Israeli Air Force first Spitfire, Model Art in 1/48 scale

**ct ertz** · #1 06-27-2017, 11:11 AM

This is a 1999 "Model Art" model by E. Zarkov and was intended to be 1/48 scale. As with all my prints this one seems to be a bit off in scale and shall be called 1/50-ish scale. The interesting thing is that this one is actually designed to both look great and glide. Directions state how to weight the nose properly to turn it into a glider...

The model design is a neat blend of inner former's, like you would see on a typical Marek model, and large one piece construction as on Fiddler Green models. Actually if you are comfortable with Kampfflieger then you would be happy with this design style as well. A great blend between strength and lightness.

This is a model of a Spitfire that was rebuilt with pieces/parts salvaged from around the Middle East by the new IAF and assembled as Israels first Spitfire. Some sixty more would follow thanks to Czechoslovakia.

I am unsure were I got this model from. The printing was done some years ago but the colors are still bright enough to build. There is a number of beautiful IAF models on the ModelArt website but I do not see this one... Anyhow, if the others build like this one, they would be worth checking out..

**smithdr** · #2 06-27-2017, 04:40 PM

Nice, Corey!

My first model was a Model Art Whirlwind...luckily! It was a great intro into the hobby. I suspect your Spit will go together extremely well!

Dan

**ct ertz** · #3 07-30-2017, 05:20 PM

After my vacation, then getting back into real life routines, I finally had a moment to continue on this model. The one piece body is a bit more tricky then I first thought, but everything came together. The wing-body connection was solid. All in all, pretty good so far.

**Don Boose** · #4 07-30-2017, 05:36 PM

That's a very smooth wing, wing fillet, fuselage join, Corey!

Don

**ct ertz** · #5 07-30-2017, 08:20 PM

Thanks Don...
I managed the canopy and exhausts, and now I am working the underside a bit...

**cmdr199212** · #6 07-30-2017, 10:40 PM

Nice! Looks good, Corey!

**YOAVHOZMI** · #7 07-30-2017, 10:46 PM

looks good

another thing....
I do not remember that Spitfire in the Israel Air Force had a six-cylinder engine.
I think there were only models with 12 cylinders in IAF.

keep on the god work.

YOAV

**rjm** · #8 08-01-2017, 05:19 PM

YOAV, The early Merlin engines had the exhausts paired so it looks like there are only three per side but all of them were 12 cylinder engines. They went to individual exhaust in later Marks. I'm sure one of the experts can tell you exactly when.
Cheers, Love your model designs, Bob

**YOAVHOZMI** · #9 08-01-2017, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjm

YOAV, The early Merlin engines had the exhausts paired so it looks like there are only three per side but all of them were 12 cylinder engines. They went to individual exhaust in later Marks. I'm sure one of the experts can tell you exactly when.
Cheers, Love your model designs, Bob

hanks Bob for the detailed explanation and correction.

After I realized that all the Merlin engines had 12 cylinders, but the first models had a common exhaust for every 2 cylinders, and only then were 12 exhausts...

So I want to say, from what I know, the Spitfire models that were in the Israeli Air Force were with 12 exhausts only.

Maybe a friend of mine, Yaron, who knows the subject better, can shed light on this issue, of the Spitfire models that were in the Israeli Air Force.

thanks again

YOAV

**Mike1158** · #10 08-02-2017, 03:04 AM

From memory, only the early Merlin variants had those exhaust stubs and the later variants individual exhaust pipes for each cylinder.