1:48 Airfix Spitfire FR. Mk XIVe, Kuala Lumpur

This sortie worn Spitfire FR. Mk. XIVe is modeled after one assigned to the 28th RAF Squadron in Kuala Lumpur, British Malaya mid1946. I used Hannants Xtradecals, sheet X48127 for the markings.

Much has been written about this latest Spitfire new tool from Airfix on iModeler and elsewhere, so I'm not going to go there. Suffice to say, the kit goes together like a breeze and the fit is terrific overall. A little clean up of the parts is all that is needed. If you heed Tom Cleaver's advice in his well written multiple builds of this kit on this site and over at Modeling Madness, you shouldn't have any problems.

My number one gripe (this applies to all the recent Airfix new tools): the wheels and tires are lackluster at best and scream for improved detail!

These particular Spitfire wheels are completely out of whack and only worthy of the trash can. There's no excuse for this with today's molding techniques. I replaced them with Barracuda Cast's vastly superior 3 slot main wheels. See photo below. Hope someone at Airfix is reading this.

I also used Barracuda's corrected 5 bladed prop resin replacement, which looks way more accurate and sharper than Airfix's. The Eduard PE seatbelts came from the extra parts stash box. I drilled out the exhaust pipe openings, which is another thing Airfix needs to address. Paints used are a combination of Alclad II, and acrylics from Tamiya, Model Master and Vallejo.

Molded in India, this kit had no obvious blems or short shots that others have complained about when this was initially released. Just a bit of unnecessary flash.

Wheelie whines aside, this is a real gem of a kit.

10 additional images. Click to enlarge.