Airfix Spitfire Mk IXc 1/72

[Giorgio N]

The Italeri kit can sure be built into a nice model and I've built one myself with half decent results (could have been nicer had I been a better modeller.). However to achieve a good result a lot of work is needed and several parts must be replaced. Is it worth it ? Probably not... Would I build another one ? Not if I had to buy it, but if I happened to have one as a gift it would be built in some way

[Adam Maas]

The Italieri won't produce something which really looks like a Spitfire unless you do a nose transplant as well. The slab-sided nose is far more of a turn-off than the rads, exhausts or fillet issues.

You can certainly make a nice model from the Italieri, it's a lot harder to make a nice Spitfire from it though,.

Edited October 6, 2012 by Adam Maas

[Seahawk]

Slightly O/T, I didn't find the Italeri Spitfire Vb as bad. I decided to replace the radiator with the equivalent from an Airfix kit. And the cannons. And the prop. Then I started wondering why I hadn't just built the Airfix Spitfire Vb in the first place.

[paul62]

Look (almost) like it Miggers! I originally bought the VB and the IXc as I fancied a Vc and thought about swapping the wings round and ended up building them roughly as intended.I'd forgotten how bad the props were....I'd go for the Airfix IXc now,although I thought that was a lot of work with building an interior and adding rivets,although I've never even seen a Hasegawa Spit.

Paul

[The wooksta V2.0]

Naturally Rick.

A couple of mine have them in(I have a PR.XIX "factory"'pit).

Though another one has a Wooksta "resin" one in it.

Can't remember putting some cockpit bits in with that load of resin bits I sent you a while back. Glad they came in useful though!

Really need to redo it at some stage as the moulds are shot now, although I'm still getting some useful bits out. The nicest panel I have is a copy of the one from the old Airkit F21/22 (still some of the nicest late Griffon Spit kits released). Okay, it's not quite as good as the Academy one but it fits the Airfix IXc perfectly and has a Gyro gunsight and compass integral with the mould.

[Andre B]

My experience with the Airfix Mk. IXc kit (A 02065) is that it is an fine little kit altough the cockpit is rather "simple". In fact, it's "missing". I have an Italeri cockpit that I will use for an another Airfix Spitfire Mk. IXc (yes I would go for another one). But I had big problem with the decals for this kit (the Johnnie Johnsson aircraft with D-day markings). They are not as thin and fine as expected and very glossy. And there are questions about the look of MK 392. I ended up with using most of the Johnnie Johnsson decals from the first and very old Airfix Mk. IX Mk 398 kit that still was good to use (!). It was the first time ever I had problems with Airfix decals as the new decals where as bad as the decals for their Typhoon Mk. Ib was good. But I don't knew yet what quality the decals in the latest reboxing are (A 02065A)...

 

I've heard comment's about wings on this kit but for now I can't point out whats wrong or whats right. But I feel that the nicely engraved panel lines are better on the Mk. IXc kit than on the Mk. I/IIa and Va kit...

Cheers / André

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/100263-airfix-a02065-supermarine-spitfire-mk-ixc

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/911063-airfix-a02065a-supermarine-spitfire-mk-ixc

 

Edited May 24, 2017 by Andre B

[Graham Boak]

The problem with the Airfix Mk.IX's wings are that they are too broad - whether this means that the leading edge is too far forward, or the trailing edge is too far aft, I don't recall.  Some people fail to be able to see this.  I believe that the leading edge is too far forward on the Mk.XIX, hence a suspicion of too short a nose on this model, but I don't know whether that reads across or not.  The Airfix Mk.IX does have an excellent fuselage.  The Italeri Mk.IX, apart from any other faults, is too short in the nose and the engine cowling is too slim.  However, it should be possible to place the Italeri cockpit interior into the Airfix kit without too much work.  You might want to replace the crude Airfix undercarriage with the Italeri parts too, but I don't know what the fit would be like in the wing.

