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Spitfire Mk. 24 Cockpit Super Detailing Set

Cutting Edge Modelworks

Catalogue No.: CEC 48124
Scale: 1/48
Media: Resin
Review Type: First Look
Rating: Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Brett Green


HyperScale is proudly sponsored by Meteor Productions

 

S u m m a r y

Contents:
 11 Parts in Grey Resin; 16 Parts in Cream Coloured Resin
Price: US$15.95
Advantages: Addresses a weak area in the Airfix kit (ie not gilding the lily!); highly authentic; excellent detail; lovely casting; simple assembly breakdown
Disadvantages:  
Recommendation: A perfect companion to Airfix's Spitfire

 

F i r s t   L o o k

 

The Airfix Spitfire Mk. 24 in 1/48 scale is an accurate model with fine surface detail. The kit cockpit, however, is mediocre. Cockpit sidewalls are almost bare, and even the minimal parts supplied are inadequate - for example, the control column handgrip is solid instead of a hollow circle. This is a shame, as the bubble canopy and opening side door permit a clear view of the interior.

Cutting Edge have released a Cockpit Super Detail set for the Airfix Spitfire 24 that will redress this shortcoming.

The cockpit comprises 27 resin pieces - 11 in grey and 16 in a creamy yellow. The parts are beautifully cast. There were no pinholes or other imperfections on my sample, and only a transparent breath of resin flash encasing some of the tinier details.

All the Airfix cockpit parts are replaced by this set.

Cutting Edge's cockpit is extremely well detailed. It accurately depicts the seat and rudder bars suspended over the fuselage floor. The sidewalls feature a particularly realistic jumble of quadrants, cables, buttons and structural highlights. The pilot's seat is portrayed with a backrest cushion and moulded-on late-style Sutton Harness. Most of the small details are moulded on to the bigger parts, simplifying assembly. Small, separate parts include the compass; gunsight; control column; rollover structure; rudder pedals, bellcrank and capstan; fuel filler; door and two control levers.

The instructions are presented with clearly captioned diagrams and construction notes. The only surgery required to the kit is the removal of sidewall detail, although the instructions tactfully suggest that the sidewalls should be thinned as well.

This is an accurate and high quality cockpit set with a simple parts breakdown that does not compromise its outstanding level of detail. Highly recommended to anyone building an Airfix Spitfire Mk. 24.

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Thanks to David Klaus of Meteor Productions for the review samples

Review Copyright © 1999 by Brett Green
Page Created 20 May, 1999
Last updated 22 July, 2003

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