Who was Johnnie Johnson? (grin)

[BSteinIPMS]

Wow. What a choice to make. I would really like the mk9..no wait the mk14...or was that the 9? :eek: :p JEJ!!! :)
Mk IX for me - JE-J ! :cool:
personally, MkIX Johnson jobbie, i mean, top scoring RAf pilot hes got to be done
Can't understand why a JJ mount has not already been done. Should have been included in the aces series along with Hartmann.

With the above-mentioned interest in the Spit flown by Johnnie Johnson, I thought those of you who would like to see a Corgi version might enjoy seeing some photos of another model.

This is a Spitfire Mk. IXc, JE-J, serial EN398, which was flown by Johnson when he led No. 403 and No. 416 (Canadian) Squadrons from Kenley Airfield in Surrey, during March 1943.

The model is a 1/48 kit from Arii (formerly Otaki) with parts taken from the Revell, Fujimi, and Monogram kits to make up a Mk. IXc. A number of aftermarket photoetch accessories were added, along with a certain amount of scratch-building, which processes consumed about 950 hours. These photos were taken by me and are scanned from an article I wrote for FineScale Modeler magazine in September 1992. No copyright infringement here, Admin: I own it. :D

[datacroft]

What can I say Bob, exceptional, incredible, so real...........jeez

Sorry, I don't know how to express my total admiration of your many and diverse skills, historian, humanitarian, author, perfectionist builder............
Is there no limit to your talents?
And I thought it was only Agent that was green!

[Martin Bull]

Really superb model, Bob. I admire the patience it must take ! :)

Come on, Corgi ! :mad:

[Agent X20]

Rounded tail.. unlike a certain witty... mmm..
Ace model... sure that is the right shade of green there..?

[The Defiant Man]

Simply awesome B/S....

[Ara1]

Heya Bob,

Very nice work! Y'know, in the days when I was an avid model builder, I absolutely ate up this FSM article of yours, gosh it was over ten years ago! I kept that issue for years, you really tricked the hell out of that plane.

Your work inspired many builders to improve their craft and skills. Even if neophyte builders accomplished a fraction of what you articulated, they'd be the better for it.

And the early nineties-era was before the days of super kits; you worked with the good ol' Otaki which you improved upon greatly, using research, a clever mind and skillful fingertips.

I believe there is a modeling section of this discussion group. Please Bob, if you have some photos of other work, post some there.

Thanks for sharing your work-

Ara

[neighbob]

I'm sure i read somewhere that JJ had a green Maple leaf on his mount and not a red one.
(Nit picking i know)

[Agent X20]

That was Airfix..!! :D

[BSteinIPMS]

Thanks, chaps, for all the kind words, much appreciated. :D
Jeez, Datacroft, you make me blush! :o
Children require far more patience, MB, but thanks! ;)
Agent, the color is absolutely correct. It's Air Ministry Aquaphibian Dark Green and was painstakingly matched to a live specimen. :p
Thanks, TDM, and you, too, Ara. Glad to see someone actually read those things! :rolleyes:
Sharp eyes, Neighbob, thanks. It pleases me you looked so closely at the model that you noticed this. An interesting observation and one open to interpretation. Profile Publications #206, "Supermarine Spitfire Mark IX Variants" has a color 5-view of Johnson's JE-J which shows a red maple leaf. Other artists have made it green in other references, and the dry-transfer 1/72 decals for his aircraft from Letraset have a green leaf. Of the 15 or so references I used to build this model the common consensus was red. I believe this was so, especially considering Johnson was Canadian and that's the color of the leaf on the Canadian flag and aircraft national insignia. One of the references I used was a book titled "In the Cockpit" which carried a chapter written by Johnson himself when an Air Vice-Marshall. This carried a color profile of JE-J with a red leaf, and I felt he would have corrected this in the proofs had it not been so. Anyway, that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it. :)

Still, everytime when I think I'm right I'm usually proven wrong, and if so in this case I'll go quietly to my room and consume between six to eight Newcastle Brown ales.... :D (....hope I'm wrong....)

[Agent X20]

... see what Corgi come up with..? :D :D :D

Did Johnson then go on to fly a pointy tailed Mark IX or is that a witty wings error..?

[BSteinIPMS]

... see what Corgi come up with..? :D :D :D

Did Johnson then go on to fly a pointy tailed Mark IX or is that a witty wings error..?

Not 100% sure, Agent, but I believe Witty is incorrect. All references show EN398 to be a rounded-tail Mk. IX. Being a Wing Leader, Johnson could have exercised his prerogatives and carried his initials on to later marks of Spits, but you'd have to ask someone more expert than me. :D

[BSteinIPMS]

A couple more.....

[planejunky]

As always Bob, I stand in awe of your work! That is absolutely wonderful stuff, I've always made models, but suffer over eagerness to see the finished piece. Inevitably it's ok, but lacks the polish of the more patient model maker!

[BSteinIPMS]

As always Bob, I stand in awe of your work! That is absolutely wonderful stuff, I've always made models, but suffer over eagerness to see the finished piece. Inevitably it's ok, but lacks the polish of the more patient model maker!

Yer own stuff ain't so bad, P/J. Always enjoy your dioramas. Patience? Ask Agent: models is easy. Kids, now that takes patience! Especially if they're of the feminine persuasion. :D
(No offense to any females, past or present - or those who aren't but like to dress as if they were - intended. All in the best possible taste. ;) )

[minter]

Yer own stuff ain't so bad, P/J. Always enjoy your dioramas. Patience? Ask Agent: models is easy. Kids, now that takes patience! Especially if they're of the feminine persuasion. :D
(No offense to any females, past or present - or those who aren't but like to dress as if they were - intended. All in the best possible taste. ;) )

awesome B/S.... now shall i finish my 1/32 hurri or not after seeing this... suggestions on a postcard please ....:(
and female offspring....oh boy! patience they do take especially this morning when she used the f word, and shes only 5 :eek:

[Agent X20]

... and Mrs Mint looked at you...??????

Been there.. got the T shirt..

[minter]

nope mrs mint didnt hear...fortunatly, mini mint burst into the kitchen saying guess what she said to me... :( just want to eat me cornflakees in peace :o

[maple 01]

Bob, yer man was an Brit, English to be precise (as is God, as any fule kno) he was just put in charge of the rowdy colonials!

http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Johnson_JE.htm

-Nick

[BSteinIPMS]

Bob, yer man was an Brit, English to be precise (as is God, as any fule kno) he was just put in charge of the rowdy colonials!

http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Johnson_JE.htm

-Nick

Well, yer lern sommat ever' day, doncher?

Thanks, Nick, for this important correction. :D
(...besides, what's wrong wif rowdy colonials?)

[DCRanger]

(...besides, what's wrong wif rowdy colonials?)
They don't know how to talk propper like wot we do and their spelling is even worse. :D :D