[Cookenbacher]

@Greenshirt made a very interesting comparison of Spitfire kit dimensions. The Airfix wing is a bit wide in chord, and it gives it a bit of a 'flat' look in my opinion, especially if it's sitting next to an AZ Spitfire (which has the opposite problem).

[Andre B]

2 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

The problem with the Airfix Mk.IX's wings are that they are too broad - whether this means that the leading edge is too far forward, or the trailing edge is too far aft, I don't recall.  Some people fail to be able to see this.  I believe that the leading edge is too far forward on the Mk.XIX, hence a suspicion of too short a nose on this model, but I don't know whether that reads across or not.  The Airfix Mk.IX does have an excellent fuselage.  The Italeri Mk.IX, apart from any other faults, is too short in the nose and the engine cowling is too slim.  However, it should be possible to place the Italeri cockpit interior into the Airfix kit without too much work.  You might want to replace the crude Airfix undercarriage with the Italeri parts too, but I don't know what the fit would be like in the wing.

Concerning the interior and the undercarriage i've got the Italeri parts. It's not difficult to make them fit to the Airfix Mk. IX. And I agree with you that the Airfix kit has an excellent fuselage.

About the wing it is harder to say whats correct. But what wing will fit if one not use the wing that goes with the kit? If the decals to the reboxed kit is better then to the first kit I think that it is an god kit for money compared to other kits. And if Airfix made an sprue with cockpit details they would have an kit that probably would be more accepted as most complains is about the interior...

Cheers / André

[PhantomBigStu]

Just grabbing the builds of airfix and eduard one off the shelves and looking by eye, the problem with the wings is at both ends, the trailing edge is too far back making the curve it joins the fuselage underside shorter, likewise the leading edge is too far forward making the nose appearing shorter. 

 

 

[Andre B]

25 minutes ago, PhantomBigStu said:

Just grabbing the builds of airfix and eduard one off the shelves and looking by eye, the problem with the wings is at both ends, the trailing edge is too far back making the curve it joins the fuselage underside shorter, likewise the leading edge is too far forward making the nose appearing shorter. 

 

Yes, "appearing shorter" to some eyes. Compared to what? I can see difference beetween different kits. And its "amazing" that one cant fix any part from an Tamiya, Airfix and Italeri Spitfire kit to any spitfire kit from Eduarrd, Revell or AZ. That shows how good or bad manufacuring a kit is. And I would say that it is the appearance when the kit is built, painted and standing on the table thats matter. Some kits ar "small" compared the scale and some "big". It doesn't seems that the AZ kit is more korrekt according to scale than the Airfix kit. I feel that Cookenbacher has a good point in his words: "They are all very close, but I think the Airfix and Sword are probably under appreciated for their accuracy".

Cheers / André

[Troy Smith]

4 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

The problem with the Airfix Mk.IX's wings are that they are too broad - whether this means that the leading edge is too far forward, or the trailing edge is too far aft, I don't recall.  Some people fail to be able to see this.  I believe that the leading edge is too far forward on the Mk.XIX, hence a suspicion of too short a nose on this model, but I don't know whether that reads across or not.  The Airfix Mk.IX does have an excellent fuselage.  The Italeri Mk.IX, apart from any other faults, is too short in the nose and the engine cowling is too slim.  However, it should be possible to place the Italeri cockpit interior into the Airfix kit without too much work.  You might want to replace the crude Airfix undercarriage with the Italeri parts too, but I don't know what the fit would be like in the wing.

 

the 72nd Airfix XIX wing is too broad in chord,  about 1.5 mm,  and the excess is at the leading edge.   It's not a hard job to fix.  (i've been  crossing a Heller XVI  and  Airfix XIX)

I  have an Airfix IX, so I'll  have a look at some point.

 

What's wrong with the Italeri Vb?  I assume the faults carry over to their VI  kit? 

[Guest]

The real problem with the Italeri Vb, along with their mk IX and their other Spitfires, is that they exist.  All are a complete waste of time and plastic.

