Airfix Spitfires in 1/72 - can anyone clarify?

[Mitch K]

Whilst out buying paints yesterday, I noticed the bewildering array of Airfix 1/72nd scale Spitfires that are available. There were (IIRC) a MkI, MkI/II, MkVb, MkIX(C?), PRXIX and at least one other later (Mk20+) on the shelf.

What's the deal? Which of these is a reasonably modern, decently fitting kit that builds into a reasonable replica. I remember the original MkIX, which was so awful it put me off building Spits for about 15 years, and the late 70's/early 80's MkI which did at least fit even if the cockpit was just a cavern.

Can anyone give me a short resume of these, even if it's "avoid them all and buy the Tamagawa/Scruttockfix instead!"

[Bangor Lad]

Revell Mk V is pretty good although they didn't quite get the full wing look under the fuselage.

Airfix Mk I and Mk V are good too but try to avoid the almost antique Mk IX.

As you say, lots to choose from.

Dave

[Rabbit Leader]

Mitch

I can assist here.

Spitfire Vb - old mould from roughly 1975.

It is quite basic by todays standards, however from what I've read seems to be quite accurate in outline.

Spitfire IX & XIX - new-ish tool from around 2008, however the panel lines are not as crisp as current Airfix moulds.

Both are fairly similar with basic construction, no cockpit detail, open wheel wells but once again quite accurate.

Spitfire 1a / 1/11 - released slightly after the above two kits and in line with more recent Airfix kits.

The panel lines are sharp, but quite deep. I've seen many models built and once painted they look quite good.

The Series 1 kit is your basic BoB era example, whilst the series 2 kit has options for early two bladed prop, early & late canopies and Mk.11 Coffman starter.

There are also parts included to build a Mk.Va, but no mention is made about this. Cockpit detail is good with boxed in wheel wells.

Spitfire 22 - the newest release Spit of the 1/72 collection.

Panel lines slightly better than Mk1a, good cockpit detail and nice choice of decals.

Believe wheels may be slightly off as there are Resin replacements available.

Overall that's my take, however I'm sure that others will offer differing advice. They all build quite well and look the part.

For the cheap cost, just go out and buy one and knock it up on a spare weekend.

Hope this helps.. Dave

Edited July 5, 2014 by Rabbit Leader

[Stew Dapple]

Mitch,

Rabbit Leader has nailed it in my opinion.

Cheers,

Stew

[Black Knight]

Concur with Rabbit Leader.

Just to add.

There is the Vc kit as well which is the old Vb kit with a new better wing and some extra parts to turn the Vb into a c - you still get the old wing too.

All make up into decent models, far removed from the early IX

[Greenshirt]

If you want a Vc, avoid the Airfix kit. The wing is much too thick and requires an age of sanding to get it thin...then it doesn't fit right. But as stated, you get the Vb in the box and shape-wise it's accurate. All the Airfix Spits are an easy build and decent, I've built many and have many more in the queue.

Tim

[dadgaddad]

The Mk I/Ia/II is a great little kit but they take a very long time to build. I've had three on the go since my son was born 20 months ago and they're still not finished.

Edited July 8, 2014 by dadgaddad

[Nick Millman]

IIRC both Aeroclub and Aviation Workshop (?) produced replacement injected moulded VC wings for the Airfix VB.

Is the old Airfix Spitfire Mk I - not the very first one but the 2nd generation good one with raised details - still available or has it been completely superceded now?

Nick

[Rabbit Leader]

Nick,

I believe the much loved 1978/9 version (A01065 / A01071) was superseded on the production line, once the newer Mk1 kit was released (A01071A) - 2009?

The old kit was released in a new Airfix Red box; once as a Starter set and if I'm correct also as an Airfield set with the Refuellers and RAF personal figures.

Cheers .. Dave.

[Mitch K]

Mk I/Ia/II it is then. What's to not like about a BoB build of a Spitfire? It'll give me an opportunity for some variety among the Bf-109's!

Thank you very much everybody.

[wellsprop]

Personally, I think the Airfix Spitfires are very good given their price and ease of building.

