Sometime in the near future I want to build a couple of Jonnie Johnson’s Spitfires, but have lost my photos of his planes. But what I’m really after is a couple of decale sheets dedicated to Mr. Johnson’s Spitfires. Anybody know of any?
gary
What scale are you looking at?
I know Hasegawa just released a 1/72 Spitfire Mk IX with his markings and I have done an early 1/72 Mk I using an AeroMaster Battle of Britain Sheet with his markings. Not sure if this sheet is still readily available or not. I will get the product number for you after work if you like. There is probably a 1/48 equivilent as well.
Check out www.modelingmadness.com 's decal review section (bottom left corner of the home page) where you will get a good list of available sheets though many of those reviewed are no longer available. Another good source for decals is www.flightdecs.ca
ICM’s Mk. IX comes with JE-J… don’t know if it’s for MK392 or EN398. I have it in the stash but can’t recall.
I’ve had a hard time finding JE-J decals in 1/48. Squadron doesn’t seem to have any, and the LHS has had a hard time finding some. I’d like to get a few sets of them, and JE-J JR too.
Tally Ho TY48041 Spitfire Mk XIV - If you can find the sheet
Carpena CA48063 Spitfire Mk IXc - Hannants have it.
The sheet I have for the 1/72 Mk I is Aeromaster 72-003. Johnson’s mount is QJ-G with serial #X4330 with no other personal or squadron markings so you could do it from generic sheets or spares. This is for 616 squadron during Sept 1940 (according to aeromaster - you may want to confirm the markings with other sources).
If you can handle fixing the fit problems, the Ocidental kit is a 1/48 MK IXc and comes with marking for EN398, JE-J.
I finished this about 6yrs ago. My 1st attempt at weathering.
PS, I have the books Canadian Spitfires # 1 and 2. When I unpack it all I can give you the info on JJ from there if you like.
I first came upon him when I was a kid in grade school. We had this deal to buy books for about half price, and I bought his book Wing Leader. In it there were several pics of his planes, but alas my Mother gave the book away while I was employed with Uncle Sam filling sand bags. Later I came into another copy of the book, but it has no pictures in it. But then again it was an autographed copy, so I can’t whine too much! This project has been in the back of my mind for many years, and I finally said this winter I will get this done one way or the other. I might also add that sometime in the future I also plan on doing Bader’s Hurricane. And maybe a Lysander tobe pulled from my stash, along with a 1/32 scale Gladiator I saw at the LHS yesterday.
Digging into what little I can find, I did find that Mr. Johnson did fly a Mk. IX that was lettered J O JE with a mfg. number of EN396. But have nothing else to go from. There was also a JEOI that had a white spinner with yellow tipped prop blades and a white band in front of the tail. No idea what the s/n number would be or even what the color scheme was. Anyway I figured that somebody here could bail me out of the latest quandry.
thanks all
gary
That plane looks so real I’d almost expect Johnson to be climbing out of the cockpit! Wish I could build that good.
gary
This is for sure one of the planes I have in mind! I also have the FSM data on the one in Chicago, and want to also build one of the versions they show.
gary
WOW! There’s enough data there to start three Spit’s and later a fourth one. Gonna be a fun winter.
Thanks to all of you that gave me info, and I hope I can return the favor someday.
gary
Thanks for the comment Gary.
Glad I could help some.
Johnson flew EN398 for a while… good info and even a pic can be found here. After EN398, I believe he went to MK392… I know around D-Day he was in MK392, though I’m not sure if there was another aircraft between those two. Both were Mk. IXs, though I’d have to pull out the Great Book of Spitfire when I go home to get more precise info on which contract each was built under.
Odd that JE-J decals are so hard to find. Johnson was the highest scoring British ace of the war- you’d think decal manufacturers would jump on those.
The ICM IX comes with MK 392, though I’d really hoped to do EN398. Had some interesting nuances to it’s paint- a mix of old and new paint. I may be able to piece together the right numbers, although if you notice the S/N in the above referenced pic, EN398 was stenciled very small, near the top of the fuselage spine.
That is wierd about the EN398 being so small in the ref pic. You would have thought the kit decals would have been the same.
That reference pic is from one of the books I have on Canadain Spitfires. Johnson I believe is the “official” highest ace. I do believe though that Buzz Beurling was the “unoficial” as I beleive he had 39 kills marks on his Mk V whilr in Malta. I have his auto bio and should check up on it to be sure. ANyone liking a great read, it is called HERO - The Buzz Beurling story.
I really am going to have to get those books out…I will look tonight!!.
