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Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vc 1:72 Airfix A02108


Julien

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Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vc

1:72 Airfix A02108

 

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The Spitfire hardly needs an introduction, an iconic war machine and graceful lines satisfying the technical theory that ‘If it looks right, it flies right’! With around 6000 aircraft produced across the various sites, the Mk.V was the most produced version of the 20,000+ built. Coming in to service in 1941, it incorporated many of the improvements developed in the Mk.III, however instead of using the planned Mk.XX Merlin which was in short supply, the Mk.45 with a single stage single supercharger was used as it could easily be fitted to the standard fuselage of the Mk.I/II. Three types of wing were available in the Mk.V range, the ‘A’ wing using the traditional 8 gun layout and the ‘B’ wing housing two 20mm cannon and 4 machine guns. The universal ‘C’ wing introduced shortly afterwards had a more flexible arrangement being able to house either the ‘A’ or ‘B’ configurations or 4 cannon and 4 machine guns. A key feature of the Mk.45 Merlin introduced in late ’41’ was the ability to cope with negative ‘g’ without cutting out significantly improving dogfight performance in an effort to close the gap on the newly developed FW190. As well as being used in the UK, the Mk.V saw considerable service abroad. The need to cope with hotter and harsher climates led to some of the ugliest and slowest Spitfires to be built (I say that in principal, but I actually like the tropical versions!). Tropical versions accommodated a deep chin Vokes filter, but the extra drag and reduced intake charge speed affected the performance by around 8mph and clime rate aby about 600ft/min. Later, in-field improvements led to a more streamlined ‘Aboukir’ tropical filter which went some way to restoring the original lines of the spitfire too. The Mk.V’s endured fierce combats with front line fighters of the Axis air forces across most theatres of WWII including Europe, the Mediterranean, Pacific and Russian. In an ironic turn of developments, the ‘stop gap’ MkV was gradually replaced by the next ‘stop gap’ version, the Mk.IX which became the second most widely produced variant. The key difference in the two aircraft was a notably longer nose to accommodate a two stage supercharger giving a much improved high altitude performance to deal with the FW190’s over Europe.

 

 

The Kit

The  kit is a new tool kit from Airfix, and its good to see them returning to their root with their important British Aircraft.  The kit arrives on four sprues of grey plastic and a clear sprue. The panel lines are recessed and seem finer to a degree than other kits, the plastic also seems better in that it is not as soft as previous new releases. It is noticeable from the sprues that the normal and clipped wings are in there, as are normal and tropical air filters, a slipper tank, and two types of propeller/spinner combinations. The only negative in the box is the overly thick main canopy parts. 

 

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Construction starts with the cockpit, and for this kit Airfix have come up with a complete cockpit including sidewalls which when assembled will just fit into the fuselage. To the left side part the oxygen tanks are fitted, and then the rear bulkhead frame to which the seat will attach. Behind this goes another complete fuselage frame. In front goes the frame with the instrument panel in it.   Instruments are provided as decals. The floor part containing the rudder controls goes in, and then the control column attaches to this. The seat attaches to its mount which has the seat armour on it also, this then goes into the cockpit. Some controls are fitted to the right side part and then this is attached to the rest of the structure. The gunsight is then fitted and at the very front another bulkhead is added. The complete cockpit assembly is then added into the fuselage and it can then be closed up, not forgetting to add in the prop mounting boss at the front. 

 

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Next up we move to the wings. There is a single part lower wing with left and right upper. To the lower wing the wheel wells must be added. If fitting the slipper tank then holes need to be drilled for this at this stage. The wing can then be assembled. and added to the fuselage. At the rear the single part tailplanes are added along with the rudder. The at the front the volkes filter is added.  On the wings the correct armament for the decal option needs to be added. Moving on to the underside of the wings the radiator and oil cooler are added 

 

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Next up the undercarriage is added. Airfix as seems to be normal for them now offer separate parts for retracted and lowered undercarriage. If lowering this then single part legs are added with the gear door attaching to the legs. With either option the tail wheel is also added now. To finish off the exhausts and propeller are added at the front. The wing Pitot tube is added along with the main aerial mast. A pilot figure is provided if the modeller wish to us it, however he seems a bit underscale? The last item on is the canopy. There is a single part canopy and a multipart option available. The main part seems overlly thick for both options. 

 

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Decals

The decal sheet is from Cartograf so should post no issues, it has two options;

 

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  • ER180 - 307th Fighter Sqn, 12th Air Force, USAAF. La Senia, Algeria Nov/Dec 1942
  • JL115 - No.2 Sqn SAAF Gioia del Colle, Italy, October 1943

 

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Conclusion

This is is a great new kit from Airfix, overall recommended. 

 

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Review sample courtesy of 

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15 hours ago, epozar said:

No 6-per side exhausts.. no narrow cannon bulges.. no 125lb bombs.. no MkIX-style elevators .. more versions to follow?

Six per side exhausts on a Mk V?  (not sure why the lack of Mk IX style elevators is a problem either)

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As both were seen on some Mk.Vs (look at one of the other threads on this model for more information) then arguably Airfix could have included them as options.  However the kit is good for an middle-production Mk.Vc and it is more important to get that right than offer options that wouldn't fit the markings given.  It is a bigger shame about the few bits that aren't right., but could perfectly reasonably have been expected to be.

 

I suspect that at least some of these options will be appearing in later boxings with appropriate markings.

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A few on the production line, when Mk IX's were already being produced, the rest as a result of retro fitting during refurbishment or reconditioning at MU's. Another thread was talking about Seafire III's, but that would require a new fuselage and wings, not difficult the way the sprues have been organised and would include the required exhausts. I don't think Airfix could be criticised for not including such a niche option.

 

Edited by john224
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  • 1 month later...

I noticed in various pics of Spit Vs that there was an additional bulge for the cannons to the wing undersides. This is missing from the kit.  Is this right? I am sure it was there in the earlier 1970s Airfix Spit V.   I have just got one and apart from some disappointment with the undersized looking cockpit detail ( I can understand why in order to cram in as much as poss but in 72nd less is more), its not bad, but since when did the main undercart legs have that extra 'link' to the top end of the legs??????

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The early Airfix kit was a Mk.Vb not a Vc, hence the bulge.

 

The cockpit detail is undersize because of their attempt at a double-walled cockpit.  I can't imagine why, as no Spitfire was anything like that and it has produced more faults - as you notice.

 

The undercarriage leg does not have such a link, although there is something superficially similar (sorry I forget exactly what but it is discussed in an earlier thread) which doesn't connect in the same way but appears to have been mistaken for a support strut.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I still prefer the earlier kit even though it lacks some detail to the cockpit and wheel bay. What was wrong with the older kit was the skeleton hinge line to the top side which was too wide but easy to rectify.

But it's a shame that there are issues with this new tool and that could have been avoided.  Oh well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The earlier kit was modified from the Mk.Vb which had a somewhat odd meeting between the wings and the fuselage.  Misunderstanding this meant that the Vc wing came out far too thick, which took rather more work to rectify than the aileron hinge line.

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  • 2 months later...

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