1/48 Spitfire Mk. XII.
This is the Airfix kit from around 10 years ago. This kit and the Seafire XVII were the first 1/48 Spitfires designed by Airfix under Hornby’s management.
I built this one straight from the box for the most part. I only added Eduard seatbelts after opening the slot in the pilot’s head armor to accept the shoulder harness. I also used an instrument panel decal from an Airfix Spitfire 22/24 kit. The kit is very well designed and went together with no fuss. One oddity is the way Airfix handles the open canopy option. They have you cut away a part of the rear fuselage and install a single clear part that has the rear part of the canopy molded with the sliding section over it. No thanks. After building 26 1/48 Spitfires over the years, I know what a Spitfire cockpit looks like and modeled this one closed. The parts provided for the closed option fit perfectly.
There was a lot of discussion about this kit’s panel lines when it came out. Some thought them to be too deep. I get it that they’re not as petite as some other kits, but they just don’t bother me. In my opinion they look fine under paint.
I painted the model with Xtracolor and Humbrol enamels. I weathered it very lightly. I used Victory Model’s “Aces of the Empire” decal sheet for the main markings. Stencils are from the kit and Barracuda. The kit decals were stiff, matte, and didn’t want to leave the backing paper. As stated above, I only used a few unique stencils from the kit sheet. Those few were encased in a couple layers of Future to prevent silvering. If you’re interested in the construction/painting, I did a build log on the Work in Progress section.
This was really an enjoyable project and I have no idea why the kit sat in the stash for probably 7-8 years. I bought it at the same time with the Seafire XVII which I built immediately. I guess it needed to age…. Thanks for looking and happy modeling!
11 additional images. Click to enlarge.
dale travis said on June 17, 2021
Great looking Spit John. I like it.
John Healy said on June 17, 2021
Thanks, Dale. It’s a nice kit,
George Schembri said on June 17, 2021
Beautiful completion John, very nice finish.
I’m going to the ‘WIP’ page and catch up with the progressive posts I missed.
John Healy said on June 17, 2021
Thanks, George!
Spiros Pendedekas said on June 17, 2021
This is a wonderful.result, my friend John!
It was a joy to follow your thread!
John Healy said on June 17, 2021
Thanks, Spiros!
Greg Kittinger said on June 17, 2021
Well done Spit, though I can never get used to those clipped wings! Just seems to take away from the elegance of the elliptical lines…
John Healy said on June 17, 2021
Thanks, Greg! The clipped wings and the Griffon engine on the short nosed XII give it a purposeful look.
Phillip Friddell said on June 17, 2021
I like that a lot, John—great job!
phil
John Healy said on June 17, 2021
Thanks, Phillip!
John vd Biggelaar said on June 17, 2021
You turned her into a real beauty, John @j-healy
Thanks for sharing the progress in the WIP.
John Healy said on June 17, 2021
You’re welcome,John!
George R Blair Jr said on June 18, 2021
Spitfire looks great, John (@j-healy). Camo and panel lines look fine. I don’t worry too much about the depth of panel lines because they tend to even out after painting and look much better (assuming they aren’t like the old Matchbox lines.
John Healy said on June 18, 2021
Thanks, George. I hope yours goes as smoothly as mine did.
Robert Royes said on June 18, 2021
Real nice super Spitfire!
John Healy said on June 18, 2021
Thanks, Robert!
Yann Bertholet said on June 18, 2021
Beautiful Spitfire. I loved this model without the wingtips and the Griffon engine. Nicely done @j-healy!
John Healy said on June 18, 2021
Thanks, Yann. I’m partial to Griffon powered Spitfires too and this is the first of them all.
Lis said on June 19, 2021
I like Griffon engine.
John Healy said on June 19, 2021
Me too, Lis!