Supermarine Seafire FR Mk. 47 by Special Hobby

1/72 scale
Kit No. SH 72259
Retail: $24.00
Decals: Three versions, two Fleet Air Arm and one RVNR
Comments: Engraved panel lines, detailed cockpit, option for two different canopies, optional position canopy, photo-etched details

History

The last of the Supermarine Seafire developments, the Seafire F and FR Mk 47 saw action with 800 Squadron on board HMS Triumph during the Malayan Emergency of 1949 and during the Korean War in 1950.  The Supermarine Seafire is a naval version of the Supermarine Spitfire adapted for operation from aircraft carriers. It was analogous to the Hawker Sea Hurricane, a navalized version of the Spitfire’s stablemate, the Hawker Hurricane. The idea of adopting a navalized carrier-capable version of the Supermarine Spitfire had been mooted by the Admiralty as early as May 1938. Despite a pressing need to replace various types of obsolete aircraft that were still in operation with the Fleet Air Arm (FAA), some opposed the notion, such as Winston Churchill, although these disputes were often a result of an overriding priority being placed on maximizing production of land-based Spitfires instead. This was particularly true during the period of the “Phoney War” between September 1939 and May 1940, when war had been declared but for the most part hostilities existed in name only, on through the disastrous Battle of France, quickly followed by the Battle of Britain and the Blitz, the renewed German bombing offensive of the United Kingdom that reached a crescendo once the Battle of Britain had petered out.

During 1941 and early 1942, the concept was again pushed for by the Admiralty, culminating in an initial batch of Seafire Mk Ib fighters being provided in late 1941, which were mainly used for pilots to gain experience operating the type at sea. While there were concerns over the low strength of its undercarriage, which had not been strengthened like many naval aircraft would have been, its performance was found to be acceptable.

Combat Record
From 1942 onwards, further Seafire models were quickly ordered, including the first operationally-viable Seafire F Mk III variant. This led to the type rapidly spreading throughout the FAA. In November 1942, the first combat use of the Seafire occurred during Operation Torch, the Allied landings in North Africa. In July 1943, the Seafire was used to provide air cover for the Allied invasion of Sicily; and reprised this role in September 1943 during the subsequent Allied invasion of Italy. During 1944, the type was again used in quantity to provide aerial support to Allied ground forces during the Normandy landings and Operation Dragoon in Southern France. During the latter half of 1944, the Seafire became a part of the aerial component of the British Pacific Fleet, where it quickly proved to be a capable interceptor against the feared kamikaze attacks by Japanese pilots which had become increasingly common during the final years of the Pacific War.

The final version of the Seafire was the Seafire F Mk 47 and FR Mk 47. There was no true prototype, instead the first production aircraft PS944 and PS945 served as trials aircraft. As the “definitive” carrier based Seafire, the Mk 47 incorporated several refinements over earlier variants, including hydraulically powered folding wings, with the outer wings folding upwards in one piece, without the folding wingtips of earlier marks. All Mk 47s adopted the Rotol contra-rotating propellers.

The Mk 47 also featured a long supercharger air-duct, the intake of which started just behind the spinner and a modified curved windscreen, similar to that used on the Mk XVII. Other features unique to the Mk 47s were spring-loaded elevator tabs, a large inertia weight in the elevator control system and beading on the trailing edges of the elevators. These changes improved longitudinal stability, especially when the aircraft was fully loaded. The modified windscreen proved to be unpopular with pilots because of continual problems with misting and the thicker, repositioned frames which obstructed visibility during deck landings.

In spite of recommendations to change the windscreen back to a standard Spitfire Mk 24 unit, this was never done. Performance tests showed that the Mk 47 was slightly slower than the Mk 46 in maximum and climbing speeds, mainly due to the long supercharger air intake, which was less efficient than the shorter type fitted to earlier Seafires. The first fourteen aircraft were powered by the Griffon 87, but the rest of the 89 production aircraft (built by Supermarine at South Marston) were powered by the Griffon 88, which used a Rolls-Royce fuel-injection system instead of the carburetor used on earlier Spitfires and Seafires.

