Spitfire PR.XIX 'The last!' - Aircraft of World War II

A4K · 05-06-2009, 12:45 PM

I'm looking to build Spitfire PR.XIX PS888 'The Last!' for my uncle.

This aircraft served with No.81 sqn. at RAF Seletar (Singapore), and is the aircraft that performed the last operational Spitfire sortie, a photo recce over Malaya on April 1, 1954.
Shortly before the last flight, one of PS888's groundcrew - my uncle, George S. Travers, painted the name 'The Last!' on her nose. The incident was recorded for posterity - a copy of which I received recently from him, aswell as two post flight photos!

To thank him, I'm going to try and convert the Fujimi 1:72 Spitfire Mk.XIVe to a PR.XIX, as the aircraft he serviced and named. If he allows me, I'll post the photos too, one of which has previously appeared in an aviation magazine.

Any information on the PR.XIX wing panel detail would be appreciated!

Cheers, Evan

Lucky13 · 05-06-2009, 01:38 PM

I saw that Airfix is going to release a Mk.XIX in 1/72....

A4K · 05-06-2009, 07:35 PM

Really Jan? Wonder what the quality will be like...

Airframes · 05-06-2009, 08:11 PM

Hi Evan, I've still got an 'almost finished' PR19, converted from the old Hobbycraft MkXIV. The wing was virtually plain, although there were the fillers for the 'bowser wing' fuel tanks. I should have some shots of the BBMF's Mk19's, taken when I worked with them for two seasons, but they'll be on 35mm transparency, and will need scanning etc. I might be able to get this done by my brother, but it'll take a while, a) to find them, and b) to get them to and from said brother! I think I also have a drawing of the wing.
It should be a simple conversion, just filling some panel lines, making the camera ports and the underwing blisters, and moulding a new canopy, plus a couple of small details.
Leave it with me mate.

Lucky13 · 05-06-2009, 08:17 PM

It's a Spitfire PRXIX and it's a new tooling...

Airframes · 05-06-2009, 10:38 PM

Oops! Sorry Jan, missed that! But when is it coming out...with, or after the big Mosquito?!!

109ROAMING · 05-07-2009, 02:19 AM

Cool! a new tooled 1/72 Spit! Awesome idea Evan! Best of luck on the build!

A4K · 05-07-2009, 03:15 AM

Thanks guys!

Fujimi also put out an LF.XIVe and PR.XIX (I just don't have the XIX). All 3 utilise the same basic mould, with additional components supplied as per box variant, so overall shouldn't be too hard a conversion.

I think I've got most of the corrections needed covered, Terry, but I'd appreciate anything you could offer - I don't mind waiting if it means she'll be more accurate for it either. Thanks mate!

(Thanks for that info too, Jan!)

Wayne Little · 05-07-2009, 08:47 AM

Should be interesting Evan...good luckwith it!

A4K · 05-07-2009, 07:11 PM

Thanks wayne! Not my favourite mark of Spit to be honest, but I'm sure that'll change once I learn more about her!

109ROAMING · 05-12-2009, 08:31 AM

when ya gonna be building this one mate?

Would be a darn good reference! not to mention good to see your progress

A4K · 05-12-2009, 09:01 AM

Thanks mate! I'm still doing the research at the moment, hoping Terry's info can fill in some of the gaps.

I've written my uncle too regarding paintscheme details - the BBMF's PR.XIX (PS915) is flying in '888's scheme at the moment, but it's a little incorrect compared to the photos.

Of the whole process, it's always the painting that worries me the most... (Oh, for an airbrush...!)

Airframes · 05-12-2009, 09:41 AM

Evan, just found out my mate has a transparency scanner! Saves sending the slides to Yorkshire and back! He's going to see if he can fit me in within this next week. Meanwhile, I'm digging out some bits and pieces. BTW, did you know the last 'official' ops by RAF Spits were by PR 19's of the 'THUM' Flight, out of Woodvale, Lancashire, I think in the late 50's or early 60's? Weren't offensive ops of course. One of the PR19's (now with BBMF) was dragged out in the '60's to do DACT with Lightning F6's, in case we (UK) got embroiled in a conflict with ?? Darn! Forgotten which country, but they had P51's, and the RAF needed to figure tactics for using Lightnings against prop jobs! Apparently, the Spit put up a bl**dy good show!
Soon as I've got some stuff, I'll give you a shout.

A4K · 05-12-2009, 10:17 AM

Thanks mate! I'd appreciate that!

Thanks for the info too, actually I had read that, during my research on this project! (For those that don't know, THUM was the RAF's Temperature and Humidity Flight, for meteorological research)

Re the Lightning trials, I read they were preparing for actions against Indonesia, over Malaya. Indonesia was using P-51's as you say, so the RAF had to develop special tactics for the Lightning pilots (this was 1962). Apparently the Spitfire XIX was the fastest piston engined aircraft available to the RAF at that time, so one was pulled out of storage for the job. In the end, they concluded it was best to attack a piston engined aircraft from below and behind in a modern jet aircraft.

109ROAMING · 05-12-2009, 04:35 PM

Nice info! Dam good to have him as your uncle too! look forward to the build mate!

