IS the new Airfix 1/24 Spitfire THE BEST 1/24 aircraft kit???

[scorvi]

SO has the new 2022 Airfix Spitfire IXC taken the crown as BEST 1/24 kit of any aircraft??

 

Steve,

[Shoggz]

Yes!

[scorvi]

OK simple answer !

 

I cant think of any better kits  OUT OF THE BOX?!?!?!

 

Steve

[Shoggz]

I've never built a Trumpeter 1/24th scale kit.. (Though I do have one of their Hurricanes in the stash), but have or have built most of the Airfix kits over the years..

 

The early kits aren't bad shape-wise, but are a product of their times, and leave something to be desired in the detailing of wheel-wells, cockpits etc. In the hands of a competent model-maker, they can be used as a template for a very nice kit - see Richard Palimaka's P-51D as a good example!

 

The Mosquito, Typhoon and Hellcat were each an improvement on the one before and the latter two in particular are impressive models.. whilst not being for the beginner/faint hearted!

 

But the new Spitfire is a class above. It builds nicely and is wonderfully detailed and engineered. Perfect? No. But pretty damn good. Tamiya quality? No. But it's not a million miles away. I'm a mediocre modeller and I've managed to come up with something that looks like a Mark.IX Spitfire!

[ivanmoe]

In addition to being a fine model airplane, it's also a tremendous bargain, price-wise, compared to other newly released LSP.

Edited June 30, 2023 by ivanmoe

[LSP_K2]

I'm actually a bigger fan of the Typhoon, so I'd say those are the best 1:24 aircraft models.

[nmayhew]

17 hours ago, scorvi said:

SO has the new 2022 Airfix Spitfire IXC taken the crown as BEST 1/24 kit of any aircraft??

 

Steve,

 

I think so yes

i’m still not convinced how well it go together, their sprue gates are still a bit a where Tamiya was over a decade ago, but it probably is the best out there.                                               

[Palm-tree]

Yes it is good. In fact very good.

I love things like the bolt detail on the inside of the armoured front windscreen, the choice of the two Malcolm canopies, the design and fit of the undercarriage, the gun bay details and internal ribs.

However it isn't perfect- general fit of the elevator and horizontal stabiliser halves- gaps to fill around the edges, the poor design of the fishtail exhaust stubs, missing butterfly closing latch on the canopy, and that red decal on the cockpit door? All easily fixable.

Overall I love it and give it 9 marks out of ten.

Very well done Airfix.

[cbk57]

Where would the Meng Fokker Dr. I in 1/24 land in this discussion.?  I have yet to build a 1/24 airplane kit.  So far the right subject to compell me has not landed.  I would say for me if I were going to build one it would be the Meng Dr. I though.

[John Stambaugh]

 Airfix have indeed given us an excellent kit of the iconic Spitfire. 

 I do hope that the AM manufacturers will dish up the few areas that this kit is rather lacking. 

These are in my opinion:

* pilots seat

* wheels/tires (4 slot w/o caps)

* exhaust 

 I would very much like to commend 

Barracuda for the excellent control column. Mine arrived today. 

Airscale's fine interior and Aerocraft for their greatly needed bronze undercarriage.

 Thank you all. 

[John Stambaugh]

And I forgot to add the Buchon cockpit door is fantastic. 

BTW, their door also fits the Trumpeter Mk V.

[scorvi]

yes the comments are great Meng DR. 1 is a peach too  and the Typhie is a great kit...But this Spitfire is pretty special.

 

Ok on the Sprue gates for Airfix.... I am not so enamoured by Tamiya since putting the sprue gate attachment point on a mating surface isnt great....Even if you manage to cut it straight off [after cutting the part out around the sprue with good cutters].....THEN with a new blade or razor saw remove the attachment point from the mating surface????

 

There is sanding needed and it is real easy to over sand and create a gap.  I really prefer the days when the sprue gate was attached to the surface and sand it that way ..it did not interfere with the mating surfaces of the build..  Well it must be the cutting edge of IM tech because Kotare and other new kit do the same.   UNLESS this is the dominance of Chinese methodology on IM mold making???  Since I think most molds are made in China now--Probably even Tamiya??

 

Mating surface attachment point is NOT a good idea.  Especially for a novice modeler?!?!?!

 

SO I am glad Airfix doesnt do this.!!!!

Steve

[Dpgsbody55]

I haven't built my Spitfire IX yet.  It resides in my stash on top of the box containing their Hellcat.  I have built their Typhoon in car door form which was easily the best 1/24 kit I've ever built.  It just went together very well, with great detail out of the box.  Just follow the instructions implicitly.

 

I've seen a few reviews of the Airfix Hellcat and while it looks very good, it appears to have a few fitment issues.  It's nothing major, but parts like the fuselage frames don't go into their slot in the fuselage half without some thinning down.  Also, the "crank case" over which the engine components assemble is known to be too thick in some instances.  Similarly, there appears to be a couple of minor issues with the Spitfire with the engine cowling frames being of differing thicknesses.  Apparently the thicker one should be filed or sanded back to get the proper thickness or you may have fitment problems when attaching the cowlings.  Or so that builder said.  I'll find out for sure when I get started on mine.  I've bought a couple of aftermarket bits, but I want to get more, like the seat and exhaust sets.  I plan on starting the Spitfire later this year after finishing my present build and one of the Z-M kits in my stash.

 

Trumpeter 1/24 kits??  Don't make me laugh.....     The ones I've built, two Hurricanes and a couple of 109's are seriously missed opportunities, with many errors to boot.  The Hurricane's engine is a joke, and I rate the Airfix Hurricane higher.  Trumpy 109's have their usual trademark with almost one cockpit for all, be it a 109G or K.

 

So that's my thoughts on this.  The Airfix car door Typhoon is my winner so far, but that may change.  I want the Spitfire IX to me better, but we'll see if mine is.  I'd like to build two of them, as well, but we'll see if that plan changes or not.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

[quang]

3 hours ago, scorvi said:

yes the comments are great Meng DR. 1 is a peach too  and the Typhie is a great kit...But this Spitfire is pretty special.

 

Ok on the Sprue gates for Airfix.... I am not so enamoured by Tamiya since putting the sprue gate attachment point on a mating surface isnt great....Even if you manage to cut it straight off [after cutting the part out around the sprue with good cutters].....THEN with a new blade or razor saw remove the attachment point from the mating surface????

 

There is sanding needed and it is real easy to over sand and create a gap.  I really prefer the days when the sprue gate was attached to the surface and sand it that way ..it did not interfere with the mating surfaces of the build..  Well it must be the cutting edge of IM tech because Kotare and other new kit do the same.   UNLESS this is the dominance of Chinese methodology on IM mold making???  Since I think most molds are made in China now--Probably even Tamiya??

 

Mating surface attachment point is NOT a good idea.  Especially for a novice modeler?!?!?!

 

SO I am glad Airfix doesnt do this.!!!!

Steve

With the new type of IM methodology, one definitely need a good (DSPIAE, Meng, …) single-edged sprue nipper.
Of course that doesn’t prevent the modeller to check the mating surface afterwards with a sharp X-Acto blade. It’s just part of the BASIC modelling skills. You don’t expect a kit to build itself even in this modern age, do you?

 

Having said that, I did start the car-door Typhoon to try to renew the wonderful experience I had with the Spit IX. Alas, the Typhoon is resting in his box, waiting for better days. Like they say, there’s nothing like a first love .