The; IX, I, I/II, XIX and 22 are the newer ones. I find they build up very quickly (from box to shelf in about 5 hours), they fall together very well as well. Admittedly, some of the panel lines are quite deep (I don't find this a problem as all you need is some wet and dry) there is also some missing detail in the wheel wells and cockpits.

It's all well and good me giving my opinion, however, I think I'll post a couple pictures of my builds so you can make up your own mind

First off, my Spitfire XXI conversion from the 22 and XIX

Here's my Mk I (that I built in 4/5 hours)

As well as a converted XI

XIX I made a while ago

An IX

And another

Hope this is useful - And I don't want to seem like I'm bragging and/or trying to steal this thread,

Ben

Edited July 5, 2014 by wellsprop

[stevehnz]

Nick,

I believe the much loved 1978/9 version (A01065 / A01071) was superseded on the production line, once the newer Mk1 kit was released (A01071A) - 2009?

The old kit was released in a new Airfix Red box; once as a Starter set and if I'm correct also as an Airfield set with the Refuellers and RAF personal figures.

Cheers .. Dave.

Don't forget this one released in 2003 using the then current Mk I kit to commemorate the 50 anniversary of Airfix's 1st Spitfire kit. It also coincided with the 1:1 Airfix Spitfire build on James May's Toy Story which was based on this kit & was used in Project Airfix but I see it has now been superceded by the new tool Mk I DW-K.

Steve.

[Nick Millman]

Nick,

I believe the much loved 1978/9 version (A01065 / A01071) was superseded on the production line, once the newer Mk1 kit was released (A01071A) - 2009?

The old kit was released in a new Airfix Red box; once as a Starter set and if I'm correct also as an Airfield set with the Refuellers and RAF personal figures.

Cheers .. Dave.

Thanks Dave (and Steve)!

Regards

Nick

[Adam Maas]

It's worth noting that while the XIX was released shortly after the IXc, the XIX has a proper spitfire cockpit, while the IXc has a bench with a seat (basic & wildly inaccurate, but not particularly visible, also the only real problem with the IXc kit).

I've built the I & XIX, have the current Vb on the bench and have all current boxings except the current Vb in the stash in multiple examples. It's a tiddly little line of Spitfire's.

You can also cross-kit the XIX and IXc to get a XIVc and PR XI with a little fettling and some milliput for the XI nose (oh, and decals but XIV decals are readily available and XI decals are available with minor searching or easily assembled)

Edited July 5, 2014 by Adam Maas

[johnd]

To my mind, the Mk.22 is the pick of the bunch, though a purist would fit a larger propeller unit.

Closely behind is the MkI / MKI/IIa, though note the comments on panel lines above.

The Mk IX and XIX are a bit cruder detail-wise but are fine if you don't care about cockpits and wheel wells. The panel line issues are present here too and on the Mk.IX the propeller is iffy.

The Mk.Vb isn't really worth bothering with in my opinion. It's done sterling service and is accurate in outline bit is cruder than the newer tools and in its newer invocations the mould quality is quite poor.

If I was making a collection of Airfix Spitfires I'd build any of them in any order as I fancied but leave the Vb until last and hope a new tool appears in the meantime. Also, if you make no attempt to correct any of the errors and omissions you'll still end up with a good collection and have had fun building them.

John.

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

The Mk Ia/I/II is a great little kit but they take a very long time to build. I've had three on the go since my son was born 20 months ago and they're still not finished.

I've built quite a few of them. I can have one done (along side another small kit or 2) within a week - built oob but with added Eduard seatbelts. They are a nice easy kit to build and along with the Mk 22 they are well worth getting a few of.

thanks

Mike

[steelpillow]

So Mk IX comes in two flavours: old/dreadful and new/tolerable?

I'm making up a couple of VC's at the moment. It was a toss up on whether to thin down the C wings or alter the detail on the B wings. The C wings also have deep panel lines etc. and must have bent a bit as they pulled out the mould. Converting the ailerons from B to C frightened me off so I chose to bend the C set straight and thin 'em down, as I don't care much for engraved panel lines and thinning solves two problems in one, I am having to thin both the outside surfaces in places, because they are not flat enough in profile, and along the inside joint lines so I don't thin the plastic too much and the cannon sit right. And at one spot near the root on each side I reinforced the plastic where it was getting distinctly thin. A lot of careful work but a nice model that "looks right" is emerging. There is also a Seafire variant of this kit, presumably just with different decals and box art but otherwise the same kit as the VC as it includes the arrester hook, etc.

