Spitfire Mark I Float plane

1
April 15, 2017
The poor Mark I Floatfire had water trials but was never flown. The test pilot said it was so unstable on the water that he would not attempt a take-off.
2
April 15, 2017
No photos of R6722 on floats are known to exist, but Supermarine's notes state that it was in the standard fighter scheme (Dk Green-Dk Earth over Night-White) when it was modified.
3
April 15, 2017
I assumed that Folland Aircraft would have painted the Roc floats while the Spitfire was in their shop, as they had it for one month before it was completed. Just my best guess! The prototype "Circle P's" are 50 year old Letraset markings!
4
April 15, 2017
I scratchbuilt the float struts from sheet styrene. The dolly wheels are from a 1/48 kit, not sure which one. The wood blocks are made from....real wood!

Kommentare

2 12 April 2017, 18:38

Alec K
Great execution and splendid subject Norm. Very nice 👍

12 April 2017, 21:35

Norm Sheppard
I enjoyed doing it. When you have no reference photos, you just have to "wing" it! I also assumed it would have the obligatory Circle P since it spent a month at Folland A/C. I do have a 3 view layout from Supermarine, and a brief description, but that was all.

12 April 2017, 21:42

Alec K
Love it! I often ponder doing a project that has little or no references. Just sit down, chop parts off sprues, sniff glue, and paint! Not that yours is anything like that, but there is a lot to be said about spending less time researching and more building... Anyways, really nice result 👍

13 April 2017, 01:33

Norm Sheppard
Thanks Alec. You are absolutely correct, that's how I did it. In the end you have something completely unique.

13 April 2017, 08:18

Erik Leijdens
Looking good Norm, wonder if it was as nimble as as normal Spit.

13 April 2017, 08:25

Gerald
👍

13 April 2017, 08:31

Norm Sheppard
From what I have read about it, the handling and speed suffered a fair bit. That I would expect! The floats on the Mk.I were not suitable at all, but the V and IX floatplanes were better. In the end, none of them were really needed after all.

13 April 2017, 12:00

Gordon Sørensen
Nice looking Spot, Norm. What kit did you use? I habe an old PM Mk.V Floatplane in the stash to do someday....

16 April 2017, 13:04

Norm Sheppard
That's a Hasegawa Spitfire from 1980ish. I am pretty sure I used Aero Club white metal exhausts. I have one of the PM kits too. And a Brigade Models float conversion for an Italeri Mark IX. I also have a Bf109W kit. Someday I'll get them done.

16 April 2017, 13:13

Album info

In 1940, Supermarine was asked to produce a Spitfire floatplane as quickly as possible due to the fact that Germany was probably going to invade Norway and a sea capable fighter would be needed. The first attempt took Mk.I R6722 straight from the production line to Folland Aircraft with a set of Blackburn Roc floats for conversion. In the end, it was deemed to be unstable on the water and was never flown with the floats, which were then removed. It was later converted to Mk.VA status. I used an old Hasegawa Spitfire kit with the floats from a Modelcraft Blackburn Shark, which used the same floats as the Roc.

The First Spitfire on Floats?

4 Bilder

1:72

Fertiggestellt

1:72 Super Marine Spitfire Mk.I (Hasegawa/Hales JS-099)

1:72 Blackburn Shark Mk.II (Modelcraft 72-004)

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