Spitfire Mk.1 Update set (Airfix)

[Mike]

Spitfire Mk.1 Update set (Airfix)

1:48 Eduard

The new Airfix Mk.1 Spit was pretty well received by most, and Eduard have engineered a comprehensive update set in Photo-Etch (PE) to update the cockpit and various parts of the airframe.

The cockpit receives a lot of attention, with the necessarily chunky seat mountings replaced with more scale parts, and the whole seat is also replaced with a folded part, as is the headrest, seat armour and the pilot's harnesses, which are pre-painted and self-adhesive. The seat cushion is also supplied as PE, although the regularity of the design may look a little fake compared to scratch built milliput version.

The instrument panel is replaced by a sandwich of three layers to better represent the panel, and the instrument faces are all printed on the rear portion. The compass is replaced by a PE stirrup and top surface, with the modeller providing a small piece of 1.4mm rod to form the body of the compass itself. The gunsight receives similar treatment, with a small film part representing the glass of the reflecting gunsight.

A neat set of rudder pedals replace the triangular kit parts, and the detail on the control column is shaved off and replaced by some fine PE. The cockpit sidewalls receive a good deal of attention too, with instruments, wiring and small sections of ribbing all added in. A full PE cockpit door is provided too, again for that more scale thickness. You also get a jemmy, which you should remember to paint red only if you are depicting a post-war or restored airframe, and the locking mechanism. The door should stay in place, as it has a narrow flap which you glue to the lip of the frame, giving the joint some strength.

The prominent rear-view mirror on the top of the windscreen is replaced by PE, and the roll-bar behind the pilot's head is also replaced, with nice crisp lightening holes and two short lengths of edging to tidy up.

Outside the cockpit a set of wheel bay liners, radiator grilles, the adjustable radiator flaps and the gear bay doors are all replaced with PE, and the gear legs themselves receive brake hosing. The few remaining parts are a rudder actuating link, the tail-end aerial mount, some canopy detailing parts and two curious little hooks near the inner edge of the flaps that I have to admit to never seeing before.

Conclusion

A nice set, with a mix of pre-painted self-adhesive parts and bare metal, that should appeal to a great many modellers. There is plenty there for all levels of skill, with much of the set requiring minimal folding before installation.

Review sample courtesy of