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Tally Ho! 1/72 Spitfire Mk. V Aces Part 1

By Chris Banyai-Riepl

With the large numbers of Spitfire Mk. Vs produced during the Second World War it's no surprise that many aces at least got their start on this type.  This sheet has four options on it, all being Mk. Vbs.  The first is F/Lt. Stanislav Fejfar's plane.  This example is of No 313 Squadron, coded RY-S and serialed BL973, finished in dark green and ocean gray over medium sea gray.  The instructions detail the specifics of the plane, stating that it has the de Havilland Hydromatic propellor, fishtail exhausts and wheel discs with covers.  The decal sheet includes Fejfar's personal emblem of Disney's Pluto barking "Tally Ho!".

The second option is finished in dark earth and dark green over silver and is a converted Mk. I flown by Squadron Leader James Rankin.  Coded QJ-J and serialed W3312, this plane has the old type of exhausts, standard spoked wheels and a de Havilland Hydromatic propellor.  Ten kill markings are under the windscreen and "FIRST INDIA SQUADRON" is ahead of them along with an emblem.

The third option is a USAAF plane, fitted with the de Havilland Hydromatic propellor, fishtail exhausts, and standard spoked wheels, as well as being equipped with a Vokes filter.  Camouflage is middlestone and dark earth over azure blue.  Flown by 1st Lt. Sylvan 'Sid' Feld of the 4th FS out of Tunisia in 1943, it features S. Feld's name in script on the side in front of a string of nine white swastikas.  The fuselage codes of WD-D are in white, while the serial ES276 is black.

The final choice on this sheet is the plane of Squadron Leader Bernard Dupérier of No. 340 French Squadron (GC IV/2 Ile de France).  Flying out of Hornchurch in 1942, this plane has a Rotol propellor, fishtail exhausts, standard spoked wheels and the old style of armored glass on the windscreen.  It is camouflaged in ocean gray and dark green over medium sea gray and has white identification stripes on the nose and tailplanes.  The Cross of Lorraine is under the windscreen, while the name 'Tomana' is in white ahead of the windscreen.  Under the exhaust stacks is Dupérier's personal emblem incorporating Donald Duck.

All four of these options come with complete roundels, making it easy to build each of these planes without raiding the spares box for extra markings.  The interesting selection makes it difficult to decide on just one to build, so it's probably best to just get four kits and do them all.