Brent
EN398 was ordered as a Mk Vc in August 1941 but built as Mk IXc. A relatively early Mk IXc it had broad cannon blisters, small carb intake, single-angle horn-blacnced elevators and rounded rudder. First issued to 402 Sqn RCAF on 18th Feb 1942 coded AE.I it became the regular aircraft of Flt Lt Ian Keltie. In March it was recoded AE.B and the ground crew painted the cartoon character Popeye on the port side. Two photos of it show it was finished in a noticeably light shade of Ocean Grey, perhaps a squadron mix. On 22nd March it was transferred to 416 Sqn RCAF where it remained on charge until the end of the month when it was listed as part of the Kenley Station HQ Flight. During early April it underwent modifications at Air Service Training, Hamble, returning to Kenley on 16th April assigned to 416 Sqn and then transferred to 421 Sqn. It remained as Johnson’s personal aircraft until well into the summer. Two photographs of EN398 in Johnson’s personal markings suggest that it was repainted (partially) at Hamble. The Ocean Grey behind the letter E is lighter and the engine cowlings are darker green (might be replacements) and there are two patches of a paler colour on the fuselage spine and in front of the fin. Some think they might have been grey-green (interior green) primer. The rear edge of the 18in Sky fuselage band appears slightly slanted. The serial number was reapplied high on the fuselage in 4in characters. According to Johnson, a W/Cdr pennant was painted on at the same time as his initials so it must be on the port side only.
At least two Spitfires were flown by Johnson during the D-Day operations. Both have controversies. No identifiable photos have been found of MK392. There is one of him with his pet dog standing in front of front of a Spitfire Mk IXe with full invasion stripes. The date is said to be July 1944. MK392 lies in a batch of Spitfire Mk IXcs. There is some speculation as to whether MK392 was a Mk IXe or was modified to an e wing, either at the factory or in the field.
The other aircraft, sometimes referred to as his back-up machine, was MK329 or MJ329 depending upon the reference. There is a photo of a Spitfire coded JE.JJR but the serial cannot be seen. MK329 does not appear on any list of Spitfire serials and so technically did not exist. MJ329 did exist but was never allocated to 441, 442 or 443 RCAF squadrons from where you would have expected him to have his personal aircraft allocated. The letter Js of the codes had square (flat) bottoms and one source states that MK392 also had square Js. I don’t know what that is based upon and have never seen MK392 depicted with square Js. However, it may be that people have just copied EN398. MK/MJ329 is also said to be the aircraft used for Operation XXX.
A pair of beer kegs are available from SAM Publications in their D-Day Spitfire conversion set (1/48 scale).
Other Spitfires are:
Spitfire Mk I X4330, QJ.G 616 Squadron, believed to have been flown by Johnson circa Sept 1940.
Spitfire Mk Vb, AA879, YQ.U. 616 Squadron winter 1941/42. Bore the presentation inscription ‘Manchester Civil Defender’ and coat-of-arms.
Spitfire Mk Vb EP254, DW.B 610 Squadron summer 1942
Spitfire Mk XIVe MV268, JE.J, 127 Wing, Soltau Germany, May 1945
Bader has got to be up there as well
gary
At the end of WWII Johnson was officially the highest scoring RAF pilot with 38 confirmed victories. This was later amended to North European Theatre following revelations of the unofficial 50+ score of S/Ldr M T StJ ‘Pat’ Pattle in the Middle East and Greece.
That is some great info antoni… thanks so much for that.
I have looked high and low for photos of MK392, with no luck.
I have this print, which is signed by Johnson, that shows MK392 as a “c” wing. Certainly not photographic evidence, but the artist worked for Johnson as I understood it, so perhaps he had access to records and such to confirm it’s type.
I always wondered if that pic of Johnson on the wing was a Mk. XIV? I can’t find a copy of it, but if I remember right, the bulges on the cowl cover seemed large? Anyone have that pic?
what a piece of art work! I’ve got an autographed book, and I think I have something! You know after reading Wing Leader, Johnson and Bader have always been at the very top of my list of people that I most admire.
gary
I managed to find some decal sheets that include Johnson’s Spitfires. They are made by a company called Watermark. They are a modeller’s dream. You want to buy them just for the instruction sheets. This is how decals should be packaged and sold. Follow the instructions on the screen and page down. You can just about read the print. Note: MK392 is a IXe and has flat bottomed Js.
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/ISL/Water%20Mark%20Decals/Water%20Mark%20Decals.htm
If you cannot find a supplier in the States This site still has a few sheets in stock. Click on advanced search and find Watermark in the list of publishers.
Top notch looking decals, and the info supplied is very nice.
I am going to have to pick these up as I see they also have Beurlings planes as well.