The Seafire 47 saw action with 800 Squadron on board HMS Triumph during the Malayan Emergency of 1949 and during the Korean War in 1950, but during 1951 all Seafires were withdrawn from front-line service. In all 90 F Mk 47s and FR Mk 47s were built, all by Supermarine. VR971, the last of the 22,000 aircraft built under the Spitfire/Seafire program, left the production line at Supermarine on January 28, 1949. The maximum level speed for this mark was: 451mph at 20,000ft or 433mph at 24,000ft, ceiling: 43,100ft, range: 405 miles plus 15 minutes combat.

The Mk 47 became the final mark of the Seafire line and was brought about by the development of its cousin, the land-based Spitfire Mk 24. The Mk 47 was considered the best of the Seafire line and broadened its tactical appeal by holding provision for bombs or air-to-surface rockets for the strike role in addition to four 20mm cannons in the wings. Two fuel tanks could be carried under-wing and one fuel tank under the fuselage centerline.

Despite all these additions, the Mk 47 still made for a rather speedy mount, able to manage 450+ mph in level flight. Power was provided by the Rolls-Royce Griffon 87 and later Griffon 88 series V-12 fuel-injected engine of over 2,400 hp (36% greater than the already legendary Merlin). Contra-rotating propellers were required on the Mk 47 to harness the enormous torque which, under acceleration, would swing the aircraft to starboard in previous Griffon powered variants. In total, 89 Mk 47 aircraft were produced although most were of the photo-reconnaissance type. Service entry was in January of 1948 with production ceasing in early 1949.  Seafires were withdrawn from service in 1951.

The Kit

Released by Special Hobby in 2013, the Seafire FR Mk. 47 is injection molded in grey plastic and consists of 183 parts, including 16 clear plastic parts for a choice of two different types of canopies, wing tip lights, and fuselage-mounted reconnaissance camera apertures. The cockpit is highly detailed, featuring an accurately recreated floor frame, seat, rear armor plate, rear bulkhead, control yoke, and photo-etch details for the seat straps, main instrument panel, rudder pedals, and sidewall instrumentation. The fuselage interiors bear raised detail for both the cockpit frame and some sidewall instruments. There is also a separately mounted gunsight.

A Seafire Mk 47 aboard HMS Unicorn, docked near Hiroshima, Japan in 1950.

The wing assembly includes parts to construct boxed-in wheel wells, and clear parts for a series of indicator lights situated in the belly. There are separately mounted gun barrels for the four wing-mounted 20mm cannon. The fuselage is a multi-part affair, consisting of two main halves but also two bulbous parts representing the Seafire’s trademark nose bulges to accommodate the powerful Rolls Royce Griffin engine. The tail assembly includes a separately mounted rudder with a separate trim tab to be cemented to the trailing edge.

The landing gear are remarkably detailed, as are the supercharger assemblies, each consisting of five parts. There is a centerline belly tank, two 250 lb. bombs, and eight 60 lb. ground-to-air rockets. A key feature is a separate part for the Seafire trademark fold-down door on the left side of the cockpit, with an option to depict it open or closed, and an option to use an injection molded part, or to replace it with a series of photo-etch parts. Finally, there is an option for rocket boosters to be mounted above each wing, but I cannot say how frequently rocket-assisted take-off was employed in the Seafire’s carrier operations.

Markings

The kit provides decals for three Fleet Air Arm Seafires. All feature paint schemes of Extra Dark Sea Grey upper surfaces (including the spinner and rudder of each) over Sky under surfaces, which extend up the sides of each aircraft. The first of these is a Seafire Mk. 47, serial VP 480, aircraft 180/P of No. 800 NAS, 13th Carrier Group, aboard the HMS Triumph, cruising in waters off North Korea in July 1950. The second is a machine bearing serial VP 474, aircraft 174/P, also of No. 800 NAS, 13th Carrier Group, aboard the HMS Triumph, stationed at Iwakuni, Japan during April and May 1950, prior to the outbreak of hostilities in Korea. The last machine is a Seafire Mk. 47, serial VP 464, aircraft 155/BR of No. 1833 NAS, RVNR, RNAS Bramcote, during July 1952 through March 1954.

Conclusion

This is a meticulously well detailed kit, featuring a level of engineering more commonly seen in 1/48 scale and above. With care and patience, it will built up into an excellent kit of the last Seafire. Highly recommended.

Reference

Wikipedia.org