HASEGAWA/AIRFIX 1/72 SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE MK 1

[adey m]

A few years ago while manning our Club stand at a model show a family were looking at the models on our table when a parent asked me if we had a Spitfire. And much to my embarrassment as I scanned all the models of mainly aircraft on our table I realised there was no Spitfire. I then decided that one day I would add a Spitfire to my collection.

 

I built the iconic Airfix Spitfire IX, the FROG Spitfire XIV and the Revell  Spitfire Mk 1A in 1/72 and the Airfix 1/24 Spitfire Mk 1 when I was school age  but had none to show now.

 

I have always liked the original Spitfire Mk 1 with the two blade wooden propeller, the low visibilty roundels  and the black and white undersurfaces of the Phoney War period.

 

I now had to decide on which kit to make. I was excited when Hornby Airfix recently brought out a new tool Spitfire but that turned to disappointment when I saw all the horrible fine trenches running all over the airframe parts which seems to have become the trademark of the new tool kits. Are Spitfires really covered in gaps between all their skinning panels ? I personally do not like the current infatuation with engraved panel lines, many of which appear to be there for the sake of it.

 

 

At top we have the 1979 Airfix Spitfire 1 with its mixture of overscale gaps and raised panel lines. Below we have the new tool Hornby Airfix Spitfire 1 which looks like a completed jig saw puzzle.

 

In my unbuilt collection I found a Hasegawa Spitfire Mk 1 dating from 1975 with very fine raised panel lines and lovely fabric effect on the control surfaces. The moulding was very fine and captured the beautiful lines of the Spitfire .......... mostly. This was the one I wanted to build but there was a problem, the concave contours underneath the wing roots were not present, the wing roots underneath were just flat. However I also had an Airfix Spitfire Mk 1A from 1979 and this had the correct concave contours under the wing centre section. The Airfix undercarriage was better also. So it was decided, I would try and marry up the Airfix lower wing to the Hasegawa upper wings and fuselage.

 

 

Suspect 1970s Hasegawa artwork, 1940 Spifires fighting with 1941 Fw 190s   .............   mmmm

 

The 1979 Airfix Spitfire Mk 1A which I used.

 

 

These are the bits that I did not use, the flat Hasegawa underwing and the Airfix upper wings and fuselage.

 

With quite a bit of sawing, plastic infilling and Humbrol filler I managed to blend the two kits together and was happy with the result. I added some cockpit detail and an Airfix pilot. I fitted a reflector gunsight and then a fellow Britmodeller mentioned that the first Spitfires had a ring and bead gun sight like the old biplanes, so when I got home it was off with the reflector sight and then try and make a ring sight. Anyway I managed that and fitted the original flat canopy in place.

 

 

This is the aircraft that I modelled, a 19 Squadron aircraft based at RAF Duxford in 1939.  ...........   I wonder where RAF Dacksford was ?

 

The model was all brush painted with Humbrol enamels mainly and Xtra Colour High Speed Silver underneath.

 

I have gone for a bit of artistic license in that I have painted the undersurfaces black and silver instead of black and white as I like the look of it.

 

The decals were a mixture of the Hasegawa codes and roundels from my spares.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

" Those bloody rabbits ! "

 

Well that has been my Spitfire Super Marine Mk 1 Royal Air Force Fighter.

 

Thank you for looking.

 

adey

Edited March 29, 2018 by adey m

[Doc72]

Nice work on the early Spit.

I completely agree with you on Airfix' new tooled kit.

[ColinChipmunkfan]

Nice work Adey. The Spitfire looks really authentic and all the effort you put in really paid dividends.  I agree the current trend for trench lines is somewhat over the top, especially in 1/72 scale. 

[FatFlyHalf]

I agree with you about the deep moulded panel lines often accentuated by modellers enthusiastically shading them to make them more obvious!

But raised panel lines were a devil to work with if you needed to use filler, etc.  So easily removed with a swish of the sander........ by this careless modeller at any rate.

 

Anyway, back to your model.  Nice project.  I liked the outcome.  It worked!  Bravo.

[polo1112]

Nice early Spitfire !

[noelh]

Very nice Spitfire. Agreed on panel lines of newer Airfix kit. Fortunately their more recent kits are far more restrained. Too late for the the Spitfire. Having said that I'd rather fill them than do all the work you did. Beyond my ability. Great job.

 

[Hairtrigger]

A supurb Spitfire..  You are entirely right about the new Airfix mouldings concerning the panel lines.  Though, I did a starter Airfix Spit and, as I use a brush build up in washes the panel lines don't jump out at you too much.   Err. Changed my mind yes they do...   I have another in my stash hopefully I can improve on that one.

 

[Rich G]

Nice looking Spit,

 

Hasegawa instructions are amusing at times "Dacksford Base"!

 

Rich

Edited March 28, 2018 by Rich G

[ArmouredSprue]

Nice model. well done

[Neil.C]

_{Lovely work on a nice early Spit not so often seen.}

[adey m]

22 hours ago, FatFlyHalf said:

I agree with you about the deep moulded panel lines often accentuated by modellers enthusiastically shading them to make them more obvious!

But raised panel lines were a devil to work with if you needed to use filler, etc.  So easily removed with a swish of the sander........ by this careless modeller at any rate.

 

Anyway, back to your model.  Nice project.  I liked the outcome.  It worked!  Bravo.

I agree with you about the deep moulded panel lines often accentuated by modellers enthusiastically shading them to make them more obvious!

 

  thanks,   adey

 

 

[adey m]

19 hours ago, Hairtrigger said:

A supurb Spitfire..  You are entirely right about the new Airfix mouldings concerning the panel lines.  Though, I did a starter Airfix Spit and, as I use a brush build up in washes the panel lines don't jump out at you too much.   Err. Changed my mind yes they do...   I have another in my stash hopefully I can improve on that one.

 

That is a well-used Spitfire Hairtrigger, it looks like it has seen some action, nice one.

 

cheers,  adey

[Hairtrigger]

Thanks Addy that was my intention.  The next one though will be less weathered.

[kapam]

Very nice Spitfire.

I don't mind the panel lines on the new Airfix Mk 1 so much, but I perfectly understand why it's not to your tastes.

But anyway, I do like your result.

I couldn't see any mention of where the two-bladed prop came from.  Was it in the Hasegawa kit?

[adey m]

14 hours ago, kapam said:

Very nice Spitfire.

I don't mind the panel lines on the new Airfix Mk 1 so much, but I perfectly understand why it's not to your tastes.

But anyway, I do like your result.

I couldn't see any mention of where the two-bladed prop came from.  Was it in the Hasegawa kit?

Hi kapam, the Hasegawa kit has parts for the two and three bladed propeller, also the flat and bulged canopy. Only problem was that the two bladed propeller is provided as seperate propeller and spinner and ends up looking like a variable pitch one. In reality it was a fixed pitch wooden propeller so I filled the gaps in the spinner.

 

Thank you for your interest.

 

adey

[adey m]

A couple of close ups of the cockpit

 

 

The beautifully clear and thin kit canopy

 

 

Just visible is the instrument panel which Hasegawa include as a decal which I have painted extra detail on.

 

adey

[Smudge]

I always liked the old Hasegawa Mk.I. (also not a big fan of New Airfix panel lines  )

 

The undercarriage down indicators on the wings are a nice touch. Good job.

[Hairtrigger]

Nice touch of the pilot wearing a blue scarf.  I also like what you have done with the door.

[At Sea]

Nicely done.  I find that a good coat of primer dulls the panel lines sufficiently to my eyes.  But I agree, the most convincing Spitfire surface detail is on  their old 1/24 kit.