Indian Air Force Spitfire Tr.18

[kitbasher]

Remember the old days when the Fujimi Griffon Spits were revered?  Treat them like gold?  Wouldn't dream of chopping them up?

They're long gone - and I'll be using one for this build.  Thanks Lee for resin bits and decals that will make it possible - work begins at the weekend.

[PR19_Kit]

They were the only game in town for a Griffon engined Spit at the time, except for the FROG 'thingie'.

I have a few hidden away in The Loft waiting for a rainy day too.

[kitbasher]

They were the only game in town for a Griffon engined Spit at the time, except for the FROG 'thingie'.

I have a few hidden away in The Loft waiting for a rainy day too.

Indeed they were, Kit.  We're now blessed with numerous Griffon Spitfires and Seafires from numerous sources.

[The Wooksta!]

IIRC, the Ventura ones came out around the same time. More work but vastly better kits.

The Ventura ones are all very accurate, wings can be swapped around with ease and with no added effort.

Kit, if I was you, I'd offload the Fujimi high backs as there is something wrong with them, the fuselage aft of the cockpit just doesn't look right.

[kitbasher]

IIRC, the Ventura ones came out around the same time. More work but vastly better kits.

The Ventura ones are all very accurate, wings can be swapped around with ease and with no added effort.

Kit, if I was you, I'd offload the Fujimi high backs as there is something wrong with them, the fuselage aft of the cockpit just doesn't look right.

Ooh yes forgot the Ventura kits.  Yes very accurate but much harder work than mainstream Griffon Spit kits.

Yeah, bin the Fujimi Spits (the high back ones have a weird hump) and when they're rereleased go for the Sword Mk 14s.

[kitbasher]

The Spitfire Tr.18 is founded in fact.  A two-seat Spitfire was originally concieved as long ago as 1941, but only came to fruition in 1946 with the conversion of F.VIII MT818 into a Tr.8 (Supermarine 502 and later registered G-AIDN).

The Spitfire Tr.9 (Supermarine 509) was the definitive two-seater, seeing limited service with the RNethAF, Indian AF (IAF) and Irish Air Corps.

Supermarine undertook some design work on a two-seater derivative of the FR.18 as the Supermarine 518 (don't know whether there are any drawings somewhere, certainly not in the mighty Shacklady & Morgan tome) but the project came to nought.  Shacklady & Morgan state that during a visit to India in 1949, Jeffrey Quill was informed by the IAF that of the 48 FR.18s on order, the last four were to be built as trainers, but this report cannot be confirmed.

Until now!
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This is my literal cut and paste template for a Tr.18 as used by the Indian Air Force (which in 'real life' operated a fair number of F.18s and FR.18s).  Plastic has been cut - unwanted parts are in the spares box, the original fin/rudder/rear fuselage removed, wings, radiators and carb intake assembled.  The fuselage has been put together ready to be cut down to fit a resin two-seater item courtesy of Wooksta; this needs work to get it to the correct shape, as it's for the Russian two-seat Spit IX aka the Spitfire Mk.IX UTI (AZ Model released a kit of this (AZS7208), sadly not currently in production).  Also the extraneous Mk.14 panels on the wings have been filled in (but not yet cleaned up).

Progress pics:
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What do I know?  I'm just an average whiffer but I can't help that in the Mk.18-based Type 518 Supermarine got their Griffon two-seater wrong.  Different wing structure to prevous marks that would foul up the addition of wing fuel tanks if the trainers were to be armed, as the Mk.18 had a low back and dispensed with the outer .303 machine guns.  IMHO the high back Mk.14 trainer would have been a better contender.  The modifications applied to the Tr.8 and Tr.9 could have been applied - the principle difference being the powerplant.

Never mind, this is Whifworld and I've got round the fuel tank problem.

[Wardukw]

That side profile actually looks very cool..the lines seem just right and even with the later model canopy is doesn't look wrong..I really like that 

[The Wooksta!]

