Jump to content

Best 1/72nd Hurricane II and Spitfires?


czechnavy

Recommended Posts

Getting back in to 1/72nd scale after many, many years and thinking of the Battle of Britain Flight as a theme to work to.

 

What are the best mainstream 1/72nd kits for the Hurricane II, Spitfire V, Spitfire IX and Spitfire XVI - I have never touched resin nor vacforms and don't want to try those at this stage of the 1/72nd learning curve.

 

I have already picked up a couple of each of the Airfix Chipmunk and the Airfix Spitfire XIX so those are sorted although I realize there is a good bit of work to do on the Chipmunks!

 

Many thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, czechnavy said:

What are the best mainstream 1/72nd kits for the Hurricane II

while needing some clean up of mating surfaces, for a BBMF flight, the AZ/Legato Hurricane IIc kits is overall good.   the Hase kit has issues, and is hard to find new.

Every other 72nd hurricane kit has faults, though the Arma Hobby Mk.I looks good from the CAD's posted

 

 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the last two the Eduard is the class of the field.  For the other two I'd suggest the AZ kits, but that will depend upon what you mean by "mainstream".  I'd suggest that apart from the lack of location pins, they'd count.  If you are only counting the traditional mass-production companies then recommendations become more difficult.  Particularly important perhaps is just which variant of the Hurricane Mk.II and the Spitfire Mk.V? 

 

Hurricane:  Cannon wing or not?  I'd still go with AZ for both.  I like the Hasegawa but it has a number of failings, not least price and availability. 

Spitfire: For a MK.VA I'd also suggest the recent Airfix one, but be careful with the fit of the cockpit interior as this can force the fuselage apart and flatten the dihedral of the wings.  Forewarned is forearmed: just a bit of filing and regular checking of the fit as you go.  For a Mk.VB then AZ is the best, for a Mk.VC there's Sword if you can still find one, and a forthcoming one from AZ - sometime.

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hurricane II - Hasegawa

Spitfire V - Tamiya

Spitfire IX and XVI - Eduard

 

Try to avoid AZ kits as these are not worth bothering. Some virtual modellers will bring up million negligible reasons which are in fact not substantial for the final kit's representation, but if you want to enjoy the hobby and avoid addressing millimetre here or halve there, just go for these.

 

Cheers

Libor

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, Redboost said:

Try to avoid AZ kits as these are not worth bothering.

 

Why?  At least give your reasoning for the statement.

  I have looked with increasing dismay at pretty much every Hurricane kit, and the AZ was notable for having the least amount of shape and detail problems.  

On inspection and test fitting of an AZ Hurricane IV, and the AZ Hurricane IIc has an accurate wheel well but appears the same it score over the Hasegawa in having a decent spinner and reasonable fabric, the Hasegawa is pretty poor on the fabric, 'skinny cow' is the usual comment.

see here for one go at correcting this.

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235042230-in-a-hurri-2-x-172-hasegawafly-hurricanes/&do=findComment&comment=3114488

 

Sure the AZ kit is not shake and bake. But every other option has some glaring accuracy faults, usually involving the fuselage fabric, Also, try getting a Hasegawa IIc in the UK at a decent price.  The above has reminded me that Fly have just reboxed the Hasegawa kits with a resin spinner and some other bits.

 

If you can be bothered to do some work, the old Heller IIc (reboxed by Smer) has a really decent fabric effect on the fuselage, though raided panel lines, the wings need the shape correcting and the nose needs work to allow a Merlin to actually fit....

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Depends how closely you want the model to look like the original.  No kit manufacturer can be perfect, by the nature of the business.  Tamiya are normally excellent kits in shape and fit, but although fitting together very well the Spitfire falls well below their usual standard of accuracy.  Aircraft are very subtle shapes and if the company doesn't get it right then this does show.  The Tamiya Spitfire just doesn't look right - the fuselage is too fat and the wing the wrong shape.  If explaining why means describing small differences in dimensions then that's what it takes and why is that a surprise or a fault?  The whole thing is only a few cms long.

 

It rather depends upon your definition of "best", but if that places "click and stick" above accuracy of shape then there's always Lego.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Personally I'd say for the Spitfire Vb go for the KP.  Easy build (as easy as the ancient Airfix I just did), and a crisp looking result.

 

Like everyone else the Eduard's are the way to go for eights, nines and sixteens, though the KP / AZ alternatives are no slouches.  Its just that the a Weekend edition Spit is almost the same price as the KP/AZ options and virtually clips together, if somewhat complex in its parts breakdown, but with more sophisticated cockpit. And its not as if Eduard Weekends are hard to find - the model tent on the beach at Bournemouth Air Festival had them at a reasonable price!.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've recently done an Academy Hurry IIc which went together very nicely, thanks very much.  I was given it by a fella at work, and had some aftermarket decals I wanted to use (Xtradecal). No tropical filter option though.

