Sheet:

Aeromaster 48-443: Seafire pt III

Units: Various

Price

$6.69

Reviewer:

Scott Van Aken

As many of you know, Airfix recently issued its Spit V as a Seafire III by including a few extra bits to make the conversion. Having a bit of foresight, Aeromaster released this sheet about a year or so prior to the Airfix kit, so now you have some real options available to you.

This sheet carries four planes, half  of them in the standard Naval colors of the time; extra dark sea grey/dark slate grey over sky. The profiles have the two upper colors so close to each other that  it is nearly impossible to tell them apart, so I recommend another source for camo markings that can be more easily seen. There are enough common markings on the sheet to do all four subjects. There are two smaller errata sheets (not shown) with some roundels and central dots, but the numbering on them is most confusing. One of them is to replace the central dots with those of darker (and apparently more accurate) blues. All aircraft are Seafire IIIs unless noted.

First plane is in overall aluminum (or bare metal) with a black anti-glare panel and black ID bands. It is assigned to 807 Squadron aboard HMS Hunter in Singapore in 1945. Spinner is dark red or black.

Next is a French plane from Esc 54 aboard the Arromanches in 1948. It is in extra dark sea grey upper and sky lower surfaces and spinner.

Another French Naval plane from Esc 1 is next. This is in the standard Naval colors and is also from the Arromanches in 1947/48. Spinner is a dark red.

Finally, the lone Seafire IIc from 809 Sq aboard the HMS Unicorn in 1943. There is some confusion as to the proper code colors so alternates have been provided. It is the only known Seafire to have a sharkmouth.

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