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Best in show - Scale Models Wellington IPMS
ScaleModelsWellington.org.nz Connections May 2016 Best in show In this issue: Club News • April Show & Tell Scale models Expo & IPMS NZ NAtionals Special hobby 1/48 Seafire Mk.xv • Build the Same Kit Next meeting: Wednesday 25th May 2016 SCALE MODELS WELLINGTON IPMS Club committee Richard Alexander How to find us Grant Matchett Scale Models Wellington meets on the last Wednesday of every month execpt December, at the Petone Working Men’s Club, Udy Street, Petone. Meetings start at 7.30pm and finish around 9.30pm. Kevin Trew Find us online Sean Marsh Bruce Patchett (treasurer@scalemodelswellington.org.nz) Will Vale Peter White (editor@scalemodelswellington.org.nz) (president@scalemodelswellington.org.nz) You can reach the committee easily via email - the executive email addresses are listed above, and you can contact the whole committee using: • scalemodelswellington.org.nz • facebook.com/groups/scalemodelswellington • flickr.com/groups/scalemodelswellington • groups.yahoo.com/scalemodelswellingtonipms • contact@scalemodelswellington.org.nz Contributions We welcome article submissions, tips, and small ads - please email your text and accompanying images to the editor at: • editor@scalemodelswellington.org.nz The submission deadline for each month’s issue is the second Tuesday of the same month. Images should be high quality, high resolution JPEGs. You don’t need to spend time formatting your text, but you must credit your sources for text, data and images. Please make sure you have permission to use any images which you do not own. Disclaimer Connections is published monthly for members of Scale Models Wellington IPMS Incorporated, and associated organisations. Opinions expressed in a newsletter article are solely those of the article’s author and do not necessarily reflect the policy and the rules of Scale Models Wellington IPMS Incorporated. The editor reserves the right not to publish material which may bring Scale Models Wellington IPMS Incorporated into disrepute, and may edit copy to fit the newsletter. Anonymous, abusive or offensive material will not be published. Articles published in this newsletter may be republished if the source and author are acknowledged. Contents 3 Club News 6 April Show & Tell - work in progress 4 7 19 21 April Show & Tell - Finished Models Scale Models Expo & IPMS Nationals Special Hobby 1/48 Seafire Mk.XV Build the Same Kit Front cover: 1/32 DH-88 - Eric Galliers (IPMS NZ Nationals best in show) 1/8 Alfa Romeo Monza 2300 - Jo Martin (Scale Models Expo best in show) Back cover: 1/12 Mike’s Motors - Marij Parris (Peoples’ Choice winner) All photos: Will Vale 2 Club News Events calendar • May 25 BSK voting • July 27 Club meeting • • June 29 August 31 Club meeting BSK judging Juniors You have some great BSK options this year - the 1/700 Fujimi Lexington, 1/72 Hasegawa F-15 Eagle, and 1/48 Airfix Warrior. You have plenty of upcoming sessions to work on your BSK projects too, so we hope to see lots of entries at the end of August. • June 4 BSK building and priming • Aug 6 BSK painting and finishing. • • July 2 Aug 31 BSK priming and painting BSK judging and prize giving. If you can’t make it to a meeting, please let Ray know as soon as possible. You can reach him on: Email: thorpe.wellington@gmail.com Phone: 04 461 7261 AGM The delayed AGM was held at the May club meeting, many thanks for turning up and supporting the club. Rachel and Grant Porter have stepped