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Mervyn Cook
7 articles

Airfix 1/48 Spitfire 1

December 29, 2023 · in Aviation · · 16 · 174

This is a nice kit of the Spitfire I, previously only available as a conversion. I also liked the now elderly Hasegawa I but that was in 1/72, so the release of the Airfix in 2006(?) was more than welcome. The early Spitfires with their 2 blade prop and flat canopy had a character all of their own though in service they were quickly updated to 1a standard. DeHavilland sent teams round all Spitfire squadrons to assist with the work of fitting variable pitch props, fortunately, the American units fitted right on the cam shift with no machining needed. The times were desperate and Dehavilland didn't think they would ever get paid for the work, but they did. Their procedure was to get the fitters round, replace one, then supervise the second, and watch the third. Bravo Dehavilland!

The kit was bashed by critics when it first came out, decals not ideal, wing not perfect, but I like it, I used after market decals, Superscale did a great sheet for early Spitfires, if you can find it. Best wishes, have a great New Year@

Reader reactions:
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2 additional images. Click to enlarge.


16 responses

  1. 🙂 ... Greetings ... 🙂 :
    Nice clean modeling Mervyn.

  2. Good build of the Airfix kit.

  3. Excellent job on this Spitfire, Mervyn!
    Well done!

  4. A very nice Spitfire, Mervyn @frank1957
    Happy New Year

  5. It's a nice simple kit John, I like them that way

  6. A great looking Spitfire, simple and effective. @frank1957

  7. Very nice Spitfire. It looks good clean and not weathered. I'm a Airfix fan myself but I don't have this kit yet, there are on perfect kits of any airplane so small in accuracies in any kit are forgivable. In the end it looks like a Spitfire to me. Great job!

  8. Thanks Clint, allegedly the kit was based on the old Vb, but I think that's a great kit too. I guess I'm easily pleased.

  9. Nice little build!

  10. Thanks Greg my abilities are limited but my builds look OK from 2 metres!

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