Denford

Do the clear sprues have the bulged rear windows as fitted to FAA aircraft ?

It's hard to see to 'accurately' through the canopy, but there appears to be a second crew member seated behind the pilot. Only aircraft modified for FAA service had this: otherwise the other 2 crew members were at the rear. Curiously Hasegawa have this 'feature' too.

'Logically' 1/72 Spitfires should continue into V series and later. Did mention at Telford not to forget that Spitfires sent to North Africa had enlarged Main Radiator (also used on Xll) Oil cooler and (often missed out by 'others') Oil Tank. Quite noticeable with Aboukier filter.

Beautiful and thanks for posting. However a little wear in the cockpit and especially the seat would not come amiss.

I know not strictly relating to the kit review as such, though perhaps a good place to ask. Can anyone explain the function of the small, streamlined, object, slightly offset and about under the rear - gunner's feet?

Sorry to be a 'wet blanket' but 'The Sound Barrier' is the title of a film and nothing more. Glad to hear 'one of ours' was first past Mach 1.

To be-labor a point previously made here and elsewhere - THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN ARMORED WINDSCREEN / WINDSHIELD. What is actually used is laminated glass. That is plain, ordinary sheet glass with a plastic interlayer: Saflex® from Monsanto or Butacite® from DuPont. I worked many years for the former (they even pay me a pension though they no longer exist) and for a brief period with the latter. The interlayer is a tough plastic sheet that adheres well to glass - the number and thickness of the layers of plastic and of glass is up to the glazier. Tough though not entirely impermeable if enough 'force' is used. There's a rather grim picture of a B-17 windshield that had received a direct hit that had penetrated and decapitated a crew member. More lucky was the crew member behind the windscreen of a Mosquito that can be seen at the de Havilland Heritage Centre. This has, I think, 5 layers of glass and 4 of interlayer. Incidentally it's difficult, though not impossible, to make laminations that aren't flat and these are (or were when I was involved) limited to Glass/Interlayer/Glass ie a single interlayer.

It also has a wing devoid of armament that the 2 seater has ......

Difficult to see, but hope they have 'recognized' that V's for tropical service had an enlarged Radiator, Oil Cooler and Oil Tank. The former 2 were later used on Xll

Lovely build. What is the serial number ?

There was a posting (many years back) which held that only Trumpeter had the correct length main undercarriage ! But it should be remembered that length of any undercarriage is dependent on the load it is supporting.

I think too that an e wing 'required' a pointed rudder.

With the fuselage restoration complete, and two wings from which to take data, I'm sure Airfix could and indeed may have already go further or even have completed the design. However my perception is that the really expensive part is tooling the mold. After that it's 'fly or crash' so to speak. My guess is that they want the release of their kit to coincide with completion of restoration and perhaps the 'unveiling' with the attendant publicity. Meanwhile the're spending their budget on mid series 1/48 Spitfires. Spitfires always sell so I hope this makes them lots of money.

My error. Should have said the 'smooth unblemished wing of T 9' . Though obviously having some 'features' it should be suitable, with few or no changes, for a PR Xl. Now there are possibilities for a wide range of schemes, markings, users etc in true Airfix style. At business school, more years ago than I care to remember, I was taught that if one had two products, one a sure winner (PR Xl) and an 'also ran' (T 9) one should always market the 'also ran' first. Quite why I can't remember, but Airfix seem to be doing just this, to Texan Tomcat's delight and my embarrassment. I'd add that for non-modelers who still want a souvenir, Corgi (under the same ownership as Airfix) offer a 1/72 Diecast T9 . Meanwhile I'm trying to finish my 1/72 AZ Spitfire T8, all yellow G-AIDN to a 'respectable completion'. Deemed to be a T8 by merely describing it as such on the box I sometimes wonder if I shouldn't have grafted the 2 seater parts onto Eduard Vlll overtrees. No choice really as the AZ is now unobtainable. To add to the excitement, one u/c leg has snapped off, level with the socket. The joys of modelling.....

Indeed, but it could be said that they've repeated/'side scaled' their 1/48th Xll. Not to mention a couple of Seafires. So many Spitfires in so many scales one can't really say whether the're been scaling in any particular direction...