In Box Review of AMT-Ertl 1/48th Scale
British Supermarine Spitfire MK. VIII Fighter
Kit no. 8881
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1990
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1990
HISTORY:
The British Spitfire was a direct descendant of the high performance racing seaplanes that had gained popularity between the first and second world wars.
At the beginning of hostilities, the British Air Ministry put out a specification (F. 7/30) in 1931 for a new fighter to replace the Bristol Bulldog. Supermarines first proposal met with little enthusiasm, so Reginald J. Mitchell, designer at Supermarine went back to the drawing board and drawing upon his experience with the racing seaplanes, came up with T-300.
This sleek aircraft incorporated use of the new Rolls Royce Merlin engine PV-12, which put out 1,000 horsepower. A more detailed specification from the Air Ministry (F.37/34) calling for four gun armament coincided nicely with the Type 300's specification, making it a strong contender.
After working out some minor shortcomings in the original designs, in cooperation with the Air Ministry, REA Farnborough, and the engine manufacturers, Supermarine went on to build the first prototype, K5054. Taken to Eastleigh airport in Hampshire on 5 March 1936, the first Spitfire took to the air. Proving an old aircraft adage, if it looks right it will fly right, the Spitfire flew beautifully as it looked.
That the Spitfire was one of the most aesthetically pleasing planes to come out of WWII will only be argued by loyal P-51 fans (and even that started out as a British plane). The Spitfire had an exemplary combat record and made the Royal Air Force (RAF) a strong partner in winning the final conflict with the Axis powers.
Indeed, the British public considered the Spitfire as the single weapon that held back the Nazi invasion of their beloved England during the Battle of Britain.
The Spitfire MK. VIII was a pressurized variant and incorporated many changes from the original Spitfires, such as symmetrical air coolers for the oil and supercharger (the original had a round oil cooler under the left wing with a rectangular intercooler under the right).
The fuselage was stretched to 31 ft. 6 inches to accommodate longer-engine mounts for the revised engine. A retractable tailwheel was added and the "C" span wings had their tips extended. The vertical tail had a tip added to the top.
The MK. VIII was essentially an unpressurized version of the MK. VII and was used for overseas use in the Mediterranean and Pacific theaters including Australia. The MK. VIII's used the Merlin 61, 63, 63A or 66 and 70, depending on the role requirement of the plane.
The USAAF and RAAF used the MK. VIII as well as the RAF in large numbers. By 1947 at the end of production, a total of 20,351 Spitfires had been produced in many variants. The plane had an excellent combat record and is still remembered fondly today. There are still some Spitfires flying in special air shows, a testimony to the "rightness" of the design and integrity of the engineering of this beautiful bird.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter / Photo-reconnaissance aircraft
National origin: United Kingdom
Manufacturer: Supermarine
Designer: R. J. Mitchell
First flight: 5 March 1936
Introduction to service: 4 August 1938
Retired: 1961 Irish Air Corps
Primary users: Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, U.S. Army Air Forces
Produced: 1938–1948
Number built: 20,351
Unit cost: £12,604 (£774,905 or $1,002,639 in 2017) (Estonian order for 12 Spitfires in 1939)
Variants: Supermarine Seafire, Supermarine Spiteful
The British Spitfire was a direct descendant of the high performance racing seaplanes that had gained popularity between the first and second world wars.
At the beginning of hostilities, the British Air Ministry put out a specification (F. 7/30) in 1931 for a new fighter to replace the Bristol Bulldog. Supermarines first proposal met with little enthusiasm, so Reginald J. Mitchell, designer at Supermarine went back to the drawing board and drawing upon his experience with the racing seaplanes, came up with T-300.
This sleek aircraft incorporated use of the new Rolls Royce Merlin engine PV-12, which put out 1,000 horsepower. A more detailed specification from the Air Ministry (F.37/34) calling for four gun armament coincided nicely with the Type 300's specification, making it a strong contender.
After working out some minor shortcomings in the original designs, in cooperation with the Air Ministry, REA Farnborough, and the engine manufacturers, Supermarine went on to build the first prototype, K5054. Taken to Eastleigh airport in Hampshire on 5 March 1936, the first Spitfire took to the air. Proving an old aircraft adage, if it looks right it will fly right, the Spitfire flew beautifully as it looked.
That the Spitfire was one of the most aesthetically pleasing planes to come out of WWII will only be argued by loyal P-51 fans (and even that started out as a British plane). The Spitfire had an exemplary combat record and made the Royal Air Force (RAF) a strong partner in winning the final conflict with the Axis powers.
Indeed, the British public considered the Spitfire as the single weapon that held back the Nazi invasion of their beloved England during the Battle of Britain.
