Reference · Common Errors

Spitfire pitot tube — left wing, not right

WW2 Modeller Hub20253 min read

The Spitfire's pitot tube — the airspeed sensing probe on the leading edge of the wing — is on the LEFT (port) wing. This is one of the most frequently modelled incorrectly and one of the easiest errors to spot on a finished build. Several widely sold kits have moulded it on the wrong wing. This article explains the evidence and how to correct it.

The evidence

Every primary photographic source — IWM archive, RAF Museum collection, and the Shuttleworth Collection's flying AR501 — confirms the pitot tube on the port (left) outer wing leading edge. It is visible in images of all major BoB Spitfire marks as a slender probe extending forward from approximately two-thirds of the way along the wing, just below the leading edge lip.

The probe itself was approximately 8 inches long on the Mk.I, mounted at a slight downward angle from the leading edge. In 1:48 scale this is roughly 4mm — long enough to be visible and distinctly positioned.

Kit errors

The Revell 1:32 Spitfire Mk.IIa places the pitot on the starboard (right) wing — incorrect. Some older 1:72 kits also mould it on the wrong side. The Airfix 1:48 A17001A has it correctly positioned on the port wing. The Eduard ProfiPACK also places it correctly. If you're not sure, check the IWM photograph archive for your chosen subject before building.

Correcting a wrong-side pitot

If your kit has moulded the pitot on the wrong wing: carefully cut it off at the base with a sharp blade, fill the stub with a tiny amount of superglue or filler, sand flush when cured, then drill a new location on the port wing leading edge and insert a length of stretched sprue or fine brass rod. The diameter should be approximately 0.5mm in 1:48 scale.

Other frequently confused details

While we're on the subject of left-right errors — the Spitfire serial number appeared on the port rear fuselage only. Not both sides. Many modellers apply it to both sides: only the port side is correct for BoB period aircraft.

The exhaust staining also appears primarily on the port upper cowling — the Merlin's exhaust layout meant the main streak went up the left side of the engine cover, not the right.

For more Spitfire reference details including marking guides for all 19 BoB squadrons, visit the Spitfire reference page.