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Aftermarket extras for an Airfix 1:24 Spitfire Mk Vb


Jasonb13

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Hi there,

I got this kit as a present over Christmas:

x1_2f59b3a8f89756c7384dc896f93f82fb.jpg?

I'm planning to build it in a month or so, and as usual it'll be pretty much OOB for me (even at this scale). However, I'm not completely against the idea of sprucing it up a little if there are some easy upgrades for it out there. I'll be building it wheels up (with a spinning prop) so I don't really need engine details or anything like that.

A quick search on Hannants shows these Hispano cannons, which do look nice! They also have a Decal set which comes with 3 options, all for Jan Zumbach's aircraft. Considering that the box art of the kit shows one of his, but with the wrong code (AB910), I think getting the right decals might not be a bad idea either.

Does anyone else know of any aftermarket stuff for this kit?

Thanks...

J.

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Grey Matter Figures have quite a few bits for the big Spitfire . They sell on eBay and I think they have their own website.

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Some excellent stuff there! Of course, now I have to figure out which of it is correct for the Spitfire Mk Vb, like did it have Rotol blades etc. But I'll have fun figuring it all out...

J.

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The combination of AB910 with Zumbach's personal markings is accurate for AB910 in fairly recent post-war RAF service as part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

spitfire-M.jpg

However, note that to build that airframe at that stage of its life requires a 4-blade prop from an IX or XVI, and the late elevators, so a bit of enthusiasm for modification is needed if you want to do it right. I don't know whether Airfix came clean about that, offhand, but imagine not.

At one stage when painted in those markings AB910 also had the later multi-ejector exhausts (six short stacks each side).

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Hey WiP...

You've just confirmed what I was beginning to realise. Zumbach never flew AB910 and careful reading of the box from Airfix mentions the Spitfire 'representing Zumbach's aircraft'. I don't want to model AB910, I want to model one of the 3 that Zumbach actually flew. Which means it's gonna be fun finding original photos, and not AB910 done up like one of his.

Good job I'm not 100% worried about accuracy, I'll probably just do my best to match what I think his aircraft would have looked like.

Thanks...

J.

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You already have one of his aircraft's markings there.

Even though those markings are on the BBMF's AB910,they will be a very,very accurate

depiction of that particular aircraft(BM144, EP594 or EN951,looks more like EN951).

Edited by Miggers
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Which means it's gonna be fun finding original photos, and not AB910 done up like one of his.

Jason

there are a series of very famous COLOUR photos of 303 sq, including Zumbach's plane with the Donald Duck emblem. They are bound to be somwhere on the internet, either as a LIFE set, or on the IWM site. Right now I'm not gpoing to search this up for you....oh sod it, I can't resist 30 seconds later [it's a slow old PC]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Zumbach

303_plane_picture.jpg

303_zumbach_2_123.jpg

also http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/album/personnel/p11728-jan-zumbach303-squadron-polish.html

or search 'Zumbach 303 squadron' and do an image search.....

I don't know about aftermarket, there does not seem to be much for the old Airfix 1/24th kits, I'd suggest at a minimum adding some walls to the wheel wells.

A thread here at some point suggested adding in a wing spar as well. The kit is basically accurate, add some seat belts, get some plastic strip and rod, add some modeling skills and you will have a great model.

Many many years ago PSL did a series, "Classic Aircraft. Their history and how to model them" which were tied into the Airfix 1/24th kits, No.1 was the Spitfire.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spitfire-Classic-Aircraft-Their-history/dp/0850590825/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1365106059&sr=1-6&keywords=Classic+Aircraft.+Their+history+and+how+to+model+them

164ac27a02a0e34249114110.L._AA300_.jpg

Long out of print, but available used, or a cheaper option, an inter library loan. Has lots of tips and photos for super detailing the kit.

You might even find a PDF online. Have a search.

Alternately, look up Large Scale Planes site, as there are bounds to be build threads there with relevant hints and tips.

HTH

T

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Yes, EN951 is the one that looks like that, and everything apart from the serial is there I think. You will need a serial from somewhere, and it's not in the usual style of lettering (I won't say font as none of these things were technically fonts).

I recently acquired one of the current production Airfix decal sheets for this kit and it is very well produced. The Techmod sheets can be quite tricky, especially with larger decals, as they are usually painfully thin and can be very fragile. It might be that most of the required markings are better taken from the Airfix sheet.

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Jason

A though, as WIP has pointed out, it's a non-standard size serial. using the number 1 eyeball, it looks to be about 3" high, maybe 2" [standard serial is 8" high] though you could measure the one on the decal sheet as that would give you a better idea.

I'm guessing you might find using a 1/72nd scale 8" serial would maybe the way. It may not be the right "font" but could be close enough?

[8" in 1/72nd = 5.66" in 1/48 = 2.83" in 1/24th if my mental arithmetic is working? ]

Anyway, just a bit of lateral scale thinking that I hope is not total cobblers....

cheers

T

Edited by Troy Smith
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There were some items made under the cutting edge brand, good luck finding them at reasonable prices. My friend made the masters, there was a seat, spinner and blades for the prop, and cowling which was specifically for the trumpeter kit. There were also flexible seatbelts I'm not sure if they were included with the seat or as a seperate item. However you said it was being modeled wheels up so if you put a pilot in the seat will be of little value to you.

