1/35 - Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb by Border Model - released

[Homebee]

Border Model is to release a 1/35th Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb kit - ref. BF004

Test shot pics.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/rayxdow/posts/pfbid04xS58D4fcgaMmbAqPTjW5RTiGynVzEEu85eospWW7N6pq4tiEV8baKzugsuh3pgMl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

V.P.

 

Edited April 13 by Homebee

[Kagemusha]

Mk.Vb

[Sabrejet]

Looks nice: I still don't understand the need for yet another large-scale Spitfire.

Edited August 11, 2023 by Sabrejet
edited again :)

[Rabbit Leader]

Why 1/35th when their Lanc is to 1/32nd scale? I can see many modellers being put off by this. How many AM decal manufacturers are going to cater for this standalone scale kit? Makes no sense to me. 
Cheers.. Dave 

[treker_ed]

12 minutes ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Why 1/35th when their Lanc is to 1/32nd scale? I can see many modellers being put off by this. How many AM decal manufacturers are going to cater for this standalone scale kit? Makes no sense to me. 
Cheers.. Dave 

I would assume to fit in with the range of axis aircraft that they have made in 1/35, ME109, JU87, FW190,  so this make total sense from that perspective. The Lanc was taken over from Wingnut Wings  and was not theirs originally, so could be considered to be an anomaly. From the company point of view, they are obviously making money out of the 1/35 aircraft kits, so they are continuing to expand.

[Peter Roberts]

From the look of the sprue shots, it has the Hasegawa floor (based on the instrument panel) (??) which would be incorrect if so. And most of the rivets on the rear fuselage should be raised, not recessed. Fabric control surfaces look very good. Think I’ll wait for Kotare - far and away the best Spitfires around this scale.

[VMA131Marine]

I wish they had put more effort into getting the cockpit right rather than including an engine that will be unseen most of the time. After all this time no manufacturers should be putting out Spitfire kits with the non-existent floor as Border have done. It’s not like documentation and research material is difficult to find either.

 

Edit: The more I look at the pictures of this kit the more I think it’s a hard pass for me. There will be a Mk.Vb in 1/32 from Kotare sooner rather than later and it’s obvious that Border have not done their research on getting this subject right. The cockpit is no better than that of the Hasegawa 1/32 Mk.Vb from the 1970’s. This kit is definitely a step backwards from the 1/35 Fw 190A-6/8 they just released.

[CheshireGap]

Whilst I welcome the advent of Border into the aircraft space - who doesn't want more kits to choose from - the scale does put me off somewhat, though I have to say the shot of the wing undersides puts me off more: no ramps on the radiator, and those blisters do not look right to me. Seeing what their other kits retail for, I suspect the upcoming Kotare Vb will not be that much more expensive, albeit without an engine, and may prove more accurate.

[Homebee]

Source: https://www.facebook.com/rayxdow/posts/pfbid033H1riz3NeNdS9XaTPWT3QHKupgmwcAbVTp6Dn4NwG1McwgTrp7APhYmkgUz1xcjLl

 

 

 

V.P.

Edited August 11, 2023 by Homebee

[CheshireGap]

Those are some pretty chunky mounts for exhaust - there do appear to be a number of design details in common with the Hobbyboss 1/32 Vb, despite the difference in scale. Nice to see a decent amount of pipework provided though.

[VMA131Marine]

The parts from the HobbyBoss kit; there are obvious similarities to the point where the Border kit looks like a clone of the HobbyBoss but to a slightly smaller scale as indicated by the firewall and instrument panel design and the parts breakdown of the pilot’s seat. It’s disappointing.

 

Wing

 

 

Engine and cockpit

 

 

Fuselage

 

 

Tail surfaces

 

 

 

Detail parts

 

 

 

 

[DonH]

Hard pass from me.

 

They have moulded the oil tank into the bottom cowling, which is not the case as shown from the oil tank attached to their engine. So, either the oil tank on the engine is wrong or the bottom cowling is wrong. An easy fix, I guess, but why should we have to?

 

Also, the fuselage behind the cockpit looks a bit deep to my eye and the panels and bulges on the wings? No thanks. 

 

If you want a 1/35 Vb for a diorama, enjoy.

 

I don't.

[Admiral Puff]

Nice enough, I'm sure, but why yet another Vb, and a non-standard aircraft scale (OK, point taken re fitting in with other products in the Border line)? This little black duck will stick with Kotare ...

[fightersweep]

Interesting mix of good and bad. The cockpit is certainly a throw back to the 70s Hasegawa kit. Yet what I assume is etched detail for the spar is a nice touch. Can't vouch for shape as I don't have the kit in my hands. 1/35th aircraft seems to be a controversial choice, but I totally get it as far as throwing in vehicles and figures for diorama purposes. A mix of 1/32nd and 1/35th never did look quite right. Anyhow, am I right in thinking 1/35th was all Mr Tamiya's fault anyway? We were quite happy with 1/32nd and 54mm before that.

