I love Airfix Spitfires. So I was really happy when I was able to get their 1/72 scale Spitfire Mk. XIX. It was a great little kit. No fuss putting it together at all. Some folks may wish for more interior detail, but then again, I appreciated the $9 price tag. And I think Airfix is pursuing (or seems to be) a pretty smart strategy. Make models that will appeal to kids and adults. The new builder and the experienced one. Have fun at a reasonable cost.
The assembly was very simple. Interior detail is minimal, but with the canopy closed, you really couldn’t see a lot anyway. The fit was very good, with just a small gap at the wing roots. In fact, if you cement the upper wing portion to the fuselage, and then the lower wing parts on, there won’t be any gap. (I know this because I did it on the new-tool Mk. IX, which is very similar in fit.)
Painting the exterior is easy- one or two colors depending on your marking selection, of which two are supplied. One is an RAF PRU bird, and the other set of markings is Swedish. I chose the latter, as I’ve not seen many Swedish Spitfires. Actually, I’ve never seen any Swedish Spitfires. I did resist the temptation to place a Swedish Chef character from The Muppet Show in the seat. 😉
I also like the simplicity of the landing gear/doors- they’re one piece. Some “serious” modelers may raise an eyebrow at that, but I appreciate the simplified aspect of it. It lets you build it like you did when you were a kid.
I hope Airfix keeps up their emphasis on new-tools of Spitfires. Each year since Hornby took over, they’ve kept new Spitfire’s coming out. This Mk. XIX is a great addition to their line.
Pick up one of Airfix’s new Spitfires, like this Mk. XIX. I guarantee you’ll enjoy it!