down and we have a new committee for 2016: Richard Alexander Sean Marsh Grant Matchett Bruce Patchett Treasurer Kevin Trew Will Vale Editor Peter White President Special thanks are due to Rachel and Grant for their efforts over the past few years, the new committee for stepping up, and Grant Matchett for covering secretarial duties in the interim. We are still looking for someone to take over the role of Secretary on a permanent basis - please get in touch if you think you might be up for this. Build the same kit (BSK) We’ll be voting on BSK subjects at the May meeting and you can start building straight after that. See the list of nominations elsewhere in this issue for details. 3 April Show & Tell - Finished Models PhotoS: Peter White 1/51 AMT TIE Fighters - Sam Hall 1/48 Hasegawa Voyager - Sam Hall 1/350 Aoshima Thunderbird 1 - Malcolm Thomas Non-scale Hasegawa Macross YF-19 - Malcolm Thomas 4 1/48 Hasegawa Seafire Mk 1B - Mike Regan 1/600 Airfix Ark Royal - Chris Velvin 1/48 Airfix Seafire Mk XVII - Mike Regan 5 April Show & Tell - work in progress PhotoS: Peter White 1/8 Pocher Alfa Romeo - Jo Martin 6 Scale models Expo & IPMS NZ NAtionals Will Vale We held our Scale Models Expo and the IPMS Nationals over ANZAC weekend at the end of April, and it felt like a big hit with the public judging by the enthusiastic feedback we received on both days. We had at least 1400 members of the public visit the show, and 99 modellers from Scale Models Wellington and further afield entered models in the two competitions. Thanks to all of you for helping make it a success! Now we can start planning for 2018... Thanks Extra-special thanks are due to our sponsors: Holdson and Airfix donated kits and catalogues for the “kids build a kit” activity, and Trevor Bringans Ltd. provided gift card spot prizes for both juniors and adults. In addition Acorn Models and Wingnut Wings sponsored several competition categories and helped us provide trophies and certificates to the winners. We would also very much like to thank the following organisations and individuals: • • • • • • • • • • Traders from the Wellington area, around the country, and even overseas! Thanks to Acorn Models, Belmont Models, Modelcrafts and Hobbies, OldModels Decals, Tinkering Tools and of course Wingnut Wings for your support. Mike Butler for giving up his weekend to demonstrate his amazing figure-painting skills. Mike Regan and his team of judges, who had an even harder task than usual with two competitions to handle. Rex Barker for donating some interesting kits for kids to take away on the Sunday. Ray Thorpe and the A-team for organising and running the wildly popular “kids build a kit” activities. Out-of-towners, some of whom travelled a long way to enter their models, and also all the club members who entered models. Club members who gave up their time on the Friday and over the weekend to help set up, run and break down the show. Parents and guardians of our Junior members, and the Juniors themselves for demonstrating the hobby to the public. Excel Digital and the Expressions Centre for their services. And finally the club committee and Expo sub-committee for their organisational efforts in advance of the show and on the day. Thankyou all! Numbers We had 198 entries from 53 entrants in the Scale Models Expo public competition, and 214 entries from 46 entrants in the IPMS NZ Nationals. Kevin Trew was the most prolific modeller by quite a margin, with 33 entries in total, followed by Will Vale with 27 and Michael Rohde with 19. Scale