Airfix Spitfire Mk IXc 1/72

[dadgaddad]

Hi everyone

I have just acquired an Airfix Spitfire Mk IXc in 1/72 scale. I'm wondering if anyone can recommend some after market parts for it, especially cockpit detailing or other general bits to give it a bit more life?

Cheers.

[Giorgio N]

Pavla has a cockpit set specifically designed for this kit. Pavla cockpits are not as detailed and well cast as Aires and others, but are cheap and they offer sets for several new (and not so new) airfix kits

Personally I believe that on a 1/72 spitfire kit a resin set is not necessary though: a very good result can be achieved using a few bits of plastic and an eduard zoom photoetched set. Not sure if there's any specifically designed for this kit, but other designed for other kits can be made to fit.

The same Pavla has a detail set for the exterior, but this has some errors like the wrong shape of the radiators.

The main problem IMHO is that there's no set for the wheel well, that are one of the worst parts of this kit. Some scratchbuilding will be required to box the wells and add some detail.

[smackers]

Cheap and cheerful option could be a Heller Spitfire V (Spit IX's were based from V's), it has a reasonable cockpit for 1/72 and it has been quoted as having some of the best wheels for a pre-1990 kit.

[dadgaddad]

I saw the Pavla cockpit set but haven't seen an eduard zoom photoetched set. I was wondering if one of the Mk V kits could be used.

[smackers]

The Airfix Spitfire IX is a late mark so is different to a V, the earliest IX's were basically re-engined V's. If you're just planning on a shelf model and not a competition one then the Heller interior will spruce it up nicely though you'll have to add your own sidewall detail using plasticard

Edited October 2, 2012 by smackers

[Adam Maas]

The Airfix Spitfire IX is a late mark so is different to a V, the earliest IX's were basically re-engined V's. If you're just planning on a shelf model and not a competition one then the Heller interior will spruce it up nicely though you'll have to add your own sidewall detail using plasticard

There was little difference between a Vc and a IXc in terms of the cockpit. While the IX is a 'late mark' Merlin Spitfire unlike the V, developmentally it's simply a Vc with a 2-stage Merlin, particularly in terms of the mid-production example the Airfix kit portrays (it has later Cannon bulges but the early rudder). Nothing wrong with using the Heller MkV bits, although I'd consider getting an Italieri IX instead as a source, as it's a nice cockpit set with a lousy IX kit included so you aren't losing anything by trashing the rest of the kit.

For aftermarket I'd recommend 2 sets, both from 3D Kits. The first is their MkII conversion set, which will supply you with a correct seat and control column (the rest of the parts can then be used to convert the Airfix Mk1a into a MkII) and the second is their late MkIXc/e conversion kit which will supply the correct bits to make a late IX of either c or e wings. More importantly it supplies a far better propeller. It also comes with tubular exhausts. These are injected plastic rather than resin.

Note if doing a wartime IX, you'll want to shave off the bulges over the wheel wells on the Airfix kit, they're post-war and no doubt copied from a warbird.

[Paul A H]

Another vote for the 3D Kits parts - they are excellent.

[Rick Brown]

Hi everyone

I have just acquired an Airfix Spitfire Mk IXc in 1/72 scale. I'm wondering if anyone can recommend some after market parts for it, especially cockpit detailing or other general bits to give it a bit more life?

Cheers.

My Two pence worth.

If you want to show off the cockpit the first thing you need to do is replace the canopy. If this isn't changed you can't really see inside anyway! I'd open it up too.

Get a nice vacform, 3D prop/rudder and an Eduard detail set is my suggestion.

Rick.

Edited October 3, 2012 by Rick Brown

[JMChladek]

I concur with what others have said. What route you go though will probably depend on your skillset as tiny resin parts can sometimes be a bit brittle. I love Pavla's stuff as I have some of it and IMHO, it is perfectly good for the price (especially in 1/72). But some of those bits are TINY and can easily fall prey to the carpet monster if one isn't careful. And as others have said, without an open cockpit, forget seeing much inside (especially if a pilot figure is put into the seat).

Finding a proper Heller Mk V might be slightly tough as sometimes they did rebox Airfix kits though, and Airfix's Mk V was about the same as their old Mk I without much of a cockpit (I don't know if Heller reboxed the V, but I know they reboxed the Ia). At least the Italeri Spits are a little easier to locate these days (although potentially a little pricey at the model shops unless you go for secondhand sources). At least the Pavla option is pretty easy to acquire.

[Rick Brown]

I must say, I really don't like the Italeri Spits, the build is a pain, especially around the nose, hate them. I know the mkv, ix and vii share the same nose building, not sure about any of the others though.

Rick.

[Giorgio N]

I feel the same as Rick about the Italeri spitfires. The IX/VII also have an inaccurate nose (too short) and 2 awful radiators... at least the nose of the V is better and only has 1 awful radiator...

Speaking of 1/72 spitfire interiors however, the best in my opinion is the one coming in the academy Mk.XIV kit. Pity that the kit is so inaccurate...

Back to the alternatives to improve the Airifx IX, a PE set for a V would work well. Maybe better look for a set aimed at the revell kit rather than one made for the tamiya one, IIRC the tamiya fuselage is fatter. Of course by sanding the inside surfaces of the airfix kit room can be made for pretty much everything !

