1/72 PM Spitfire VB Floatplane 

by Oliver Weston

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Hello again.

Unusual one this a Spitfire floatplane! Some of you out there may be wondering if this is one of those strange models where someone gets bits from other kits and sticks them together just to see what they can come up with. But this was a real plane commissioned by the Air Ministry during WWII. At the start of the war the first aircraft were originally designed to operate from Nordic Fjords to counter German fighters, and because of the lack of runways a floatplane fighter seemed the obvious choice. Two prototypes were produced by Supermarine by converting existing Spitfires, however before trials could begin Norway fell to the Germans and the idea was scrapped. However in 1942 the interest in a Spitfire floatplane was rekindled by the need for a fighter to be able to operate in the tropics from small sheltered lagoons, again because of the lack of viable runways on most of the little islands. So a tropical Spitfire VB (on which this model is based W3760) was converted by Supermarine and tested at Southampton England. This prototype performed very well, with the floats not hampering speed nor agility to any large degree. Not surprising really as the Spit's original design was based on the Schneider (hope I spelled that right) Cup winning Supermarine floatplane! Six conversion sets were sent to Africa for combat evaluation but only three saw active duty, the aircraft performed very well and I believe that this type was the fastest floatplane of the war? But these were the only aircraft produced because the idea was again shelved for one reason or another. Incidentally the Japanese came to the same conclusion and converted Zero's to do the same job, although the type was produced in far greater numbers than the Spit.

Click on images below to see larger images

Right history lesson over, the kit is basically a PM Tropical Spitfire with the addition of floats, a 4 bladed prop, longer spinner and ventral stabiliser (which you have to cut and splice into the existing tail). These kits are made in Turkey and as a result aren't brilliant, with allot of moulding flash and defects in the mouldings themselves. However the kit is easy to put together and they do cover some really interesting aircraft which I love. The plane is painted in the usual RAF colours with dark grey and dark green above, but the bottom is in Humbrol Trainer Yellow with the aircraft being a prototype and I presume to stop it getting shot down by some allied AA gunner who doesn't recognise it? My only major gripe is the transfers which are terrible, professional modellers may wish to use aftermarket ones. Hope you enjoy it see you soon.

Regards

Oliver

P.S. I put lead tyre weights in the front of the floats to hold it down!!!!!

Photos and text © by Oliver Weston