Calling all Canadian Spitfire experts

no expert. i know there were canadians "in" units serving in n.africa and malta, but i don't think there were any "canadian units" there. good idea. if you come up empty on malta, you can always do george beurling. a good one (hope i spelled his name right)

[b]Anthony[/b hi,
i can't remember off the top of my head, but check out "defendes of malta" (comes in 2 parts) by aeromaster...a canadian called "screwball" beurling is one those covered, and he was a top ace out of malta...
here's the link...

http://www.eaglestrikeproductions.com/cgi-bin/amddecals.pl?scale=48&setid=598&dbs=aeromaster&pgs=2&currpg=1&dclimg=ad48598

hope this helps...
regards,
nick

Hi Anthony
First, of all, There were Canadian pilots on Spits in the BoB but the only RCAF Sq. was 401 and they were on Hurricanes.
The only Canadian fighter Squadron not based in England was 417 (City of Windsor). They were in N. Africa, Sicily and Italy. They were on Spit Vb's and Vc's then later on Spit VIII's.
Whay scale Spitfire do you intend on building? The 1/48th scale Tamiya Mk Vb Tropical kit gives you 417 Sq. markings (AN-V) and is featured on the box art.
I suggest that you get Robert Bracken's excellent books "Spitfire - The Canadians" and "Spitfire II - The Canadians". E-mail me direct for more information if you want.

Nick - George Beurling's nickname was "Buzz" but never "Screwball".
Cheers
Bob S.

hey bob,
the ref i gave anthony to "screwball" beurling was from a set of aeromaster decals, who i gather have a reputation of being pretty well researched.
by coincidence, i am currently reading james holland's ""fortress malta: an island under siege 1940-1943"...only half way through it i looked in the index and lo and behold found a number of references to to george beurling as "screwball", apparently because, and i quote from the book...

"Everything to George was a 'goddam screwball' - the food, the enemy, the planes, the bombs, the flies. He'd only been on the Island a week when his colleagues decided 'Screwball' should be his new nickname, something he never complained about. Somehow it appealed to his ego."
(p304)

phew! that was just like being at school again typing all that stuff![:0]

anyway, either there were 2 g beurlings, or both sources are somewhat in error..."screwballed" shall we say?!
i'd be intersted in your feedback as that particular spit is one that i'd like to do in the future (i have hasegawa's trop kit, just need to get the decals).

anthony, bob's obviously the chap in the know here, so apologies if the info and links i have given are incorrect; it was all researched and passed on in good faith...

regards,
nick

Hi Nick
My friend, Jerry Billing, knew George Beurling and flew with him. The book is right about Beurling calling things a "screwball" but it was instead of swearing. So he would never stand for his mates calling him a "screwball" as that would be very derogatory to him. The "screwball" nickname was a press thing. His nickname was "Buzz". Jerry still keeps in touch with George's younger brother and I have a video of him starting up MK923, the Mk IX Spitfire that Jerry was flying for Cliff Robertson at that time.
Cheers
Bob S.

Bob hi again!
thanks for sorting that out for me (and anthony!)...
i suppose it's case of if you want correct info, you've got to come here for the right results!!
it does disappoint me somewhat though that my book on malta, which has thus far been very interesting, should make such an error, especially when the author seems to be an "expert" in his field...
no doubt i'll be coming back here with more spit questions for you later!!
thanks once again for your help
...just a shame i had to do all that typing before!![:0]
kind regards,
nick

I too remember reading a paperback about George Beurling, screwball was mentioned but the nickname didn't stick because it was considered bad press to have a national hero named as such.
Anyways, back to decals - Victory Productions has a decal set out for 41 spitfires, two of which have markings for Malta Spitfire V's that Beurling flew. The only Mk1 Spitfire decal for a Canadian I know of is for Keith Ogilvie of 609 squadron put out by WaterMark Decals.

http://m2reviews.cnsi.net/scotts/decals/vpd48006.htm
http://www.watermarkdecals.com/sheet_48001/48001.htm

Thank you guys. Thanks for the prompt replies. I think I'll go for George Beurling's Spitfire. BTW Bob, for the book "Spitfire-Canadian'' I wonder if it is available in The Chapters book store. Also, anyone have tried the ICM Spitfire. I've tried the excellent Tamiya one though. Thanks. Hope I am not asking too much.

Hi Anthony
I am a good friend of Robert Bracken. IIRC, His 1st book is going to be reprinted but by another publisher. I will phone him later and find out what is going on for sure. He also has a book III ready to go but needs a publisher and some financial backing to complete the art work.
The first book has the most accurate Spitfire drawings available in it. Those alone are worth the price of the book.
Cheers
Bob S.

I had started building an ICM SpitfirelX over a year ago and still waiting to get back at it - the sinkholes/casting quality was a bit of a downer but can be fixed. Reviews say it is the most accurate molding presently out there. So although it doesn't easily fall together like a Tamiya or Hasegawa kit, with a little extra work it is the most authentic Mk.9 (along with their Mk.8) out there.

In the picture below, the pilot seat and tan coloured parts are ultracast products.

Hi jgeratic
Your ICM Spitfire is coming along nicely. Are you going to leave the cowlings off? If you are, can I make a suggestion on the engine?
Cheers
Bob S.

Hi Bob, I'd welcome any suggestions you have, especially from a spitfire guru such as yourself

Jack

Hi Jack
The most outstanding point on the Merlin is the colour of the rocker covers. They should be black like the rest of the engine. Warbirds today have them polished till they look like chrome, but in wartime they were black.
I like the way you have the elevators in the down position. That is the first thing noticed on a model Spitfire.
Cheers
Bob S.