[Max Headroom]

For the purposes of discussion here are some shots of my Italeri Vb. Feel free to use the photos to pick out the shortcomings of the kit.

 

 

 

 

 

For the record, the legs, aerial and exhaust came from the Airfix Vb.

 

I like it.......

 

Trevor

[Andre B]

Nice pictures Trevor,

As this tread is about the Airfix Spitfire Mk. IXc (A 02065) it would be nice to se that kind of pictures of the concerned Airfix kit as well. Maybe I can take som pictures this weekend...

Concerning the Italeri kits I feel the major issue is the shape of the oilcooler, radiators and wheel bays (goes for both the Vb kit and the IX kit). Besides that it need filler and sanding where the Airfix kits don't if carefully built. But an Italeri kit can be usefull as "donarkit" for spareparts to other Spitfires as the Airfix Mk. IXc as Graham Boak wrote (such as prop and blades, interior with seat, antenna and undercarriages). Within the Italeri Vb kit one get two types of props and blades and with the IX kit one get both types of rudders. Both kits has the options to build clipped wing variants. The Vb kit also has the "dessert air filter" as option...

I crashed an italeri IX kit during painting so thats why I have some nice parts for my next Airfix Mk. IXc...

Cheers / André

Edited May 25, 2017 by Andre B

[Troy Smith]

5 hours ago, The Wooksta! said:

The real problem with the Italeri Vb, along with their mk IX and their other Spitfires, is that they exist.  All are a complete waste of time and plastic.

 

care to expand Lee?   I respect your knowledge of Spitfires,  and kit thereof,  so even a brief list of faults, (or a link) would be very useful.

 In Trevor's pics the nose looks a bit chunky, but I've not got the kit to hand.

 

cheers

T

[Giorgio N]

Short list of Italeri errors :

Wrong shape of radiators (can be replaced)

Sloped wheel wells sides  (modify or live with it )

No proper wing-fuselage fairing  (scribe a line or add plasticard )

Wrong fuselage section around cockpit, with straight instead of curved sides (impossible to correct)

 

The IX adds some more errors (short nose, mg position differs on upper and lower wing, prop is a joke).

It's also not a good fitting kit. 

Good points? Cheap and easily available. 

Personal opinion: don't bother

Edited May 25, 2017 by Giorgio N

[occa]

18 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

 

the 72nd Airfix XIX wing is too broad in chord,  about 1.5 mm,  and the excess is at the leading edge.   It's not a hard job to fix.  (i've been  crossing a Heller XVI  and  Airfix XIX)

I  have an Airfix IX, so I'll  have a look at some point.

 

What's wrong with the Italeri Vb?  I assume the faults carry over to their VI  kit? 

 

May I ask how ?

Do you just replace the whole Airfix wing or is it feasible to make a cut along the span and shorten the cord ?

[Troy Smith]

56 minutes ago, occa said:

 

May I ask how ?

Do you just replace the whole Airfix wing or is it feasible to make a cut along the span and shorten the cord ?

 

Just sand/scrape off along the leading edge,  I used the heller 16 wing as guide, checking against Peter Cooke's Spit 14/19 plans from Scale Models, oct/nov 1978.

Doesn't need much taking off, about 1.5 mm at the root, to nothing at the tip,  and reshape the fairing on fuselage

[Andre B]

Thanks Troy,

 

I did an comparison with an Airfix Mk. Vc ving (the "thick c-wing" in the A02040 kit) to the Airix Mk. IXc ving. Don't knew how correct the "Vc wing" is but Ifeel that the Mk. IXc wing has to be shaped at the leading edge and at the rear. And from nothing att the tip to 0,75 mm att both side at the wingroot. I think it's easyer to sand of 0.7 mm at both ends than taking of 1.5 mm on the leading edge. And by that it doesn't conflict that much with concerned panel lines. I do have an unbuilt Heller Spitfire Mk. XVIe somewhere to compare with but can't find it for the moment...

