Seafire F. Mk.III

High Planes Models

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Previewed by Mick Evans

On opening the box we are presented with the typical light blue, limited run injection moulded plastic that has become the trademark of High Planes Models.

The parts are attached by the usual heavy sprue gates and have a fair amount of flash on all the parts. As with all High Planes kits it is necessary to clean all the flash off all the parts and clean up all the mating surfaces before assembly. Spend the time in preparation and you will be rewarded in the finished product.

Having built many of the High Planes kits over the years I have been impressed by the constant improvement in detail and moulding. The detail in this kit is nothing short of superb. Every panel line is crisply replicated and every piece of raised surface detail is present.

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

The catapult spools and the A frame arrestor hook are accurately represented. Adequate cockpit detail is provided but no sidewall detail has been added. There is a cockpit floor, rear bulkhead, instrument panel and seat moulded in styrene, and a very detailed control column in resin.

The exhaust stacks, main U/C legs, tail wheel, main wheels, cannons, pitot probe, radio mast, bomb rack and mirror are all provided in finely cast resin. The bomb rack is a work of art in itself, and it would be shame not to fit it to the finished model.

Two sizes of fuel slipper tanks are proved, as is the rarely seen 90-gallon (ex P40 style) tank, which fits onto the bomb rack.

Two canopies moulded by Falcon have been provided and these are crystal clear.

Decals are provided for a natural metal aircraft and an Extra Dk Sea Grey/Dk Slate Grey/Sky from No 807 Sqn on HMS Hunter 1947 and 1945 respectively. 3 more schemes in the Extra Dk Sea Grey/Dk Slate Grey/Sky colours are proved for No 887 Sqn HMS Indefatigable 1945, 801 Sqn 1945, and a French Seafire from Flotille 1F based on the Arromanches from 1947 to 1949. The decals are crisp, accurate in colour and in register.

The kit falls almost perfectly onto the Warpaint plans that I have, being only about 0.5mm long in the nose (but this could be my plans). The only error in detail is the tail light on the LH fuselage rudder is one frame too low, and this is highlighted in the instructions.

When I compared the detail to the 1/72 Ventura, Hasegawa, Heller, Airfix, Tamiya, and KP kits, I found this kit is by far the best on detail. The purists would probably add some extra cockpit detail or replace with a resin set.

This is probably the best detailed and most accurate Seafire/Spitfire kit that I have seen in 1/72 scale. I hope that High Planes will follow up with more Seafire/Spitfire kits!

Highly Recommended.

Thanks to High Planes Models for the preview samples.

Review Copyright © 2002 by Mick Evans
This Page Created on 20 September, 2002
Last updated 22 July, 2003

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