"What if" straight from the box! (Just picked up an AZ Spiteful today)

upnorth · May 26, 2009, 05:23:55 AM

Hello all:

I'm just back fromm the LHS with the latest edition to my stash; A brand spanking newly released 1/72 Supermarine Spiteful from AZ Models.

Looks pretty decent in the box, bit of flash here and there but the parts look well formed. The real beauty is that the kit is a "What if" straight from the box! AZ provides a lovely decal sheet with four options:

1: SEAC roundels
2: Post war RAF 14 Sqn.
3: Post war Finnish air force
4: Post war Dutch air force

I'm sorely tempted by the SEAC and Finn options.

It's a bit basic going by other AZ fare as there is just one sprue of plastic plus the canopy, none of the usual resin or PE that AZ usually tosses in.

Oddly, despite those absences, this kit was a bit more expensive than other AZ kits I've seen that did include multi media parts.

All the same, shouldn't complain too much as its nice to finally see a 1/72 Spiteful in injection form. Unless I'm mistaken, it hasn't been done before.

You can find some pics of the box art and kit contents here:

www.legatokits.cz

PR19_Kit · May 26, 2009, 12:39:43 PM

Quote from: upnorth on May 26, 2009, 05:23:55 AM
All the same, shouldn't complain too much as its nice to finally see a 1/72 Spiteful in injection form. Unless I'm mistaken, it hasn't been done before.

Didn't Pegasus do one?

Of course that means you have to define 'injection moulded' and that may be questionable in Pegasus' case

Yours sounds good though, where's your LHS? In the Czech Republic no doubt?

upnorth · May 26, 2009, 09:10:06 PM

Yep, my LHS is here in CR, but it looks like the kit is a new arrival in the UK too:

http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=AZM72077

sequoiaranger · May 27, 2009, 12:52:26 AM

It says "What if" right on the box cover!

PR19_Kit · May 27, 2009, 01:33:02 AM

Quote from: upnorth on May 26, 2009, 09:10:06 PM
Yep, my LHS is here in CR, but it looks like the kit is a new arrival in the UK too:

http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=AZM72077

So it is! Thanks, I forsee an order to Lowestoft soon, and I should get the kit before Christmas ........

NARSES2 · May 27, 2009, 02:04:22 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on May 27, 2009, 01:33:02 AM
Quote from: upnorth on May 26, 2009, 09:10:06 PM
Yep, my LHS is here in CR, but it looks like the kit is a new arrival in the UK too:

http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=AZM72077

So it is! Thanks, I forsee an order to Lowestoft soon, and I should get the kit before Christmas ........

My 2 took 7 days Kit and that included the Bank Holiday weekend.

NARSES2 · May 27, 2009, 06:14:40 AM

Whilst some putty was drying on another project I cut this out and cleaned up the major parts this morning. Quite a few injection towers to clean, but AZ's plastic is good to work with. The major parts, fuselage, wings etc all fit very well even the separate wheel well inserts don't cause any obstruction when closing the wings

Engraved detail is superb. Recommended.

Chris

upnorth · May 27, 2009, 09:37:05 AM

That's why I made the post Chris. A solid kit of an underserved esoteric subject in the hobby with "What if" options straight from the factory is worthy of noting and steering people towards.

I think that AZ made a "What if" edition of the kit speaks many more volumes than the fact that they made a Spiteful at all. Very reassuing to see that a manufacturer has noticed and paid respect to this end of the hobby spectrum. Now, if we can just get AZ to do the same with a Martin Baker MB.5 in 1/72....

I do have a question about part commonality between Spitfire and Spiteful if anyone knows:

Did the late bubble top Spitfires and the Spiteful share the same canopy or were the different? The AZ canopy isn't that clear and looks a bit distorted in places. I can get vac formed late Spitfire canopies to replace it, would they work convincingly?

PR19_Kit · May 27, 2009, 09:51:13 AM

Quote from: upnorth on May 27, 2009, 09:37:05 AM
Did the late bubble top Spitfires and the Spiteful share the same canopy or were the different? The AZ canopy isn't that clear and looks a bit distorted in places. I can get vac formed late Spitfire canopies to replace it, would they work convincingly?

This is only a guess I admit, but I suspect not.

My reasoning is the Spiteful/Seafang have a humped back fuselage to raise the pilot's eyepoint, so unless they specially made the fuselage profile where the canopy sits identical to a Mk XIV bubble top it would have gaps front and rear on the Spiteful.

Having said that, there can't be much difference in 1/72 scale so an Aeroclub or Falcon vacform bubble stands a good chance of fitting with some judicial trimming I'd have thought.

Mossie · May 27, 2009, 04:13:46 PM

I've just checked some plans in a book I acquired at the weekend & I can confirm Kits comments that the canopies are different. The Spiteful windscreen is larger, the canopy deeper & the profile is slightly more rounded, slightly larger overall. It might be possible to get the Spitfire canopy to fit with minimal putty & elbow grease, but it doesn't look like it'll just fall into place.

Radish · May 28, 2009, 01:53:56 AM

Could be tempted.....

NARSES2 · May 28, 2009, 02:24:45 AM

Just checked a spare vacform late Spit canopy - and it will need some work. I'll stick with the kit's canopy as you can't see much with a closed lid.

I'll pick up a couple more at Hendon Sunday I think.

Chris

Mossie · May 28, 2009, 02:52:30 AM

Might it be worth looking at other aircraft, maybe a P-47 canopy might fit better?

comrade harps · May 28, 2009, 05:26:08 AM

I picked up an AZ Spiteful at the weekend, AUD$60! I had birthday money in my wallet and gasped when I saw it, so...

I'll whiff it up as a Gurummun P-74B Bobcat of the Venezuelan AF, late 1945, flying from South Korea in support of the invasion of Japan. Grumman built it as a development of the licensed built P-73 Spitfire, aka Spitcat.

sequoiaranger · May 28, 2009, 06:27:42 AM

>The AZ canopy isn't that clear and looks a bit distorted in places.<

Clarity can be immeasurably improved with some "Future Floor Wax" (USA-different across the pond). And sometimes distortion can be likewise improved. The short sighting distance between canopy top and cockpit/pilot sometimes will allow a little distortion to seem insignificant.

I know I **USED** to have several Spitefuls (Pegasus, I think). Let me check my withered stash--I was going to use only the nacelles/props of my two (if I have any at all) for a Mosquito whif. You could have the canopy no charge.

[Edit}--YES! I have the Spitefuls. They have a taller canopy than a Spit. So far I only found one (I **KNOW** I have two). You are welcome to one of the canopies. PM me with your mailing address!