Fuel tanks? Just keep the slipper as standard fit. Worked For Messerschmitt and the 109G-12.

Keep the PR19 intake - compressor for cockpit refrigeration?

[kitbasher]

Fuel tanks? Just keep the slipper as standard fit. Worked For Messerschmitt and the 109G-12.

Keep the PR19 intake - compressor for cockpit refrigeration?

Slipper tank is the plan, PR.19 intake already gone (Indian 14s, 18s and Tr9s didn't have them anyway).

[Tophe]

The Spitfire Tr.18 is founded in fact.  A two-seat Spitfire was originally concieved as long ago as 1941, but only came to fruition in 1946 with the conversion of F.VIII MT818 into a Tr.8

Thanks for the inspiration! I will create such a Mustang two-seater, thanks to you, referring to this topic.
Not a chance that I would win this GB but I would transmit to you the honor... (just a dream)

[kitbasher]

Catch-up time after over a week away from serious GB entry work - and realised today that we're already a month into this GB!

As can be seen from the first picture, the fuselage decking has been removed and the fuselage has been added to the wings.  What isn't apparent is that the carburettor intake, slipper tank and radiators have also been attached.  The fit of parts is generally good, although as is generally well-known the Fujimi kit - being part of a multi-mark series - is a bit of a fiddle.  The very nice Sword kits aren't so bitty, but in 1/72 the Mk 14 and Mk 18 would really benefit from the same treatment Airfix gave the Spitfire F.22.

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Also, the two-seater insert has been reshaped; it'll get more filler when attached to the fuselage (the second photo gives an idea of how it will look), but before then a) the headrests need finishing, b) the interior needs painting, c) the two seats need to be painted, belted and fitted, and d) instrument panels fitted.  Hopefully all done this week so that the insert can be fitted, the back end shortened to match the lower fuselage, and the fin/rudder attached.  Then more PSR ahead of fitting the tailplanes.

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The white plastic tabs sticking out of where the exhausts will eventually go will of course be removed!  They're only there to fill gaps and provide a better foundation to the exhaust stubs when they're fitted.

[NARSES2]

Good to see progress sir 

[kitbasher]

How has a month passed since the last post? 

I realised last week there's only May left to get entries done before this GB ends, and frankly - thanks to various other committments - there's not much of my May available for modelling. 

Anyway, I've been working on the cockpit fairing - seats, instrument panel, a control column - not much but weirdly time consuming with not very much to show for the effort. 

That's all attached now and the replacement tail/rudder has been applied.  Bit of a mess, frankly, with a fair amount of reshaping needed to blend it into the rear fuselage (although tbh the 'step' is the result of slapping filler on to the resin item.  I'm putting it down to my cack-handedness not the parts I had to hand.  PSR is the focus of my attention over the next few days.

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The Aeroclub vacform canopy set I've had in the stash for donkeys will also get some attention.  The rear windscreen/canopy needs some hot water treatment as the windscreen is oddly flat.

[Dizzyfugu]

That's looking chunky! 

As reference/inspiration: I also created a two-seater some moons ago, IIRC from a with a Griffon and extended wing tips, plus a radar pod under one wing. as a night fighter.


1:72 Supermarine Spitfire NF.XX (a.k.a. 'Camelback' and 'Nightfire'); aircraft 'VA-O/NH938G' of the Royal Air Force 125 (Newfoundland) Squadron; Coltishall, early 1945 (Whif/Airfix kit conversion) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The basis is an Airfix Spitfire PR.XIX kit, the second cockpit and the "double bubble" canopy came from an RS Models Spitfire Mk.IX UTI trainer (the section was trans-(implated). I considered the Spitfire TR.IX arrangement, with a stepped bubble canopy, but found that the risen rear cockpit for the instructor would not make sense in a night fighter. The radar pod came wholesale from an F4U night fighter (Fujimi), since the wing installation appeared to me to be the only plausible (and proven) option.

[Tophe]

Congratulations (this is not easy)