Models Expo 2016 public competition results Class A - Aircraft CategoryPlacingModellerEntry A11Grant PorterKaman SH-2F Seasprite ‘RNZAF’ A12Ray ThorpeRNZAF Catalina A13Bruce PatchettF-4U Corsair A21Brent CooperCurtiss F8C-4 Helldiver A2 2 Craig Sargent Spitfire IIb, 65 Squadron, RAF, 1941 A23Kevin TrewHawker Typhoon 1B A2 HC Grant Porter BAE Jetstream 31 ‘Air Ambulance’ A2HCAndrew ConnorCurtiss Hawk 81-A-2 A2HCAndrew ConnorBF110 C-4 A31Alan SannazzaroF/A-18F Super Hornet A3 2 Craig Sargent F-16A Netz, Operation Opera, IDF/AF, 1981 7 Class A - Aircraft (continued) CategoryPlacingModellerEntry A33Aran LudlowF/A-18D A3HCKevin TrewEnglish Electric Lightning F6 A3HCKevin TrewF-35A A41Chris ShannonVought F4U-1A A4 2 Craig Sargent Hurricane IIC, Kings Cup Air Race, 1950 A43Gary FowkesLuftwaffe FW190A4 A4HCKevin TrewP-39Q Airacobra A51Brett SharmanHS129 A52Kevin TrewP-38J Lightning A53Gary FowkesBristol Beaufighter Mk VI A6 1 (best in class) Craig Sargent AV-8B Harrier II+, VMA-231, USMC, Iraq 2011 A6 2 Craig Sargent OA-4M Skyhawk, H&MS-12, USMC, 1990 A6 3 Gary Fowkes RAF Phantom FGR Mk2 A71Bruce AdamRoland CIIa Late A72Graham BirdBristol A73Ernie ThompsonBF109 Trop A7 HC Hasitha Mananwatte Hawker Typhoon - MR-U A7HCErnie ThompsonFW190A A81Ernie ThompsonRF4C Phantom A9 1 Craig Sargent AH-1F Tzefa, Northern Cobra Squadron, IDF/AF A9 2 Grant Porter United States Coastguard HH-60J Jayhawk A101Kevin TrewB2 A102Kevin TrewMig-15 A103Kevin TrewTornado “Tiger meet” A10HCKevin TrewA90 Orlyonok A10 HCKevin TrewMV22B Osprey Class B - Military Vehicles CategoryPlacingModellerEntry B1 1 (best NZ) Kevin Trew Staghound Mk 1 B21Ewan ForbesM10 Achilles B22Leighton LittlewoodChallenger MkII B23Lance WhitfordPanzerjager Fedinand B2HCRay ThorpeSturmtiger B3 1 (best in class) Bruce Adam Sherman M4A3E8 B32Bruce AdamPzkwII Ausft VK1601 B33Lance WhitfordM-10 Gun Motor Carriage 8 Class B - Military Vehicles (continued) CategoryPlacingModellerEntry B3HCRay ThorpeChurchill AFV Petard B3HCLeighton LittlewoodM-26 B41Leighton LittlewoodIDF M577 B42Ray ThorpeM1A1 Abrahams B43Leighton LittlewoodM981 FISTV B5 1 Leighton Littlewood SAS Landrover Pink Panther B5 2 Andrew Connor SAS Recon Pink Panther B5 3 Selwyn Jaquiery German Horch Kfz.15 ‘North African Campaign’ B61Bruce Adam21cm Morser 18 B6 2 Leighton Littlewood 88mm AA Gun B63Bruce AdamPak 44 Krupp B71David Andrewsd.kfz 234/2 Puma B72Kevin TrewBradley M3 B73Ewan ForbesSaladin Class C - Civilian Vehicles CategoryPlacingModellerEntry C11Grant MatchettMorgan 4/4 C12Paul Scadden1998 Mazda MX5 C2 1 (best in class Jo Martin Alfa Romeo Monza 2300 1932 & best in show) C2 2 Paul Scadden 1923 Fuel Altered - Wild Willie Borsch C2 3 Paul Scadden 1989 Top Fuel Dragster - Gary Ormsby C31Paul EdwardsFerrari Testarossa C32Kevin TrewBedford OLBD C33Grant MatchettMini Cooper C4 1 Paul Scadden 1932 Ford 3 Window Coupe C42Paul Scadden1932 Ford B400 C4 3 Paul Scadden 1957 Chevrolet Street Machine C5 1 Paul Scadden 2013 McLaren MP4 - 12C GT3 C5 2 Paul Scadden 1970 Plymouth ‘Cuda’ - Billy the Kid C53Nic ZwartJaguar XJR-9LM C5HCChris ShannonBMW 320i C61Kevin TrewHonda NSR250 2001 C62Reon WebsterAces Wild Chopper C7 1 David Andrew Ford Fiesta RS WRC 2012 C72Tony WoodDodge Charger 9 Class C - Civilian Vehicles (continued) CategoryPlacingModellerEntry C81Glen BurrellMack Superliner C82Glen BurrellWesternstar C83Glen BurrellInter Lonestar Class D - Dioramas CategoryPlacingModellerEntry D1 1 (best in class) Leighton Littlewood SdKfz 234 Puma D12Lance WhitfordFrance 1944 D1 3 David Coulthard Roland