The Spitfire MK. VIII was a pressurized variant and incorporated many changes from the original Spitfires, such as symmetrical air coolers for the oil and supercharger (the original had a round oil cooler under the left wing with a rectangular intercooler under the right).
The fuselage was stretched to 31 ft. 6 inches to accommodate longer-engine mounts for the revised engine. A retractable tailwheel was added and the "C" span wings had their tips extended. The vertical tail had a tip added to the top.
The MK. VIII was essentially an unpressurized version of the MK. VII and was used for overseas use in the Mediterranean and Pacific theaters including Australia. The MK. VIII's used the Merlin 61, 63, 63A or 66 and 70, depending on the role requirement of the plane.
The USAAF and RAAF used the MK. VIII as well as the RAF in large numbers. By 1947 at the end of production, a total of 20,351 Spitfires had been produced in many variants. The plane had an excellent combat record and is still remembered fondly today. There are still some Spitfires flying in special air shows, a testimony to the "rightness" of the design and integrity of the engineering of this beautiful bird.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter / Photo-reconnaissance aircraft
National origin: United Kingdom
Manufacturer: Supermarine
Designer: R. J. Mitchell
First flight: 5 March 1936
Introduction to service: 4 August 1938
Retired: 1961 Irish Air Corps
Primary users: Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, U.S. Army Air Forces
Produced: 1938–1948
Number built: 20,351
Unit cost: £12,604 (£774,905 or $1,002,639 in 2017) (Estonian order for 12 Spitfires in 1939)
Variants: Supermarine Seafire, Supermarine Spiteful
THE KIT:
Aluminum Model Toys, commonly abbreviated as AMT, was a Troy, Michigan-based company that manufactured various pre-assembled plastic promotional models starting in 1948, when attorney West Gallogly, Sr. started it as a side business.
In 1983 AMT was purchased by Ertl from Lesney and renamed AMT-Ertl. AMT-Ertl then had a twenty-four year relationship until AMT was sold in 2007. For a time, AMT kits were reissued by independent companies such as Stevens International and Model King, before AMT came solidly into the stable of Round 2, LLC of South Bend, Indiana. In an ironic turn that parallels other large companies, AMT now co-exists in the same organization alongside a revived MPC and Polar Lights. Ertl is still in the Round 2, LLC stable as Ertl Collectibles.
Ertl Company:
Industry: Die-cast toys and scale models
Founded: 1945; 74 years ago
Location: Was once in Dyersville, Iowa, U.S.
Founder: Fred Ertl, Sr.
The Ertl Company was an American toy company best known for its die-cast metal alloy collectible replicas (or scale models) of farm equipment and vehicles. The company is based in Dyersville, Iowa, home of the National Farm Toy Museum. They later got into plastic model kits.
The kit came in a blousey shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. It is 3" too long and 2" too wide. Creating a letter L void around the parts.
The box art shows 2 Spitfire MK. VIII's flying over the countryside. One is firing it's wing guns.
They are both in a camouflage wave pattern of olive drab and medium ocean gray, over a medium sea gray undercarriages, with yellow wing leading edges.
The one in the foreground has the fuselage code of red lettering outlined in white of M roundel ZX. It has a light sky blue fuselage band with black serial no. MT928 over the band and a black spinner. On the side of the nose there is a yellow circle with a black cross on it with a yellow sword on it.
The Spitfire behind it has the red fuselage letters outlined in white of N roundel ZX. It also has a white fuselage band with black serial no. 8121 on it.
One side panel of the box begins with features of the kit: authentic WWII markings, armament includes two 20 mm cannons and two wing-mounted machine guns. over 40 parts, paint and cement not included, in English and French. This is followed by 4 color walk-around type photos of the model made up in the box art scheme.
Aluminum Model Toys, commonly abbreviated as AMT, was a Troy, Michigan-based company that manufactured various pre-assembled plastic promotional models starting in 1948, when attorney West Gallogly, Sr. started it as a side business.
In 1983 AMT was purchased by Ertl from Lesney and renamed AMT-Ertl. AMT-Ertl then had a twenty-four year relationship until AMT was sold in 2007. For a time, AMT kits were reissued by independent companies such as Stevens International and Model King, before AMT came solidly into the stable of Round 2, LLC of South Bend, Indiana. In an ironic turn that parallels other large companies, AMT now co-exists in the same organization alongside a revived MPC and Polar Lights. Ertl is still in the Round 2, LLC stable as Ertl Collectibles.
Ertl Company:
Industry: Die-cast toys and scale models
Founded: 1945; 74 years ago
Location: Was once in Dyersville, Iowa, U.S.
Founder: Fred Ertl, Sr.
The Ertl Company was an American toy company best known for its die-cast metal alloy collectible replicas (or scale models) of farm equipment and vehicles. The company is based in Dyersville, Iowa, home of the National Farm Toy Museum. They later got into plastic model kits.
