1/48 - Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XII (rebox) & F.Mk.XVIII (new variant) by Airfix - Mk.XII & F.Mk.XVIII released

[Homebee]

https://uk.airfix.com/products/supermarine-spitfire-mkxii-a05117a

 

 

 

 

https://uk.airfix.com/products/supermarine-spitfire-mkxviii-a05140

 

 

 

V.P.

 

Edited May 12, 2022 by Homebee

[Giorgio N]

Is the XII a new tool or a rebox of the one from a few years ago ?
Guess that the XVIII is a rebox of the recent XIV

[Adam Poultney]

XII is a rebox of this kit. Look at the product code

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/airfix-a05117-supermarine-spitfire-mkxii--100297

 

Am I right in remembering that this one has some shape issues?

Edited January 10, 2022 by Adam Poultney

[Adam Poultney]

Based on the product code I do beleive the MkXVIII is a new tool.

[steh2o]

Yes, it is the over-weight old tooling.

The Mk.XVIII is a nice addition though... it is for sure a development of the very nice Mk.XIV

[WV908]

7 minutes ago, Adam Poultney said:

Based on the product code I do beleive the MkXVIII is a new tool.

 

I'd guess a new-tooled wing. It is noted on the site as 'new parts'

 

I've already got enough XIV's in line to be converted to XVIII's, but that Indian scheme is just too nice to pass up.

 

Cheers,

  WV908

[PLC1966]

The F MK XVIII will be one from the 2022 line up I will get.  

[Tbolt]

1 hour ago, Adam Poultney said:

XII is a rebox of this kit. Look at the product code

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/airfix-a05117-supermarine-spitfire-mkxii--100297

 

Am I right in remembering that this one has some shape issues?

 

Yes the most noticeable error is the too deep rear fuselage, not sure what else as I haven't built mine yet.

[franky boy]

I’m pretty pleased to see both of these two back. And with good colour schemes. 

 

I know the XII has issues but I’ll still buy one. 

[Tim T]

I have built the XII and is not a bad kit.  

 

If I recall, the XII only went to 2 Squadrons and 100 were built.  Does anyone know how many XVIII's were constructed?  Again, it is good to see it but I don not recall it being a mainstream mark (I will caveat that with the fact I am no expert!)

[Giorgio N]

5 minutes ago, Tim T said:

I have built the XII and is not a bad kit.  

 

If I recall, the XII only went to 2 Squadrons and 100 were built.  Does anyone know how many XVIII's were constructed?  Again, it is good to see it but I don not recall it being a mainstream mark (I will caveat that with the fact I am no expert!)

 

Around 300, so not a small number, particularly as jets were already entering service by then. A number were never issued, those that were served overseas for some time in the immediate postwar years, 2 squadrons in the Middle East (32 and 208) and 2 in the Far East (28 and 60). They also carried some interesting markings, like the black/yellow stripes worn by 60 Sqn. I'm surprised that Airfix did not include an aircraft in the rare postwar "desert" scheme as used by 208 Sqn. in 1949, I'm sure that many modellers would have liked to build one of those.

 

[Wez]

49 minutes ago, WV908 said:

I'd guess a new-tooled wing. It is noted on the site as 'new parts'

 

All that was mentioned on the launch video was the addition of rockets. 

 

I'm quite happy with this one.

[Troy Smith]

1 hour ago, Adam Poultney said:

XII is a rebox of this kit. Look at the product code

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/airfix-a05117-supermarine-spitfire-mkxii--100297

 

Am I right in remembering that this one has some shape issues?

yes

1 hour ago, Adam Poultney said:

Based on the product code I do beleive the MkXVIII is a new tool.

the youtube video mentions a new rocket sprue, nothing else.

54 minutes ago, WV908 said:

 

I'd guess a new-tooled wing. It is noted on the site as 'new parts'

 

as above. Rockets.  I'll wait and see,  and to be honest, 99% of modellers don't even know the XVIII is different, or how it is is.  It's not well described and is not illustrated in nearly all the books. IIRC there is a small drawing in Spitfire The History. 

 

If they were going to tool up a big new part, then they'd have been dumb too tool a new wing for a few panels, instead of not to doing the new fuselage, cockpit bits and canopy to do the XIV high back [that they said they won't do....]

 

 And, it's not exactly a difficult modification....  fill some panels, add one.   See photos in 

And reminds me I need to rehost those pics from photobucketed

 

46 minutes ago, Giorgio N said:

They also carried some interesting markings, like the black/yellow stripes worn by 60 Sqn. I'm surprised that Airfix did not include an aircraft in the rare postwar "desert" scheme as used by 208 Sqn. in 1949, I'm sure that many modellers would have liked to build one of those.

Markings, the Indian one is neat,  not seen a reference photo it though,  maybe someone will now do a proper Chakra scheme

 

Note the background to the chakra markings is PALE YELLOW,   

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal15/14201-14300/gal14230-Spitfire-Singh/00.shtm

 

"The IAF received 99 ex RAF Spitfire Mk XVIII from 330 MU, Karachi in 1946 all, painted in the post war day fighter camouflage.  

TP 319 was the first example given the IAF serial HS636 and had its RAF markings over painted with the then extant blue chakra over yellow disc. I used the lovely Academy Mk XIV 'Bubble top' kit and dressed it up as a Mk XVIII with custom decals by Murli Rajan of our group. 

 

research and model by @Linescriber

who got the info on the markings colours from the IAF archives.

 

 

 

 

34 minutes ago, Tbolt said:

Yes the most noticeable error is the too deep rear fuselage., not sure what else as I haven't built mine yet.

