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ok I give up


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I know how to tone down panel lines, thanks

Yesterday I pulled out from boneyard my old Spit Vb from heller. I also have Heller's XVI. Compare the tooling, detail level, shape accuracy, and the minimalistic decal sheets of that times of these kits, and the new IX, XIX, and I/IIa...

thats my point - like I said already, old kits I expect to have something wrong with them.

this version of the afx 1/72 spitfire mk 1 isnt old - it's new, made in the 21st century.

It should be better than it is

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I paint by brush too, but still find the panel lines excessive. I don't really believe that this is what younger modellers are crying out for, this is just a misconception in "marketing" peoples' minds and the sooner the fashion disappears the better.

However, I went and dug out the kit to see if I could match the other problems, and the answer is no. The fuselage parts were not warped at all. The general fit was good to excellent - I didn't fully assemble the cockpit interiors because I have yet to paint them, but I partially assembled them and they fitted well into the fuselage, which then came together with no problems. The canopy did seem a little awkward at first but "snapped" into place and looked very good. I suspect your problems stem from that warped fuselage you mention, which appears to be untypical, and that another example will seem much better.

The answer to Moofles is that if I want a Spitfire with the wrong wingshape then I just might buy the Tamiya (I have, though not for that reason, as I have pretty well every 1/72 Spitfire tooling). However, as I want a good accurate Spitfire Mk.I/II I am still a little disappointed with the heavy grooving (and lack of washout) on the otherwise excellent Airfix kit. If I wanted another early Spitfire I might try the AZ example (because that's one exception to my previous statement) but otherwise would have no qualms about buying another of this new Airfix.

It would be nice to see the post heading modified - the kit really isn't as bad as it suggests.

Edited by Graham Boak
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I've yet to treat myself, but will do soon - the early two bladed watts being the main driver (D'oh - sorry!!!). Many , too many years ago now, I used to save up my new pennies and following a trip to Beatties in London, would treat myself to the Hasegawa Mk I. I liked the then new Spitfire I from Airfix, and was a bit dissapointed to read these reviews on their latest Mk I. Its a pity IF Airfix have stepped back a bit......

Regarding these panel lines, I'm currently building an Airfix Sabre - with slatted wings - so that has meant quite a lot of sanding down. These panel lines have all but dissapeared - in fact I've had to rescribe in some places. Now that could well be a combination of (A.) over sanding by me (very likely!) and (B.) very soft plastic.

I'm wondering if a simple sanding down would have a similar effect on the Spitfire. Any engraved panel line is a bit of a compromise anyway.

Edited by Bill Clark
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Bill, if you want a Mk.I and are not really put off by the grooving, there's no reason to avoid this kit. Kev1n seems to have got a bad one, but it seems to be totally atypical. It isn't the perfect Spitfire - it isn't even quite as close to perfect as Airfix could do - but the same can be said about any and every other kit, and usually worse. If you are just thinking of a more generic early Spitfire, you might consider the new Sword Mk.Vc, but otherwise this new Airfix kit leads the field. Don't confuse fair and legitimate criticism of detail with condemnation of the kit as a whole.

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Paul and Falke:

I'm fascinated, how rendition of one plane could lead to totally different results (though pretty food).

thanks for your answer in post #18 - as for your question, easy, Paul is a better modeller than me, I just followed the box art and airbrushed it freehand, got a 'proper' one with some neat Southern Expo decals on the bench though!

as well as the engraved trenches mentioned here, there are some odd raised rivet-like things on the upper wings and what I presume is a panel latch or some such..

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Have been following this thread with some interest, and the old saying " It's a poor workman , blames his tools " springs to mind. Are we becomeing a society of kit assemblers rather than modellers. I well remember articles in old issues of Scale Models, where Harry Woodman took a couple of sheets of plastic card and turned them into a finely detailed Siskin or Breuget. Alan W Hall in Airfix Magazine showed how to mix balsa wood with a kit to produce a totally different variant, Lancaster to Manchester for example.

Today, it seems unless we have the latest ,multi-media kit ,with lashings of resin and photo etch we are lost, totally unable to correct a few simple errors or add a few details if they are not provided in the box, progress, I think not.

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..well we know that kev1n is a competition winner so I don't think that was the problem necesssarily. I guess you do need some empathy with the subject though to get motivated enough to over-look the little niggles..

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Have been following this thread with some interest, and the old saying " It's a poor workman , blames his tools " springs to mind. Are we becomeing a society of kit assemblers rather than modellers. I well remember articles in old issues of Scale Models, where Harry Woodman took a couple of sheets of plastic card and turned them into a finely detailed Siskin or Breuget. Alan W Hall in Airfix Magazine showed how to mix balsa wood with a kit to produce a totally different variant, Lancaster to Manchester for example.

Today, it seems unless we have the latest ,multi-media kit ,with lashings of resin and photo etch we are lost, totally unable to correct a few simple errors or add a few details if they are not provided in the box, progress, I think not.

but wasn't that his point. He appears to be quite capable of fixing issues but didn't expect to have to do so to the extent he has from a kit released in 2011 and nor would I.

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....Today, it seems unless we have the latest ,multi-media kit ,with lashings of resin and photo etch we are lost, totally unable to correct a few simple errors or add a few details if they are not provided in the box, progress, I think not.

go check out some of my builds - you want scratch building? I'll show you scratch building - in 1/144 scale and 1/200 scale

....and ALL of it by me not with any a/m add-on parts

and by the way - it's not one of these kits, it's two of these kits

and by the way - I did say I would fix the problems

and the panel lines are still too deep.

Yes my point was entirely that the kit is designed and manufactured in the 21st century

Yes I DO expect better in this day and age - why shouldnt I?

Whats wrong with wanting to raise the standards? We like living with second best in this country to much; ok if you want to fine, but I dont.

And I can't think of a quicker way of putting off a young kid just starting out in model building than a crap kit

Hello Kevin,

May I offer my condolences on the recent loss of your Mother.

thanks

.....didn't expect to have to do so to the extent he has from a kit released in 2011 and nor would I.

thanks again

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Your quiet right in this day and age we should be albe to buy a kit, and find its right and not to have to buy or fix things. Mind you I think ship kits are even worst, even with HMS Hood Asso Trumpeter did not get it right just to idle to go that extra yard

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..well we know that kev1n is a competition winner so I don't think that was the problem necesssarily.

I don't think third place in the knobbly knees competition at the local fete counts.

Chris

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