Buying a kit for the interior only is not cost-effective IMHO: one of the early Eduard zoom sets can be bought for £1.50, a very modest price and the instrument panel would be way better than the one in the heller or italeri kit, although such a set would only provide instrument panel, seat, seatbelts and rear head armour (plus a few bits for the cockpit sides).

I agree with the vacform canopy: falcon has a set for every spitfire version, but for a single build better buy squadron (made by falcon) or pavla (no as clear as falcon's but very easy to cut). The pavla resin set already has a vacform canopy included.

The problem with the canopies is that if the part is not designed for the specific kit, the fit might be a problem ! I'm trying to fit a falcon canopy on the new tool airfix spitfire I and there's no way to make it work !

[John Thompson]

Speaking of 1/72 spitfire interiors however, the best in my opinion is the one coming in the academy Mk.XIV kit.

Agreed! In fact, I have one set aside for use as part of my contribution to an upcoming group build here.

Note if doing a wartime IX, you'll want to shave off the bulges over the wheel wells on the Airfix kit, they're post-war and no doubt copied from a warbird.

I did not know that - thanks, Adam! I've got an Airfix Mk.IX that I'm almost ready to paint, so the wake-up call came just in time. Too bad I didn't clue in about the Academy cockpit a bit sooner, though!

John

[Seahawk]

Speaking of 1/72 spitfire interiors however, the best in my opinion is the one coming in the academy Mk.XIV kit.

That's because, in my opinion, Academy were, ahem, inspired by the Cooper Details 1/72 resin Spitfire cockpit interior that was still available when the Spit XIV came out (and much missed ever since). Academy may have had their problems but they deserve marks for looking at what was already on the market and learning from it. Certain current day manufacturers could learn from that.

Agree with others about the Italeri Spit IX: I wouldn't soil my bin with it.

[The wooksta V2.0]

I liked the Academy cockpit so much I dropped the bits into rubber and have used the resultant cloned bits to tart up cockpits ever since. The moulds need redoing though.

[Miggers]

Here's another trick.

Go to your LHS and pick up either the Airfix Spit I or PR.XIX.

Both of them have a cockpit interior that can be cloned in plasticard and strip.

When you build the I or PR.XIX,simply clone an interior for that too.

That way you've always got a "factory" interior to copy for future Spit models

[Rick Brown]

Here's another trick.

Go to your LHS and pick up either the Airfix Spit I or PR.XIX.

Both of them have a cockpit interior that can be cloned in plasticard and strip.

When you build the I or PR.XIX,simply clone an interior for that too.

That way you've always got a "factory" interior to copy for future Spit models

Okay for personal use only?!

Mind you, good idea!

Rick.

[Miggers]

Okay for personal use only?!

Mind you, good idea!

Rick.

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.

[Giorgio N]

The airfix Mk.interior is nice but many of the parts are a bit too chunky for my taste. The lack of an instrument panel with raised detail is another problem. No decal will ever look as good as a properly painted academy panel... or an eduard PE panel of course.

[Rick Brown]

The airfix Mk.interior is nice but many of the parts are a bit too chunky for my taste. The lack of an instrument panel with raised detail is another problem. No decal will ever look as good as a properly painted academy panel... or an eduard PE panel of course.

Tis true! I must admit, I'm lazy. I leave the canopy closed in 1/72nd and just use a decal! Will I ever be as fastidious as yourselves?!

Rick.

[Adam Maas]

Note the only reason I'd mentioned the Italieri kit is that the cockpit bits are reasonably nice, it's cheapish and given how bad exterior shape is, there's no loss in binning the rest of the kit

[Rick Brown]

Note the only reason I'd mentioned the Italieri kit is that the cockpit bits are reasonably nice, it's cheapish and given how bad exterior shape is, there's no loss in binning the rest of the kit

Good point! I have 4 on the shelf that I was going to evilbay, now I can look at them as "Cockpit upgrades"!

Cheers,

Rick.

[dadgaddad]

Does that mean you'll be wanting more money for them now?

[Seahawk]

Note the only reason I'd mentioned the Italieri kit is that the cockpit bits are reasonably nice, it's cheapish and given how bad exterior shape is, there's no loss in binning the rest of the kit

Hope you didn't feel I was getting at you, either. I'm afraid that the merest mention of the Italeri Spitfire IX does induce a Pavlovian retching reaction in me.

[paul62]

I think the Italeri kit can be made into a nice model after a bit of work.Well,a lot of work.I changed the radiators and exhausts,scribed the wing fillets in and added rivets.There was other stuff as well but I built them a while ago and can't remember what.I did a Mkv and a IX at the same time.I must admit I don't think I'd do it again but was helped by building an Octopus Seafire at the same time from which I cloned some parts.

Paul

[Miggers]

I think the Italeri kit can be made into a nice model after a bit of work.Well,a lot of work.I changed the radiators and exhausts,scribed the wing fillets in and added rivets.There was other stuff as well but I built them a while ago and can't remember what.I did a Mkv and a IX at the same time.I must admit I don't think I'd do it again but was helped by building an Octopus Seafire at the same time from which I cloned some parts.

Paul

Paul,I reckon you're pretty solitary with your thoughts about the 'orrid thing.