And the rest.  It makes the same mistakes Academy did with their XIV EXCEPT it get the nose ring the right size

both rear fuselage and nose are too deep, in the nose case, making the exhausts too low, and rocker cover too deep,  the wing is too far back, and has the too broad and centre chord, the too deep fusel extends to the fin, making the rudder too high, and the prop blades are terrible.

It's all pretty much fixable if you can be bothered, with some modelling skill,   the hard part is finding decent new blades.

I spent a lot of time researching all this,  and there have been various thread here on this.  

 

23 minutes ago, Tim T said:

I have built the XII and is not a bad kit.  

it builds up well, and does  look the part, unless you know what is wrong and what too look for.    See the much maligned Academy kit above, and my comment the Airfix shares most of the same faults.

 

23 minutes ago, Tim T said:

 

If I recall, the XII only went to 2 Squadrons and 100 were built.  Does anyone know how many XVIII's were constructed?  Again, it is good to see it but I don not recall it being a mainstream mark (I will caveat that with the fact I am no expert!)

yes, 41 Sq [EB} and and 91 Sq [DL]  but a few were also used later on by a bomber affiliation unit,  595 Sq, and that is what the 7B code is, and this is the other  option in the kit.  Which is a neat variation,  I think this is the only known image of one

 

as is EB-Z  with the correct  narrow 10 group D-Day stripes,  also seen on some Spitfire VII's 

 

But if you want a 1/48 Mk.XII with considerably less problems in detail, Special Hobby do one.  

 

HTH

 

 

 

[John]

Agree with Giorgio about the Middle East MkXVIIIs. I'm sure some enterprising soul will sort us out.

John 

[Olmec Head]

The Mk 18 is priced at some £3 plus more than the current MkXIV (and some £9 more if you buy from Amazon).  

Edited January 10, 2022 by Olmec Head
predictive text error!

[alt-92]

Tail is bigger, so that accounts for more styrene investment

[Olmec Head]

11 minutes ago, alt-92 said:

Tail is bigger, so that accounts for more styrene investment

But there are less squadron code decals! 😉

[Troy Smith]

35 minutes ago, alt-92 said:

Tail is bigger, so that accounts for more styrene investment

the original kit had both rudders anyway...

[k5054nz]

3 hours ago, Giorgio N said:

Around 300, so not a small number, particularly as jets were already entering service by then. A number were never issued, those that were served overseas for some time in the immediate postwar years, 2 squadrons in the Middle East (32 and 208) and 2 in the Far East (28 and 60). They also carried some interesting markings, like the black/yellow stripes worn by 60 Sqn. I'm surprised that Airfix did not include an aircraft in the rare postwar "desert" scheme as used by 208 Sqn. in 1949, I'm sure that many modellers would have liked to build one of those.

Plus there's one under restoration to fly - once that happens I expect a few folk will want to build a Mk.XII.

[Adam Maas]

Just now, k5054nz said:

Plus there's one under restoration to fly - once that happens I expect a few folk will want to build a Mk.XII.

If you have a Seafire XVII lying around, the XII makes a nice starter to get a Seafire XV out of the spare wing in the XVII boxing (it comes with two).

A pity they didn't re-release the Seafire XVII though.

[TEXANTOMCAT]

There is indeed- about 200yards away from  our Museum at Sywell 🙂

 

all in all good news from the ‘fix - my one and only grumble is the fact they didn’t reissue their excellent C-47 with new decal options

 

TT

[Troy Smith]

2 hours ago, Adam Maas said:

If you have a Seafire XVII lying around, the XII makes a nice starter to get a Seafire XV out of the spare wing in the XVII boxing (it comes with two).

A pity they didn't re-release the Seafire XVII though.

Or just buy a Seafire XV.   Special Hobby do one.   And the SH kits have a couple of problems, unlike the long list of the Spit XII above.

The Airfix Seafire XVII/17 has all the same faults of the Spitfire XII kit.    It does have 2 wings, and its the only Seafire with a folding wing other than the Airfix Seafire 46/47.  

the wing is easy to fix,  and no-one else does a Seafire XVII, so it's not worthless.   

 

Re-pop in 2023?  it's quite hard to get these days.    

[Wlad]

On 10/01/2022 at 10:57, Troy Smith said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you @Troy Smith, great information as usual.

 

Back in 2005, Model Alliance Decals published a sheet for PR Spitfires (MA-48133, and MA-72133) which includes markings for an FR Mk 18 in the Middle East desert scheme, and chakras (printed on white background) for an FR Mk 14e, along with markings for British, Swedish, and Thai PR Mk 19.

 

Cheers,

Wlad

[Troy Smith]

48 minutes ago, Wlad said:

Back in 2005, Model Alliance Decals published a sheet for PR Spitfires (MA-48133, and MA-72133) which includes markings for an FR Mk 18 in the Middle East desert scheme, and chakras (printed on white background) for an FR Mk 14e, along with markings for PR Mk 19 for British, Swedish, and Thai air forces.

given the date, and the source, the decal artist went onto work for Xtradecal, and is not noted for attention to detail,  I'd want back images for any of the schemes depicted.  And, AFAIK, the RIAF/IAF didn't get any MkXIV.   You could have worked out the mark from the serial.

https://www.ultracast.ca/product-p/ma_48133.htm

 

I have the sheet .. somewhere.   I'd need to recheck it, but IIRC there are a fair few errors....  some maybe understandable from the date though.

HTH

[Wlad]

Good to know @Troy Smith. The serial number is TP339 which makes it an FR Mk 18 according to http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/p113.html. It looks very much like the picture you posted earlier, with the number 96 on its side.