Serial on Spitfire V(b?) AH-M from 332(N) Sqn 1942?

[atckyrre]

Originally Posted by Franek Grabowski

Kyrre
You will hate me!
Foundation (or we should say sponsor at the time) inscription should have been in MSG though some photos suggest Sky might have been used as well. White stripes were applied for the operation Rutter in early July 1942 only. They were gone by the time of Dieppe. I am also not sure if they were applied on all the aircraft participating in the former.
Your little beauty is lacking IFF antennas and I am not quite sure if cannon covers were painted with dope. I would expect ordinary black rubber. There is also something wrong with the carburettor inlet.
Cheers

No hate at all. Your information is very useful!

- I understand the sponsor theme but it must be said that Litago cerainly is no sponsor in that she is the common Norwegian cow! So the inscription must have been painted on after arrival with the Norwegians. Nevertheless the writing could of course be MSG, though it appears the Norwegians were experts at disobeying all standards (Squadron shield, various names, flagstriped cannons etc) in addition to the "infamous" RAB aircraft. On the pictures I have seen of Norwegian aircraft with names they certainly seems to stand out from the camo. Duly noted though.
- Your Operation Rutter info is very useful. This is the first time this excercise is actually named (for me). There is no confirmation that AH-M was painted with stripes but I used some artistic license in this case since I really really wanted to make Litago coming from a RNoAF Mk IX decalsheet I participated in making. Apparently some 20 Norwegian Spits were painted with stripes (info coming from somewhere) but I have not seen any pictures of 332 Sqn planes with stripes. Letting you in on a secret the AH-M letters aren't correct either. 332 Sqn appears to have used a thicker version of the 24" letters. When I discovered this I just had to fake it. Cat's out of the bag now!
- IFF. I'm the confused one about this issue. So the AM-antenna from the mast should be gone but the IFF's were still in use? At what point did they go over to the whip underneath? Inquiring minds wants to know.
- Cannon covers: I thought I'd seen a colour pic of Spitfires with red "condoms" but it could be a product of my imagination. It was also pointed out to me that the area behind the cover should be gun metal. Oh well, live and learn.
- Carburator inled. I'm sure it's not quite right. We shall have to blame it on Tamiya or possibly me getting an exchange part from a friend with a Mk I issue.

Many thanks for your info Franek. Hopefully there'll be some different errors in my next attempt. I really do appreciate a good nitpick. That's the only way to get better.

Kyrre

[Franek Grabowski]

Hello Kyrre

- I understand the sponsor theme but it must be said that Litago cerainly is no sponsor in that she is the common Norwegian cow! So the inscription must have been painted on after arrival with the Norwegians. Nevertheless the writing could of course be MSG, though it appears the Norwegians were experts at disobeying all standards (Squadron shield, various names, flagstriped cannons etc) in addition to the "infamous" RAB aircraft. On the pictures I have seen of Norwegian aircraft with names they certainly seems to stand out from the camo. Duly noted though.

Well, I did not notice it is a name. It does look just like foundation name, oh, perhaps she was bought by some ex-Norwegian milk farmer.
BTW
Certainly you have not seen too many Polish Spitfires.

- Your Operation Rutter info is very useful. This is the first time this excercise is actually named (for me). There is no confirmation that AH-M was painted with stripes but I used some artistic license in this case since I really really wanted to make Litago coming from a RNoAF Mk IX decalsheet I participated in making. Apparently some 20 Norwegian Spits were painted with stripes (info coming from somewhere) but I have not seen any pictures of 332 Sqn planes with stripes.

Rutter was not an excercise. It was an operation like Jubilee but it was postponed for some reason. Stripes appeared just for a few days and then, sadly, dissapeared. But if you like unusual stripes, you can make a Norwegian Mk IX with rather unusual cowlings.

Letting you in on a secret the AH-M letters aren't correct either. 332 Sqn appears to have used a thicker version of the 24" letters. When I discovered this I just had to fake it. Cat's out of the bag now!

Oh, a minor detail.

- IFF. I'm the confused one about this issue. So the AM-antenna from the mast should be gone but the IFF's were still in use? At what point did they go over to the whip underneath? Inquiring minds wants to know.

They were replaced between August and October 1943. Radio frequency change over to VHF was earlier, IIRC, Winter 1940/41.

- Cannon covers: I thought I'd seen a colour pic of Spitfires with red "condoms" but it could be a product of my imagination. It was also pointed out to me that the area behind the cover should be gun metal. Oh well, live and learn.

Red on leading edges was due to red dope used as a glue to cover mg holes in the leading edge. I have seen on colour photos that other paints were also used eg. at MTO. I do not think anybody would bother to do strawberry condoms but who knows?

- Carburator inled. I'm sure it's not quite right. We shall have to blame it on Tamiya or possibly me getting an exchange part from a friend with a Mk I issue.

Oh, perhaps some work with sandpaper. It just looks wrong.

Many thanks for your info Franek. Hopefully there'll be some different errors in my next attempt. I really do appreciate a good nitpick. That's the only way to get better.

I suggest some booklets by Wojtek Matusiak. Mk V by Mushroom and Mk IX/XVI by Mirage. The latter covers aircraft of the Polish airmen only but is stressed on such details like IFFs, crowbars, cowling versions, etc.