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The Ugly Duckling

Today I review an Airfix classic with an unexpected twist.

Subject: Supermarine Spitfire Mk I

Brand: Italeri

Rating: 3/5


Background

This model was an older release that I bought a good few years ago, and it became one of many unfortunate residents to a form of “purgatory” that is my stash. For a while it seemed like this kit might just never have been built, until Herbert Erpaderp’s latest (and ongoing at the time of writing) group build was announced - the subject being 1939 (a topic decided by me to commemorate the outbreak of the Second World War). It seems this group build catalysed my decision to finally dig this Spitfire out of the stash - so let’s get right into it!


The Kit

As per modern Airfix’s standard, the parts of the model are nicely packaged and the box is tightened securely so as to prevent potential damage. It’s a reboxing of Airfix’s Spitfire Mk Ia kit that remains their main tooling of this aircraft to this day, featuring a decent amount of detail backed up with raised panel lines.


The really interesting thing to note about this boxing, however, is the inclusion of parts and decals to build one of the rare initial production Spitfires used by the RAF - these bizarre variants had a flat canopy instead of the familiar bubble shape, and featured two propeller blades instead of three. The other main difference is the choice and the arrangement of the roundels the RAF adopted for the Spitfire - only the “Type B” roundel was used, and in some Spitfires the roundels were arranged in a manner similar to American fighters; a unique look that can be seen in this photo which features and reflects on the aircraft in the kit:


The boxing still gives the modeller the option to build a standard Spitfire Mk Ia, as well.


The Build

As the aircraft chosen by many a budding modeller as their first aircraft, Airfix’s Spitfire needs very little explanation of the building process. As someone with four Airfix Spitfire Mk Is under my belt now, the model is very simple and very fast to build.

Cockpit detail is satisfactory aside from the cockpit instrument panel, which as with all other Airfix Spitfires includes a decal to feature the details - a feature I’m not a fan of. With this aside, the cockpit assembles very quickly, as does the rest of the aircraft; I had the entire build itself finished in a mere two hours.

Despite this, I found the Spitfire to have very poor fitting. I’ve built this kit several times as mentioned earlier, and didn’t experience this issue as seriously on my previous Spitfire builds as I did here.


There were nasty seam lines between the wings and the lower engine cowling, as well as along the wings, and for a long time the fuselage didn’t seem to want to fit at all. I spent some time worrying that the kit would just snap in my hands while assembling it. The canopy was also a tight squeeze, and this is an issue that all of my Airfix Spitfires seem to have faced; I didn’t even need PVA glue to make sure the canopy had a secure fit!

Thankfully, the rest of the model was a breeze to assemble, and I had a finished Spitfire ready for painting.

Painting the Spitfire is always a pleasure, and this kit was no exception; however, I used this opportunity to try something new. For all of my green/brown colour combo aircraft I had been using Humbrol starter set paints, but with this build I instead decided to try a combination of Tamiya’s Flat Earth (XF-52) and RAF Dark Green 2 (XF-81), and I have to say I couldn’t have been happier with the outcome.

For the underside I used Citadel’s Abaddon Black and Corax White - normally I prefer to use Ceramite White but this was unavailable, but Corax White still proved to be a suitable substitute.

Finally, decals applied themselves very nicely as Airfix decals tend to (apart from losing a stencil or two!). Some decal setter was required for the large wing roundels, but other than that everything went together just fine.


Conclusion

Airfix’s Spitfire has remained one of the most accessible model kits since the first tooling’s release in the 1950s, and this boxing continues that development nicely. However, the fitting issues are certainly something to be aware of, and bring the rating down quite significantly in my book.


That being said, this kit is one of very few, if any, that allows a modeller an easy way to build the initial production Spitfire Mk I, and I have to respect Airfix for making this strange specimen of an aircraft a more accessible build in a model that is (beyond the fitting issues) a very good mould if you ask me. Therefore, if you have intentions of building an initial production Spitfire, this kit is a recommendation from me!

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