 

I'm sure it has issues, but looks every inch a IIc to me. Usually obtainable cheap too.

 

M

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

For a MK.VA I'd also suggest the recent Airfix one

The Airfix kit is good but is more Mk.IIa than Va. The Mk.V Spitfires had metal covered ailerons. The Airfix kit retains the fabric covered ailerons of the Mk.II. The new Revell Mk.II is actually closer to being a Va, but then it has other problems, most notably with the wheels and prop/spinner.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, Wonky Donkey said:

I'm sure it has issues, but looks every inch a IIc to me.

In profile, the Academy Hurricane looks fine, the problem is with the fuselage being far too narrow. The nose in particular looks very pinched compared to the real thing.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, VMA131Marine said:

In profile, the Academy Hurricane looks fine, the problem is with the fuselage being far too narrow. The nose in particular looks very pinched compared to the real thing.

Ah yes, true dat. It is a bit slender when looked at from the front /top. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, czechnavy said:

Noticed on Hannants that there is a Revell Hurricane II - is it a kit with problems as no-one has mentioned it yet? 

If I recall correctly, the Revell has a number of issues. The most obvious are that it lacks the overlap of the canopy and the fuselage spine, the wing chord is too broad and the spinner/ propeller is pants.

All of these can be overcome with patience, plasticard, sandpaper and aftermarket. Or, they can be ignored.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

(Just beaten too it by the two above)  It has problems I'm afraid: the canopy is poor, the wings have the wrong chord, the prop and spinner really need replacing, the underwing stores pylons are nothing like the right shape.  But the engine cowling is good, one of the first (after Hasegawa) to be convincing at the top and you do get two quite nice 250lb bombs.  If you think the Academy looked good then you'll like the Revell one too.  Not the first to choose, though.

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I built Revell Hurricane IIb fifteen or so years ago. Apart from above mentioned issues, the kit suffers from too short wingspan, too narrow chord at the wingtip (apart from too broad chord near the fuselage that Beard already mentioned), too slim airfoil, too short fuselage, too small vertical tail and, in my opinion the worst by far, totally inaccurate display of fabric on the top of fuselage behind the cockpit (very difficult to correct). Apart from airfoil, I corrected wing issues, but figured replacing original fuselage with converted Heller Hurricane IIc one would have been easier than correcting kit parts. Built for review, the kit had been subjected to oven cleaner treatment the second I took pictures of it. Cheers

Jure

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, czechnavy said:

Noticed on Hannants that there is a Revell Hurricane II 

Hello czechnavy ... Im currently building one of the Revell IIB’s in the Brits abroad group build. Heres a link as i have the sprues photographed and you can visually inspect the kit. 

Hope that helps. 

 

Dennis

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Czech Navy,

On 9/6/2018 at 10:59 AM, czechnavy said:

Getting back in to 1/72nd scale after many, many years and thinking of the Battle of Britain Flight as a theme to work to.

 

What are the best mainstream 1/72nd kits for the Hurricane II, Spitfire V, Spitfire IX and Spitfire XVI - I have never touched resin nor vacforms and don't want to try those at this stage of the 1/72nd learning curve.

 

I have already picked up a couple of each of the Airfix Chipmunk and the Airfix Spitfire XIX so those are sorted although I realize there is a good bit of work to do on the Chipmunks!

 

Many thanks

I have done a BoBMF set, but im not one to be hung up on accuracy issues. For my Hurricanes, i used the Airfix Hurricane IIc, and although they are not accurate, they are easy to build and would be a great starting point for someone stepping back into the hobby. 

 

As for the Spits, the IIa came from the Airfix I/Ia/IIa/Va boxing, which was also used to make a Vb, modified using Revell Vb bits, but KP Vb kit is now available.

 

Onto the IX and XVI, i am currently building one of the Eduard dual combo boxings of HB/LB XVI, and i will be looking to get some overtrees to cover more of the markings you get in the box. But i cannot totally discount the AZ Spitfires IX as ive built 3 so far, even using a wing set to finish an Aeroclub XIV. They have all been a really good to build, but the tails benefit from pinning to make them secure. Some say there are accuracy issues, but it looks like a Spitfire when finished!

 

If you want an alternative to the Airfix Chipmunks, AZ have done these in the last couple of years, but i couldnt tell you what they are like to build or how accurate.

 

That reminds me, XVI, Chipmunk, Lancaster and Dakota to be done for the set.

Arabest,

Geoff.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...