1/72 Airfix Spitfire PR.XIX

[vandee]

I purchased this kit and it should arrive soon. It has decals but for two planes from the early 1950s era. I guess all I need to build a WWII version is decals? Does this kit build up with minimal or few fit issues? Thanks.

 

[buffnut453]

You should be fine building a WW2 machine out of the box but with different decals.

 

[Wurger]

IIRC the kit is the Spitfire PR XIX type 390. What means that is the version with the Griffon 66 and a pressurized cockpit. The variant was introduced at the end of the 1944 and didn't see the war too much rather. However there was the earlier variant introduced in April/May 1944 marked as PR.XIX type 389 powered by the Griffon 65 engine and without the pressurized cockpit. The difference in the external appearance of the both Spits was the rear glass of the cockpit hood. The type 389 had the classic, fixed rear section of the canopy (as on the high-back Mk.XIV fighter) while the type 390 had the deeper, lowered fixed section of the fairing (extending almost to the guide rails of the sliding hood). Additionally an air intake for the cabin compressor on the right side of the Griffon engine cowling for the type 390.

So to sum up ... for the early version (type 389) you need to sand down the air intake at the side of the engine cowling below the exhaust pipes. Also overpainting a little bit higher a bottom part of the rear cockpit glass while painting the fuselage. So not too much of working I would say.

Type 389 ...

Type 390 ...

the corrections ... from type 390 to type 389 ...