Subject:  
Israeli
Spitfire IXe
Kit Used: Hasegawa 1/48

Review & model by:
Jim Ashford
Pictures: R. Forys





[Jim built the 1/48 scale Hasegawa Mk IXe Spitfire basically out of the box.] [Jim built the 1/48 scale Hasegawa Mk IXe Spitfire basically out of the box.] [Jim built the 1/48 scale Hasegawa Mk IXe Spitfire basically out of the box.] [Jim built the 1/48 scale Hasegawa Mk IXe Spitfire basically out of the box.] [Jim built the 1/48 scale Hasegawa Mk IXe Spitfire basically out of the box.]
[Jim built the 1/48 scale Hasegawa Mk IXe Spitfire basically out of the box.] [Jim built the 1/48 scale Hasegawa Mk IXe Spitfire basically out of the box.] [Jim built the 1/48 scale Hasegawa Mk IXe Spitfire basically out of the box.] [Jim built the 1/48 scale Hasegawa Mk IXe Spitfire basically out of the box.] [Jim built the 1/48 scale Hasegawa Mk IXe Spitfire basically out of the box.]




The famous Spitfire, an icon of World War II, actually played a decisive role in the Israeli War of Independence.   As it happened, the three Air Forces engaged, Israel, Egypt, and Great Britain all flew Spitfires!   When Israel acquired its Spitfires, the IAF rapidly established complete air superiority, and there can be no doubt that the Israeli Spitfires played a crucial part in Israel's victory in this war.





[The Israeli Spitfires played a crucial part in Israel's victory in this War of Independence.]



The IAF built its first Spitfire from "junk" which was left by the RAF when the British forces evacuated Palestine, as well as from components from the six Royal Egyptian Air Force Spitfires, which had been shot down.   On July 23rd 1948, the IAF's first reconstructed Spitfire was test-flown, and became operational in August 1948.   A second Egyptian Spitfire was also reconstructed using RAF parts, and components of other Spitfires that had been shot down, and was test-flown on October 14th.   This aircraft became operational on October 21st.   In December of 1948, one Egyptian Spitfire was actually captured intact at the REAF's El-Arish air base in the Gaza Strip.




[The IAF built its first Spitfire from parts left by the RAF when the British forces evacuated Palestine.]



In August 1948, Czechoslovakia sold 50 Spitfires to Israel at a cost of $23,000 per aircraft.   The aircraft were to be dismantled and airlifted by C-46 and C-54 transport aircraft to Israel.   However, political pressure from the U.S. and Britain stopped the air-bridge from Czechoslovakia to Israel in August 1948, and so the only solution was to fly the Spitfires from Czechoslovakia to Israel.   This is an entire story in itself, and while very interesting, suffice it to say that they managed to get around 20 Spitfires back to Israel by the end of the year, in two separate missions referred to as VELVETTA I & II.   The second leg of the trip crossed 2,250 km of open water and was the longest ever by a Spitfire, lasting six and three-quarter hours.




[White 15, Israeli serial 2008, was flown by several IAF pilots including Canadian F/Os Denny Wilson, and John McElroy.]



White 15, Israeli serial 2008, was one of the Czech aircraft and was flown by several IAF pilots including Canadian F/Os Denny Wilson, and John McElroy.   The Czechs had obtained the clipped-wing Mk IXe Spitfire from the RAF, but both its new owners kept the original Ocean Grey and Dark Green over medium Sea Grey camouflage.   The insignias were simply painted over with the Israeli national markings.




[On December 31, 1948 Wilson was flying White 15 over the Sinai when he shot down an Egyptian Fiat fighter.]



On December 31, 1948 Wilson was flying White 15 over the Sinai when he shot down an Egyptian Fiat fighter.   Returning home from this mission, he spotted an Egyptian Spitfire escorting a transport, and in a rare Spitfire vs. Spitfire engagement, Wilson downed his opponent.   This however was not the only time that White 15 would see combat with another Spitfire.

On the morning of January 7th, the RAF sent Spitfires on a low-level reconnaissance mission over the battlefront.   Prior to the arrival of these RAF aircraft, Israeli ground forces had been heavily attacked by the Royal Egyptian Air Force, and three armored trucks were on fire.   About that time John McElroy flying White 15, and Slick Goodlin in another Spitfire arrived and saw the RAF Spitfires and assumed they were REAF aircraft.   They engaged and McElroy promptly shot down 2 Spitfires while Goodlin took care of the other.




[The kit is the normal Hasegawa high quality with good overall fit and nice cockpit detail.]



The Kit:  Jim built the 1/48 scale Hasegawa Mk IXe Spitfire basically out of the box.   The only aftermarket part he used was an Ultracast seat.  Jim says that the kit is the normal Hasegawa high quality with good overall fit and nice cockpit detail.   The instructions are very good, and there are also several options available in the kit.   He says that the knock on this kit is that the fuselage is too short, but Jim says it "looks good to me".





[The only aftermarket part used was an Ultracast seat.]



Besides the resin seat, Jim also added wingtip lights that he made from clear colored plastic, and an antenna under the right wing.   His Spitfire is also sporting bombs from an ICM kit.   The kit was painted with Model Master paints, but the kit decals were replaced by a Watermark set, with the addition of the tail stripes, which also came from the ICM kit.





[The kit decals were replaced by a Watermark set.]