Chris Bucholtz Posted November 24, 2025 Report Posted November 24, 2025 Started and finished in the same calendar year! This is the Special Hobby kit, which is the basis of a bunch of Griffon-powered Spitfire kits. I took off the Seafire-specific features (the RATO attachments, primarily) and detailed the cockpit with Special Hobby's own photoetched set, plus a Barracuda Studios control column. The exhausts are from Quickboost and the wheels and from Barracuda Studios. I used the kit decals to build Roy Cruickshank's N0. 91 Squadron aircraft in which he was shot down by flak on April 10, 1945; he and his wingman were rescued by a USAAF OA-10 Catalina. Only 120 Mk. 21s were built - it debuted the new laminar flow wing, full wheel covers and a retractable tail wheel. The paints were ModelMaster dark green and ocean grey, with Floquil medium sea grey, all from my Museum of Extinct Paints (aka Evidence I Used to Habitually Overpurchase at the Hobby Shop). It was weathered with oils - I tried to keep it light since the plane didn't last more than three missions. 2
ghodges Posted November 24, 2025 Report Posted November 24, 2025 Good looking build of what I think is one of the more graceful marks of the Spitfire! Did removing the RATO attachments involve sanding and rescribing, or just leaving off the parts? Gil
Mark Deliduka Posted November 24, 2025 Report Posted November 24, 2025 Fantastic model if a little known aircraft, at least for me.
Chris Bucholtz Posted November 25, 2025 Author Report Posted November 25, 2025 5 hours ago, ghodges said: Good looking build of what I think is one of the more graceful marks of the Spitfire! Did removing the RATO attachments involve sanding and rescribing, or just leaving off the parts? Gil Filling and sanding - I don't think it required any re-scribing! My kit had a hairline fracture in the rear fixed transparency, and I couldn't get any response out of Special Hobby so I did the only logical thing: I bought their Seafire 47 and used the unnecessary part on the 21! When I build the 47, the RATO attachments will be left as-is! 1
PaulBradley Posted November 26, 2025 Report Posted November 26, 2025 (edited) Nicely done, Chris! I do like the look of the late-model high-back Spitfires. There's something menacing about the high-back and big Griffon. I scratchbuilt a 1/48 Mk.21 using Airfix Seafire F.46 wings, parts of a Hobbycraft Mk.XIV, bits of various Spitfire kits from previous projects, assorted resin bits, and a lot of filler and patience! We really could do with a mainstream IM kit of it.... Edited November 26, 2025 by PaulBradley 1
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