05-06-2009, 12:45 PM	#1
A4K Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 3,224	Spitfire PR.XIX 'The last!' I'm looking to build Spitfire PR.XIX PS888 'The Last!' for my uncle. This aircraft served with No.81 sqn. at RAF Seletar (Singapore), and is the aircraft that performed the last operational Spitfire sortie, a photo recce over Malaya on April 1, 1954. Shortly before the last flight, one of PS888's groundcrew - my uncle, George S. Travers, painted the name 'The Last!' on her nose. The incident was recorded for posterity - a copy of which I received recently from him, aswell as two post flight photos! To thank him, I'm going to try and convert the Fujimi 1:72 Spitfire Mk.XIVe to a PR.XIX, as the aircraft he serviced and named. If he allows me, I'll post the photos too, one of which has previously appeared in an aviation magazine. Any information on the PR.XIX wing panel detail would be appreciated! Cheers, Evan Last edited by A4K; 05-06-2009 at 07:35 PM.

05-06-2009, 01:38 PM	#2
Lucky13 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A Swede living in Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 15,128	I saw that Airfix is going to release a Mk.XIX in 1/72.... __________________ JAN "Felicis Tredecim" "I´m going back to the front to relax" "THE BLACK CATS FLIES TONIGHT" "Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant!" "When you're out of F-8's... You're out of fighters!"

05-06-2009, 08:11 PM	#4
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,031	Hi Evan, I've still got an 'almost finished' PR19, converted from the old Hobbycraft MkXIV. The wing was virtually plain, although there were the fillers for the 'bowser wing' fuel tanks. I should have some shots of the BBMF's Mk19's, taken when I worked with them for two seasons, but they'll be on 35mm transparency, and will need scanning etc. I might be able to get this done by my brother, but it'll take a while, a) to find them, and b) to get them to and from said brother! I think I also have a drawing of the wing. It should be a simple conversion, just filling some panel lines, making the camera ports and the underwing blisters, and moulding a new canopy, plus a couple of small details. Leave it with me mate. __________________

05-06-2009, 08:17 PM	#5
Lucky13 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A Swede living in Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 15,128	It's a Spitfire PRXIX and it's a new tooling... __________________ JAN "Felicis Tredecim" "I´m going back to the front to relax" "THE BLACK CATS FLIES TONIGHT" "Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant!" "When you're out of F-8's... You're out of fighters!"

05-06-2009, 10:38 PM	#6
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,031	Oops! Sorry Jan, missed that! But when is it coming out...with, or after the big Mosquito?!! __________________

05-06-2009, 07:35 PM	#3
A4K Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 3,224	Really Jan? Wonder what the quality will be like...

05-07-2009, 02:19 AM	#7
109ROAMING Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: New Zealand Posts: 4,994	Cool! a new tooled 1/72 Spit! Awesome idea Evan! Best of luck on the build! __________________ "When all else fails read the manual"

05-07-2009, 03:15 AM	#8
A4K Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 3,224	Thanks guys! Fujimi also put out an LF.XIVe and PR.XIX (I just don't have the XIX). All 3 utilise the same basic mould, with additional components supplied as per box variant, so overall shouldn't be too hard a conversion. I think I've got most of the corrections needed covered, Terry, but I'd appreciate anything you could offer - I don't mind waiting if it means she'll be more accurate for it either. Thanks mate! (Thanks for that info too, Jan!)

05-07-2009, 08:47 AM	#9
Wayne Little Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Adelaide Sth. Aust. Posts: 12,511	Should be interesting Evan...good luckwith it! __________________

05-07-2009, 07:11 PM	#10
A4K Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 3,224	Thanks wayne! Not my favourite mark of Spit to be honest, but I'm sure that'll change once I learn more about her!

05-12-2009, 08:31 AM	#11
109ROAMING Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: New Zealand Posts: 4,994	when ya gonna be building this one mate? Would be a darn good reference! not to mention good to see your progress __________________ "When all else fails read the manual"

05-12-2009, 09:01 AM	#12
A4K Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 3,224	Thanks mate! I'm still doing the research at the moment, hoping Terry's info can fill in some of the gaps. I've written my uncle too regarding paintscheme details - the BBMF's PR.XIX (PS915) is flying in '888's scheme at the moment, but it's a little incorrect compared to the photos. Of the whole process, it's always the painting that worries me the most... (Oh, for an airbrush...!)

05-12-2009, 09:41 AM	#13
Airframes Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9,031	Evan, just found out my mate has a transparency scanner! Saves sending the slides to Yorkshire and back! He's going to see if he can fit me in within this next week. Meanwhile, I'm digging out some bits and pieces. BTW, did you know the last 'official' ops by RAF Spits were by PR 19's of the 'THUM' Flight, out of Woodvale, Lancashire, I think in the late 50's or early 60's? Weren't offensive ops of course. One of the PR19's (now with BBMF) was dragged out in the '60's to do DACT with Lightning F6's, in case we (UK) got embroiled in a conflict with ?? Darn! Forgotten which country, but they had P51's, and the RAF needed to figure tactics for using Lightnings against prop jobs! Apparently, the Spit put up a bl**dy good show! Soon as I've got some stuff, I'll give you a shout. __________________

05-12-2009, 10:17 AM	#14
A4K Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 3,224	Thanks mate! I'd appreciate that! Thanks for the info too, actually I had read that, during my research on this project! (For those that don't know, THUM was the RAF's Temperature and Humidity Flight, for meteorological research) Re the Lightning trials, I read they were preparing for actions against Indonesia, over Malaya. Indonesia was using P-51's as you say, so the RAF had to develop special tactics for the Lightning pilots (this was 1962). Apparently the Spitfire XIX was the fastest piston engined aircraft available to the RAF at that time, so one was pulled out of storage for the job. In the end, they concluded it was best to attack a piston engined aircraft from below and behind in a modern jet aircraft.

05-12-2009, 04:35 PM	#15
109ROAMING Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: New Zealand Posts: 4,994	Nice info! Dam good to have him as your uncle too! look forward to the build mate! __________________ "When all else fails read the manual"

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