to various related support activities as well, such

as the further development of the accessory lines, the continued publication of our newsletter

and, as far as the epidemic allows, the hosting of

model shows and contests, and other promotional events. Our main attention will be focused on

the development of the aforementioned 3D print

accessories. At the moment, we are planning to

put into service a new 3D print studio which will

be only temporary, but will suffice for at least

a year in supporting our 3D printers and support equipment. Things will largely depend on the

development of our capacity requirements, and

next year’s change from predominantly cast production to 3D printing will have a loud say in the

matter. This will bear different types of fruit. As

you may know, we are developing a line of decals

encompassing raised rivets, and we would like

to use the same technology for the development

of similar products to represent other delicate

surface features. And not just for aircraft kits.

Over the course of the year, we want to dedicate

a part of our production capacity to other segments of the market, not just planes. 3D prints

will look great on AFVs as well as on ships. That

we are well able to design accessories for ship

kits has been demonstrated in the design of our

photoetched sets for them, I think. New accessory items for the USS Arizona will also be really nice. Just wait and see.

With respect to our newsletter, I am hoping that a

strengthening in the editorial team is just around

the corner, which will lead to a higher level of

professionalism in our work and its results. We

have been approached by new authors, as can

be seen in today’s issue. We are beginning to

build up a nice stock of articles to publish. I also

hope that we can get to a printed version of the

newsletter. The last plan is to put out a printed

yearbook of 2021’s newsletters as a single volume through the first half of the year, with a focus

on the historical articles. Cross your fingers… If

we can do this, it will be a significant step closer

to a printed newsletter.

And speaking of shows and contests, it is difficult to promise anything, because God only

knows what is coming down the line. I tend to

be on the optimistic side, but God may well be

laughing at me. Either way, it is our plan to put

on another outdoor event, the one which we

will continue to describe as an “Intimate Walkaround” at the Line airfield. The program for the

event has begun to take shape, and the timetable

too, but as I say, it’s a tough one to predict accurately at this point. Either it doesn’t pan out and

there will be further lockdowns that will postpone E-day yet again, and that will see the Intima-

6

eduard

has been fine-tuned so it

scale production at Supermarine company the new aircraft and rewith

In the course of 1940, the Spitfire Mk.I large

the RAF Fighter Command combat units

could meet the Air Ministry orders, supply similar at Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory in Birmingham which after

plenish the combat losses. The situation was supplied the fighter squadrons with license-built, and, compared to

some initial organizational problems reliably

Mk.I, slightly improved Spitfires Mk.II.

SPITFIRE Mk.V HISTORY

There were none left for Spitfires and the

arriving at the units fax Mk.Il and Mk.V.

Spitfire Mk.III production

In the end of 1940, the new aircraft were

as full-fled- idea of an accelerated, large-scaleThe smaller series of photothe table.

in their final weapon and equipment configuration

manufactured was silently swept under

PR Mk.III was manufactured under the

ged, fully functional combat aircraft. Earlier

the installation of -reconnaissance Spitfires

airplanes were continuously upgraded with the standards of same designation, mostly by converting Spitfires Mk.I.

armor and more modern equipment to meet during the same

the newly manufactured Spitfires. However,

arriving at the Gerwere

versions

109

Bf

modernized

45

the

time,

able to keep up Merlin

man Luftwaffe fighter units. The Spitfires were they appeared

be more and more

when

Once the Merlin XX installation proved to company offered

the pace with Bf 109E-7 quite successfully

Rolls-Royce

and F-2 in the

in the end of 1940

in the fall 1940, but with the arrival of Bf 109F-1turned in favor complicated, fast solution in the form of parallelly developed

end of 1940 and beginning of 1941, the tables German tech- a feasible and manufacture engine Merlin RM5S later marked

of the Germans. In order to counter the growingto be improved and easier to

compressor ophad

Merlin 45. It featured a one-stage, single-speed

nical supremacy, the Spitfires’ performance

meters was 1,210

timized for high altitudes, its output at 5,400

rapidly.

optimistic, and to tell

is to in- hp (902 kW), some sources state rather

hp (1,074 kW). Merlin

A traditional way to increase the aircraft performance

to develop a the truth, less probable output of 1,440

Spitfires Mk.I

powering

III

Merlin

stall the more powerful engine. The first attempt

as

Improved Spitfi- 45 had the same dimensions

more powerful Spitfire version was the project as early as the and its design enabled Merlin III upgrade to Merlin 45 standard

This facilitated the simple instare, later renamed Superiority Spitfire, launched

factory designation by replacing the compressor.

beginning of 1939. The prototype with the was ready for its llation into the current Spitfire Mk.I and II airframes and the

Type 330 and military one as Spitfire Mk.III by modifying the conversion of the already manufactured aircraft as well. RR

designed

was

It

300 Merlin 45 by March 1, 1941

maiden flight in March 1940.

