Airfix 1/24 Spitfire gift set help needed is building Mk.1 possible or not?

[Beardie]

Hi all, looking for a little help from anyone who has an earlier release of the 1/24 Spitfire Vb kit. Or has this gift set, single option version and knows what the differences are.

I have come across reference to this kit as having both the original engine from the mark 1 boxing and a suitable (but not well fitting updated engine) for the Mk.Vb.

The kit I recently bought was the gift set version and only has one decal option for the BoB flight spitfire. I have just examined the sprues for the first time and I don't see any spare engine parts. I'm no expert on spits and this build is planned as a trip down memory lane to the kits I couldn't afford as a kid. I was planning on building it as the Mk.1 of Sandy Johnstone of 602 City of Glasgow squadron (I have acquired suitable decals to work towards this (Thanks DaveT) ) but I now don't know what else is required to achieve this. Can it be acheived easily or will I be better getting my hands on the earlier kit?

All advice and information will be gratefully received thanks.

[Troy Smith]

I don't have the VB kit, but from what i have read here, the VB kit adds parts to the MkI base kit.

The Spitfire V differ from a Spitfire I in engine, the Mk I with a Merlin III with a Merlin 45 in the V, he Merlin 45 adds some plumbing at the rear, but as it was turned sideways, the airframe is not longer. The main engine block etc is the same. I'd suggest do a google image search for the engines as you soon find pics.

I'd ask for a scan of the Mk I engine construction, but as for the kit layout, they would just add a new sprue with a cannon wing and longer prop spinner, look on that sprue for any new engine bits

There are 3 pics of Mk I 602 sq planes photos in the Airframe construction thread you started. here - http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234974004-question-for-wwii-aircraft-manufacturing-experts/#entry1851442

You want the smaller De Havilland prop, smaller and thinner blades, but as i say will be on the older sprues, if that does not make sense look at the photos i mention.

[Beardie]

Hi Troy,

Thanks for the reply, I had another look and yes indeed there are two sprues with another prop and spinner plus various parts of underbelly furniture etc. (I found a sprue shot of the Mk.1 version of the kit online and these two sprues aren't in the pics). From what I had read I thought there would be a whole other engine on additional sprues rather than a few wee add-ons to the existing engine. Are the cannons the only difference on the wings? There is only one set of wings in the kit so I guess if they are different in any other way I will need alternatives or make some changes to them.

[Troy Smith]

Hi Troy,

Thanks for the reply, I had another look and yes indeed there are two sprues with another prop and spinner plus various parts of underbelly furniture etc. (I found a sprue shot of the Mk.1 version of the kit online and these two sprues aren't in the pics). From what I had read I thought there would be a whole other engine on additional sprues rather than a few wee add-ons to the existing engine. Are the cannons the only difference on the wings? There is only one set of wings in the kit so I guess if they are different in any other way I will need alternatives or make some changes to them.

Are there not 2 sets of wings?

You need the 8 gun wing to do a Mk I. Backdating a B wing is possible, but quite a lot of work. You also need fabric ailerons. I may have some spare wings, I have a part kit from an age ago which came incomplete.

cheers

T

[Beardie]

Unfortunately there is only one set of wings in the kit :weep: I guess airfix don't want you to be able to build the Mk1 as well as I believe it is still available as a separate boxing.

[Alex Gordon]

If I remember correctly the Mk 1 wing is provided in the kit with parts on the new sprues to convert it to a Vb wing.

[rs2man]

If I remember correctly the Mk 1 wing is provided in the kit with parts on the new sprues to convert it to a Vb wing.

Alex is quite correct . The wings in the Vb kit are the originals from the Ia with some cut lines moulded inside to allow removal of the Vb gun access panels . If I remember correctly , all the Ia access panels are still moulded seperately and the full suite of .303 Brownings and ammunition boxes should still be on the original sprues .

As regards Troy's comment about fabric-covered ailerons , they were NEVER in the original kit it coming , incorrectly , with metal ones . I assume that , back in the far-off mists of time , Airfix measured a preserved airframe with metal ailerons retrofitted .

In summary , there is no reason that you shouldn't be able to build a Spit Ia from the Vb boxing , since the Vb just had extra sprues added and nothing of the original kit taken away .

John Green

Nantwich , Cheshire

[Beardie]

Ah thanks for that information John. I will find myself some Mk1 instructions online and compare these with the ones that came with the kit so that I can get an idea what I am doing. I can live with the incorrect ailerons as this will be a roof hanger for my own personal amusement and doesn't have to be 100% accurate.

[Edgar]

The Merlin 45 was identical to the Merlin III, except for the carburettor intake being fed into the centre of the blower; Airfix never did that lot of work, so you can forget it. If you don't want a very early Mk.I, with the push-me-pull-you u/c retraction, the later version is on the Vb sprues, and the kit should also have more choice with the cockpit canopy.

Edited January 10, 2015 by Edgar

[Beardie]

Thanks for the info Edgar, looking at it I think the engine in the 1/24 Airfix Hurri looks better modelled, pity I don't have a spare one.

Does anyone happen to have a PDF copy of the instructions for the Mk.1 kit that I could get?

[Richard Humm]

This thread has links to hi-res JPGs of the Mark Ia instructions: http://airfixtributeforum.myfastforum.org/viewtopic.php?f=280&t=17622

[Work In Progress]

Thanks for the info Edgar, looking at it I think the engine in the 1/24 Airfix Hurri looks better modelled, pity I don't have a spare one.

Not really. It is much nearer the correct scale size than the Spitfire kit engine, and therefore won't fit in to the Spitfire nose unless you reduce all the cowling panels to scale thickness, which is pretty much what thick aluminium foil would be. However, if you wanted to depict the Spitfire with all the cowlings off, then you could do it.

The Hurricane nose accommodates the engine but at the expense of being slightly too fat on the outside.

Due to the inherent limitations of making something in injection moulded plastic, this is a situation where you have to make a choice about which bit you want correct, and as a result you have to accept that a cheat is necessary in another part, to accommodate the bit that you most wanted to be correct.

Edited January 10, 2015 by Work In Progress

[Beardie]

As this is planned to be a dangler on the ceiling I am not that bothered about being able to display the engine so I will stick with the kit engine. I will be doing a Vb in the BoB flight outfit as well and I might consider doing that one with a cowling off as I am intending it to look pristine.