Eduard Spitfire Mk.XVI Bubbletop Profipack Edition - 1:72 Eduard

[Paul A H]

Spitfire Mk.XVI Bubbletop Profipack Edition

1:72 Eduard

 

 

More than any other aircraft - at least on this side of the Atlantic - the Supermarine Spitfire has attained legendary status. The type's role in the Battle of Britain, combined with its enduring presense at air shows, have combined to ensure the Spitfire is the one combat aircraft pretty much everyone can identify. 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. The latter variant first appeared in a dual combo boxing, but this kit marks the first non-limited edition outing for the type. As this is a Profipack kit, you get photo etched parts and pre-cut masks as well as the plastic parts, all packed into a glossy, top-opening box.
 

 

 

 

 

The kit 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 instructions take the form of  a glossy, stapled booklet  which includes full-colour painting diagrams. The overall impression is of a really nice, 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. 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. 

 

 

 

The transparent parts are nice and clear, and of course the canopy can be finished 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 generour five aircraft:
⦁    Spitfire Mk.XVI SL718, No. 612 Squadron RAuxAF, Cooper Air Race, Elmdon Air Base, July 1949. This aircraft is finished in Dark Green and Ocean Grey over Medium Sea Grey;
⦁    Spitfire Mk.XVI RW393, No. 601 Squadron RAuxAF, 1949. This aicraft is finished in overall aluminium;
⦁    Spitfire Mk.XVI SL721, flown by ACM Sir James Robb, September 1951. This aircraft is finished in overall PRU Blue; 
⦁    Spitfire Mk.XVI SL549, No. 17 Squadron RAF, Farnborough Air Base, 1950. This aicraft is finished in overall aluminium;
⦁    Spitfire Mk.XVI TE456, No. 501 squadron RAuxAF, Filton Air Base, 1949. This aircraft is finished in Dark Green and Ocean Grey over Medium Sea Grey;

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. A seperate sheet of stencils is also included.
 

 

 

Conclusion

 

Eduard's range of 1:72 Spitfires is simply excellent. The kits are accurate and highly detailed, putting them some way ahead of the competition on both counts. This profipack edition is particularly appealing because of the inclusion of the extra pits and pieces and five interesting post-war decal options. The kit's only downside is its complexity. Other than that, this looks mighty impressive on the sprue and can be highly recommended. 

 

Review sample courtesy of