CII - Engine Change Class E - Ships and submarines CategoryPlacingModellerEntry E1 1 (best in class) Graham Bird HMS Monmouth E12Chris VelvinHMS Ark Royal E13Ray ThorpeHMS Iron Duke E31Kevin TrewTrafalgar class Class F - Figures CategoryPlacingModellerEntry F1 1 Richard Conway NZ Infantry man, Italy 1944 F2 1 (best in class) Darren Lyttle Legionary 3rd Century AD F22Will ValeStormcast Eternal Liberator F23Reon WebsterTreeman F41Leighton LittlewoodSS Officer Class G - Sci-Fi, collections and miscellaneous CategoryPlacingModellerEntry G11Craig SargentDarth Vader’s TIE Advanced X1 G12Will ValeMartian Fighting Machine G13Dave JohnsonX-Wing G1HCWill ValeSpace Cruiser Murasame Type G1HCWill ValeSpace Assualt Destroyer Isokaze Type G1HCDave JohnsonTIE Fighters G1HCWill ValeBaldwin Steam Tanks G1 HC Stacy Hay MSZ-006C1 Zeta plus C1 G2 1 (best in class) Kevin Trew R2-D2 G22Kevin TrewR5-D4 G23Kevin TrewBig Boy Locomotive G31Sam HallRNZAF P-51 Mustangs G3 2 Stacy Hay Black Sun Dragon Space Marines 10 Class G - Sci-Fi, collections and miscellaneous (continued) CategoryPlacingModellerEntry G33Paul Scadden1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt Class J - Juniors CategoryPlacingModellerEntry J11Shaquile McCoolSupermarine Spitfire Mk22 J12Madeleine MillsP-40 J13Eric VaclavekF4F-4 Wildcat J1HCShaquile McCoolJ2M3 Raiden J1HCMadeleine MillsStuka J2 1 (best junior) Shaquile McCool Pzkwfg III Ausf J (late model) J22Madeleine MillsTiger J23Monty DavidsonM47 Paton J2 HC Shaquile McCool GMC 2 1/2 ton truck J2 HC Samuel Van Der Zwaag M3A1 Halftrack J2HCEric VaclavekSupacat Jackal J31Shaquile McCoolRed Baron J41Emily Rose HayTIE Interceptor J42Laura ValeYokai Watch Cat collection J43Shaquile McCoolF4U-1 Corsair J5 1 Samuel Van Der Zwaag “Life on a farm” J5 2 Samuel Van Der Zwaag “Taking off from Lakenheath” J71Shaquile McCoolSS Soldier J81Eric VaclavekEscort Carrier Bogue J82Shaquile McCoolShimakazi J83Harrison Taylor Vosper MTB IPMS (NZ) Nationals 2016 results Class A - Aircraft CategoryPlacingModellerEntry A21Will ValeTiger Moth G-ACDC A2 2 Brent Cooper Gloster Galdiator J-8 - Swedish Volunteers A2 3 Michael Rohde Heinkel He 70 G 1 A2 HC Michael Rohde Dornier Do 17 Z A2 HC Michael Rohde Heinkel He 51 A A2 HC Michael Rohde Aichi E 13 A1 with Type 2-5 Catapult A2 HC Michael Rohde Hawker Hurricane MK 1 (early) A2HCMichael RohdeJunkers Ju 52 11 Class A - Aircraft (continued) CategoryPlacingModellerEntry A2HCSam HallHawker Hurricane 1 A3 1 Craig Sargent Tornado IDS, 6o Storma 154o Gruppo, Italy, 2007 A32Mark Robson Gloster Meteor A33Aaron LudlowF/A-18C Hornet A3HCWill ValeMiG-15SB A3HCAaron LudlowF/A-18E Super Hornet A41Brett SharmanF-4F Wildcat A42Brett SharmanP-40 A43Brett SharmanHawker Typhoon A4HCMichael RohdeFiat CR 42 ‘Falco’ A51Gary FowkesLuftwaffe Donier DO-217 A52Michael RohdeMitsubishi KI 46-III ‘Dinah’ A5 3 Michael Rohde North American B25 PBY Mitchell A61Brett SharmanF-84G A62Brett SharmanF-5F A63Mark Robson SAAB Viggen A7 1 (best in class & best in show) Eric Galliers De Havilland DH-88 Comet A72Brett SharmanKi-84 A73Peter WhiteRoland CII A7HCPeter WhiteNorth American P-51D A7HCMichael RohdeSeversky P 35 A7 HC Michael Rohde Nakajima KI 27 ‘Nate’ (with Pilot) A7HCPeter WhiteRoland VIB A81Peter WhiteF/A-18B Hornet RAAF 1989 A82Eric GalliersDouglas A-4G Skyhawk A8 3 Peter White MDD F-4J (UK) 74Sqn RAF A91Will ValeWestland Wessex HU.5 A92Kevin TrewMH7 Chinook A101Peter WhiteMitsubishi A6M2 Zero A10 2 Hasitha Mananwatte De Havilland Mosquito Class B - Military vehicles CategoryPlacingModellerEntry