Hasegawa 1/32 Supermarine Spitfire Mk XIVc

By Ronald Dorenbos

In March 1944, No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron RAF was one of the first units to reequip on the new powerful Spitfire Mk.XIV. The squadron was assigned to Air Defence Great Britain, initially tasked to prevent German reconnaissance aircraft observing the D-Day preparations. On June 5th, while stationed at RAF Acklington, the squadron code changed from VL to 3W. At the same time the invasion stripes were applied. But mid-June 322’s primary mission became hunting V-1s. 322 Sq was fairly successful, claiming a total of 119 V-1s. In August the squadron reequipped on Mk.IX’s, being destined for operations in the air-to-ground role in the Second Tactical Air Force. NH700 ‘VL-B’ was the aircraft usually flown by F/Lt Kees Van Eendenburg, a Flight Leader. He was one of the first ‘Engelandvaarders’; having escaped occupied Holland in a small sailing boat in June 1940 to join the allied forces in Britain. NH700 was lost on 11 April 1944 during a high altitude training flight, when its pilot, F/O Jaap van Hamel (another ‘Engelandvaarder’), probably suffered from an oxygen failure and crashed near Rothbury.

The model is the old Hasegawa Spitfire Mk.VI, modified to a Mk.XIVc. Probably not the easiest way to build a Mk. XIV, but when I started this project some 20 (!) years ago there were only limited options. I used both the Paragon and Grey Matter modification kits, supplemented with Master gun barrels and various other bits and pieces. The kit was airbrushed using XtraColour enamels, the squadron codes were airbrushed using Maketar custom masks.

Hasegawa 1/32 Supermarine Spitfire Mk XIVc

By Ronald Dorenbos

Related Content