Eduard Spitfire Mk.XVI Dual Combo - 1:72 Eduard Limited Edition

[Paul A H]

Spitfire Mk.XVI Dual Combo

1:72 Eduard

 

More than any other aircraft - at least on this side of the Atlantic - the Supermarine Spitfire has attained the status of a true legend. An unrivalled reputation and its role in the Battle of Britain have combined to ensure the type is ingrained in the nation's psyche. One of the ultimate Merlin powered variants was the Mk.XVI. The Mk.XVI was essentially a Mk.IX, with a licence-built Packard Merlin 266 in place of the Rolls Royce Merlin 66. The Mk.XVI was optimised for low-altitude combat, and a large number were produced with a cut-down rear fuselage and bubble canopy for improved pilot visibility. Just over a thousand Mk.XVIs were produced at the Castle Bromwich factory by the end of the War. 

Eduard have earned an excellent reputation in recent years with world-class models such as their 1:72 Hellcat, Bf110 and MiG-15. Their models typically feature a mixture of exquisite detail and superb – if complex – engineering which puts them right at the pinnacle of modern kit manufacturers. The latest all-new 1:72 kit to roll off the Prague production line is actually a range of kits, covering the late mark Merlin engine Spitfires, including the Mk.VIII, Mk.IX and Mk.XVI. This kit represents the latter. To kick this particular marquee off, the first edition is a dual combo edition containing two complete kits as well as photo etched parts and pre-cut masks. The kit arrives packed into a glossy, top-opening box adorned with a picture of both high and low-back examples.

 

 

Each of the two kits comprises well over 150 plastic parts, as well as a small fret of pre-painted photo etched parts and a set of die-cut paint masks. The instruction book is a glossy, stapled A4 affair which includes full-colour painting diagrams. The overall impression is of a really premium package. The quality of the mouldings is up to the usual Eduard standard, with clean, crisp details and no flaws anywhere. As with other recent kits from Eduard, there is plenty of fine detail, with parts such as the cockpit comparable to high-end resin items (which, in turn, should tell you how good Eduard's resin cockpit is). The surface detail on the outside of the airframe is exquisitely rendered, with fine recessed panel lines and delicately engraved rivet and fastener detail.

 

 

 

Eduard take an uncompromising approach when it comes to detail, resulting in a cockpit that is simply fabulous, particularly so in this Profipack edition. I don't think I've ever seen a Spitfire kit in this scale with a seat made up of three parts, so  it's just as well that a set of pre-painted harnesses have been included too. There is a choice of plastic or photo etched parts for the pilot's armour, and further tiny photo etched details for the control column and throttle controls. The instrument panel also benefits from the addition of photo etched parts, with a detailed plastic alternative provided if you don't fancy using the metal parts. Unusually, the cockpit sidewalls have been moulded separately. I can only think that Eduard have done this in order to maximise the amount of detail they have been able to pack in, as well as paving the way for their resin cockpit, which uses the same approach. Once the cockpit has been assembled and painted, it can be fitted between the vertically split fuselage halves, along with the engine firewall, a blank part into which the propeller is fitted later on, and the pilot's head armour. The leading edge wing root also has to be fitted at this stage. The fact that these parts have been moulded separately to the rest of the kit is testament to Eduard's commitment to detail, if not buildability!

 

The breakdown of the wing is no less complex. As you might expect, the lower wing has been moulded as a single span, with separate upper wing surfaces. Between the two you must sandwich seven parts which together make up the walls of the main landing gear bay. The ailerons and wing tips have been moulded separately, which allows both regular and clipped wing variants to be built from the same moulds. The same applies to the rudder and elevators. Multiple alternatives are included on the sprues, so make sure you use the correct version for your intended subject. The upper and lower cowlings are moulded separately, with the former split along the middle. Even the wing radiators are made up of six parts each, with the surface of the radiators themselves picked out in photo etched metal in this boxing. Turning the model over, the undercarriage is just as detailed as the rest of the kit. Each of the main landing gear legs is made up of seven parts, with the tyres moulded separately to the hubs and photo etched parts to represent hub covers (where fitted). The separate tyres will make painting easier, which is just as well as the included paint masks don't cater for the landing gear. A long range fuel tank and a couple of small bombs are included and the wing cannon barrels are moulded separately, which means they can be added at the end of the build in order to avoid accidental damage. 