B11Kevin TrewM113 Fitter B12Collin HefferSherman Dozer B13Ewan ForbesM10 12 Class B - Military vehicles (continued) CategoryPlacingModellerEntry B21Ray ThorpeTiger 1 Early B22Lance WhitfordKV-1e B23Gary FowkesBritish WW1 Male Tank B2 HC Gary Fowkes Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf.E Sd.Kfz. 181 (Tiger 1) B3 1 (best in class) Collin Heffer Panther B32Ray ThorpeM4A3 Sherman Pacific Theatre B33Will ValeMark IV Male Tank B41Ray ThorpeIraqi T-55 Enigma B42Will ValeCV9040B B6 1 Sean Marsh Quad Tractor & 25pr x Lumber B71Kevin TrewChallenger Class C - Civilian vehicles CategoryPlacingModellerEntry C11Nic ZwartScania R730 Cabover C12Nic ZwartVolvo Rigid Truck C1 3 Nic Zwart Scania R620 B-Train Radio Control C21Paul EdwardsLotus 49 C22Kevin TrewMcLaren MP4-25 C23Kevin TrewMcLaren M23 C31Mark StockdaleMercedes-McLaren SLR C3 2 Mark Stockdale Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider C33Mark StockdalePorsche 911 Turbo C3HCMark StockdaleFerrari 575M Maranello C5 1 Grant Matchett Lancia Delta Rally Car C52Grant MatchettMitsubishi Lancer Evo6T C53Grant MatchettSubaru Impreza WRC C6 1 (best in class) Paul Edwards Honda NSR250 C62Kevin TrewKawasaki ZX14 C71Kevin TrewFerrari 250 Testa Rossa C72Kevin TrewFord Woody C73Kevin TrewVW Beetle C81Nic ZwartBedford Tipper C82Jamie LarnScania 142 w/Canvas Trailer C83Jamie LarnVolvo Cabover C8HCTony Wood1914 Dennis Fire Truck 13 Class D - Dioramas CategoryPlacingModellerEntry D1 1 (best in class) David Andrew The SpyMasters Tryst - Cyrenaica, March 1942 D12Will ValeTanis 1937 D1 3 (public choice) Marij Parris Mikes Motors Class E - Ships and submarines CategoryPlacingModellerEntry E11Peter RandallHMS Queen Mary E12Peter RandallHMS Milne E13Peter RandallUSS Cushing DO797 E2 1 (best in class) Will Vale Schnellboot S-204 ‘Lang’ E22Peter RandallLCT MK4 E23John DarlingtonHMNZS Southland E2 HC Gary Fowkes Protected Cruiser - YSS Olympia E31Will ValeShinkai 6500 DSV E32Hasitha MananwatteType VIIc U-Boat E33Will ValeU-boat type VIIB Class F - Figures CategoryPlacingModellerEntry F1 1 (best in class & best NZ) F1 2 Andy Cairns ANZAC Charge, 1915 Richard Conway NZ Infantry man with Tommy Gun - 2NZEF, Italy 1942 F13Richard ConwayNZ Bren Gunner Waiouru F21Will ValeKhorgos Khul F22Will ValeSpirit Host F23Darren LyttleSignifer F2HCWill ValeDark Angels Terminator Squad F2HCWill ValeStormcast Eternal Prosecutor F2HCWill ValeTyranid Haruspex F31Will ValeOld Father Elm F32Will ValeDrone Sniper F3 3 Richard Conway German Elite Infantry man Class G - Sci-Fi, Collections and miscellaneous CategoryPlacingModellerEntry G11Will ValeColonial Viper Mark One G1 2 Gary Fowkes Maschinen Krieger - Ma.K Lum-168 Camel G1 3 Will Vale Gunship from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind G2 1 Peter White RAAF Mirage IIIO Control Column Grip 14 Class G - Sci-Fi, Collections and miscellaneous CategoryPlacingModellerEntry G22Peter WhiteBR52 Steam Locomotive G23Rachel PorterR5-D4 Droid ‘Star Wars’ G3 1 (best in class) Grant Matchett Ford GT40s G32Grant PorterF-16 Parking only Class J - Juniors CategoryPlacingModellerEntry J1 1 Shaquile McCool Supermarine Spitfire Mk 1A J1 2Eric VaclavekBAE Hawk T MK1 J1 3Eric VaclavekHawker Typhoon MK.1B J1 HCCharlotte HallP-40B J1 HC Samuel van der Zwaag Hawker Typhoon 1B J2 1 (best junior) Shaquile McCool T-34-85 ‘Rudy’ J22Fergal O’ConnellKV2 J23Fergal O’ConnellSupacat Jackal J2HCShaquile McCoolM1A1 Abrams ‘Iraq 2003’ J2 HC Shaquile McCool Pzkfwg II Ausf E J2HCFergal O’ConnellM48 Patton J2HCFergal O’ConnellMk1 