Andy Brazier takes a look at Revell of Germanys latest 1/32nd offering the Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IIa.

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If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Hi Andy

Nice Review. I've been concerned by the position of the outer gun ports since the early press photos, but I'm surprised to read Revell haven't included the protruding muzzles. I'd differ from you on the separate centres for the roundels though, as I trust my Mk.1 eyeballs to get the positioning correct more than printers' often less than perfect registration. So that's a plus point for me.

All the best

Rowan

Thanks Rowan.
I was surprised as well, especially when I went to write about the guns and couldn't find them in the box.
The way the wings have been moulded you would only be able to fit part of the barrel in there.
Well the roundals are a mute point for me anyway as I will be using masks for the aircraft I wish to model.
Andy :-)

Hi Andy

I hope you remember to be similarly critical of the extra work needed lining up the masks.

All the best

Rowan

If I mess it up I won't be able to print the expletives I will utter .
Andy :-)

The gun barrels didn't protrude from war's start; a new, faster-firing Browning was fitted, which did away with the flash eliminator.
Edgar

Nice one Andy




It is clear then Rowan that you have never used paint masks for markings or, more accurately, you have never used my system

I will try and post some more pics of my progress with this kit sometime soon. The fixes are quite easy if just a little annoying that they are necessary. Revell did miss the opportunity to provide us with a well researched MkI/II and the regret is that no one else will probably now do one. However I'm sure that there will be detail sets to help with the issues and I have seen some nice models that have already been built from the kit and I am enjoying building it. All in all I'm happy that we have a modern tooling of this beautiful aircraft; Revell's saving grace though is the price

Hi Mal

LOL! I'd hardly have bought my own plotter/cutter if I wasn't convinced of the advantages of masks in many instances, but I also can't deny that all but the simplest ones are more work to use than decals. @ Andy - I'm sure you won't mess up.

@ Edgar - Many thanks for the info on the guns - I'm undoubtedly too used to seeing them poking out of the wings on the old Tamiya Mk. I in wartime markings.

All the best

Rowan

This kit got people banned from several other fora, so passions are running high. While I would like to have seen this kit match the accuracy of Revell's JU-88, HE-111 and Arado float plane kits, let's not lose sight of the fact that it retails for 20 bucks. I could spend $50 on AM upgrades (many are in the works) and still be half the price of a Tamiya Spitfire.

Hi Bill

Only $20? You guys really are lucky in the States! - It's the equivalent of about twice that in most places over here... Still really good value for money though.

All the best

Rowan

Don't forget 20% is VAT.

When are we going to see the build review??

Doug

My build is on the Bulldog site

This could be one for me.....

The price that Revell of Germany recommends in the UK is £22.99, so I would suggest the higher price is to capitalise on its desirability. At that price you don't really have much to complain about as regards bang for your buck.

Hi, just got this kit today, after years away doing ship builds, and aside from the already noticed inaccuraces in the kit, the markings for P7665 YT-L state that it was from 65 Sqn, Kirton-in-Lindsey, July 1941. After doing some research, I learned that P7665 was shot down over St. Omer, France on 5th February 1941, leading to the capture of P/O Geoffrey Hill. Did the RAF just put the registration marks to another aircraft after this one was lost?