Spitfire IX question
Thu Jul 31 22:07:36 2003
I’m thinking of doing a Spitfire (shock!) Mk IX from the RKxxx serial range. These were VERY late in the Mk IX range (may have even been postwar – maybe someone can give me some feedback on RK917). Here’s what I know; ‘c’ wing, tall tail.
What I’d like to know is did the late Mk IXs have the teardrop bump (think Hase kit) over the wheel well or no? I know some of the XVIs had ’em. I’m inclined to think the late late IXs had them also.
TC
the ‘bump”
Fri Aug 1 00:16:33 2003
The wheel fairing on the upper wing surface was a purely post-war phenomenon, as the RAF standardized on the larger wheels for the Griffon-powered Spits.
Bruce Archer
Those Bumps
Fri Aug 1 06:45:02 2003
TC is correct, purely post war. I do not have the “Bible” here at work ( and will not be home all weekend, I am going to the dedication in Ottawa) but are you sure it is a “C” winged Spitfire IX? The RAF , if memory serves me well standardized the “E” wing, or the “Victor” wing during 1945.
Dave Wadman
XX series wing
Fri Aug 1 12:38:19 2003
The blisters over the wheel-wells of the redesigned wing of the XX series were larger and more prominent than those fitted to the Mk XVI.
Edgar Brooks
Spitfire IX
Fri Aug 1 13:02:12 2003
RK917 was built in 1944, as an HF.IX, and went to 45M.U., Kinloss 10-10-44, from there to 3501 Support/Storage/Salvage unit 12 Feb 1945, then to Central fighter Establishment 10th May, 1945, then to Fighter Command Sector Unit, North Weald, finally to the S.A.A.F.
Bulges over the wheel wells were actually introduced because the tracking of the wheels had to be changed to allow for concrete runways. There were different u/c legs available; Spencer Flack fell foul of this when he was rebuilding his Spitfire XIV. Under test the u/c was retracted and jammed solid in the wings, necessitating a de-skinning operation to free them; to him an u/c leg was an u/c leg, etc.
(thanks to Brett Green for permission)