The kit came in a blousey shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. It is 3" too long and 2" too wide. Creating a letter L void around the parts.
The box art shows 2 Spitfire MK. VIII's flying over the countryside. One is firing it's wing guns.
They are both in a camouflage wave pattern of olive drab and medium ocean gray, over a medium sea gray undercarriages, with yellow wing leading edges.
The one in the foreground has the fuselage code of red lettering outlined in white of M roundel ZX. It has a light sky blue fuselage band with black serial no. MT928 over the band and a black spinner. On the side of the nose there is a yellow circle with a black cross on it with a yellow sword on it.
The Spitfire behind it has the red fuselage letters outlined in white of N roundel ZX. It also has a white fuselage band with black serial no. 8121 on it.
One side panel of the box begins with features of the kit: authentic WWII markings, armament includes two 20 mm cannons and two wing-mounted machine guns. over 40 parts, paint and cement not included, in English and French. This is followed by 4 color walk-around type photos of the model made up in the box art scheme.
The other side panel begins with another color photo of the model made up in the box art scheme, followed by a one-paragraph history of the Spitfire in English and French and Ertl's street address in Dyersville, IA and their office address in Ontario, Canada. Copyright of the kit is 1990 and it was made in Japan and printed and packaged in the US.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 3 light-tan parts trees and a clear tree in a clear sealed cello bag, the decal sheet, instructions and a Blueprinter newsletter subscription blank.
The instructions consist of a single sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 18" x 7" page format.
Page one has the history of the Spitfire MK. VIII over the first 2 assembly steps.
Pages 2 through 6 gives a balance of a grand total of 9 assembly steps.
At the top of page 2 is the decal application instructions and warnings, over a 1-800 phone number to be used to call Ertl with any kit problems.
At the top of page 3 is the parts-trees illustrations.
Trees are alphabetized and have number tabs next to the parts on the trees.
At the bottom of pages 5 & 6 there is the painting and marking guide, showing side views and top views of 3 Spitfire MK. VIII's.
1. A Spitfire MK. VIII in a wave pattern of olive drab and medium ocean gray over a medium sea gray under-cariage. It has a dark red spinner and fuse code of red WFD outlined in white behind the fuselage roundel and black serial no. JF-814 on the rudder.
2. Is the box art scheme (already described above).
3. A Spitfire MK. VIII also in a wave pattern of olive drab and medium ocean gray over a medium sea gray under-cariage. It has a black and white spiral on the spinner. Fuselage code is white CR roundel C. It has a white fuselage band with a black serial no.. A58-464 on top of it.
No units are mentioned for these 3 aircraft.
Light tan letter A tree holds: the fuselage, elevators and under-wing air scoops (6 parts)
The kit contains 3 light-tan parts trees and a clear tree in a clear sealed cello bag, the decal sheet, instructions and a Blueprinter newsletter subscription blank.
The instructions consist of a single sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 18" x 7" page format.
Page one has the history of the Spitfire MK. VIII over the first 2 assembly steps.
Pages 2 through 6 gives a balance of a grand total of 9 assembly steps.
At the top of page 2 is the decal application instructions and warnings, over a 1-800 phone number to be used to call Ertl with any kit problems.
At the top of page 3 is the parts-trees illustrations.
Trees are alphabetized and have number tabs next to the parts on the trees.
At the bottom of pages 5 & 6 there is the painting and marking guide, showing side views and top views of 3 Spitfire MK. VIII's.
1. A Spitfire MK. VIII in a wave pattern of olive drab and medium ocean gray over a medium sea gray under-cariage. It has a dark red spinner and fuse code of red WFD outlined in white behind the fuselage roundel and black serial no. JF-814 on the rudder.
2. Is the box art scheme (already described above).
3. A Spitfire MK. VIII also in a wave pattern of olive drab and medium ocean gray over a medium sea gray under-cariage. It has a black and white spiral on the spinner. Fuselage code is white CR roundel C. It has a white fuselage band with a black serial no.. A58-464 on top of it.
No units are mentioned for these 3 aircraft.
Light tan letter A tree holds: the fuselage, elevators and under-wing air scoops (6 parts)
Light tan letter B tree holds the wings etc. (4 parts)
Light tan letter C tree holds: instrument panel, joy-stick, seat, bulkhead, propeller and it's hub parts, landing gear legs and pants, main wheels, under nose air scoop parts, tail wheel, pitot tube, slipper fuel tank, standing figure with his hands behind his back etc. (33 parts)
The decal sheet and the Blueprinter subscription bland complete the kit's contents.
There is no seated pilot figure included. The detail is engraved. Flaps are all molded solid.
Recommended.