Male Tank J41Charlotte HallR5-D4 J42Charlotte HallR2-D2 J61Fergal O’ConnellSpace Marine Captain J62Nevan O’ConnellCustom Stormcast Eternal J63Nevan O’ConnellNecron Warrior J6HCNevan O’ConnellChaos Chosen J81Harrison TaylorAdmiral Graf Spee J8 2 Samuel van der Zwaag Bismark J8 3 Eric Vaclavek Italian Heavy Cruiser Pola (1941) J8 HC Samuel van der Zwaag Vosper Motor Torpedo Boat In conclusion Congratulations to the winners, particularly Jo Martin who won Best in Show in the Expo Public Competition with his superdetailed large scale Alfa Romeo, and Eric Galliers who achieved the same feat in the IPMS (NZ) Nationals with his superb DH-88. And we shouldn’t forget Marij Parris whose Mike’s Motors diorama won the Peoples’ Choice award by a country mile! Images of almost every winning model can be found in our Flickr group - feel free to add your own pictures from the Expo too: • flickr.com/groups/scalemodelswellington If you entered a model but didn’t win, don’t be disheartened. For one thing there’s always next time, and for another you can be sure that the public visiting the show will have loved seeing it on display. Please keep on building and painting and we’ll see you again in 2018! 15 Expo best in class A - AV-8B Harrier II+ - Craig Sargent Expo best in class B - Alfa Romeo Monza 2300 - Jo Martin Expo best in class E - HMS Monmouth - Graham Bird Expo best in class G - R2-D2 - Kevin Trew Expo best in class B - Sherman M4A3E8 - Bruce Adam Expo best in class D - SdKfz 234 Puma- Leighton Littlewood Expo best in class F - Legionary 3rd century AD - Darren Lyttle Expo best Junior - PzKpfw III Ausf J - Shaquile McCool 16 Nationals best in class A - DH-88 - Eric Galliers Nationals best in class C - Honda NSR250 - Paul Edwards Nationals best in class E - Schnellboot S-204 - Will Vale Nationals best in class G - GT40 Collection - Grant Matchett Nationals best in class B - Panther - Collin Heffer Nationals best in class D - Spymasters Tryst - David Andrew Nationals best in class F & best NZ - ANZAC Charge - Andy Cairns Nationals best Junior - T34-85 “Rudy” - Shaquile McCool 17 Some more Expo and Nationals winners... 18 Special hobby 1/48 Seafire Mk.xvMike Regan Background “Seafire”: An elegant contraction of the official name “Sea Spitfire”. The Seafire Mk.XV was the first Seafire with a Griffon engine to enter Fleet service. The type is often regarded as the “worst” of the wartime Seafires, because the poor deck handling of the Merlin Seafires was exacerbated by the big Griffon engine which turned in the opposite direction to the Merlin - the basic airframe was rigged to counteract the torque of the Merlin and this remained unchanged with the Seafire XV – and the much enlarged nose also made the poor visibility of the earlier Seafires even more of a problem. That said, performance where it counted, in the air, was vastly improved over the already excellent performance of the Seafire Mk.III and the perennial problem of the chronic short range of the Seafire was at last addressed with the introduction of a proper centreline drop tank. Despite its handicaps and the type being grounded fleet-wide not long after its introduction into service because of a fault with the clutch of the supercharger impeller (this was rapidly fixed) the type would have fully replaced the Seafire III in the squadrons of the British Pacific Fleet if the war with Japan had gone on into 1946 and eventually the Seafire XV would see service with no less than twelve front-line and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve