Airfix Model World – July 2018

BASIC BUILD
SPITFIRE F.22

BASIC BUILD

SPITFIRE F.22

http://www.airfi xmodelworld.com 43

and gorgeous recessed panel line

detail define this superlative trio,

and with both the Lightnings and

Seafires having been re-released

in recent years, it’s only right these

Spitfires make a belated return.

Spits and seatbelts

Every pilot needs somewhere to

sit (unless it’s a prone Meteor!)

and something to hold them in

place, so, after tackling two or

three ejector pin marks on the

cockpit frames, the hole for the

Sutton harness was opened on the

rear bulkhead. Later, test-fitting

revealed this part would snag the

beam that sat across the lower

fuselage/wing, so the bottom of

the frame was also trimmed to

ensure a better fit. The seat was

painted Tamiya XF-64 Red Brown,

before pieces of Tamiya Tape were

fashioned into a seatbelt and the

instrument panel was fixed to

the port fuselage. Meanwhile, the

rear bulkhead was attached to

the starboard half, but the rudder

pedal assembly stayed separate

to prevent an early breakage.

Next, two parts Tamiya XF-71 IJN

Cockpit Green were mixed with

one part XF-2 White, to represent

RAF Cockpit Green and once dry,

detail painting took place, before

Alclad ALC-600 Aqua Gloss Clear

sealed it all. The instrument dials

from the kit decal sheet were

removed, applied and sealed

before cockpit dirt was applied via

a wash of AMMO-MIG’s A-MIG.1407

Engine Grime. After tidying the

wash with thinners and brushes,

the interior received several light

coats of Xtracolor XDFF Flat

Varnish, and once dry, the seat

and rudder pedal assembly were

positioned permanently before

continuing. Since any well-used

cockpit tends to weather, both

Silver Prismacolor and a standard

HB pencil were employed to apply

metal chip effects, while dots of

various light and dark brown

Kit Colour Schemes

Airfix has provided two attractive schemes, which should please most dedicated

Spitfire fans:

• F.24, VN318, 80 Squadron, Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force, Kai Tak, 1955


• F.22 PK553, 607 Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, RAF Ouston, England, 1948

and gorgeous recessed panel line

detail define this superlative trio,

and with both the Lightnings and

Seafires having been re-released

in recent years, it’s only right these

Spitfires make a belated return.

Spits and seatbelts

Every pilot needs somewhere to

sit (unless it’s a prone Meteor!)

and something to hold them in

Kit Colour Schemes

Airfix has provided two attractive schemes, which should please most dedicated

Spitfire fans:

• F.24, VN318, 80 Squadron, Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force, Kai Tak, 1955


• F.22 PK553, 607 Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, RAF Ouston, England, 1948

http://www.airfi xmodelworld.com 43

and something to hold them in

place, so, after tackling two or

three ejector pin marks on the

cockpit frames, the hole for the

Sutton harness was opened on the

rear bulkhead. Later, test-fitting

revealed this part would snag the

beam that sat across the lower

fuselage/wing, so the bottom of

the frame was also trimmed to

ensure a better fit. The seat was

painted Tamiya XF-64 Red Brown,

before pieces of Tamiya Tape were

fashioned into a seatbelt and the

instrument panel was fixed to

the port fuselage. Meanwhile, the

rear bulkhead was attached to

from the kit decal sheet were

removed, applied and sealed

before cockpit dirt was applied via

a wash of AMMO-MIG’s A-MIG.1407

Engine Grime. After tidying the

wash with thinners and brushes,

the interior received several light

coats of Xtracolor XDFF Flat

Varnish, and once dry, the seat

and rudder pedal assembly were

positioned permanently before

continuing. Since any well-used

cockpit tends to weather, both

Silver Prismacolor and a standard

HB pencil were employed to apply

metal chip effects, while dots of

various light and dark brown

and something to hold them in

place, so, after tackling two or

three ejector pin marks on the

cockpit frames, the hole for the

Sutton harness was opened on the

 Whether the canopy is open or closed on a Spitfire, it isn’t easy to see much, and the kit

sidewall was deemed more than adequate for a basic build.

 To enhance the detail on offer the

control column was drilled, while more

holes were created in the rear bulkhead

(for the seatbelt) and in the small support

brace that sat on the fuselage, behind the

pilot’s seat.

 Since this was to

be a basic project

(apart from the

canopy), multiple

small pieces of Tamiya

Tape were used to

produce the seatbelt.