Airfix 1/48 Spitfire Vb/Bf-109E-7

This section will be short as most of us are aware of the two aircraft provided in this box. The Spitfire V was basically an engine and armament upgrade of the earlier Spitfire I/II. Indeed, some of the Mk.V aircraft were converted on the production line and others updated from earlier airframes under repair.

The Bf-109E-7 was the last of the 'square wing' 109s and incorporated the ability to carry a drop tank to extend the range of the aircraft. It was also capable of carrying a bomb on the centerline if required. Both of these features were backdated into some of the earlier airframes. 

Airfix has often produced Dogfight Doubles in 1/72, and those are usually a pretty good deal as the cost of the kit is generally less than the kits by themselves. This concept is not so frequently done in 1/48. In fact, this 2014 release is only the second offering in this scale with the first being a Spitfire Vb and Bf-109F-4 produced a few years earlier.

Both of the kits in this set have been previewed before so I'll let you check those out in the archives. What is new with this set is that acrylic paint and brushes have been included. There are sufficient shades to do both kits, though I'm betting that one will run out of paint before one fully covers either airframe. At least, that has been my experience with these sorts of things. Airfix/Humbrol acrylic paints aren't terrible and I have used several shades in the past for brush painting small areas. However, in my experience the do not mask well without a proper oil-based primer. Still, it is nice to include them.

Instructions are well done as is the norm for more modern Airfix offerings and contain multiple construction steps for each model. The first part of the instructions are for the Spitfire, and this includes the overall painting scheme for the 229 Squadron plane based on Malta in December 1942. The 109 is a Sicily based aircraft in spring 1941, so the odds of these two planes meeting each other in the air is rather minimal. The decal sheet is nicely done and includes stencils but no swastikas, so it is off to the spares bin for those items.

I've built the Airfix 109 a few times and while I've not built the MkV Spitfire, I have built the MkI kit. Both kits have their issues in terms of fit, but nothing out of the ordinary. The 109 has a canopy that gets 'vague' near the top, making masking a bit of an issue. In addition its gear legs are too tall so a small section needs to be removed from it to provide the proper sit. The biggest issue for the Spitfire is also landing gear. The way it is designed makes it quite difficult to get them at the proper angle as things are fairly sloppy at the attachment points. Still, the price is right for a 1/48 kit and the end result can look quite nice.

August 2024

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