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Airfix Spit F.22 - not what it seems, it seems


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Years ago, I swore I’d never build another Airfix. However, when they were reborn, and I saw some of their new kits, I decided to give them another chance. From what I’ve read, most people are very happy with the new kits, and the reviews I’ve seen are largely positive.

All I can assume is that no one has actually tried to BUILD one of these things. For a slightly different take, check out my out of box review of the 1/72 Airfix Spitfire F.22.

It’s not all it seems to be, I can tell you! Buyer beware!

spitfire-f-22-oob-001.jpg?w=640

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Having built the kit:

8625472361_4892521fea.jpg

Airfix Spitfire F.22 1/72 by mawz_models, on Flickr

I'd have to disagree with your review. The kit builds up very nicely, fits very well and a little care in removing the parts from the sprues goes a long way (I mostly use a set of rail nippers, intended for cutting rails for a model RR). Is it Airfix's best kit? Nope. But it's very good and a simple build with zero surprises. Not quite Tamiya P-51D, but close and certainly better than most comparable Hasegawa kits. Only thing I recommend is prepainting the area surrounding the ID lights on the underside of the rear fuselage section on the wing, that way you can mask them off before finishing that joint (which is the only real filler-needed section).

Edited by mawz
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Interesting, Mawz... I would have said that joint on my kit (the rear part of the wings) was one of the okay fitting areas.

There is some seriously bad fit going on on my version. It's in nowhere near the same league as the P-51.

Now, understand, too, that I've been building models a long time and have a reasonable amount of skill. I have built many older kits that appear worse, but are actually better. I'm glad yours was alright, though!

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Interesting, Mawz... I would have said that joint on my kit (the rear part of the wings) was one of the okay fitting areas.

That spot only needed a bit of filler, but it's almost always an issue on Spitfire kits, complex curves and a joint make for some inherent fit problems there. But it's not bad, comparable to the AZModel Spitfire IX I'm building right now and light-years better than the ICM IX in 1/48.

There is some seriously bad fit going on on my version. It's in nowhere near the same league as the P-51.

Now, understand, too, that I've been building models a long time and have a reasonable amount of skill. I have built many older kits that appear worse, but are actually better. I'm glad yours was alright, though!

If anything, I found the F.22 fit a bit better than the Airfix P-51D (the engineering certainly was better, no problems with the control stick breaking due to a poorly located sprue connection unlike the P-51D or with bent gear legs, a common problem with the P-51D), neither fits as well as the Spitfire Mk.Ia/IIa kit though.

Edited by mawz
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I've made the Spit 22, and don't recognise the fit from your description. I've been working on a few different companies' Spitfires over the past few years, and I have to say that the Airfix is among the best fitting not the worst. Not Tamiya standard, but then few others are. I had more trouble with the new Airfix Vampire than with the Spit, and not really a lot with that. Yes, the lugs attaching parts to runners seem over-large, and this is a recognisable characteristic of the new breed from Airfix. The plastic is softer than some, but all that means is taking care when detaching parts and ensuring your knife has a sharp blade, which is only good practice after all.

There are a few points that can be said against the new Spitfire: the prop and guns are too small, the tyres are flat, and the panel lines too obvious. Clearly some of those are a matter of taste, but criticism of the fit is surprising.

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Built their new mk X1X and must say that went together really well. The only thing I find is as a 7 year old they were huge, as a 50 yr old they are tiny, and my fingers have grown into pigs teats... :D

Edited by TonyT
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I must have gotten a bad one then, but it's a real doozy.

I am finally ready for primer, so hopefully, I'll be done with this thing relatively soon, so I can show it off and you'll all get to see some of the terrible issues it had.

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As someone who has built both the F-51D Mustang and Spitfire PR.XIX, I have to say that I was impressed with the leaps and bounds that Airfix has done to come out of the modeler's stone age. They are by no means Tamihasejimi quality, at least they don't over-value thier kits like they do, along with Trumpeter and Hobbyboss. I do agree that they should get away from the vinyl-type plastic that they used for the kits (the landing gear is weak because of it), but the fit was rather good (the canopy rails for the Mustang is rather thick, though). As with most of the people who posted to this link, I know some others who have built some of the Airfix new-mold kits and are rather happy with them. As for the decals, they are printed by Cartograf, and they performed great on the kits that I used them on.

I'm pleased with the new Airfix kits so far, and thier prices as well.

SS853786_zpsc5e4a3f5.jpg

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The way your review reads, you'd think you were looking at the Pegasus Spit 22.

I have that kit, and considering that I paid MORE for it than the Airfix one costs, I'd say your review is over the top right there.

Seeing the build that Mawz posted, I think I'll replace my crappy Pegasus kit with the Airfix one without a second thought.

