Supermarine Spitfire F Mk.22
Comments
23 22 January 2023, 19:16
MariusVery interesting topic, following. I also have the exact same aircraft and topic in plan together with an Egyptian one in High Speed Silver (as delivered).
By the way, I mananged to gather some more information over the years about the Syrian Spitfires in case it migh be of interest to anyone.
The Syrian Spitfire Mk.22s were delivered in 1950 directly from RAF storage and arrived in Syria in the known High Speed Silver colour on top of which the SyAAF insignia with the green contour was applied. It is not entirely clear how long (years?) they have flown like this and when exactly they received the camouflage painting (sand with olive drab). The Spitfires were used as trainers until at least 1957 and were retired again in storage in Syria.
After Syria left the UARAF in late 1961, Egypt took away also most of the trainer aircraft stationed in Syria. The SyAAF being reconstructed again was facing major issues training new pilots due to the lack of trainer aircraft. Therefore the Spitfires were taken out of storage, overhauled and pushed back into service in 1962 even as advanced (!!) trainers.
The reference photograph you have in your project cover is from the late 1960's and it represents an abandoned, derelict airframe. There were several other abandoned Syrian Spitfires aligned in the open at that military air base (where this photograph was taken). Some people say there are more photographs of those abandoned Spitfires somwhere, but I have never seen them so far. I have seen 2 more photographs of these Spitfires from the mid 1950's, but they're of terrible quality and you can't really distinguish any meaningful detail.
1 February 2023, 21:32
Tomislav MartanHi Marius,
thank you very much for interesting details about history of Syrian Spitfires.
Yes, the problem is that there is no useful photos (from modeller's point of view), especially of camouflaged aircraft.
Did you manage to find some closer references for paints used?
2 February 2023, 09:44
CuajeteThanks for the info, Marius. Just I want to make a metallic Egyptian Spit, but I hardly have any information 👍
Nice panel, Tomislav!
2 February 2023, 13:15
CuajeteŁukasz, I can't miss your Spit. Especially if it is a vacuformed or resin kit 😛
2 February 2023, 18:40
Łukasz GlińskiNone of it, the very same new Airfix is waiting in my stash to be built OOB 😋
2 February 2023, 19:01
Tomislav MartanThanks. However, painting revealed visibility of some mistakes I'll have to fix before finalizing. All in all, some additional work needed, where it shouldn't have appeared.
11 April 2023, 11:37
Album info
514th Squadron Syrian Air Force, 1954.
