Bharat Rakshak:Indian Air Force

Academy 1/48 Spitfire FR Mk XIVe

The Royal Indian Air force was selected to be part of the Commonwealth Occupation forces in Japan after the end of WW II along with RAF, RAAF and USAAF units. No 4 sqn, “The Oorials” (a type of mountain Ram) was selected to represent India as part of that force. The sqn set sail with 12 Spifire FR Mk XIVe ac from Cochin aboard the light Carrier HMS Vengeance on 03 Apr 46. Enroute the boat picked up Nos 17 and 11 RAF sqns (also on Spitfire Mk XIVs) and a Royal Army AOP unit on Austers from Singapore (which necessitated the dumping overboard of nearly 30 lend lease FAA Corsairs and Hellcats). The sqn arrived at Iwakuni, Kyushu prefecture, Japan on 23 Apr and after transfer ashore on barges (there being no deck space to fly off) and some air tests and familiarization, flew to Miho on Japan’s main land on 07 May 46. The sqn flew patrols off the Korean peninsula to prevent illegal immigrants as also took part in fly pasts over Tokyo with Nos 76, 77 and 82 sqns RAAF on the P-51. The sqn departed Miho in end Jul 47 leaving all their Spitfires behind. The sqn’s ac were re painted in the standard post war overall silver finish with SEAC blue and sky roundels, while the RAF units retained their ac in temperate camouflage with SEAC white ID bands and blue/sky roundels. I always wanted to do the blue/sky roundels on a silver ac and the Spit XIV seemed the ideal choice. The ac I‘ve selected-RN 133 has quite a history behind it. Taken on charge by the RAF on 05 Jan 45 it arrived Bombay for 132 sqn RAF on 12 Apr 45 and was marked FF-B. It was handed over to the RIAF to No 4 sqn and shipped to Iwakuni. During an air test sortie in the hands of then Sqn Ldr Nur Khan (later Air Vice Marshall and Chief of the Pakistan Air Force) it suffered a tyre burst on landing on 28 Jul 47 and declared cat FA/Ac. Left behind with the rest of the Spitfires it was finally struck off the RAF register on 24 Jul 48. I have used the impeccable 1/48 Academy kit which was constructed by my friend and modeler Boban James. The construction was so good that hardly any finishing was required for painting. I used Testors acrylic aluminum overall and enamel flat black for the anti glare panel (although pics show that many 4 sqn Spits flew without the anti glare black panel). The decals were gifted by Phil Camp and from spares. Weathering was chalk pastels and a lead pencil was used for the panel lines and rivet heads.