Hey guys, I want to do a diorama of Pierre Clostermann chasing a 190 in the air and have a Spitfire Mk Vb. What are the visual differences between that and the Mk. IX that he flew? Would they be extremely visible in 48th scale?
I think that the most visible difference between the two marks is that the Mk IX had a longer nose due to the supercharger change, however I may be wrong 
The Mk IX nose contours are different, due to an improved version of the Merlin engine. Plus, it had a 4 bladed prop instead of the Mk V’s 3-bladed.
The two-stage supercharger fitted to the Merlin engine required a longer nose which altered the shape giving it a characteristic hump. The the letter b in Vb refers to the type of wing fitted, one cannon and two machine guns in each wing. The Mk IX was fitted with a c wing, two cannon and one machine gun in each wing. Because of the extra weight of the supercharger only one cannon in each wing was fitted. Later versions had the e wing. Because more power was being produced by the engine a second radiator had to be fitted under the port wing similar to that under the starbord wing. There were also different intakes and elevators and rudders fitted.
The visual difference between the two would be minimal, as was pointed out above. If you’re really not to worried about extreme accuracy, you could probably fit the V with the same armament as the IX model he flew (which actually varied between a, b and c wings for the IX) and add a four bladed prop and it would look fine.
I live near Fayetteville (well, nearby), and if you’d rather just get a IX, drop by Hayes Hobby House in the Eutaw Shopping Center (down off Bragg Blvd.). Last time I was there, they had an Airfix Spitfire IXc/XVIe, which actually has enough parts to build a wide variety of Spitfires. I’m sure it would have the right configuration for the IX you need. I think it was around $15.
If you’re really into Spitfires, Books-A-Million had a nice 70th Anniversary magazine detailing all marks of Spitfires very thoroughly, and it’s a great reference. Don’t know if they still have it, but it’s in the magazine section.
Most MK.IX had the broad chord rudder and a bubble canopy. Only the very early XI retained the MKV tail. And like the others already said the front end was basically rebuilt to handle additional parts and power.
Whoa, most IXs had the standard fuselage; it was the XVI which had, mainly, a bubble canopy. Only late on did the IX have the pointed, broad-chord, rudder. The fuselage was 9inches longer, at the firewall, and there were two radiator housings under the wings; the starboard had the normal radiator, while the port held the oil cooler, plus an extra radiator for the intercooler, fitted to the 60-series Merlins. Most IXs had the carburettor intake lengthened, to incorporate a filter, and early a/c had “C” wing armament. The “E” wing, on Merlin-engined IXs, still had the outboard m/g covers, even if the bays were empty.
Edgar
I thought about using the word bubble after I posted it. That’s my bad the Mk.IX had a internal armered canopy that was different from the MK.V.
I was under the impression that most MK.XI used as fighters in the ETO western front were equipted with the broad chord rudder . This was due to them being nose heavy, over powered/under ruddered which ment they were unable to turn with the new 190’s which they were built to counter. Photo recon also used the broad rudder for it’s better handling at higher alt. Those of the other fronts retained the standered rudder. Unless my info is in error Edgar. If it is let me know. I assumed more were in service with the broad rudder than without based on the perferance for it. I don’t want to be throwing out bad info. Thanks.
Mk Vs were also fitted with internal armoured windscreens and Malcolm Hoods. The relevant Modification 461, to fit balloon hood (retrofit all marks) was introduced in October 1941 and by summer 1942 Mk Vs in operational squadrons were being retrofitted with such canopies. It would seem natural that except for a few test aircraft all Mk IXs should have been factory-fitted with Malcolm Hoods. However, there are photographs showing early Mk IXs, both built at Supermarine and converted by Rolls-Royce, with the older, flat-sided canopies. It would therefore seem that the earliest Mk IXs were factory fitted with flat-sided canopies. Likewise, quite a few early Mk IXs delivered by the end of 1942 featured the headrest above the pilot’s seat, even though the Modification 662 to delete pilot’s headrest (all marks) was approved in June 1942.
It was the increase in size of the elevator horn-balance that led to the enlarged rudder being fitted to Mk IXs. The horn-balance was first increased (with a reduction of the tailplane area) on the Mk Vb AB186 in late 1942. Mk VII BS229 seems to have been the first so modified Spitfire tested at the A&AAE Boscombe Down during February/March 1943. It was found that the change affected lateral stability and larger, vertical tail surfaces, were recommended as a counter-measure. Duly, Modification 914, included the instruction to intdroduce Spitfire Mk.XII type rudder. This larger rudder had been specifically developed for the first Griffon-engined variant to counter the enormous torque of that engine, Even though Modification 914 applied to Mk VII, VIII and IX variants the modified rudder was not seen on operational Mk IXs until mid-1944. It was fitted as standard to most production Mk VIIs and VIIIs. Eventually they were fitted to later LF.IX, HF.IX, and LF.XVIs. Their absence on F.IXs may be because few of them were built with the enlarged horn-balance elevators. Although the modified tailplane is often referred to as the as the MK IX type, as opposed to the Mk V earlier type, the switch from one to the other has more to do the time of production than the particular variant of aircraft. Virtually no Mk IXs made by Supermarine had the late style elevators when leaving the assembly plants and the CBAF-built Mk IXs until mid-1943 were all factory fitted with the earlier elevators at least until the MA500 serial range. The change to the later elevators seems to have been introduced in the MA600 range. This also affected Mk Vs made by Castle Bromwich after June 1943 in the same late MAnnn range. They too were fitted with enlarged horn-balance elevators. Similar tailplane/elevator sections were then retrofitted to earlier Mk.Vs or F.IXs undergoing major repairs after mid-1943.