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U.S. Spitfire Questions?
bottlerocket
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Rhode Island, United States
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Posted: Saturday, January 14, 2006 - 11:17 PM UTC
I'm building a U.S. Spitfire for the "Show Your Teeth" campaign. Would there have been any changes made to the cockpit? USAAF seatbelts vs. RAF seatbelts...control stick, gunsights etc.? Thanks...N
Holdfast
Staff MemberPresident
IPMS-UK KITMAKER BRANCH
#056
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England - South West, United Kingdom
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Posted: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 - 01:29 AM UTC
To be perfectly honest, I don't know. However I think it very unlikely. You couldn't change the control column without completely re-designing the control linkage layout. There was nothing wrong with the British sight and the harnes had a particular why of being fixed and I don't think that there was a US equvilent. It is possible, even likely, that an 8th air force Spitfire would have a US radio, but whether that would mean different radio controls in the cockpit I wouldn't know.

What kit are you building?

Mal
CRS
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Posted: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 - 01:54 AM UTC
As the US Spitfires were used as a "stop gap" measure, I don't think re-engineering the Spitfires was "the order of the day". Most of these aircraft and crews were "converted" Eagle squadrons, No. 71, 121, and 133 Sqn. I've found nothing to support that there were any changes made, except the National markings. I'm sure the US and British radios could talk on the same frequency, and the controls were part of the airframe design.
bf443
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JAC HOBBIES
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Posted: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 - 03:15 AM UTC
Hi Bottlerocket,

To the best of my limited knowledge the others are correct. The American Spitfires were Brit everything. I think the biggest reason these planes were phased out of US use toward Mid or late 1944 had to do with the strain imposed on US logisitics. Most everything reqired British spare parts and there was plenty of US planes/parts to supply all squadrons by then. Heres another thought.... When did Britian go Metric? this would have been another reason as well.

Sincerely,
Brian
CRS
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Posted: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 - 03:19 AM UTC
A little more background on why US Spits :


Quoted Text

For the rest of 1942 the US fighter pilots would be flying the Spitfire Mk. V, as there wasn't an American fighter in the numbers and with the performance to take its place. However. this would all change with the arrival of the first Republic P-47C "Thunderbolt" in January 1943.

lampie
#029
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England - East Midlands, United Kingdom
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Posted: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 - 03:59 AM UTC
Hi all.

Quoted Text

Heres another thought.... When did Britian go Metric? this would have been another reason as well.


England is slowly becoming metric,,,an inch at a time!
bottlerocket
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Rhode Island, United States
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Posted: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 - 08:46 AM UTC
Thanks for the help guys...Mal, I'm building the Tamiya Mk.Vb Trop. into an aircraft from the 31st FG/ 307th FS North Africa...("Show You Teeth" sharks mouth) ...while I was researching I found an interesting acount from a pilot of the 31st.
Quoted Text

Being a LendLease group, flying non-American aircraft, we felt like a bastard outfit at the end of the pipeline. Replacement aircraft were never a problem. When we needed them the RAF gave them to us, the only problem being that we had to detach two or three valuable pilots from an already depleted squadron to go down to Setif or Telergma in Algeria to fly them back, often taking three or four days or more.
...reinforces your advice guys, thanks...N
Holdfast
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IPMS-UK KITMAKER BRANCH
#056
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Posted: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 - 12:31 PM UTC
Nice one Nigel, looking forward to seeing it
Mal
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