Airfix 1/48 scale
Supermarine Spitfire PR.XIX

by Brett Green

Airfix's 1/48 scale Spitfire PR.XIX will be available online from Squadron

Here is my 1/48 scale Airfix Spitfire PR.XIX, released by Airfix in the last month or so.

This is a really nice kit. It is well detailed and fit is generally very good. The inclusion of the cameras and the mounts are a nice touch, and Airfix offers the option of cutting open the camera access hatches on the fuselage sides.

Cockpit detail is actually quite nice straight from the box, but I had Roy Sutherland's Cooper Detail update sets for the 1990s Airfix Spitfire Mk.24 hanging around so I decided to use some of the resin parts to enahnce the kit. Roy's seat with the Q harness, control column, throttle quadrant, rudder pedals and a few boxes were employed to supplement the front office.

Similar to some of their other recent Spitfire kits, this one also provides two sets of canopies, including one with a combined sliding section and rear section, moulded as one piece in the open position. In the end, I did not use this part, but instead simply glued the sliding section over the rear part of the canopy.

I also used Cooper Details parts for the exhausts and the propeller blades, which are the early shorter 10' 6" version as supplied in the kit. The Cooper parts represent the later 11' blades.

The simple PRU Blue scheme was painted with Xtracolor enamels - first time I have used these for a complete model - with the top coat being Testor's Model Master Flat Clear Lacquer.

Decals are from Xtradecal's X48-118, and the black walkway lines were borrowed from an old Aeromaster sheet.

I would rate this kit up there with the landmark 1990s Airfix 1/48 scale Spitfire Mk.24 - it really is that good.

The only question remaining is the weight of the panel lines, which are finer on this kit than on most of Airfix's earlier Spitfires, but which will still be a bit heavy for some tastes. Personally, under paint and viewed from a normal distance, I think they actually look pretty good this time.

Construction and finishing of this model will be described in Issue 25 of ADH Publishing's newest model magazine, "Military Illustrated Modeller".

Military Illustrated Modeller is available at WH Smiths and other newsstands.

It may also be ordered online directly from the Military Illustrated Modeller website.

The electronic version is also available for iPad, iPod, Mac, PC and Android devices.

Traders wishing to stock this magazine should contact ADH Publishing at enquiries@adhpublishing.com

Model, Images and Text Copyright © 2013 by Brett Green
Page Created 26 February, 2013
Last Updated 27 February, 2013

Back to HyperScale Main Page