Mike

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Believe me, I felt like I WAS handling the Pegasus. While I haven't posted the pics of this things terrible fit yet (I'm saving them for the build article) I can assure you that it was not impressive at all.

Now, once you get it assembled and filled, sanded and the detail re-etched, it's a nice looking kit. It's just way more work than I thought it would be. Shape-wise it's largely correct, I believe (better than the Pegasus, I reckon) and the detail is nice on it, no question. However, I don't think I'm over the top when I say that there are Hellers and Frogs that fit better, because I KNOW that's the case; I've built them! The Heller Mirage IV has a far superior fit to this kit, and the wing halves mated far better on it than this spit.

The big thing for me is the hype. Yes, this is an okay kit with nice detail. Sure, for the price it's likely still a good deal. The instructions are nice and so are the decals. Got it, said it in the review. Not over the top. What IS over the top, to me, is how so many of the other reviews you read are so super-glowingly positive about this kit. These reviews lead one to believe that this kit is "perfect" and "amazing" and many other superlatives. When one expects a T-Bone and gets a hamburger, then no matter how good the hamburger, one is likely to feel let down.

This Spit is a hamburger, through and through.

I also find it over the top how many people are perfectly happy to jump all over other model companies for gross errors (I seem to remember the world ending when Trumpeter brought out its A-5, and there was some issue with a P-40 at some point...) yet are equally ready to forgive Airfix for what I see to be not insignificant issues of fit and plastic quality. I just can't stand to see something nice, but mediocre, be heralded as some kind of modelling "Second Coming", that's all.

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0aa2803b-a9d8-4b3d-9151-ecb02b46fa0d_zps232ea262.jpg?t=1366674720

There's the fuselage. I get the feeling that some seem to think that I'm some kind of neophyte who can't model. However, this picture has nothing to do with experience. This is a dry fit. No glue. This fit has NOTHING to do with the glue I used. This is just plain, bad fit.

SpiffireF22012_zps816f1bd6.jpg?t=1366674693

This is the wing AFTER GLUING. There is a bit of sloppage, yes. This is where the glue leaked out the GIANT GAP between the end of the lower wing half and the upper bit of the wing. This gap is not caused by the glue, nor is it cause by my incompetence. This is where the wing sits, butted up against the wing root on the inside, with the lower half/ventral tray glued into the body.

Someone is going to tell me that's the fit that everyone is saying is so good? I doubt that. Not what I expect from ANY new kit at ANY price, save resin or short-run.(I do expect that in kits like that, of course!)

Edited by Faust
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0aa2803b-a9d8-4b3d-9151-ecb02b46fa0d_zps232ea262.jpg?t=1366674720

There's the fuselage. I get the feeling that some seem to think that I'm some kind of neophyte who can't model. However, this picture has nothing to do with experience. This is a dry fit. No glue. This fit has NOTHING to do with the glue I used. This is just plain, bad fit.

SpiffireF22012_zps816f1bd6.jpg?t=1366674693

This is the wing AFTER GLUING. There is a bit of sloppage, yes. This is where the glue leaked out the GIANT GAP between the end of the lower wing half and the upper bit of the wing. This gap is not caused by the glue, nor is it cause by my incompetence. This is where the wing sits, butted up against the wing root on the inside, with the lower half/ventral tray glued into the body.

Someone is going to tell me that's the fit that everyone is saying is so good? I doubt that. Not what I expect from ANY new kit at ANY price, save resin or short-run.(I do expect that in kits like that, of course!)

I don't know how long you've been modelling , but that wing looks as if it's been glued together by a three year old , moulding tags on the leading edge not removed , glue oozing out of the joints all over the surface of the wing, and it looks as if the top and bottom surfaces are not located properly. All pretty basic stuff really . I would suggest your technique is at least partly at fault, rather than the kit.

Andrew

Edited by andrewj
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The only known issue I am aware of is the instrument panel tolerance is a bit tight and can need a bit of sanding down to get the two fuselage halves completely flush, something which should be obvious when dry fitting the parts (also present on the recent Airfix 1/72 Mk.I spitfire kit). Other than that all the builds I've seen haven't had any other fit or assembly problems.

e.g.

http://airfixtributeforum.myfastforum.org/viewtopic.php?f=409&t=33937

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This is exactly the same wing joint, done by a 72-year-old (me) 3 days ago. Note, no huge gaps, and no misalignment, anywhere.PICT0011_zps83fc7fd3.jpg

There are also some of us who have learnt enough about plastic to know that, as it leaves the mould and starts to cool, it shrinks (as far as possible manufacturers allow for this, but don't always get it right,) so you can get two mating surfaces which look like this )(. If this happens, it has been standard practice, over about 40 years, to remove the locating pins, and give the fuselage (or whatever items) a quick rub over some fairly fine wet-and-dry, so giving two flat surfaces, with no gaps. I'm surprised that someone with your vast experience doesn't seem to have heard of this.

