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48th Scale Airfix Spitfire Mk 24 Exhausts and Aftermarket


Scimitar F1

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Hi

 

Just looking to start the Airfix Spitfire Mk 24 that has been in the stash for ages. Was looking at the aftermarket situation and has the following questions:

 

1. Are there any really good exhausts out there - not sure if Moskit did any back in the day. The Quickboost ones look so so?

2. Is the Quickboost top cowling accurate as per the Barracuda rocker cover bulges?

3. Does the True Details/KMC cockpit fit and is it any good?

4. Same as above for Aires

5. The Eduard painted cockpit looks nice - is there anything else required in the cockpit?

 

I have the Barracuda prop and TD Cockpit already and will definitely get the Aber gun barrels.

 

Any comments in the light of experience would be much appreciated!

 

Will

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Moskit 4863 was round-type Griffon exhausts, and 4844 was flared, but good luck finding any!  (There's a list here.)

 

I don't think I've seen the Quickboost top cowl in person, but I know it has been "examined" on a thread here once upon a time.

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This should be in Cold War really.

 

Quickboost upper cowl best avoided

 

Use Barracuda parts.

You have the Barracuda prop already. 

BR48024 Griffon Spitfire Rocker Cover Fairings instead of Quickboost

 

Those items and a vac-form canopy are all the kit really needs. You can use the Airfix windscreen section but the sliding part really needs to be a vac-form. Falcon / Squadron.

 

BR48025 Mk. 22/24 Carburetor Intake is not essential but saves a bit of time

Their 3-spoke wheels, BR48079 are very nice too but I could live without them.

 

The exhausts are easy to drill out yourself, I'd save your money on that. Can't comment on the TD cockpit. Someone here says the Aires cockpit is a waste of space for non-fit reasons 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Work In Progress
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Regarding exhausts;

(Warning, the following is on the verge of anal nitpicking)

I have compared Moskit 48-63, Barracuda BR48092 and Eduard Brassin 648470, and compared them to pics of real griffon Spit-/Seafires.

The Moskit has the benefit of that metallurgical production, deeply hollow and have the "right" burnt look. But I would be reluctant to use them on a kit, each pipe is 1 mm longer than on the other two. I fear that the pipes will stretch too far rearwards, throwing off the correct look of the exhausts.

The other two are very similar, but I think the Brassin ones have a slight edge over the Barracuda ones, the rings and welds on each pipe are a little better defined.

 

I can heartily recommend the Barracuda BCR48027 control surfaces! And don't forget to fix the radiators, their sides should be perpendicular to the outer wing dihedral, not the horizontal plane.

 

 

Edited by Tomas Enerdal
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I would recommend the BarracudaCast rocker covers, they are a great improvement, and the cowl fasteners on the rocker covers can be continued all around the cowl with a beading tool (a perfect match). I used them on my Spit XIV and was very happy with the result.

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I've used the Aires Cockpit set on six different models and had no issues with fit, can't say anything about accurancy though, certainly with my modelling :D anyway.

 

Sure. they're not drop in replacements and I've used them on both the Airfix Spitfire 22/24 & Seafire 46/47 and quite incorrectly, on the Airfix Spitfire PR19, Aeroclubs' Spitfire 18 & 21, whilst I'm currently building the Airfix 22 & 24 and have used the Aires set on both, the only real issue I've had, is the fitting of the instrument panel. I will also admit that I don't use all the resin supplied modifing to suit!

 

I've also used the Engine set on 3 and that has on occasion been awkward but again probably down to my hamfistedness.

 

I also would avoid the cowling top, on at least one build, it was too small and I had to narrow the front fuselage, so that the the two met but strangely, the propeller fitted OK!

 

I've used the Quickboost Exhausts but have also used the kits own exhausts with just as much success so only buy if you suffer from 'Must Have Everything' syndrome!, whilst the Barracudacast bits are simply to be recommended!

 

I've read that many people dislike Aires sets but can honestly say that those I have used, haven't presented any major issues, though I haven't used the Aires Phantom or Tornado exhausts yet :D

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Regarding the control surfaces:

I don't think there's anything wrong with the kits control surfaces. But the separate surfaces from Barracuda are really exquisite, they will improve the finished model enormously as the control surfaces will look much more like real items, rather than integrated into a plastic part in a model kit. Even if you choose to put them in a strictly neutral position, the improvement will be great. And that's what aftermarket parts often are/aim for, besides correcting inaccuracies. Even the rudder trim tab is separate in this set.

I hold Barracuda Studios (nee Cooper Details) in extremely high regard when it comes to quality and ability to improve level of detail. Frankly, highest of them all. Besides, in this case Cooper details instructions even mentioned that "most Spit 22/24 elevators almost always rested in the up position, with the exception of the  Spit 24 in 80 squadron in Hong Kong, which usually hung down for some reason."

As far as I understand it, all Spit 18/21/22/24 and Seafire 45/46/47 had the round type of exhaust.

Flaps should be up while parked. The pilot's check list dictated that flaps should be raised after landing, forgetting to do so was considered bad form and was frowned upon, could lead to fines.

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4 hours ago, Tomas Enerdal said:

"most Spit 22/24 elevators almost always rested in the up position, with the exception of the  Spit 24 in 80 squadron in Hong Kong, which usually hung down for some reason."

 

This is not about any characteristic of the aeroplane but a question of operational practice, and like so many things what you see on a model depends on the circumstances you want to represent, and these are often influenced by the situations in which operational aircraft tend to be photographed.  Usually when operational military aircraft are photographed close-up outdoors on the ground, excepting things like formal public air displays, it is by a member of aircrew or groundcrew, or part of an official PR photo shoot. This is more or less by definition at a time when they are attended and are being prepared for use, or have just been used. So there are a strong bias towards these circumstances in the available photography, which does not accurately represent most of the time that an aeroplane spends when zipped-up, dark and cold.

 

So, in use... If you move the stick forward to get in and out (and you do) and you then  just walk away afterwards to talk to the refueller, the elevators will stay down. Rudder may be part deflected, ailerons probably neutral or close to it. This is the situation prevailing when you've just stepped out of the aircraft but not in any way zipped it up to be left for a while. So, nice day, not raining or windy: either you or someone else is staying with the aeroplane, and it's likely to fly again shortly, e.g. after fuelling or with someone else flying it.  Very compatible with the canopy being open and the door down.

 

If you use the harness to tie the stick back, then elevators are up. As you might do if  you are leaving the aeroplane unattended for a short while e.g. a quick sandwich or call of nature. Compatible with door closed, canopy closed. Don't forget to actually have the stick back and the lap straps around it.  Rudder may be part deflected, ailerons most likely neutral.

 

If you use the proper cockpit control locks, then everything neutral, door up, canopy shut, chocks, often a canopy cover too. This is what you definitely do if you are parking it outdoors and leaving it alone for any period of time, during which the weather might change.

Edited by Work In Progress
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