units and twenty-eight second-line units as well as the Royal Canadian Navy, French Aeronavale and (in hybrid form) the Union of Burma. Often referred to as a naval version of the Spitfire Mk.XII, the Seafire XV was in fact a highly modified Seafire III, with the big Griffon VI under bonnet turning a four-blade prop, the wing overflow tanks from a Spitfire Mk.IX and the tail unit with retracting tail wheel from a Spitfire Mk.VIII – a real mix-and-match job! The first fifty or so were built by Cunliffe-Owen and featured the A-frame arrester hook as found on earlier Seafires along with with the standard Spitfire Mk.VIII style rudder, albeit with an extended chord trim tab to try to alleviate a directional stability issue. Subsequent production Seafire XV’s built by Cunliffe-Owen and Westlands discarded the A-frame arrestor hook in favour of a “stinger” hook at the base of a much enlarged rudder. Some 380 Seafire XV’s were built in total. The first unit to take on the Seafire XV was 802 Naval Air Squadron which had re-formed in May 1945 with a mix of Seafire Mk. LIIIs and the new Seafire XV. The squadron was fully equipped with the Seafire XV by August and preparing to embark on H.M.S. Queen for service with the British Pacific Fleet when the war ended. The second unit to form on the Seafire XV was 805 NAS aboard H.M.S. Ocean; she was in the Mediterranean when all Seafire XV’s were grounded with the aforementioned fault with the Griffon VI supercharger. This was swiftly put right and the engine went on to give years of reliable service and also power the Seafire F.17. 19 The Kit There have been two injection-moulded kits released of the Seafire Mk.XV in 1/48th scale; Hobbycraft was the first back in the early 1990s and this has been released in a number of boxings. The kit itself is not wonderful, being based on the old Otaki/Arii Spitfire Mk.VIII with all that kit’s faults plus some new and exciting faults added in by Hobbycraft! The Special Hobby kit first appeared around three years ago and has been released in two boxings; one with markings for the British Pacific Fleet (BPF) and one with markings for the French Aeronavale. The kit has also been reboxed by Revell Germany, albeit without the photo-etch fret of the Special Hobby originals. This kit also has markings for the BPF. Typical of Special Hobby kits, it is a short-run injection moulded kit with the above-mentioned photo-etch parts which provide for the instrument panel, seat harness, canopy latch and rudder pedal straps. Unlike the earlier Special Hobby kits of the Seafire II and Seafire III, the fuselage reinforcing plates are moulded into the new fuselage and not provided as self-adhesive strips. One can build either an early Seafire XV with the A-frame hook and orginal rudder or the main production aircraft with the big rudder and stinger tail-hook. If building the early aircraft, surgery is required to fit the insert for the A-frame hook into the lower rear fuselage. Construction is pretty straightforward, allowing for the usual fit and fiddle issues of a limited run kit and no major difficulties were encountered with my first Seafire, which was built with the stinger tail hook. The second was a bit more involved as this was built in the early configuration with the A-frame hook and surprise, surprise... the fit of the insert into the cavity under the rear fuselage was not good – cue lashings of thick superglue and “technical modelling terms”. Once this was dealt with and all joints cleaned up, things moved quickly