Edgar

Edited by Edgar
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Although glue ooze can be helpfull as a filler for seam lines and sanding sprue gates away after joining parts spares you one sanding session, I too wonder why you kits seems to be so much worse then other issues.

One thing that (funnily) I first did on the original Airfix Spitfire kit when I built it a few years ago (retro kit group build in the modellboard, of course I used a re-issued retro style bag issue of said kit) was removing any locating pins. And even with more modern kits is sometimes do this.

Cheers

Thorsten

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As someone who has been abused over the years for a less-than-adulatory response to Airfix kits, I can see where you are coming from there. And I have made Pegasus kits, though I admit selling off the Spit 22! I have made Hawk, Ventura, Frog (various), Revell, Hasegawa, Heller, PM, Matchbox, Airkit, earlier Airfix (multiple and various) and perhaps other Spitfires too. I did draw the line at Lotnia, and have worked on but yet to finish Tamiya, Italeri, AZ, Admiral and Sword. Of all these kits, the new Airfix does not stand out as being in any way a poor fit and is indeed one of the better ones. OK, Airfix are not producing the finest model kits in the world, but the new team have improved considerably over the past two years and are continuing to do so. Perhaps there's a certain relief in that which encourages over-praise, but it is not totally undeserved.

And for all the bad things that can be said about the worst of the older Airfix kits, there are many that still look pretty good, and always did. Blanket condemnation (or indeed praise) of any of the major companies doesn't bear scrutiny. Even HobbyBoss have their MiG 3........and Tamiya their Spitfire.

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Believe me, I felt like I WAS handling the Pegasus. While I haven't posted the pics of this things terrible fit yet (I'm saving them for the build article) I can assure you that it was not impressive at all.

Now, once you get it assembled and filled, sanded and the detail re-etched, it's a nice looking kit. It's just way more work than I thought it would be. Shape-wise it's largely correct, I believe (better than the Pegasus, I reckon) and the detail is nice on it, no question. However, I don't think I'm over the top when I say that there are Hellers and Frogs that fit better, because I KNOW that's the case; I've built them! The Heller Mirage IV has a far superior fit to this kit, and the wing halves mated far better on it than this spit.

The big thing for me is the hype. Yes, this is an okay kit with nice detail. Sure, for the price it's likely still a good deal. The instructions are nice and so are the decals. Got it, said it in the review. Not over the top. What IS over the top, to me, is how so many of the other reviews you read are so super-glowingly positive about this kit. These reviews lead one to believe that this kit is "perfect" and "amazing" and many other superlatives. When one expects a T-Bone and gets a hamburger, then no matter how good the hamburger, one is likely to feel let down.

This Spit is a hamburger, through and through.

I also find it over the top how many people are perfectly happy to jump all over other model companies for gross errors (I seem to remember the world ending when Trumpeter brought out its A-5, and there was some issue with a P-40 at some point...) yet are equally ready to forgive Airfix for what I see to be not insignificant issues of fit and plastic quality. I just can't stand to see something nice, but mediocre, be heralded as some kind of modelling "Second Coming", that's all.

I fully agree with your point and had to laugh: that´s exactly what I thought: any failure of, say, Trumpeter, Meng, however the effort on launching a completely new or in some cases much better kit, and the kit is garbage. Airfix had time and examples of MUCH finer kits at least to copy and finally releases kits not much better in some cases than Eastern Express or Bilek and that´s ok because it´s cheap. Even Eastern Express or Amodel(!!) have finer engraved detais. It´s unforgiveable. Newer kits are all supposed to improve in some degree and at least incorporate the best of prior kits, not the worst. Of course there´re positive qualities; they´re much better than previous Airfix models (and for instance several other model kit companies) and are cheap, which can stimulate new generations or those returning to the hobby to buy more kits.

Anyway I praise Airfix efforts, and aside the nowadays pretty wide engraved lines, their new kits can be turned into real nice models.

Edited by homerojr
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I liked mine; in fact, I liked it a lot. I did a few things to add or improve some details, but I certainly didn't have the struggle doing the basic assembly that the original poster seems to have had. He must have got a bad one - maybe whoever is doing Airfix's molding these days needs to tighten up on their quality control.

John

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All I can say is that I must have gotten a bad kit, then.

By and large, it seems that most people here are content to both blame me and insult my abilities for the pictures of the poorly fitting components I posted before. A while ago, I would let such things get under my skin, but not any more.

I have won medals at several model shows, and have had my work praised by IPMS nationals winners. I tend to build old, weird kits, sometimes with issues. If I wasn't as confident that I can make this Spitfire into something nice I wouldn't have posted my 'in progress' shots and opened myself up to such unadulterated scorn.

