The 1/33 Spitfire Vb by Halinski
The Halinski "Kartonowy Arsenal" models are top of the line, and the new Spitfire Vb is no exception. The model will make a very fine companion to the earlier Hurricane in the same series, and the three year period between the kits is mostly noticeable in the 3D-instruction sketches, which became the norm with the P39N Airacobra, I believe.
The kit is in the regular B4 format; four pages of coloured parts on thick (ca 0.25 mm, 0.001 inches); two pages of black & white parts and templates on thin paper; and five pages plus of instructional sketches. Be sure to order the English instructions from your dealer (should be free on request), since there are some stages of the build that have to be executed in a very specific manner and order (mainly cockpit interior and centre fuselage section; plus application of the wing covering with wheel-wells glued to the covering, not the structure).
Halinski strangely enough has turned very restrictive in supplying pdf-files of English instructions directly from the head office by email, which is why I can't post them in the parts bin (I happened to get a hardcopy of a German translation from my dealer).
As noted in the preview above (previous page), the aircraft modeled is the very same as the 1/24 JSC kit, although weathering and dirt has been added, which makes for a very realistic look (much like the Hurricane and other recent models).
The faint suspicion that the livery has been based heavily on the JSC kit is strengthened by a mistake pointed out in the review of the JSC kit which is repeated here - although the lettering has been changed to the correct white nuance, the rear fuselage band and the spinner still are duck egg blue, which I believe is a mistake. Judging from photos of the real aircraft (see below) they should rather be cream or off-white, and for the true scale-modeler I recommend to recolour both items (which should be a relatively simple affair in Photoshop or similar).
The internal structure of the model is built up with a very rigid framework and formers are quite closely positioned in the sensitive forward part of the fuselage, which is excellent. The rigid framework does not, however, extend all the way - the rear fuselage is cantilever cylinders with joining strips in the usual fashion.
Personally, I think I will attempt creating additional rigid framework parts here, too, since that would enable all wiring for navigation lights to be installed before covering is attempted.
Rudder, elevator, and ailerons are all built separately, and could be glued into desirable positions (not the flaps, though; it won't be that easy to create them in a deployed position).
I have a question-mark for the shape of the top engine cowling which judging from photos and the drawing published in a previous posting actually should jut ut some distance from the lower fuselage below the exhaust stubs. Correcting this may not be so easy as just amending the formers, since the top engine cowling part of course will have to be distorted accordingly, and I for one am not sure how to accomplish this.
Other details to be remarked on are the lack of a radio antenna in the instructional sketches I believe should be there, running from the top of the fin to the antenna mast. All parts are there, just don't forget to add the wire (correct me if I'm wrong on any of these points).
If you are building the model with the wheels down, the landing-gear mechanical indicator on top of the wings (one cylinder on each wing which are flush with the wing when the wheels are up but protrude upwards a couple of inches when they are down) should be built in the protruding position, if memory serves me correctly. You'll have to make those small parts yourself; do some research if you intend to build a super-scale model.
Otherwise the level of detail and finish of the aircraft is absolutely superb. The interior of the cockpit is a feast (although you could try to add instrument glazing; print an extra copy of the scanned instrument panel, make holes for the instrument in the top layer, and insert a layer of clear OH acetate film between layers). The pilot's seat and the control column will be particularly beautiful, I'm sure.
Rounding up, my personal view of what should be done with this beautiful kit of course is: Scan it and enlarge it to 1/16 or at least 1/24-25. Add a little electric motor, rechargeable batteries, and LED navigation and identification lights.
At a hasty glance, there are no parts that won't fit into standard A4 or letter format, even in 1/16 (the largest parts, the wing coverings, go on in four separate chunks, top & bottom of each wing separately).
The Spitfire, and this kit of it, deserves to be brought out in full splendour!
Leif
The Halinski "Kartonowy Arsenal" models are top of the line, and the new Spitfire Vb is no exception. The model will make a very fine companion to the earlier Hurricane in the same series, and the three year period between the kits is mostly noticeable in the 3D-instruction sketches, which became the norm with the P39N Airacobra, I believe.
The kit is in the regular B4 format; four pages of coloured parts on thick (ca 0.25 mm, 0.001 inches); two pages of black & white parts and templates on thin paper; and five pages plus of instructional sketches. Be sure to order the English instructions from your dealer (should be free on request), since there are some stages of the build that have to be executed in a very specific manner and order (mainly cockpit interior and centre fuselage section; plus application of the wing covering with wheel-wells glued to the covering, not the structure).
Halinski strangely enough has turned very restrictive in supplying pdf-files of English instructions directly from the head office by email, which is why I can't post them in the parts bin (I happened to get a hardcopy of a German translation from my dealer).
As noted in the preview above (previous page), the aircraft modeled is the very same as the 1/24 JSC kit, although weathering and dirt has been added, which makes for a very realistic look (much like the Hurricane and other recent models).
The faint suspicion that the livery has been based heavily on the JSC kit is strengthened by a mistake pointed out in the review of the JSC kit which is repeated here - although the lettering has been changed to the correct white nuance, the rear fuselage band and the spinner still are duck egg blue, which I believe is a mistake. Judging from photos of the real aircraft (see below) they should rather be cream or off-white, and for the true scale-modeler I recommend to recolour both items (which should be a relatively simple affair in Photoshop or similar).
The internal structure of the model is built up with a very rigid framework and formers are quite closely positioned in the sensitive forward part of the fuselage, which is excellent. The rigid framework does not, however, extend all the way - the rear fuselage is cantilever cylinders with joining strips in the usual fashion.
Personally, I think I will attempt creating additional rigid framework parts here, too, since that would enable all wiring for navigation lights to be installed before covering is attempted.
Rudder, elevator, and ailerons are all built separately, and could be glued into desirable positions (not the flaps, though; it won't be that easy to create them in a deployed position).
I have a question-mark for the shape of the top engine cowling which judging from photos and the drawing published in a previous posting actually should jut ut some distance from the lower fuselage below the exhaust stubs. Correcting this may not be so easy as just amending the formers, since the top engine cowling part of course will have to be distorted accordingly, and I for one am not sure how to accomplish this.
Other details to be remarked on are the lack of a radio antenna in the instructional sketches I believe should be there, running from the top of the fin to the antenna mast. All parts are there, just don't forget to add the wire (correct me if I'm wrong on any of these points).
If you are building the model with the wheels down, the landing-gear mechanical indicator on top of the wings (one cylinder on each wing which are flush with the wing when the wheels are up but protrude upwards a couple of inches when they are down) should be built in the protruding position, if memory serves me correctly. You'll have to make those small parts yourself; do some research if you intend to build a super-scale model.
Otherwise the level of detail and finish of the aircraft is absolutely superb. The interior of the cockpit is a feast (although you could try to add instrument glazing; print an extra copy of the scanned instrument panel, make holes for the instrument in the top layer, and insert a layer of clear OH acetate film between layers). The pilot's seat and the control column will be particularly beautiful, I'm sure.
Rounding up, my personal view of what should be done with this beautiful kit of course is: Scan it and enlarge it to 1/16 or at least 1/24-25. Add a little electric motor, rechargeable batteries, and LED navigation and identification lights.
At a hasty glance, there are no parts that won't fit into standard A4 or letter format, even in 1/16 (the largest parts, the wing coverings, go on in four separate chunks, top & bottom of each wing separately).
The Spitfire, and this kit of it, deserves to be brought out in full splendour!
Leif
I've been waiting to hear about this kit for some time. If anyone will do the Spitfire justice, it will be you. I can't wait to follow your build and if things permiit, follow in your footsteps