The airframe was company promised to supply

standard Spitfire Mk.I serial number N3927.

Merlin RM 2SM engi- and further 200 by April 1.

modified by installing a new Rolls-Royce

two-speed The first airframe to receive the new engine, modified from

26,

ne, the future Merlin XX, featuring a single-stage,

hp (1,037 kW).

supposedly Spitfire Mk.I K9788 on December

compressor with the maximum output of 1,320 bearers were Merlin XX, was

by PR Mk.III X4334,

1940, in Boscombe Down. It was followed

In order to accommodate Merlin XX, the engine

from Spitfire

inches.

converted into the photo-reconnaissance versionfrom the Rolls

strengthened and the nose lengthened by four

13, 1941,

by removing the Mk.I, which took to the air on January

The wingspan was shortened to 9.30 meters internal design Royce factory airport in Hucknall. Spitfire Mk.I N3053, too testhe

was another converwingtips and shortening the ailerons while

prototype t-flown on February 13, 1941, in Hucknall, over to Boscombe

the

trials,

flight

the

During

flown

remained unchanged.

airspeed of sion. Right after both airplanes were

apparently never reached the calculated maximumspeed is said Down for further testing. The flight trials recorded the maxiduring

recorded

was

meters

644 kph at 6,400 meters, the maximum recorded

6,100

at

improvement in mum speed of 593 kph

to be 620 kph which was still an outstanding demanded that the flight trials, climbing time to this altitude was 6 min and

comparison to Mk.I performance. Air Ministrywas accelerated, 12 seconds and the operational ceiling 11,590 meters. The trial

the large-scale production of Spitfire Mk.III effort due to the also discovered the problems with the constant-speed propelhowever there was a serious obstacle to this teething troubles lers De Havilland when oil in their control system was freezing

troubles with the Mk.II oil cooler

complicated development of Merlin XX and

1940, the available at high altitudes. There were enough for the more powerful

with its large-scale production. In the fall

Defiant Mk.II up- as well as it was not efficient

engines were utilized for Hurricane Mk.II andBeaufighter Mk.II, engine. Even though this was considered an interim solution, as

grades and they were also installed in BristolHandley Page Hali- the Spitfire Mk.III production was still being planned, the order

Avro Lancaster B Mk.I, Mk.III and Mk.IV and

te Walkaround take its place in the fall. On the

other hand, it could all reverse in the spring, and

then the event would be held somewhere at the

beginning of the summer. The plan for E-day is

the same as last year, assuming it will take place. It would see the premiere of the Czech Model

Masters competition. We already have the cup

for the overall winner... And if everything works

out for the better, the epidemic goes away, and

the Czech Police services completes their new

training facility in Bublava, we’ll even hold our

Iron Bunny event. We’ll leave the other events up

to their respective organizers. Unfortunately, at

the moment, it looks as though many of the old

events won’t be resurrected, but maybe it’s not

all bad as that. As long as the events that we

were used to attending in pre-epidemic days begin to show up again (no pun intended), we will

be coming back as well.

Articles

Immediately on the heels of the release of the

Zero, there came about debates surrounding the

colors of them, first and foremost of the grey.

The development of the consensus of the colorization of the Zeke is described in Marian Holly’s article entitled “The Color of Zero”. If you are

one to build the kit, and you know that it will be

grey, just not sure of the flavor, then you should

start with this article. It will at least help you in

the orientation of the subject matter that is filled

with as many myths and fictions as those surrounding the covid vaccines.

The story of the Camel from the BFC113 kit and of

his pilot is told by Richard Plos in his article “The

swag from the Houthulst forest”. In this issue,

we also have the fictional what-if read from Jan

Bobek, “The Storm over the Antarctic”, marking

the return of the exploits of Lt. Kleinkonig and

describing some of the origins of related Tempest Mk.V color schemes. This is also the new

Bunny Fighter Club Entry Model. The story is so

densely populated with various historical figures that it strongly reminds me of my favorite

science fiction novel, the First Day of the Valhalla, which is an incredible work based on the notion that the Nazis win the Second World War,

based on their success in opening the Gates of

Valhalla and shift the earth’s axis. The remnants

of Admiral Halsey’s American forces retreated

to the Antarctic, where they re-established the

United States and George Bush Sr. destroys a

German submarine using a silver lighter and

Vaclav Havel runs a young women smuggling

ring that includes Marilyn Monroe from America

to the Antarctic, because naturally, there was a

shortage of women there. Jan Bobek is evidently

going down a similar road which pleases me and

I look forward to his fantastic continuation.

I also put in a contribution of my own with my article on the development of the Spitfire Mk.V and

its technical development. If you plan on reading

it, make yourself a big cup of coffee. It’s long and

it’s not particularly easy to read. I am still recovering from the writing of it!

I wish you all the best for the New Year with

good health. The rest, including built and stashed

kits, will come on their own!

Happy Modeling!

Vladimir Sulc

INFO Eduard - January 2022