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Supermarine Seafire III model aircraft built from the Airfix kit in 1/48 scale
Pictures and construction information of my Seafire build.
The main sprue mouldings included in the kit.
Plenty of extra parts are included to allow the construction of the various different versions.
In addition to these mouldings you also get a two part canopy which is well moulded and a set of decals for four separate aircraft.
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This kit gives the model aircraft builder the option of either a Spitfire MKVC in three versions, two with the ugly Vokes filter under the nose and one maintainance unit MKVC without, or the model can be built into a Seafire LIIIc Royal Navy aircraft.
Inside the box you get a lot of parts for your money. Two wings were included in my kit, one of which looks a lot like a MKVB Spitfire wing while the other is the one we need being a the universal C-type wing which was introduced on the MKVC Spitfires. I'm guessing this is a modification of the Airfix 1/48 scale MKVB Spitfire kit and they included the old parts as well as the new ones. Other parts include a choice of two exhaust stacks (one for the VC variants and the other for the Seafire), two types of wheels, various wing tips and three different lower cowling sections. Plenty for your spares box then when you've built this model.
The plastic is a combination of two shades of grey, I assume the new parts are moulded in the different plastic. The universal wing looks good with recessed lines and rivet detail, better than the older style wings with raised panel lines and not as much detail moulded in. The fuselage is standard Airfix with light raised panel lines but good cowl recess lines etc.
One thing that does concern me a little with my example of the kit is the dihedral angle or lack of it on the one piece lower wing moulding (maybe my wing moulding is warped or just my judgement!). The instructions state setting the dihedral to 6 degrees under each wing half but the lower moulding will need some attention to achieve this.
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There she is all finished!
I haven't made the stand for this wheels up model yet so a tin of Humbrol thinners is taking the strain.
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OK lets get on with building this Seafire. The construction sheet begins with assembly and painting of the cockpit interior parts. You get a nice handful of parts here which make a pretty good cockpit for an out of the box kit. The classic Spitfire hoop handled joystick is included which attaches to a nifty floor piece with rudder bar, you also get an instrument panel (alas no decal) and a seat, which attaches to a smart rear bulkhead. The cockpit sides have some detail moulded in and also show the former/stringer internal construction going a little way back into the fuselage. A good pilot figure seated on his parachute is also included.
This all assembles with no problems though I left out the pilot.
While this is drying the prop assembly was put together, a choice of three blade or four blade propellers is catered for. Building the Seafire version required the four blade unit to be constructed, this goes together with no fuss. Fuselage halves were then treated to some interior green paint and left to dry off. Skipping ahead in the instructions I was able to do some work on the wing. First some Humbrol 78 interior green was painted onto the inner surfaces, then when dry, the lower surface light was glued in (clear plastic part). The wing was then glued up with no problems, fit here being excellent. When dry the tips were added as were the two upper wing fairings, once again various parts are supplied here depending on the version being made.
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Moving back to the fuselage now, this being the navalised Spitfire causes a bit of complication here, as the aircraft is fitted with an arrester hook. On this model you need to cut away at the fuselage to mount the hook recess piece. Some guidance is given on the mouldings in the form of two lengthwise grooves on the inner surface of the fuslage mouldings. I carefully cut down these grooves and then cut at right angles either end to remove the necessary plastic. The recess piece was then offered up and low and behold a huge gap was apparent. It appears the guidance grooves are bogus!
Having a gap here makes accurate positioning of the arestor hook recess more difficult than it could be. However temporary fitment of the hook arm into the recess to allow for accurate sighting, together with some patience and filler gets the job sorted.
The two fuselage halves were then joined, sandwiching the cockpit parts and hook recess as well as the tailwheel between them. The prop was not added at this point, deviating from the Airfix instructions. The reason for this being that the front of the fuselage when joined is a little out of square. I applied a small amount of filler and when dry needle filed this down to get a good square surface ready for the prop unit to fit against, this then being fitted.
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