Special Hobby Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. 22 "Hi-Tech" - 1:72 Special Hobby

[Paul A H]

Supermarine Spitfire F Mk. 22 "Hi-Tech"

1:72 Special Hobby

 

 

When the prototype Spitfire took to the air for the first time on 5 March 1936, few involved in the design could have foreseen where the development of the type would lead. One of the ultimate incarnations was the F Mk.22. Although the relatively compact dimensions of the Spitfire were largely retained throughout its development (the wingspan of the Mk.22 was almost identical to the Mk.I, although it was 3 feet longer in the fuselage) the Mk.22 was a massive 60% heavier than the first of the mark. The sparkling performance was retained though, thanks to the 2000hp+ Rolls Royce Griffon engine. With more than double the power of the Merlin engine fitted to the Mk.I, the Mk.22 was capable of a maximum speed of 454mph. It had an enlarged tail and a laminar flow wing that was nearly 50% stiffer compared to early Spitfires. The comparatively light armament of the first generation of Spitfires was also upgraded a number times, culminating with the massive hitting power of four 20mm cannon. The Mk.22 flew for the first time in March 1945. 278 examples were built, although only one front-line squadron (73 Sqn) was equipped with the type, the rest going to RAuxAF units. 

 

Although the Spitfire has always been a popular choice for model kit manufacturers, there were so many unique variants that some have inevitably been kitted more often than others. Late model Spitfires have fared relatively well in recent years, particularly since Airfix released their 1:72 scale Mk. 22/24 a few years ago. Special Hobby of the Czech Republic has been filling in some of gaps with a range of late mark Spitfires and Seafires such as the Mk. 21 and Mk. 46. Now they have released a Mk. 22 of their own, complete with photo etched and resin parts to help it stand out from the crowd. This tooling is related to the Xtrakit Mk. 22, but as the layout of parts is completely different, it's probably best to think of the two kits as cousins rather than brothers. The kit looks pretty good on the frame, with plenty of detail and surface structures made up of fine, recessed lines and fasteners. The moulds are starting to show their age now though, and some clean up of parts will be required. 

 

 

 

Construction starts with a reasonably well detailed cockpit, made up of a floor, control column, individual rudder pedals, seat, seat armour and rear bulkhead. The instrument panel features raised detail and a separate gunsight, while the insides of the fuselage feature some nice sidewall detail. The overall impression is of a well detailed and suitably busy cockpit. Curiously, although a fret of photo etched parts has been supplied with the kit – and contains parts such as a replacement seat, harnesses and instrument panel – it isn't shown in the instructions other than the diagram showing the contents of the box. Most of the parts should be fairly obvious in terms of their application though. 

 

The lower wing is moulded in a single span, with separate port and starboard upper wing surfaces. The ailerons and flaps are all moulded in place, but surface details are nicely represented. Each of the main landing gear bays is made up of four separate lengths of plastic which effectively box in the wheel wells. Engineering the landing gear bays in this way makes construction more complex, but yields a fairly well-detailed result. The horizontal tails are moulded as solid pieces, but the rudder is a separate part. The prominent underwing radiators feature separate exhaust vents and radiator faces – also replicated with photo etched parts - and the distinctive bulges for the Griffon rocker covers are moulded as separate parts. The landing gear is quite nice and, as this is a 'Hi-Tech' boxing, a pair of resin wheels have been included. 

 

 

 

The five-bladed airscrew is moulded in seven parts, with each of the blades moulded separately. You will need to assemble these parts carefully in order to make sure everything lines up nicely. The engine exhausts have also been picked out in resin, which is a welcome little bonus. The canopy is moulded in two parts, so you can choose between open or closed position. The cockpit door is also moulded as a separate part.

 

 

 

 

As this is a 'Hi-Tech' edition of the kit, a generous six decal options are provided:

• Spitfire F Mk.22 PK430/racing number 3, No. 610 Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, Cooper Air Race, Elmdon, July 1949;
• Spitfire F Mk.22 PK519, No. 615 Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, Biggin Hill, 1950;
• Spitfire F Mk.22 PK550, No. 615 Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, Biggin Hill, 1949;
• Spitfire F Mk.22 PK570, No. 603 Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, Turnhouse, 1949;
• Spitfire F Mk.22 SR65, No. 1 Squadron, Southern Rhodesia Air Force, Cranbourne, Southern Rhodesia, 1951-52; and
• Spitfire F Mk.22 681, No. 2 Squadron, Royal Egyptian Air Force, El Arish, Egypt, 1950.

The decals themselves look great on the sheet and stencils are provided too. 

 

 

Conclusion

 

Provided there are no surprises in terms of fit and finish, this kit should build up into a pleasing model. I've always found late mark Spitfires, with the socking great Griffon engine pushing the legacy of the design to the limit, so I'm looking forward to building this kit at some point in the future. Recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of

[Beard]

I'm not sure that the SH 22 is as well-regarded as the Airfix one but there are a couple of interesting schemes and a load of spare parts.

[Sabre_days]

Speaking of that load of spare parts...do my eyes deceive me, or is that the Seafire FR.47 carburettor intake that got left out of the Seafire 47 kit? I may have to pick one of these up...

[Bonhoff]

Did I see a contra-prop there as well?