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QuickBuild D-Day Spitfire (J6045) and P-51D Mustang (J6046) Airfix Quickbuild Range Airfix released a new range of easy-build kits some years ago that combine the looks of a model kit with the ease of assembly of a friction-fit block toy, with large self-coloured parts and stickers that add quite a bit of realism to the finished model/toy. Their latest releases are part of the 75th anniversary of D-Day celebrations by the company, and as such there are lots of invasion stripes on show. Each kit arrives in a bright orange box with CGI artwork and a quick breakdown of parts on the rear. A small tab holds the flaps closed on the end-opening boxes, and inside you will find a single bag of parts in high impact plastic, the stickers for markings, and an A3 instruction sheet printed in colour on glossy paper with easy to follow steps. Each kit also includes a spare red stud to hold the prop on at the rear, which is an improvement from the original sets that just had one. I'm a firm believer in gluing those studs in place, as they're fairly easy to pull off. Stands are included with each kit, consisting of a wide curved base and a two-part riser that plugs into a socket on the underside of the model. D-Day Spitfire (J6045) The basic model of this was one of the first releases in the Quickbuild line, so I was pleased to see it again. I was also happy to see that they've either changed the plastic a little or tweaked the moulds to give a better friction fit of the parts together as initial impressions are that the model holds together better even when flexing the thin wing area. The model has been moulded in different colours too, with a semblance of the later war grey/green camo, and decals that include the black and white invasion stripes for the upper wings. Not entirely as the purists would desire, but then neither is the demarcation between upper and lower surfaces, but who cares? It's a toy for kids who haven't yet had all the fun sucked out of life by us know-it-alls! From memory, the wheels have been changed slightly to mate better and stay in place, which is a good thing as they are small and otherwise easily lost. We gave up on them on the older kits eventually. The stickers go over the joins between parts on the wings and fuselage, so if you don't want them peeling off within a few play sessions, it is a good idea to run a scalpel over the joins so that the stickers are broken up. This has served the one I have well, which has been well played with by my son with no loss of stickers. I left the stickers off this one so the youngster that's having it can put them on himself P-51D Mustang (J6046) North American's finest has joined the range again in different D-Day garb this time around, and it's an impressive looking kit/toy, with an overall muted silver finish and blue nose all in self-coloured plastic. It builds up easily and holds together well during handling. The prop has to go into its spinner with the majority of the centre cylinder facing aft in order to fit correctly, but that's not too hard and shouldn't cause consternation due to the explanatory diagram. The cockpit has a nice three part assembly that captures the look of the real thing and the black "cockpit" can be glimpsed through the heavily smoked canopy. A pair of long range drop tanks fit snugly under each wing and give that typical look of the long range escort fighter, a task that the Mustang performed so well. The stickers all fit on one panel each, so there's no concern over them peeling off if you burnish them down well initially. A different aircraft is portrayed on each side with "Rose Marie" on the port side, and "The Kelly Kid 2" on the other. Conclusion I've been a fan of the range since they were launched, and these new ones are great fun for kids to make, play with, "crash" and rebuild. My 9 year old son's eyes lit up when I showed him the Mustang earlier, which kind of proves my point. When they're not being played with they look good on their stands, and even if they do get damaged during dusting they're a piece of cake to fix. Ideal for children that love playing with models but aren't yet old enough, skilled enough or careful enough to handle the real (delicate) things. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of