Let me assure you that I can, indeed, model. If I may be forgiven any apparent arrogance, I am a good modeller. Not the best by a long shot, but I've come a long way in the past few years. Also, I know precisely how to build, sand and fill a kit. I can't help that the wing in that shot looks like a three year old put it together. WHY do you think I find this little Spit so disappointing? It's stuff like that.

Also, I know how to sand the stubs off. However, why would I do that and risk getting a poor match on the leading edge of the wing? Why not glue the wing together, then sand the nub off while I sand the seam at the front of the wing? Wouldn't that be more logical?

If you doubt my ability to model, then please consider these examples:

FROG Uhu What-If - this is a real dog, yet look at the result

FROG Ta-152 - you'll see lots of filling and sanding there, my friends

Seamaster What-if - this is the reissue Revell, not the Anigrand, by the way

Heller Lansen - an oldie but a goodie; I think the fit was better than the Spifire 22's

So, if you could please refrain from defending the issues with the Airfix kit by attacking my abilities, I would greatly appreciate it. I cannot help that I find the Spitfire to be a disappointment insofar as fit is concerned. I'm glad you guys aren't finding this.

I'm glad everyone else likes it. I will still likely buy other Airfixes if they are a good price and an interesting subject. However, I don't think that just because Airfix is making an interesting kit and selling it cheaply means everyone should unapologetically trash anyone who dares to suggest it is less than perfect.

Please take a look at the links above; consider what I've made out of what I started with. I think I did well. I will do well with the Spitfire, I'm sure. However, I will never say it's a great kit, because to me, it isn't.

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It is very difficult to respond to your posts without sounding condescending, or rude, or both, which is the major problem with the Net, and lack of a face-to-face discussion, but someone will have to try, so it might as well be me. Sadly, you come across as someone who will brook no argument, and for whom there are no grey areas, just black and white. I note, too, that you have brought exactly the same attitude onto another website, and had the thread locked, whereupon you started it all up, again, on a second thread.

If you had come on here, saying that you have a kit which has lousy fit, and asking if others have had the same problem, the responses would have been considered and helpful, but you just came barreling in, swinging a big stick, and proclaiming that a non-existent company is the worst thing since the Depression.

Slagging off Airfix is only going to get a reaction of, "Oh, Gawd, here we go again," since we have heard it all before, over and over again ad nauseam, and here in the U.K., too, not just overseas. You may feel that U.K. modellers have some sort of love affair with Airfix kits, but that is way wide of the mark; certainly, there is affection for the company that really led the way, but that never got in the way of stinging criticism, if it was thought that an Airfix kit deserved it.

You seem unwilling to accept that Airfix (the company) has gone, and Hornby, the company that has resurrected the brand name, are making sterling efforts to make that name something of which this country's modellers can again feel proud. As well as bringing out kits of subjects we never thought we'd ever see, they are doing a rolling programme of replacing old, dud moulds, which are long past their "use by" date, and they are not too proud to ask for help. If you check on their latest 1/72 Typhoon, you'll see a thankyou to Chris Thomas, who has written several books on the aircraft, his father having flown them. For their latest 1/48 Spitfire XIX, they went to Arthur Bentley, this country's foremost aircraft draughtsman, to ensure that, this time (having been saddled with a duff drawing for an earlier kit,) they got it right.

Knowing all this (as we do,) then seeing the same old, tired, "Airfix is crap" diatribe is just going to get people turning their backs on you, and leaving you to your own devices. Your models may well be beyond criticism, but having a few pieces of plastic, which you've been unable to fit together for some reason, does not give you carte blanche to tear into a company, and try to ruin its reputation. The irony is that, if you have got a badly-moulded example, Hornby's after-sales service department would have replaced it, with no questions asked, hardly the actions of a crap company.

Edgar

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Edgar, you are spot on with what you said. When I begin to read a "review" of a kit and the first two paragraphs are just filled with hyperbole about a company it just makes me think the reviewer has a personal vendetta against said company. Now I kind of want to buy an Airfix kit just for fun lol.

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I've built several new Airfix kits including the PR XIX Spit that I am working on right now, and probably shares common components with this "dog". It's not perfect but it is VERY buildable and has a few miniscule fit issues.

I guess I am a flippin' master modeler.

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However, I don't think that just because Airfix is making an interesting kit and selling it cheaply means everyone should unapologetically trash anyone who dares to suggest it is less than perfect.

Yet you feel free to unapologetically trash the entire Airfix brand? And nobody is claiming Airfix kits in general or this kit in particular are perfect. We're just interested in a fair review, and are skeptical of your abilities to deliver one.

And I must add, from your pictures of your progress, it does not even look like you're trying to do a good job building the kit, so you're not helping your case.

Finally, read Edgar's post very carefully. It's quite good.

Cheers,

Mike

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