[Adam Maas]

Old/terrible & new/adequate is probably the best description for the 1/72 kits. If you have more than basic skills and are using aftermarket decals get the AZ IX Joypack over the new Airfix IXc, it's comparable in cost or cheaper and is a much better kit, but is a slightly more difficult build (no locating pins on the fuselage and butt-joint tailfeathers).

Steelpillow: It sounds like you're doing the 1/48 kits, where the answer is different. The 1/48 IX/XVI kit is exactly like the Vc wings in terms of quality (in fact the Vc/Seafire bits from the Vc/Seafire boxing based on the Vb are in fact in the IX/XVI kit as it reuses many of the bits). There is no new 1/48 IX on the market from Airfix, there is a new Vb that should be in stores in the next few weeks.

Best bet for a 1/48 IX is either the new and superb Eduard kit or the older ICM, which has some challenges but produces a superb result if you've got the skills to overcome ICM's engineering exceeding their molding tech.

Edited July 5, 2014 by Adam Maas

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

So Mk IX comes in two flavours: old/dreadful and new/tolerable?

I'm making up a couple of VC's at the moment. It was a toss up on whether to thin down the C wings or alter the detail on the B wings. The C wings also have deep panel lines etc. and must have bent a bit as they pulled out the mould. Converting the ailerons from B to C frightened me off so I chose to bend the C set straight and thin 'em down, as I don't care much for engraved panel lines and thinning solves two problems in one, I am having to thin both the outside surfaces in places, because they are not flat enough in profile, and along the inside joint lines so I don't thin the plastic too much and the cannon sit right. And at one spot near the root on each side I reinforced the plastic where it was getting distinctly thin. A lot of careful work but a nice model that "looks right" is emerging. There is also a Seafire variant of this kit, presumably just with different decals and box art but otherwise the same kit as the VC as it includes the arrester hook, etc.

Your best bet is just to buy and build the Sword Spitfire Vc, if you're talking 1/72. It's a vastly superior kit than the Airfix one.

thanks

Mike

[Eric Mc]

I like both the old (1978) MkI and the old (1973) Vb (I'm actually building the Vb (again) at the moment). They are ideal for beginners and I would hesitate recommending them to anyone starting out in the hobby. It's true they lack any internal detail of note but that is not that important to an awful lot of people - especially in 1/72. If you insert the pilot, you will hardly notice.

My current rendition of the Vb will be in the colours of Irish ace, Paddy Finucane.

The only Airfix Spitfire I would never want to build is the old MkIX - which is now discontinued anyway.

Edited July 5, 2014 by Eric Mc

[Mitch K]

The only Airfix Spitfire I would never want to build is the old MkIX - which is now discontinued anyway.

Good!!!

[steelpillow]

Definitely the same size as my other 1:72 Spitfires, grin.

Too late to change to Sword now, I've done most of the hard work, but thanks for the tip I might yet convert a Sword Spit to a Seafire using my Airfix spares....

[Andre B]

I had to say that you can build an Spitfire Va as well with the part's that follow the new Ia/IIa kit.

We are stil waiting for the Spitfire Va with Douglas Bader Markings from Airfix.

The only kit to avoid in my opinion is the old IX kit. And I still like the older Mk Ib and Vb kits without the deep panellines...

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

Definitely the same size as my other 1:72 Spitfires, grin.

Too late to change to Sword now, I've done most of the hard work, but thanks for the tip I might yet convert a Sword Spit to a Seafire using my Airfix spares....

No need! Sword do lovely Seafires too, including a Mk III. They used to do a Mk II but that's oop now.

thanks

Mike

[Adam Maas]

Definitely the same size as my other 1:72 Spitfires, grin.

Too late to change to Sword now, I've done most of the hard work, but thanks for the tip I might yet convert a Sword Spit to a Seafire using my Airfix spares....

Sword does Seafires as well, no need to convert.