BAC Spitfire XIV.

[Edgar Brooks]

MV268 had "JEJ" as a single block (no gaps and no dashes) ahead of the roundel on the starboard side, with the back edge of the second "J" immediately level with the rear corner of the "quarter light." From the look of the photo, in Dilip Sarkar's "Spitfire Ace of Aces" biography, I'd say that the letters were 24" white, with very stylised Js - no top crossbar, and shaped like a slightly flattened fishhook.

I don't have a photo of the port side, but I'd expect the letters to be identical in style and position, with regard to the cockpit, not aft of the roundel.

Although MV268 was a low-back XIVe, I can't see any sign of a camera port, which would equate to an F.R.XIVe; hardly surprising, since a Group Captain was hardly likely to abandon his Wing to take photos.

Edgar

 

[Ian M]

Many thanks Edgar, the photo port is no problem. It has been filed in!

Time to find the frisket film!

Ian M

 

[Ian M]

Not much to report at the moment. I have started to throw a bit of paint at it.

Here is the underside in MSG a la Xtracrylix

View attachment 38265

I will give that time to harden off then mask the bottom and start the camouflage.

Ian M

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[Vaughan]

Looking good Ian. There's some nice panel line and control surface detail there.

Vaughan

 

[dubster72]

This looks like a very good build Ian, and knowing you, will turn out very well. I'll be watching with interest!

Patrick

 

[Ian M]

Thanks Patrick!

Well got the camouflage painted, sort of.

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Port and starboard. Needs a bit of tidying up, and then maybe a little bit of panel shading.

There was a minor problem with the masking tape taking off the paint and the primer!!! Just goes to show that no matter how careful you are with the prep work, just one touch of a greasy finger can wreak havoc!!! Good job its not a very obvious place!!!!! lol. So that should give me some thing to do tomorrow.

View attachment 38379

right now my biggest problem is getting the serial and the codes sorted. Serials are black so no real problem other than the printer has run dry for ink! The codes, as Edgar pointed out are most certainly white, so they will need painting.....Ov!

Looking at the photos I see there are a couple of knife marks where I have cut the mask in situ. Another rub down and touch up!

Ian M

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[Edgar Brooks]

Can I sound a note of caution, please? There were no low-back Spitfires in service before 1945, so weathering would have been minimal in May of that year. Erks were also taught how to look after the finish (without polishing, though some pilots insisted on it,) especially on the wings' leading edges, which were filled, smoothed, primed, back to the wingspar, before being painted. By the end of the war, even the tailplane and fin's leading edges were the subject of TLC.

Johnson didn't get a single victory in his XIVs (or 1945, come to that,) so cordite stains, on the wings, would not have existed, either. There's also a mistaken belief that dirt/grime/oil got between the panels, so each panel needs to have a (usually black) outline. This is (possibly) true on the removable panels, like gunbays and engine covers, but Spitfire panels overlapped, usually front to back, and the lines were covered with paint, as well, so there was little for the grime to stick to. Also, part of the TLC, mentioned before, was a rub-down with medium-grit waterproof paper, and a final wash-down with plain, clean, water.

Edgar

 

[Ian M]

Thanks Edgar. Duely noted !

Ian M

 

[Ian M]

The curse of the XIV continues.....

Got the tape pull rubbed out, primed and resprayed the Ocean Grey yesterday, before heading off to the city with the misses.

Now I thought I had done a good job with masking off the rest of the parts that did not need paint. I also took the opportunity to give the pattern on the top of the cowl a bit better shape/flow.

Today I went to do the Dark Green. It would seem that I had made a total hash of it. It was for the first like sand paper, and there was overspray, UNDER the masks, how that worked God only knows! AND at some point my AB had farted and distributed small spots of Ocean Grey all over the place. Even on the Tail plane surfaces, which are about as far away as you can get from the nose!!!

Water 7200 wet n dry and a pack smokes later..... it will do.

So I finally got the Green down. Damn it! Edges!!!!! More wet n dry.

I came, for the first time, very close to giving this the once over with oven cleaner but resisted the temptation.

Rubbed down, washed and waiting for some clear coat.

No pictures. I will admit to making a hash of things but take photos of it! No bloody way!

Ian M

 

[Ian M]

Had a nice relaxing day playing with masking tape and scalpels.

I think it worked out rather well.

Only one thing left. The Pendent !!! None of the decal bits I have has one so I see little choice. Paint the darn thing!!!

Edgar!!!! I need to pick your brains again. Do you have a picture I could go after of the leaders pendent, you know that little triangle jobby just forward of the windscreen!

Dark blue cant light blue ground but how many red bands? He was after all a bit more than squadron leader.

Ian M

 

[Edgar Brooks]

The pilot, who borrowed the 21, was of senior rank, but the painter of the aircraft was adamant that the (oblong, not triangular) badge of rank was that of a Squadron Leader, which consists of 5 bands:- Royal Blue, Air Force Blue, Red, Air Force Blue, Royal Blue, with the Air Force Blue stripes twice the width of the others. The photo, in "Fighter Squadrons of the RAF," (probably taken at Blackpool) bears out the oblong nature of the badge.

Edgar

 

[Ian M]

Sorry Edgar I should have said the Leaders Pendant for JEJ - MV268 I believe that was a triangular one.

The Air racer has been put on hold as I want to do the original mk21 version.

Ian M

 

[Edgar Brooks]

Same colours, same proportions.

Edgar

 

[Ian M]

A quick update.

I just need the postman to drop a letter in the post box with the serial number decals and then put the serial numbers on and its done.

I will post the end results in the pictures section as soon as the clear coat has dried.

Ian M

 

[Ian M]

I got my act together today and got the serial numbers on.

So thats about that for this one.

Sorry to have dissapointed those waiting to see that wonderful silver and red spitfire. Hey ho I'm working on it.

Pictures of the finished JEJ MV268 in the aircraft pictures soon.

Ian M