 

Still, I'm never one to poo poo any new kit or venture and the Kate and carrier island is a fantastic idea which will no doubt kill my wallet. Don't think the Spit Vb is for me though.

[Scooby]

On 8/11/2023 at 5:34 AM, Sabrejet said:

Looks nice: I still don't understand the need for yet another large-scale Spitfire.

Because I’ll buy every one of them.

[VMA131Marine]

On 8/11/2023 at 4:23 AM, Homebee said:

Border Model is to release a 1/35th Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb kit - ref. BF004

Test shot pics.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/rayxdow/posts/pfbid04xS58D4fcgaMmbAqPTjW5RTiGynVzEEu85eospWW7N6pq4tiEV8baKzugsuh3pgMl

 

 

Absolute hard pass on this; the horizontal stabilisers are ribbed as if fabric covered, just as they were on the Trumpeter 1/24th and HobbyBoss 1/32 kits. This is a mind-boggling error to make. You can see the ribbing in the upper right corner of the photo.

[elger]

9 hours ago, VMA131Marine said:

Absolute hard pass on this; the horizontal stabilisers are ribbed as if fabric covered, just as they were on the Trumpeter 1/24th and HobbyBoss 1/32 kits. This is a mind-boggling error to make. You can see the ribbing in the upper right corner of the photo.

 

same here. it's disappointing after their FW-190 which looks like a really decent kit that they went for a downscaled version of Trumpeter/Hobbyboss for the Spitfire with all the flaws.

[VMA131Marine]

9 hours ago, elger said:

 

same here. it's disappointing after their FW-190 which looks like a really decent kit that they went for a downscaled version of Trumpeter/Hobbyboss for the Spitfire with all the flaws.

Trumpeter has had an unreleased 1/24 Fw 190 in their catalog for years. I’m actually wondering if the Border kit is based on design information from Trumpeter for that larger scale version and we will finally see it released in the near future. It’s no secret the similarities between the Border 1/35 Bf 109 and Stuka and the Trumpeter versions.
 

Now the upcoming Border 1/35 Kate does not appear to have a Trumpeter counterpart so maybe that will be based on original research from Border themselves. 
 

 

[fightersweep]

57 minutes ago, VMA131Marine said:

Trumpeter has had an unreleased 1/24 Fw 190 in their catalog for years.

 

That and the 1/24 P-51B has been promised for years now. I would gladly take both. The Devastator finally appeared so there is hope yet, and if Trumpeter want to upscale the Kate to 1/24, even better!

 

Good spot on the "fabric" horizontal stabs on the Spitfire. To be honest, I wasn't looking for it because I didn't think the same mistake would be made twice but here we are!

[npb748r]

On 11/08/2023 at 18:16, VMA131Marine said:

The parts from the HobbyBoss kit; there are obvious similarities to the point where the Border kit looks like a clone of the HobbyBoss but to a slightly smaller scale as indicated by the firewall and instrument panel design and the parts breakdown of the pilot’s seat. It’s disappointing.

I liked the 1/32 hobbyboss kit, makes up into a nice Vb and looks good in my spit collection however I think my issue with the Boarder kit will be the scale - will it be obvious to my eyes that it's smaller than the other built up spits around it and therefore look odd to me (I'm the only one that will see it as my hobby room is in my loft and nobody goes up there - too scary !!   The only way I'll now for sure might be to build one and plonk it in the middle of all the others - is this clever marketing or just stupidity on this gullible fools part ! 

[VMA131Marine]

7 hours ago, fightersweep said:

 

Good spot on the "fabric" horizontal stabs on the Spitfire. To be honest, I wasn't looking for it because I didn't think the same mistake would be made twice but here we are!

This would be three times because Trumpeter was told this was a problem after the 1/24th kit came out and then they repeated it on the Hobby Boss 1/32 kit.

[Graham Boak]

Has it affected their sales?  If not, it isn't a problem.

[VMA131Marine]

3 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

Has it affected their sales?  If not, it isn't a problem.

That’s impossible to know in that you can’t count the people who were going to buy a kit but then didn’t. 
 

Plus I’m not sure anyone outside those companies has visibility into Trumpeter’s, HobbyBoss’, and Border’s sales figures. I just lament the fact that Border is bringing out a new kit with the same ridiculous errors as a kit that was released over 20 years ago.

[Graham Boak]

Obviously I don't know the numbers - if any.  But I do know that they weren't large enough to affect sales significantly, or changes would have happened.  If you don't like something on a kit - and if it's wrong why shouldn't you - then communicate with the manufacturer and say "I am not buying your kit because I would have to sand down the elevators."  Just perhaps there could be rather more significant problems with other kits. Many many other kits.  One of the few times any kit was withdrawn was because the main distributer refused to accept them.  Money talks.

[PatG]

On the plus side those who model in 35th scale for armour and figures will be delighted that they now have a Spitfire in their 'correct' scale, so I suspect there is definitely a market out there.

 

Pat.