Airfix Spitfire PRXIX 1/72 canopy question (now with finished kit photos)

[Graham Boak]

15 hours ago, Dave Wilko said:

 

15 hours ago, Dave Wilko said:

Sir,an excellent project if one may say so.

The Airfix 1/72 Mk.22 is indeed a thing of very accurate beauty for a small kit,the only thing one can suggest with it is that the five blade propeller maybe slightly undersized....

 

David

Not slightly but definitely, it will do fine for a Mk.XIV or XIX.    There are a few other flaws that were corrected by a Freightdog set some years back.  Memory suggests a larger prop,  the wheels and the length of the cannon, although the later may have varied during production.

 

But I agree, a lovely kit.

[RichardRoberts]

Seems the xiv had 2 choices of cannon.

 

The 22 is lovely but it's bubble top of course.

[Graham Boak]

The shorter Hispano Mk.V appeared late in the war, best known for the Tempest Mk.V series i having protruding cannon whereas the ser.ii had a clean leading edge.  This is presumably the difference in cannon length seen in late Spitfire production.

[tempestfan]

IIRC the venerable Matchbox 22/24 had long and short barrels, long for 22 and short for 24 (or possibly, the specimen of 22 and 24 they portrayed).

[Johnson]

4 hours ago, RichardRoberts said:

A question for those who used aftermarket canopies..... Did it fit the kit or overlap the aperture?

 

Yes, by a couple of mm. Here are some measurements:

• Airfix XIX fuselage canopy opening - 16.13mm (measured on an un-assembled kit fuselage).
• Airfix XIX canopy - 18.02mm
• Rob Taurus XIX canopy - 18.02mm

These plans may help, drawn by Jumpei Temma.

https://soyuyo.main.jp/spit5b/spit5be-1.html#drawing

 

I scaled the Mk.XIX plan to 1/72 and measured the canopy at 18.60mm.

 

Charlie

[RichardRoberts]

Thank you Johnson that's very helpful.   Great drawings! It does indeed sound like Airfix under scaled.  

[Dave Wilko]

7 hours ago, RichardRoberts said:

Seems the xiv had 2 choices of cannon.

 

The 22 is lovely but it's bubble top of course.

Nothing wrong with an RV fuselage old boy.

One has studied your previous post with all the different glassware,it is indeed strange the the PR's is definitely shorter.

A few years ago,a gent on another forum did a rather natty cross kit of an Airfix IX fuselage on a PR XIX's wing to produce a PR.XI and vice versa with the IX's wing and PR's fuselage to produce a standard fuselage XIV.

One remembers he said to use the IX's undercarriage with the IX wing and vice versa with PR wing,but don't recall he mentioned anything about problems with the glassware,he certainly used the PR's on the IX's cockpit aperture

to get the rounded un-armoured windscreen of the PR.XI.

Unfortunately,he can't be asked,the poor fellow passed way a year or so ago....

 

Those Temma drawings are superb and very accurate.

 

David.

Edited July 31 by Dave Wilko

[Giorgio N]

Cross-kitting the Airfix IX and XIX has been a very popular thing since the two kits were issued so several such examples can be found on this forum and elsewhere.

It is potentially a good way to build two interesting variants... however both require a bit more work than just swapping parts and the result would still be two quite inaccurate models since both kits are inaccurate in several ways.

Today the PR.X and XI are available as complete kits from KP and while not perfect are more accurate and more detailed than the Airfix IX/XIX mix. Honestly I'd spend my money on this.

In theory this same kit could be used as a start for a XIX, using to cowling and tail from a Mk.XIV... assuming a decently accurate XIV can be found, something I doubt...

There is of course the Sword kit, that I have not bought yet but seem to have some issues itself. The same comment made about the KP kits apply: rather than crosskitting the two Airfix kits today I'd just buy the Sword XIV. It may not be particularly accurate but it's not going to be worse than the Airfix combo while at the same time being much more detailed. Call me snob but I like my models to have a decent cockpit and proper wheel wells, something that the Airfix kits don't provide.

