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Eduard Brassin 632111 Spitfire Mk.IXc Cockpit for Revell kit


LSP_Kevin

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Indeed an excellent set!

 

The set is very detailed as was the MkII one and does not ask for many improvements. The only obvious error I found in the IX one was the round trigger knob on the control stick. From the MkV all Spits got the rectangular one. This asks for change as this is quite visible. One other improvement that can be done in the two sets is redrilling holes in the bulkheads and more particularly in the seat supports round recesses. The seat back cushion is also a little bland with no creases like the ones added on the Barracuda one.

 

I modified my set a little bit further as my MkIX is changed into a PRXI (no gunsight, no spare lamp bulb, different radio set-up, camera control systems and relief tube!).

 

One thing I still have to check is the cockpit door dimensions as the set asks you for removing a strip of fuselage right behind the door and I am still not fully sure this is correct. In any case, the door is far better than the kit one so I may fall on the need to do a trade-off between accuracy and detail quality!

 

Regarding the remark of Iain about the value, I have to say you should take the time to look for cheaper resellers as there are huge differences in price! An example:

I got each set from France for 20.55 euros without P&P cost as I spent more than 100 euros. This is more or less a 18.20£ value but the same sets are sold for 32.20/34.20£ in UK by Hannants and to get free P&P I have to spend more than the double...! So I got the two sets for the highest price of a single one! Caveat Emptor!

 

Too bad Barracuda did not complete the  radiator from their Mk II detail set with a second one for the Mk IX as correcting that is a true PITA and the Eduard photoetched set is useless as it just copies the far too shallow dimensions of the kit parts. I finally used a combination of plastic card and redimensioned RB radiator face parts intended for the Tamiya kit. The result is nice but asks for A LOT of time!

 

Cheers

 

Thierry

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Thanks Thierry - hadn't spotted the trigger button - will tweak the review when I get a chance.

 

Also - the beautifully cast entry door is patterned to fit the Revell kit - and is, therefore, longer than scale.

 

My comment on value is that if you want to build a really accurate Mk.IX, by the time you've purchased this set, plus, probably others - and then worked on the airframe shapes/surface details I think, in my own opinion, I'd rather start from the Tamiya kit anyway.

 

That's admittedly based upon my build experience of the Revell Mk.II - I don't have a copy of the Mk.IX.

 

Where the Revell kit scores, and no doubt about it, is value for money - and, from what I've seen, it makes a great build. But that value goes out of the window if you then buy lots of aftermarket to bring it up to the standard of the Tamiya kits.

 

All IMHO of course.

 

I actually purchased this set to give me some extra parts to swap around on my three Tamiya kits - one of which being the two-seater.

 

Iain

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I am almost done a Mk IX from Revell and the Eduard set is a real bonus - I found that the small sliver of fuselage that you need to trim off to bring the hatch opening flush with the rear canopy (although slightly larger than the real a/c) does fix this kit inaccuracy as molded by Revell. The larger (slightly) hatch door as provided by Eduard really spiffs thing up!!

Cheers

Alan

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I will check in my Monforton book as the Barracuda door is noticeably smaller. By the way the Barracuda seat is also fractionally smaller.

 

With regard to the cost, I got the Mk IX plus the Eduard pit, wheels, exhausts and LG bay photoetched set for more or less 75 euros. This is still noticeably cheaper than what I paid for the cheapest of my three Tamiya boxes (around 110 euros). As I already wrote I prefer such kits for conversions because replicating the petite surface details of the Tamiya kits is far more difficult.

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By the way, I forgot adding a point. Eduard recommends building the full pit and inserting it in the assembled fuselage. As I had serious doubt about the process, I took another approach: I glued the starboard side in the fuselage with all the bulkheads except a section of the rear one. I cut it and glued it on the port fuselage side to get a better fit. This seems to confirm that if you assemble the full cockpit, you will have some problems to glue it to both sides... Obviously this asks for a very cautious process to avoid problems when you close the fuselage but it can be done. I know now I will use the same process for my two other Brassin Spitfire fuselages!

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Thanks Thierry - hadn't spotted the trigger button - will tweak the review when I get a chance.

 

Also - the beautifully cast entry door is patterned to fit the Revell kit - and is, therefore, longer than scale.

 

My comment on value is that if you want to build a really accurate Mk.IX, by the time you've purchased this set, plus, probably others - and then worked on the airframe shapes/surface details I think, in my own opinion, I'd rather start from the Tamiya kit anyway.

 

That's admittedly based upon my build experience of the Revell Mk.II - I don't have a copy of the Mk.IX.

 

Where the Revell kit scores, and no doubt about it, is value for money - and, from what I've seen, it makes a great build. But that value goes out of the window if you then buy lots of aftermarket to bring it up to the standard of the Tamiya kits.

 

All IMHO of course.

 

I actually purchased this set to give me some extra parts to swap around on my three Tamiya kits - one of which being the two-seater.

 

Iain

 

Iain,

 

Thanks for the review - excellent work and great add-on comments from Thierry and all here too.  Very helpful.

 

Chris

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