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Revell 1/32 Mk 22/24 Spitfire


Brian J

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Since this is a post war Spitfire I thought I'd ask my questions here.  I recently picked up this re-issued kit as I would like to complete my 1/32 Spitfire collection.  I know it will be a lot of work and I am girding my loins for the ordeal.  I have already ordered the Master brass gun barrels and the resin nose and spinner from Iconicair.  Are there any other aftermarket correction sets available besides the two mentioned?  

 

Is anyone familiar enough with this kit who can point out other areas of concern?  I will be building my buildup in flight, wheels up, so a detailed cockpit and wheel wells are not a concern.  I recall reading somewhere that the radiators and tail planes could use some correcting but I forget the details.  Helpful comments would be appreciated.

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This is the old Matchbox kit. It's really just not a very accurate kit at all in terms of shape, and the assemby is tricky, especially wing to fuselage, and the wing fillets. The canopy is entrely the wrong shape and the Grey Matter one is a must-have

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GMAA3227-1-32-VACFORMED-SPITFIRE-BUBBLE-TOP-CANOPY-WARBIRDS-/221198651119?hash=item3380778eef

 

Couple of sources mentioning the various accuracy issues in some detail

https://modelingmadness.com/review/korean/cleaver/gb/tmcspit24.htm

http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=24726

 

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Thanks for the heads-up on the canopy.  Placed my order for a replacement part last night.  It wasn't until this morning when I pulled out my copies of Aero Detail 30:  Griffon Spitfire and Mark I Guide :  Spitfire F Mk. 22/24 and started to compare detail photos to the plastic that I realized what I'm getting into.  Going to be a lot of work! 

 

Just one more question (for now), the kit windscreen looks a little bulky and I'm thinking of replacing it with a Mk V, Mk IX or Mk XIV windscreen from old Hasegawa Mk V, PCM Mk IX  or Mk XiV kits.  Did the windscreen change very much or at all compared to later versions?  As my build-up will be in flight with a closed canopy and it will be interesting to see if that vac form canopy fits with whatever I decide on using for a windscreen.    

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks to the earlier advice I have the resin nose and vac form canopy in hand and am proceeding with confidence.  I am using  photos from Mark I Guide No. 2, Vickers-Supermarine Spitfire F Mk.22/24 and Aero Detail 30 Griffon Spitfire as well as the Airfix 1/48 kit as my references.  So far, the main issues to be dealt with are the size and shape of the tail planes as well as the radiators.  Sheet styrene, super glue and putty plus endless filing, sanding and filling should take car of those issues. Shape and size of upper wing bulges will also get attention.  By sanding down the whole model I hope to tone down most of the heavy scribing.

 

I would appreciate comments on a couple of points.  The shape of the Airfix tail planes appear accurate when compared to photos.  Three-view drawings show these longer in span with a different shape.  What would these drawings be based on?  As the years go by I have less confidence in and depend less and less on scale drawings.  My second question has to do with the colour of the unit codes of 80 Squadron.  Some references indicate Sky, some white and others a light blue.  

 

As a Canadian I would like to do my Mk 24 in the markings of Guy Mott, markings of W2-L, VN317.  A full page colour painting can be found in Spitfire II:  The Canadians.  The artist shows W2-L with white squadron codes.  Is that an accurate interpretation?

 

Thanks again to the gentlemen who took the time to respond to my earlier questions.  It is appreciated.     

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The length of the 22/24 tailplanes when measured from the tip along the elevator line to the root (on one side) should be 6' 3". One foot longer than a standard Spitfire taiplane . The one foot length addition is coincident with a line drawn longitudinally through the widest part of the elevator on the standard tailplane which is one foot from the vertical centre line of the fuselage and rudder. the profile of the two elevators should match outboard of this line.

 

John

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  • 2 weeks later...

A question was asked on the WWII Discussion Form concerning the use of the 1/32 Tamiya Spitfire Mk XVI windscreen and canopy on converting the PCM Spitfire XIVc to a XIVe.  'Gingerbob' responded that the Mk XVI clear parts would be the same for the Mk XIVe.  My question is, could I use those same Tamiya clear parts (windscreen and canopy) on my Revell 1/32 Spitfire Mk 24?

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  • 2 months later...

For those who may be interested, I'd like to share my findings on correcting this kit.  First off, my apologies for being unable to include photos as my computer skills are wanting.

I received the clear parts for the Tamiya 1/32 Spitfire Mk XVI a week or so ago after contacting the Canadian distributor for Tamiya.  It took about six weeks or so to receive them.  After much filling and sanding I've got the windscreen and canopy taped onto the fuselage.  Not a perfect fit but it looks like they will fit.  The hard part was making the two parts mate perfectly as well as to the rear fuselage.  What an improvement!  The kit canopy or any other aftermarket canopy cannot compare!

 

By referring to detail photos found in the Aero Detail 30 Vickers-Supermarine Griffon Spitfire  I started working on correcting the tail plane.  I super glued four thin strips of sheet plastic to the leading edge and tips to the kit parts.  I then spent the next week or so rasping/filling/sanding/filling/priming (you get the idea) the parts until they matched photos to my satisfaction.  I'm going to have to rescribe both upper and lower surfaces.  When I taped these parts to the fuselage I found that they no longer fit as the leading edges no long fit to the fuselage properly.  After referring to photos (page 40) in the Aero Detail book I found that my corrected parts matched exactly to where they should.  I'm now going to have to putty/fill in that area to make them correctly blend into the rear fuselage.  On that note, the raised kit section at the base of the vertical tail is completely misshapen and will have to be sanded off and rescribed using those photos as reference.  

 

The gear doors have been super glued in, sanded/puttied/sanded and finally rescribed.  The new resin nose and spinner look like they will work with more blending in.  As my build-up will be in flight I have filled in the holes for the prop blades on the spinner.  I plan on filing off all the upper wing bumps and bulges and use sheet styrene to reshape them.  The only other major areas needing corrections are the radiators which I plan on attacking with sheet styrene.  I have various patterns of wire mesh to simulate the rad interiors.  

 

I would appreciate comments from members as to areas I may have missed in my above comments.  Again, I can highly recommend the Tamiya canopy and windscreen, especially if you have your build-up with wheels down and canopy open.  They are worth checking into! 

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