1/72 AZmodel Spitfire Mk.9e

Gallery Article by Yoav Efrati on May 5 2014

Israel Independence Day

 

 

Israeli Spitfires – 66th anniversary

     Israel's first Spitfire ד-130 took to the air on July 23, 1948. The test flight conducted by former WWII South African Air Force Spitfire pilot, the late Boris Senior, initiated Israel's love affair with the Spitfire which began 66 year ago. Most of Israel's Spitfires were retired from service prior to the October 1956 Suez War, some ending up as kid's toys in Kibbutz playgrounds and others in airworthy condition over the skies of Europe. One Spitfire, known as "Ezer's Black Spitfire" was retained in Israel, thrilling on lookers during pilot's acceptance ceremonies and holiday IAF museum openings.

     Last year's release of new tooled 1/72 Spitfire Mk.9e kits by AZmodels and Sword models of the Czech Republic, inspired me to build eight Israeli Spitfires that saw service between 1948 and 1956. The text below provides colors notes used to paint my Israeli Spitfires.

 

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no.58 – "Costa's Spitfire" – 1949-1950:
    AZmodel 1/72 scale Spitfire no.58 was the flag ship of the Czechoslovakian Spitfire squadrons after World War II. It was sold to Israel and assigned to Israeli Air Force pilot with the last name of Costa, who was born in Czechoslovakia, and trained by the Czechoslovakian air force to fly the Spitfire. 

    Overall fuselage color is White Aluminum, wing leading edges High Speed Silver. Rudder stripes, spinner and red fuselage zig zag are Humbrol 153 Insignia Red (f.s.31136). Blue Star of David - slightly lighter than RAL5008 and also slightly lighter than f.s.25045; Humbrol 15 Midnight blue is a close match.

Yoav Efrati

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Photos and text © by Yoav Efrati