So in that light I can admit that the Airfix Spitfire Mk. IXc is an "Big Wing Spitfire". I have often wondered why an company as Airfix don't take care of knowledge and work and use the same measure for every Spitfire kit so every wing made and moulded where it is possible fits to every mark/kit in their own range...

http://modelingmadness.com/review/allies/previews/02040.htm 

Cheers / André

[Vanroon]

21 hours ago, Max Headroom said:

For the purposes of discussion here are some shots of my Italeri Vb. Feel free to use the photos to pick out the shortcomings of the kit.

For the record, the legs, aerial and exhaust came from the Airfix Vb.

 

I like it.......

 

Trevor

I recall the built model to be so light. Bird like.

Tidy work there. 

Grant

[Max Headroom]

14 minutes ago, Vanroon said:

I recall the built model to be so light. Bird like.

Tidy work there. 

Grant

 

It is one of the lightest models I've made. The fuselage in particular is rather thin.

 

Thanks for the compliment btw. This is what happened next.......

 

 

Accurate or not, I still prefer it to the Airfix Vb as the latter had an awful canopy, no cockpit detail, incorrect aileron and raised panel lines. My meomsory may be playing tricks with me, but I'm sure a review of the Airfix Vb when it came out said that the leading edge sweep was too pronounced meaning that even when the aileron chord was corrected, a 56' rounder wouldn't fit?

 

Trevor

[Andre B]

Well...
The Airfix Spitfire Mk. Vb is one of the oldest kits dating back to 1975. The Italeri Vb kit was released 1999 and the IX 2005 (the same year Airfix made their Vb with the new "c-wings"). After that a lot happend concerning to Airfix kits with the IXc 2008, PR XIX 2009 and the I/II/Va 2010 - 2016 and the Mk. 22 2012...

http://airfixtributeforum.myfastforum.org/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=1133

Edited May 25, 2017 by Andre B

[Troy Smith]

5 hours ago, Andre B said:

Thanks Troy,

 

I did an comparison with an Airfix Mk. Vc ving (the "thick c-wing" in the A02040 kit) to the Airix Mk. IXc ving. Don't knew how correct the "Vc wing" is but Ifeel that the Mk. IXc wing has to be shaped at the leading edge and at the rear. And from nothing att the tip to 0,75 mm att both side at the wingroot. I think it's easyer to sand of 0.7 mm at both ends than taking of 1.5 mm on the leading edge. And by that it doesn't conflict that much with concerned panel lines. I do have an unbuilt Heller Spitfire Mk. XVIe somewhere to compare with but can't find it for the moment...

So in that light I can admit that the Airfix Spitfire Mk. IXc is an "Big Wing Spitfire". I have often wondered why an company as Airfix don't take care of knowledge and work and use the same measure for every Spitfire kit so every wing made and moulded where it is possible fits to every mark/kit in their own range...

http://modelingmadness.com/review/allies/previews/02040.htm 

Cheers / André

Briefly

 

1. taking it off both  sides is wrong, the problem is just the leading edge.  Taking it off the both edges moved the  rear part  forward, and makes the flaps too narrow.

 

A quick refresher look  shows that the wing maybe a little wider than I thought. (breif as then had bedtime  story)

I also looked a 72nd IX wing, and that's also too broad.

This maybe from the data when they did the Spitfire XII and Seafire XVII in 1/48th, which suffer from the "Tamiya" wing,   which is too broad in chord at the centre of the wing.

 

2. Airfix ...and keeping hold of research?  

Well,  I  know about the 1/48th Spitfires,  and Airfix Hurricanes, and they DO NOT build on previous research,  though Airfix have changed hands a few times and who knows where the research material has gone.

 

I'll try to post some pics, which I'll need to  take first....

 

 

Edited May 25, 2017 by Troy Smith
add details and corrections

[occa]

In 3D CAD it is easy to copy elements from other designs into new projects.

I don't know why Airfix doesn't use this feature every 3D CAD software has.

All they had to do is create one accurate wing shape and alter that accordingly for each version,

 

It can be easily down scaled also