Ron

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Thanks for all the help and advice everyone!

Yep, it looks like the decals that come with the kit are basically the right ones for EN951, apart from the serial number itself obviously. But even the serial that does come with the kit (AM910) is done in those smaller letters, like the EN951 was, so I can use that as a guide for size etc. So ideally I'd like to build EN951, as much out of the box as possible (I don't have great modelling skills, especially scratch building!).

As I said, I'll be doing it wheels up (though looking at the kit, it seems to be designed to be on the ground with all access panels open), so I won't really need much extra in the cockpit, as the pilot will be in the seat and the canopy closed. The brass Hispano cannons would work well though. And maybe the Rotol prop, as the bit of research I've done on EN951 seems to suggest it had them.

Thanks...

J.

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I`ve got the Airfix kit and also the Trumpeter tropical kit as I want to make two Med based Spits but the Trumpeter kit has the wrong windscreen,........has anybody please got a spare Airfix late style windscreen that I could please use instead, or is there an after-market windscreen out there somewhere?

Cheers

Tony O

Edited by tonyot
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  • 4 weeks later...

Just want to say that I got some stuff from Grey Matter Figures in the post this morning, and it's excellent! As I'm building this kit wheels up and in the air, so to speak, I didn't go for too many internal upgrades (though I couldn't resist the Pilot's Control Stick and Quadrant), but I did get the Aerial Mast, Rotol Prop & Spinner and Fish Tail Exhausts. They are lovely pieces, with lots of fine detail, and far better than the original kit parts. I've also ordered the Brass Hispano Cannons from Hannants.

So thanks for the advice!

J.

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There is a booklet "Zumbach's Donalds," by Wojtek Matusiak, published by Rossagraph, ISBN 83-916229-5-9, which will help; all you have to do is find it, since it's around 10 years (at least) old. The editorial office is/was in Warsaw, and had an E-mail of redakcjaATrossagraph.neostrada.pl (replace AT with the proper symbol, of course.) One thing made plain, in the book, is that "Donald" changed over the period, so it needs careful matching of a decal with the requisite serial no.

Edgar

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Jason

there are a series of very famous COLOUR photos of 303 sq, including Zumbach's plane with the Donald Duck emblem. They are bound to be somwhere on the internet, either as a LIFE set, or on the IWM site. Right now I'm not gpoing to search this up for you....oh sod it, I can't resist 30 seconds later [it's a slow old PC]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Zumbach

also http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/album/personnel/p11728-jan-zumbach303-squadron-polish.html

or search 'Zumbach 303 squadron' and do an image search.....

I don't know about aftermarket, there does not seem to be much for the old Airfix 1/24th kits, I'd suggest at a minimum adding some walls to the wheel wells.

A thread here at some point suggested adding in a wing spar as well. The kit is basically accurate, add some seat belts, get some plastic strip and rod, add some modeling skills and you will have a great model.

Many many years ago PSL did a series, "Classic Aircraft. Their history and how to model them" which were tied into the Airfix 1/24th kits, No.1 was the Spitfire.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spitfire-Classic-Aircraft-Their-history/dp/0850590825/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1365106059&sr=1-6&keywords=Classic+Aircraft.+Their+history+and+how+to+model+them

Long out of print, but available used, or a cheaper option, an inter library loan. Has lots of tips and photos for super detailing the kit.

You might even find a PDF online. Have a search.

Alternately, look up Large Scale Planes site, as there are bounds to be build threads there with relevant hints and tips.

HTH

T

Just write Jan Zumbach on Google and go for images. I believe that all the colour Photos from Matuziak's pampletg are there (I have the booklet but am too laxy to go upstares).

tonight

NPL

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Thanks for those links/suggestions.

I actually got the Techmod Decal sheet, even though the decals that come with the Airfix kit are all right (apparently) apart from the Serial Number. But I thought I'd get the Techmod set as then at least I'll be able to compare and contrast and use the best from each set, I'll also get the right Serial Number in the right size, and I'm sure I'll find someone who'd like to use the other ones on the sheet!

All that said, I've heard that Techmod Decals can be a bit difficult to use, so I'll see what they're like...

J.

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The Techmod decals are brilliant, but fragile. They are very, very thin, and settle down superbly over the 1/24 Spit's surface detail. Apply over a shiny surface and put plenty of water on the surface before sliding them on (you don't need any kind of setting solution, in my experience). Float them on, get them in the right place using a couple of soft paintbrushes, and only when you are sure the decal is where you want it, slowly squeeze the water out from underneath using your brushes. Once they are down on the surface, they really don't like to move! Fortunately, I learned this on a smooth surfaced Matchbox 1/32 109 before I started on RF-D!

Good luck -- and +1 for "Zumbach's Donalds"... an excellent little book

This is my one, with Techmod Decals in place, matt-coated and weathered with chalk pastels:

01.jpg

bestest,

M.

Edited by cmatthewbacon
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