to the painting stage. One thing I did find with the second Seafire was that the canopy really only fits well when opened and slid back with the port fuselage cockpit access panel also open. I had decided to close up this model to show off the lines of the model and the colour scheme. The result was a poorly fitting canopy and access panel which still don’t look entirely “right”. My first Seafire XV is finished in the wartime Temperate Sea Scheme of Extra Dark Sea Grey, Dark Slate Grey and Sky. The big propellor spinner is Roundel Blue with a thin White band. The markings are for Seafire XV SW768 “114/Y” embarked on H.M.S. Glory in August 1946 on her Australian tour. The wartime colours lingered for a number of years after WW2 and even postwar types such as the Blackburn Firebrand TF.5 can be seen finished in this scheme. A new scheme with the catchy name of “Pattern No.1” was introduced in September 1945 and consisted of Extra Dark Sea Grey over Sky with the demarcation between the colours low on the fuselage. The more attractive “Pattern No.2” was introduced in August 1946 with the same colours, but with the demarcation much higher up on the fuselage; at least one Seafire XV has been photographed in this scheme but still wearing the wartime British Pacific Fleet markings! Seafire XV no.2 is finished in the postwar Pattern No.2 scheme , this time though with French Aeronavale markings; the unit being Escadrille de Servitude 54.S at Hyères, near Toulon. The Seafire XV was assigned to frontline units in the Aeronavale, but with the arrival of ex-U.S. Navy Hellcats and Bearcats it quickly ended up in training units. The aircraft still carried it’s British serial SR520 under the wings and on the rear fuselage in the standard style along with full French markings, add in that big yellow spinner and all this makes for quite a colourful model. This is in the “early” configuration with that A-frame hook and original rudder with extended trim tab. I’ve quite enjoyed building these two little beasties and they look nice alongside my other Seafires; there is one more Seafire XV in the stash and I must say that I’m warming to the idea of a Canadian one – watch this space! 20 Build the Same Kit BSK is coming! Here’s the list of BSK nominations, mostly using your suggestions. We’ve added a couple of things and removed others that were unavailable or a bit complicated for the three months of building time. We’ll hold a vote at the May meeting - any kit from this list that at least four people want to build will be eligible for the BSK. If you can’t make it to the meeting you can vote by proxy - just ask a member of the committee beforehand. This year there are some additional incentives to get you building - all will be revealed on the night! The nominations 1/32 Aircraft • Wingnut Wings Hansa Brandenberg W.12 (Early) 1/48 Aircraft • • • Airfix Boulton Paul Defiant (new tool kit only) Airfix Folland Gnat/Red Arrows Gnat (new tool kits only) Accurate Miniatures SBD Dauntless (or reboxes from Academy, Eduard, Italeri) 1/72 Aircraft • • Airfix Fokker Eindecker E.II (late) Airfix Sea King HC.4 (new tool kits only) 1/35 Military Vehicles • Takom Chieftain tank (any version) • Meng Whippet tank 1/48 Military Vehicles • Airfix Albion refueller Civilian Vehicles • 1/24 Aoshima McLaren F1 GTR Longtail Ships • 1/72 Airfix RAF Rescue Launch Sci-Fi • • 1/144 Bandai Millenium Falcon 1/12 Bandai Star Wars figure (any) Miscellaneous • Egg planes/Cute planes (any) 21 Now go and build something! People’s Choice
