Supermarine Spitfire Mk. 1a
Today is a very good day because i did and completed what every scale modeller should do at some point: Build a Spitfire.
This is the Airfix Supermarine Spitfire Mk.1a in 48th scale. It is in the markings of 611th squadron in Cambridgeshire in 1939, right at the beginning of the great carnage. Personally, i love the early RAF war schemes with black and white wings.
No need to further talk about the Airfix kit: It's good, not too expensive, and other than the fiddly wheels there are no vices. Oh, the exhausts are very much toy-like. I wanted to replace them but the stuff i found on Ebay was too expensive to ship. Anyway, two lovely schemes. I think ultimately there's a good balance between having nice details and not too many parts.
I painted it with Ammo Mig and AK Interactive acrylics, there is a ochre acrylic filter on top of the gloss coat which works really well. Panel line wash done with Mig enamel plw. A Vallejo matte coat at the end. I really enjoyed this build apart from losing the tiny mirror about a dozen times before i was able to glue it to the canopy and the super delicate undercarriage!
Happy modelling!
Can't get enough Spitfires. You've done a great one, Felix.
Thank you Bob @bails! I agree, every Spit is a beautiful Spit! Next up is probably a Vb.
That is a nice-looking Spit! Well done.
Thanks a lot, Greg @gkittinger!
I love the weathering, Felix (@fxrob). Looks like a combat vet. I can't believe you were lucky enough to keep finding the rear view mirror. Mine always disappear.
Thank you, George @gblair! At some point i decided to stick the mirror to a small piece of tape and then first paint the green outside of it. That way i did not lose it anymore. But it did take me like 10 times to come up with that idea!
A wonderful build indeed, Felix @fxrob
Personally I like the early Spitfires the most and your build clearly shows that.
Merci, John @johnb! Yes, i like early Spits a lot too and also the early color schemes are much nicer than the later ones in grey, i think.
What a fantastic Spitfire, Felix! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Alfred @alfred! Much appreciated!
This looks wonderful Felix (@fxrob). I built this kit as my first kit when I returned to modeling in 2017. Nice kit, although I felt the cockpit was a bit fiddly to assemble and the upper cowling was not a good fit. You've done an excellent job on this.
Thank you very much, Carl @clipper! Yeah, agree with you on the cockpit and the cowling, that was a bit frustrating too. I had to do a lot of sanding on the cowling and a panel line right in front of the spinner did not fit at all!
The new(ish) Airfix Spitfires are a great place to start the long dive into becoming a Spitfire boffin.
Tom @tcinla, well this would be my Spitfire elementary school graduation then 🙂
An excellent Spitfire, Felix!
Congratulations!
Evcharisto, Spiros @fiveten!
1st Spit is a good Spit Felix. Very subtle finish. Superb. Wonderful build.
Dear Guy @thom, as always thank you very much for your kind words! Much appreciated - i did do some in 72nd scale already.
Nice work. You can’t stop at just one…….Before you know it, you may have 25-30 Spitfires, all visually different.
Thanks John @j-healy. So far i have two in 48th scale and 4 in 72nd scale. Climbing that ladder!
Everyone who builds planes needs a Spitfire in the collection.
Emberson @embersonfedders, i absolutely agree with you.
Very interesting roundels color. Great build!