Model Airplane International – September 2019

KIT PREVIEW

38 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - September 2019

U.K SPITFIRE MK. IX (873009)

If the history of modelling has
taught us one thing then it’s
that the Spitire is a notoriously
deceptive shape to get right. Of
the many kits that have been
released down the decades, only
small percentage have managed
to nail the shape – or not.
Sadly, this kit falls into the latter
category and bears little than a
passing resemblance to the real
thing – let’s just say the 60 year-
old Airix “JEJ” Spitire Mk.IX is
probably more accurate.
The most notable shortcoming
is the shape of the tail and
rudder which is way off in almost

every dimension conceivable.

The undersides of the wing and

fuselage make no attempt at the

‘scallops’, the radiators are thick

and misshapen, the list goes on...

there are a pair of “bombs” for

the wings which I took to initially

be the (in)famous beer barrels of

No.412 and No.308 Squadrons

• no, they are apparently bombs!
  The canopy is bulbous and has
  what appears to be an ejection
  pin mark right at the top of the
  windscreen.
  The kit does include some
  reasonable engine and cockpit
  detail, the pilot igure is about

the best out of the four, the

surface details are at times nicely

engraved into the hard plastic

(labelled “Dark Sea Grey” which

is nice to work with) and the decal

sheet has some very accurate

colours for the dull red and blue

of the roundels, even if the ‘B’

ones are of post war proportions

(common error, even Eduard did

this in their irst 1:48 Mk.IXs).

Some stencilling is also provided

for the single No.64 Squadron

Spitire in Medium Sea Grey with

Ocean Grey and Dark Green

camoulage.

FINAL

VERDICT

Of the four kits I think the Corsair is capable of being made to

look more than the sum of its parts and I have the FW 190D on

the workbench to see how it measures up when built straight

from the box.

If you come at these kits expecting them to be equivalents of

Tamiya, Eduard or Airix in terms of inesse and accuracy then

you’re going to be disappointed. However, as starter kits for

younger modeller they have a lot going for them; they’re well

priced, certainly easy to build and have the kinds of features –

namely the engines – that ire up the imaginations of builders for