David Davis Posted October 10, 2023 Share Posted October 10, 2023 A fellow expatriate Englishman has acquired a few model aeroplanes and asked me to have a look at them and to suggest how much they may be worth. Among them is a beautifully finished Spitfire with a six foot (183cms) wingspan and fitted with what looks like an OS 120 FS engine but I wasn't able to remove it from the model so it may be a clone. It's obviously a late mark Spitfire because it features invasion stripes. It has a pneumatic retractable undercarriage with oleos, proper split flaps and all of the servos appear to be there but it lacks a receiver. The most unusual aspect of the model is that it has a fibre glass fuselage. It's obviously too small to be a Mick Reeves or DB Sport & Scale Spitfire and too big to be a Cambrian. 1. Does anyone have any idea who made this kit? 2. What do you think it's worth? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted October 10, 2023 Share Posted October 10, 2023 Difficult to say without a picture, there are multiple Spitfires in the size range that you mention. Just two examples at that size described below. I just sold a CM Pro Spitfire, which I'd been sold a few weeks ago, which has an ASP120, is 70" span and has a fibreglass fuselage. However the small tailfin and short moment arm was just a bit too off scale for me and I don;t fly any IC models and figured this would take 8s1p batteries to do it justice, so on balance given the very stand off scale appearance I moved it on to a clubmate at a bargain price I also have a Retlas Spitfire, which has a beautiful fibreglass fuselage and is very scale in outline, the same size as the CM Pro Spitfire, but a credible representation of a Mark Vb Spitfire. That will be worth the effort to install an 8s1p power train IMO, as it's a beauty. So the Spitfire in question could conceivably be a Retlas model. Bear in mind that just because it has invasion stripes it doesn't necessarily mean it's a late Mark Spitfire - artistic licence and a desire to see the model in the air is not all that uncommon 😄 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted October 10, 2023 Share Posted October 10, 2023 ESM/YT Spits look like this. Any similarity? As leccy points out, a photo would be handy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted October 10, 2023 Author Share Posted October 10, 2023 It looks very similar to your picture Jon. I recall that it had a young lady riding what I thought was a broomstick on the nose but it could have been a V1! I'll see if the owner can send me a picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engine Doctor Posted October 10, 2023 Share Posted October 10, 2023 (edited) Could be a Retlas spitfire. Made by a firm in Kent near or in Ashford in the lare 70's and through to early 90's if memory serves. I refurbished one for a mate earlier this year. Span is around 6ft. Foam veneered wings . They were a Mk 9 I believe . The fuz has carbon tows around the inside at various points to stiffen it. Edited October 10, 2023 by Engine Doctor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted October 10, 2023 Share Posted October 10, 2023 (edited) The Retlas Spitfire is a Mark V - leastwise that is what the instructions say. Here is my clubmate Graham's version, painted as his uncle's aeroplane. The witch riding a V1 on the nose is a pretty strong pointer towards the ESM/YT Spitfire in this case though. Edited October 10, 2023 by leccyflyer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted October 10, 2023 Share Posted October 10, 2023 Sounds like the YT International 120 Spitfire to me, I think thats a Mk14 - that is not a common piece of nose art, but it was fitted to the YT model, which also had a f/g fus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted October 11, 2023 Author Share Posted October 11, 2023 I received these pictures from the owner this morning. I agree it looks like a YT International Spitfire to me. Any idea how much it would be worth? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted October 11, 2023 Share Posted October 11, 2023 13 minutes ago, David Davis said: Any idea how much it would be worth? Ready to fly less rx? Gotta be worth a reasonable amount i would think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted October 11, 2023 Share Posted October 11, 2023 Like any second hand model it's worth what an interested party would give for it. eBay gives an indication of likely value, but for a model that size it would need to be collection only, which does impact the value. A Brian Taylor Spitfire, slightly smaller, with a 75 four stroke went for £375 a few weeks ago and I could see this going for that sort of money as a private sale, maybe a bit less at a swapmeet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engine Doctor Posted October 11, 2023 Share Posted October 11, 2023 (edited) 16 hours ago, leccyflyer said: The Retlas Spitfire is a Mark V - leastwise that is what the instructions say. Here is my clubmate Graham's version, painted as his uncle's aeroplane. The witch riding a V1 on the nose is a pretty strong pointer towards the ESM/YT Spitfire in this case though. You correct Leccyflyer , But I have been to sleep a few times since the refurb 😉 Edited October 11, 2023 by Engine Doctor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted October 12, 2023 Author Share Posted October 12, 2023 Thank you for your comments gentlemen, I've passed them on to the model's owner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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