Question for the Spitfire Experts

[olemanjoe]

Hi Spitfire experts

Here's hoping you could tell me what is needed to convert the new Airfix MkIX spit into a MkVIII?

I have two of these new MkIX's and I am building one OOB, the other I am hoping to do a MkVIII in RAAF markings.

The few things I know are:

1. New retractable tail wheel and doors

2. Pointy rudder

Did I miss anything?

1. Do i sand off the bumps inboard of the slim gun cowls? Is that something i leave on for a MkIX?

2. Do i modify/shorten the ailerons?

Thanks in advance for any advice...!

cheers!

[peebeep]

Mk VIII's are not straightforward and you really need a reference for the specific machine you intend to portray to be certain.

Retractable tail wheel.

Rudder could be standard or extended chord (pointy).

Carb intake could be short or long.

'C' wing with short aileron (IIRC).

Long span wing is possible.

No wheel bulges.

peebeep

[Britaholic]

Hi, not an expert but I think peepbeep has pretty much nailed it there, plus wing leading edge tanks, and different elevators but as usual with Spitfires they did evolve through the production run so checking references is important.

Cheers

Den

[olemanjoe]

Mk VIII's are not straightforward and you really need a reference for the specific machine you intend to portray to be certain.

Retractable tail wheel.

Rudder could be standard or extended chord (pointy).

Carb intake could be short or long.

'C' wing with short aileron (IIRC).

Long span wing is possible.

No wheel bulges.

peebeep

Thats great peebeep! Its a good start!

What do you mean abt the 'Long span wing'? Are you refering to the elongated tips?

Cheers!

[olemanjoe]

Hi, not an expert but I think peepbeep has pretty much nailed it there, plus wing leading edge tanks, and different elevators but as usual with Spitfires they did evolve through the production run so checking references is important.

Cheers

Den

Hi Den! Thanks! What do you by 'wing leading edge tanks'? Is that a visible feature where i'd have to scribe new panel lines onto the wing or something?

Thanks!

[Edgar]

By the time of the introduction of the VIII, Spitfires were finished in smooth paints, and all of the rivet "divots," and panel lines, back to the line of the wingspar, were filled, smoothed, and primed, so the only visible part is likely to be the tank filling points.

In several ways, the VIII was identical to the IX, e.g. the fuselage was entirely flush riveted from June, 1943; increased horn-balance elevators from September, 1943; pointed (aka "Mk.XII") rudders from February, 1944. No torque-link u/c legs before June, 1944.

Edgar

[agboak]

Initially the Mk.VIII was intended to have the extended wingtips as standard, and these can be seen on early examples in Italy and India. However, low-level combat showed that the wing root stresses were too high, and the tips were replaced except where high-altitude performance was required. The majority of the Mk.VIIIs had the "low altitude" Merlin 66 instead of the "high altitude" Merlin 63, indicating a general lack of interest in high altitiude operation.

[Grant in West Oz]

Just a guide diagram for when you modify the wing.

and a photo.

I've sorted a few Otaki/Arii Spitties using these as a guide. Note, the VIII didn't have 0.50" machine guns, always cannon inboard and 4x 0.303". Always with the narrow gun feed blister.

G

[agboak]

Nice picture. Note the kink in the walkway boundary near the leading edge, and what may be the filler cap outboard?

[Grant in West Oz]

The jog covers the inner tank seam. That is the filler cap, it's the highest point of the tank.

I don't know what happened to the Oscar, but that Spitfire flies.

Did anyone spot the anomalous exhaust?

G

[Tim Prosser]

Indeed it does fly, and it does so with my windscreen donated to its restoration in 1985.

That's IPMS NSW president Gus Obarzanek sitting in the mock-up I built around it. Modellers might take note of the heavy cast frame of the internal armoured glass, which no kits ever include. Even the new Tamiya 1/32 kit has missed it!

The anomalous exhaust stubs are still in place from the days when the aircraft was part of the Sid Marshal collection. The Oscar was also eventually restored and even once became airborne for a few seconds during a fast taxi run in New Zealand...unintentionally, I'm sure! I visited the location in the above picture in 1980 and photographed the Oscar. I still have the negatives somewhere. I recall that it was peppered with bullet holes!

[Edgar]

There are a couple of points, regarding that wing drawing:- first, the XII never carried the wing l/e tanks, and the VII, VIII, & XII never had the "E" armament. There were plans, as late as mid-1944, for the VIII to carry four cannon, either the standard, or short-barreled Mk.V version, with .5" m/g as an alternative in one of the bays, but it never seems to have come to pass. There are drawings of the layout, in the RAF Museum's library, including the two-bulge (rather than the single, which is always accepted as "normal") cannon-bay cover. So far, I've been unable to find a photo of this cover, which, allegedly, went into production from 15-12-43, just before the single-blister door went onto the V & IX, in January, 1944. With the VIII being introduced around April, 1942, it's entirely possible that the first airframes had the same broad bulge as the early IX, but, again, photos are scarce, to non-existent.

Edgar

[agboak]

There was at least one Mk.VIII with four cannon, in Australia. Suppopsedly for shooting down Dinahs, although I'd have thought the extra weight counter-productive. I've rather assumed it would have one of the original broad bulges, off a Mk.Vc.