Seafire LF.IIc, LR792/K, 834 Squadron, HMS Battler, East Indies Fleet, 1944

This was an easy conversion, one of the first I did using a resin plug that represents the retracted a-frame hook of the Seafire. The rest of the conversion is just some plastic sheet. This is another 2010 completion.

The Subject

Seafires began showing up in the East Indies in 1944, but mainly were Seafire III. This is one of the few LF.IIc aircraft, which is essentially a Seafire III but without the folding wings, that made it to the East Indies Fleet. Most were used in the Mediterranean with a few in the Indian Ocean against Madagascar.

I chose this scheme solely because it was a bit different with the different India blue markings.

The Model

Essentially I took a stock Airfix Vc kit, including the awful wing, and added the Airwaves resin fuselage plug that goes along the lower rear fuselage and represents the a-frame hook. Also using the Airwaves PE fret that comes with it, I fashioned some of the thinnest sheet plastic I could find (0.005 inch) to represent the strengthening strips that are prominant on the Merlin Seafires.

The prop is a 4 blade prop from my spares box, I think it originated as a Mk IX prop, but at any rate it made it to this kit. Otherwise it’s a stock Airfix Vc, coming from the Vc boxing that is a Vb with a c wing added in.

The wing is atrociously thick, and I didn’t sand it enough, but it worked. The paints are an experiment with Humbrol enamels; being a callout I read on another websight somewhere so decided to see how they looked. I don’t quite think they capture the look, but that could just be my tastes.

The decals are from the CMR kit, and are quite nice. They went down beautifully on a coat of Future (Kleer) and of course I used the Microscale system to get them to lay down. I attempted some weathering, but this was another poor attempt.

Summary

Overall I’m quite happy with this attempt at converting a kit to the Seafire. Before CMR and now Sword offered the Merlin Seafires, this was the only way to get one, and it was much easier than I had expected. Basic modelling skills are all that are required.

I have the CMR kit and will get my hands on a Sword IIc as well. I like the look.

Thanks for looking…