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Like many here today I went to WH Smith to get a Daily Mail and a free Spitfire (or two in my case) to add to the stash. Never look a gift horse in the mouth I say and I am one happy bunny. No need to show the sprues as they have been well-aired in many builds on this forum. What is new though is the box. The brush, glue and paints are now to be found in the box, rather than on a flap on the outside. Not sure if the packaging is unique to this boxing or whether it is a new style box. ? You still get a Flying Token on the side though. The thing is, I have three of these new tools made up (and one of their 1980’s version too), so I don’t really need another Ia at the moment. So what to do? I had the idea of doing a Vc. A ‘b’ was a possibility but the world and his dog have made one of those. A ‘c’ is a much rarer sub type, modelling-wise at least. Airfix tooled a c wing to add to their venerable Vb mould originating from the 1970’s (early 90’s?). It was horrid. Crude, thick and with a trailing edge of a scale 12” thick, it was irredeemable. The new canopy was a joke. There are a couple of spare blisters and cannon barrels, but otherwise you place it in your cylindrical filing basket. Sword and I think KP will do you one out of the box and to modern standards. I’ve not seen them, but would imagine they will make up into fine models So, how to go about doing a Vc then? It’s mainly the wing innit? Last year I built the rather nice AZ Mk. XVI as my belated Edgar Brooks tribute build. In that box you effectively get 1.5 Spitfires (I have a spare high back fuselage) and a great deal of extra bits and pieces. What I have robbed from the left overs are a pair of blisters and five-spoke wheels. From the spares box I found a new windscreen with the internal armour and a couple of cannon tubes. I have a few bits and pieces from past Spitfire builds..... Right then, what do I need to do to the wing? The picture above shows some of the bits arranged on a page from the excellent Aeroguide on the Mk.V. http://www.boxartden.com/gallery/index.php/Profiles/Aeroguide/Classics-01-Supermarine In support I also have an article by Vasco Babic on different wing types. As far as I can see, I need to •fill in most of the gun hatches top and bottom. •remove the small wheel bulge from near the wing root •add the new broad style cannon blister •add the cannon barrels •fill in/rescribe the gun access hatches on the upper and lower surfaces •fill in a couple of ejector chutes on the underside •remove the (unrealistic) fabric ribbing on the ailerons •adjust the forward rake of the undercarriage A couple more photos And this is where I am at the moment I will now need to scribe some new panel lines. All this is well within the capabilities of the average modeller (and believe me, I am absolutely average). If unlike me, you are not blessed with the right parts from your spares box then I think replacements are available in the aftermarket (Quickboost maybe?) I think I will be able to avoid any purchases to make a Vc. And I have no idea yet as to schemes. I think that I also have suitable stickies and depending on that, I may or may not have a Vokes filter, clipped wings and a slipper tank. I have time to mull over that. Thanks for looking and more soon. Trevor