Shiny Coin—1/72 Eduard Spitfire Mk IXc Late

[VegasAWACER13]

Haven't been posting build pictures of this because it's almost the same as the Mk VIII version I built recently. These 1/72 Eduard Spits are pretty fun builds (though two in a row have had issues with the wings fitting too tight to the fuselage) and the Nine is my favorite of all the many marks.

I didn't really need another Spit in the build queue but when I saw this kit had a marking option with a natural metal finish it was a must. Despite the fact they were used by every Allied AF in every theatre of the war, for all six-plus years, Spits rarely went to combat in bare metal skins. So I needed this in the lineup. Plus I really like the Nine.

Man, you've really got to be on your A-game with a natural metal finish! A test run revealed the standard Vallejo Air chrome wouldn't get it done so I tried the one from their Metal Color lineup. It did the trick but it's got some idiosyncrasies. Tricky to spray and a few times I thought I'd ruined it but I got it there. Far from perfect but not bad for a first effort on a 1/72 kit. Good practice for the B-17G. Very cool to see a Spit this way.

 

[BarleyBop]

Nice!

 

[Edbert]

Good practice for the B-17G.

Oooh...which one are you considering?

 

[VegasAWACER13]

Oooh...which one are you considering?

I'm thinking the Revell 1/72 kit. Seems to be well reviewed. The ultimate goal is to build one in 1/48 and just go all out on it, but I need to develop some techniques first and I don't have anywhere to put a 1/48 B-17 right now anyway lol. So I'm going to do a 1/72 first, sometime in the next year.

I'd have hard time picking between the Spitfire and the B-17 as my favorite warbird of all time. A while back I spent the better part of two years reading everything I could find on the 8th Air Force and built up quite a library on the subject. When I was a little kid I spent some time living near the site of RAF Framlingham in Suffolk, one-time home of the 390th Bomb Group. They turned the old control tower into a museum and I loved going there. So I'm going to build both 1/72 and 1/48 from that Group—Square J.

If you have any recommendations on B-17 kits I'd love to hear them!

 

[VegasAWACER13]

Paint complete, other than some minor touch up work. I was tempted to leave it all chrome but the marking schematic called for the upper cowling and the fuel tank cover to be the standard RAF camo (presumably because the pilot didn't want his retinas burned out). Olive drab might've looked better but kept it as called out.

Intended to mask the ocean gray before spraying the dark green (substitute) but I had to touch up the gray which threw my schedule off, and I didn't want to leave masking tape on chrome paint for a week while I'm out of town. So I just free-handed it. No tail band or wing stripes on this one. Ready for gloss coat and decals.

 

[Ron2]

Haven't been posting build pictures of this because it's almost the same as the Mk VIII version I built recently. These 1/72 Eduard Spits are pretty fun builds (though two in a row have had issues with the wings fitting too tight to the fuselage) and the Nine is my favorite of all the many marks.

I didn't really need another Spit in the build queue but when I saw this kit had a marking option with a natural metal finish it was a must. Despite the fact they were used by every Allied AF in every theatre of the war, for all six-plus years, Spits rarely went to combat in bare metal skins. So I needed this in the lineup. Plus I really like the Nine.

Man, you've really got to be on your A-game with a natural metal finish! A test run revealed the standard Vallejo Air chrome wouldn't get it done so I tried the one from their Metal Color lineup. It did the trick but it's got some idiosyncrasies. Tricky to spray and a few times I thought I'd ruined it but I got it there. Far from perfect but not bad for a first effort on a 1/72 kit. Good practice for the B-17G. Very cool to see a Spit this way.
View attachment 190728

Looks great! Love a metal finish!

 

[Jakko]

Why was this plane almost entirely metal-coloured?

 

[VegasAWACER13]

Why was this plane almost entirely metal-coloured?

You know, that's a great question. It served in the Italian theater, where such things were considerably more relaxed than under Fighter Command in the UK. Still, it wasn't a squadron or wing commander's aircraft, and as you can see in the picture below, its stablemate was wearing standard colors. Maybe it needed battle damage repair and its crew took the opportunity to strip its paint. Cool look, however it came about.

