was known as Modification 1029:

The 20 mm Hispano cannon were moved outboard and a more effective .50 calibre Browning .50 cal M2/AN heavy machine gun with 250 rpg was added to the inner gun-bay. The first trial installation of the installation (modification 1029) was made in BS118 in November 1943; by mid-March 1944 the first Spitfires to be modified were from 485(NZ), 222 and 349 Squadrons. Spitfires with this armament were referred to as Spifire IX LF .5 and the E suffix was not officially introduced until early 1945.

(Shores and Thomas 2008, pages 586, 607)  Careful examination of photos is essential because there were still Spitfire IXs with C type armament, but these were in the minority. See also Type E installation.

It's an interesting note. The use of E wing would be logical if you consider that .5" armament was more effective against ground targets. However, I wasn't aware that the 2TAF conversion to Mk. IXE ws all but completed prior to D-Day?  That would be only 3 months since the new wing entered production.

Also, regarding the timeline, could it be so that the very intention of E-wing design was to increase the ground-attack capability of the Spitfire? Just a thought.

/Martin

[NZTyphoon]

3) This book makes it quite clear that the majority of the 2 TAF Spitfire IXs were using the "E Type" armament ( two 20mm Hispanos and 2 .50 cal Brownings) by D-Day: This armament fit was known as Modification 1029:

The 20 mm Hispano cannon were moved outboard and a more effective .50 calibre Browning .50 cal M2/AN heavy machine gun with 250 rpg was added to the inner gun-bay. The first trial installation of the installation (modification 1029) was made in BS118 in November 1943; by mid-March 1944 the first Spitfires to be modified were from 485(NZ), 222 and 349 Squadrons. Spitfires with this armament were referred to as Spifire IX LF .5 and the E suffix was not officially introduced until early 1945.

(Shores and Thomas 2008, pages 586, 607)  Careful examination of photos is essential because there were still Spitfire IXs with C type armament, but these were in the minority. See also Type E installation.

It's an interesting note. The use of E wing would be logical if you consider that .5" armament was more effective against ground targets. However, I wasn't aware that the 2TAF conversion to Mk. IXE ws all but completed prior to D-Day?  That would be only 3 months since the new wing entered production.

Also, regarding the timeline, could it be so that the very intention of E-wing design was to increase the ground-attack capability of the Spitfire? Just a thought.

/Martin

It was indeed a "rush job" ;  apparently it was felt that the revised armament would be an advantage both for ground attack and for air combat. Many of the aircraft used converted C wings, rather than true E type, and retained the Hispanos in the inner wing bay, with the .50s outboard (many of the first aircraft into service in 485 Sqn used this configuration). However, there are plenty of photos showing 2 TAF Spitfires with C armament - the stubs outboard of the Hispanos have the rounded cap and don't appear to converted for .50 cals eg: [http://www.spitfiresite.com/blog/uploaded_images/Unidentified-RCAF-Spitfire-being-serviced-on-5-May-1944.-John-Bradley-Collection-706034.jpg] this one[/url]. Like many things Spitfire there would seem to be many permutations, and some caution is needed when making definitive statements... (*sigh*).

[ronl]

Does anyone have a copy of 2nd TAF, Volume 4?  If so, is there any chance you might be able to scan and post any information pertaining to the discussion of the E wing in this book?  Thanks.

ronl