 

For the high back version, two different rear canopy sections are included so you can finish your model with the canopy open or closed. A single rear canopy is provided for the low back version, which can simply be posed in open or closed position as you wish. As this is a ‘profipack’ edition, a full set of canopy masks has been included. I’ve used Eduard’s pre-cut masks a number of times now and have always found them to be excellent  for turning a time consuming chore into a quick and easy job.

 

 

Eduard are usually pretty generous with the decal options in their profipacks, and this is no exception. Choices are provided for a giddy eight aircraft:

• Spitfire Mk.XVI TB900, No. 349 Squadron, Wunstorf, Germany, Summer 1945;
• Spitfire Mk.XVI TD341, No. 443 Squadron, Uetersen Airfield, Germany, August 1945;
• Spitfire Mk.XVI TB675, No. 485 Squadron (RNZAF), W/O M. Lond, Fassberg, Germany, Summer 1945;
• Spitfire Mk.XVI SL721, Flown by Air Vice Marshall Sir James Robb, 1948;
• Spitfire Mk.XVI TD240, Flown by Squadron Leader Boleslaw Kaczmarek, Commanding Officer of No. 302 Squadron, Varrelsbuch Air Field, Germany, Summer 1945;
• Spitfire Mk.XVI RR227, Flown by Squadron Leader Otto Smik, Commanding Officer of No.127 Squadron, Grimbergen Airfield, Belgium, November 1944;
• Spitfire Mk.XVI TB634, No.421 Squadron (RCAF), Pilot Officer A.F. McIntosh, B.90 Airfield, Petit Brogel, Belgium, March 1945; and
• Spitfire Mk.XVI TB752, Flown by Squadron Leader Henry Zary, Commanding Officer of No.403 Squadron, Belgium, April 1945

All of the aircraft are finished in a variation of the Ocean Grey/Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey scheme with the exception of Air Vice Marshall Sir James Robb's aircraft, which is finished in overall PRU Blue. Each option is illustrated with a four-view colour profile. The decals look crisp, thin and glossy and the colours used are nice and bold.

 

 

Conclusion

Eduard's range of 1:72 Spitfires is simply excellent. The kits are both accurate and highly detailed, putting them some way ahead of most other 1:72 kits on both counts. This dual combo package is particularly appealing because of the inclusion of both low and high back versions, the excellent range of decal options and the addition of photo etched parts and masks makes. The only downside is complexity. Other than that, this looks mighty impressive on the sprue and can be highly recommended. 

 

 

Review sample courtesy of

 

[malpaso]

This 1/72 combo doesn't give you a set of wings with teardrop fairings for the wider wheels, whereas you do in the 1/48 version (in 1/48 you get 3 whole main plane sets!).  But you get the same marking options in both scales, so presumably some markings won't be strictly accurate?

 

Nonetheless it's a lovely kit, and definitely worth having.  I have almost completed the lowback one, so I'm only halfway through!

 

Cheers

Will

[fewr9fkr9595]

Thats very true @malpaso

 

I also noticed that in the 1/72 instructions all the options are shown to use the 3 spoke wheel and fishtail pipes. (the tube type exhausts are 'not for use')

 

Whereas in the 48th kit the same markings use a mixture of wheels and pipes?

 

Perhaps new research?  

 

[davidelvy]

As a rule of thumb the tubular exhausts, three "spoke" hubs and wheel well bulges appeared post war. However, as with all such changes, it's worth checking your references.

[Guest]

I've reason to doubt the size of the wheels on the three spoke hub option.  I don't think the tyres are big enough.