 

[Jakko]

Is that squadron code OF or UF? Either is strange: OF was No. 97 Squadron, which flew bombers, and UF was either No. 622 Squadron (bombers as well) or No. 24 Operational Training Unit.

 

[Rockin' Rob]

Training unit? Maybe that's why it's left silver. He's the adversary??

 

[BarleyBop]

He's the adversary??

Check it out: unidentifiable flying object.

Paint the pilot green and you're all set!

 

[VegasAWACER13]

Is that squadron code OF or UF? Either is strange: OF was No. 97 Squadron, which flew bombers, and UF was either No. 622 Squadron (bombers as well) or No. 24 Operational Training Unit.

UF-Q, No 601 Squadron, Italy, summer '44. It was a combat unit. LF Mk IXs that did a lot of ground attack work.

Squadron codes were frequently changed.

 

[Littlemarten]

Check it out: unidentifiable flying object.

View attachment 190955
Paint the pilot green and you're all set!

Or Unfinished Flying Object—no need to paint anything.

 

[VegasAWACER13]

Here's the completed build. These 1/72 Eduard Spits are pretty fun, though I've had two in a row on which the wings were a very tight fit. I was expecting it this time so it made for an easier fix. No other real issues. The PE is nice, though other than the seatbelts and the canopy handle you can't really see much of it. I'll amend that: the PE cockpit armor is nice too. Decals went down beautifully. I had a couple of minor unforced errors in final assembly (pretty much standard for me it seems) but I'm very happy with the completed kit. So cool and unique to see a Spit with a bare metal finish. I may need to do another one in 1/48, though I've got another six Spits in the stash already…

Had a lot of fun with this one. The Mark IX is just such a great looking aircraft. Thanks for looking! LF Mk IXc, No 601 Sqn, Italy, summer 1944.

 

[Edbert]

Why was this plane almost entirely metal-coloured?

I cannot say for this specific aircraft, but it was learned that camouflage added hundreds of pounds of weight, and that hampered performance. Top speed, roll-rate, range, turn-rate, and basically "everything".

 

[Edbert]

The Mark IX is just such a great looking aircraft.

The Mk9 was the quintessential Spitfire in my opinion.

Clearly better that the early marques, and not decisively eclipsed until the Griffon-Engines came out, other than maybe rear visibility.

 

[BarleyBop]

a great looking aircraft

And you more than did it justice! Beautiful job on this one, all around.
Your paint work, despite the small scale, superbe!

 

[Ron2]

Here's the completed build. These 1/72 Eduard Spits are pretty fun, though I've had two in a row on which the wings were a very tight fit. I was expecting it this time so it made for an easier fix. No other real issues. The PE is nice, though other than the seatbelts and the canopy handle you can't really see much of it. I'll amend that: the PE cockpit armor is nice too. Decals went down beautifully. I had a couple of minor unforced errors in final assembly (pretty much standard for me it seems) but I'm very happy with the completed kit. So cool and unique to see a Spit with a bare metal finish. I may need to do another one in 1/48, though I've got another six Spits in the stash already…

Had a lot of fun with this one. The Mark IX is just such a great looking aircraft. Thanks for looking! LF Mk IXc, No 601 Sqn, Italy, summer 1944.View attachment 192807View attachment 192808View attachment 192809View attachment 192810View attachment 192811View attachment 192812

Beautiful metal finish! I've never seen a bare metal spitfire before now I want to do one!

 

[Jakko]

it was learned that camouflage added hundreds of pounds of weight, and that hampered performance.

I know, but that was something the USAAF did, and that was resisted by many units to the extent that they would paint aircraft themselves if those were delivered in bare metal. The British never went in for unpainted planes during the war, which is why this one stands out so much

 

[chip]

Nice work on this one!

 

[VegasAWACER13]

The Mk9 was the quintessential Spitfire in my opinion.

Agreed! Combined the classic lines of the early models with the long nose, four-bladed prop, and symmetrical radiators. And it was still raging at the end of the war.

And you more than did it justice! Beautiful job on this one, all around.
Your paint work, despite the small scale, superbe!

Thank you so much! Very kind.

Beautiful metal finish! I've never seen a bare metal spitfire before now I want to do one!

Thanks! While the bare metal Spits were rare, there are a few others known. One of them is available with the Eduard Mk VIII weekend edition.