I am bit confused. I’ve just purchased the new Robert Taylor print “Top Cover”, which I think is rather nice. However it depicts, according to the a/c serials (NH719 and RB149(?)), high-backed Mark XIVs of 610 Squadron with FOUR bladed props. I am certainly not suggesting that Robert Taylor has got it wrong, but I can’t ever remember seeing XIVs with four-bladed props – Mark XIIs yes, but not XIVs. All the pictures I’ve ever seen show Mark XIVs with five bladed props, as have all the examples I have seen in the flesh. Can anyone shed any light on this?
By: Rich82 - 18th September 2005 at 00:46
I have to agree with Spiteful on this one.
If you look at the painting, you can clearly see 4 blades. But, if you consider tha angle at which they are painted, there must be a fifth prop blade on the far side of the spinners of the aircraft.
You’re welcome.
Rich.
By: Snapper - 17th September 2005 at 18:48
Spitfire propellor blades must ALWAYS be painted at 1/60th of a second or less to look reasonable.
By: allan125 - 17th September 2005 at 18:26
Spitfire XIV’s as depicted in “Top Cover”
This painting seems to be the one mentioned in the piece started by Stormbird262 – http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?p=743898#post743898 – where I have added a few pieces – this is not the first time that I have seen XIV’s seemingly only having 4 blades.
A well known shot of RB140 – the first production XIV – gives the same effect, with the “missing” blade blending into the top of the fuselage.
Any hope of a better copy of “Top Cover” ?
cheers
Allan
p.s. since writing this I have now found a copy of the painting which states “signatures on Top Cover” Flight Lieutenant EDWARD TED McGINDLE DFC – Squadron Leader F A O TONY GAZE DFC** – so this confirms it is the same painting in the piece by Stormbird262
By: Dan Johnson - 17th September 2005 at 17:50
Maybe they got the 4 blader that was supposed to go on the 91 Squadron Spit XII EN625 that graces the cover of the Osprey book on 91 Squadron. That Spit XII is swinging a 5 blade prop. All these years chasing XIIs and I’ve yet to see one with a 5 blade prop 🙂
By: Cranswick - 17th September 2005 at 16:29
See why they changed from Roman to Arabic
Jan – look again – the Spits are supposed to be Mk XIVs not XVIs. Mk.14s had Griffon engines and 5-blade props. Serves Mr Taylor right for depicting individual propellor blades – perhaps my eyeballs don’t have a quick enough shutter speed but I’ve never seen them on an aircraft in flight ….
Cue the ‘how to paint a propellor’ debate.
By: Spiteful - 17th September 2005 at 16:00
Spitfire XIV question………
Auster,
your right that most (if not all) mk XIV’s has 5 bladed props. Looking at Robert Taylor’s picture I think they have 5 blades, but it is just an optical illusion as they are spinning that makes it appear there are only four.
By: Jan_k - 17th September 2005 at 15:41
The Mk XVI Spitfire is virtually identical to the Mk IX,
except it is fitted with a Rolls Royce engine built under licence by Packard in the US.
So the four blade proppler is OK. I do not remember any MkIX/XVI with five
bladed proppeler. Maybe some prototypes…
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September 17, 2005 at 3:34 pm