Last but not least, the Sword kit also include decals for a XIV from the box. The KP kits also do this but the quality of the decals in the box I have is so poor that aftermarket items are still needed

Edited July 31 by Giorgio N

[Johnson]

On 7/31/2025 at 10:19 AM, Graham Boak said:

Memory suggests a larger prop

 

The Freightdog prop for the Mk.24 seems to be OOP. I thought it a bit chunky. I have a vague recollection that there was a difference in the 22/24 prop size.

 

The Airfix Mk.XIX prop isn't great. The Quickboost (Aires) prop for the Mk.XIV is a good replacement.

 

Charlie

[Graham Boak]

May be chunky but the right size.  The Aires prop may be better for the Mk.XIV (what you meant?) but not the Mk.22.  However that is assuming it is the right size for the Mk.14.   Being out of production is the standard problem of not buying aftermarket when the target kit is still in its first burst of sales.  I think many of us recognise the pain.

[Johnson]

28 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

The Aires prop may be better for the Mk.XIV (what you meant?) but not the Mk.22. 

 

Sorry, I'm probably confusing things...

 

I meant that the Quickboost (Aires) Mk.XIV would be a good replacement for the undersized Airfix Mk.XIX prop.

 

Here are some links to Griffon engine Spitfire prop sizes:

 

and:

 

 

Apologies @RichardRoberts, we're getting away from your topic.

 

Charlie

 

[Bedders]

I'd agree that the cockpit area in the Airfix XIX is too short, resulting in the sliding canopy section being short too. The windscreen section of the fuselage is also a bit short. They are the main reasons why the fuselage is short overall. The other problems with the Airfix XIX are well known: wing chord too broad, propeller diameter too small and poorly shaped blades, radiators the wrong shape in plan, poor definition of rocker cover bulges viewed from above. The wrong number of fasteners on the bulges too. Not much in the cockpit. I had high hopes for the Sword Griffons but having built a few they still disappoint somewhat. Maybe Eduard or IBG will get round to doing the Griffons at some point. I find the XIX the most beautiful of all Spitfires and if there was a decent kit I'd make several, but the idea of having to toil over an Airfix or Sword kit saps the mojo sadly.

 

Justin

[RichardRoberts]

Thanks Bedders.   Very informative.  More things to look out for ! 

[RichardRoberts]

And Johnson don't worry it's all good info thanks 👍 

[AaCee26]

Hi!

 

I was planning several ways to built a XIX with Airfix. Correcting the wing, tone down engravings, even cross-kitting nose and tail with an IX. Finally I turned to the Fujimi kit. I know need to fill armament panel lines and changing the rear fuselage top as well as empty cockpit.

 

Cheers,

 

AaCee

Edited August 21 by AaCee26
Typo

[RichardRoberts]

OP here.

 

Ok I have completed the Airfix kit now.  Did my best correcting the main errors the kit has.  Enlarged cockpit and used original curved screen with replacement main canopy.   Corrected engine and wing profiles and replaced the propeller and spinner from Special Hobby.

Markings are for an aircraft that flew from RAF Benson.

 

Brush painted with Humbrol acrylics and clear gloss.

 

It looks good enough on my shelf anyway 😄 

 

 

 

 

 

[Johnson]

1 hour ago, RichardRoberts said:

It looks good enough on my shelf anyway 😄 

 

Looks great from here! Well done! 

 

You've posted this in the WW2 discussion area, you might want to consider posting it in the Ready For Inspection (RFI) section where I'm sure you'll get a great more appreciation for your excellent work.

 

Charlie

 

Edited August 20 by Johnson
Spelling!

[RichardRoberts]

Thanks very much.   😊   Tbh I didn't know if it was good enough !

[Bedders]

Ooh that's turned out rather well! Good job indeed!

 

Justin