In Box Review of Otaki 1/48th Scale
British Supermarine Spitfire Mk. VIII Fighter
Kit no. OT2-24
By Ray Mehlberger
My kit is out of production. It has a copyright date of 1975. However, it is shown listed 4 places on eBay for prices ranging from $7.00, $10.00, $16.45 to S19.99
By Ray Mehlberger
My kit is out of production. It has a copyright date of 1975. However, it is shown listed 4 places on eBay for prices ranging from $7.00, $10.00, $16.45 to S19.99
HISTORY:
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, using several wing configurations, and it was produced in greater numbers than any other British aircraft.
It was also the only British fighter produced continuously throughout the war. The Spitfire continues to be popular among enthusiasts; about 54 remain airworthy, and many more are static exhibits in aviation museums throughout the world.
The Spitfire was designed as a short-range, high-performance interceptor aircraft by R. J. Mitchell, chief designer at Supermarine Aviation Works, which operated as a subsidiary of Vickers-Armstrong from 1928. Mitchell pushed the Spitfire's distinctive elliptical wing designed by Beverley Shenstone to have the thinnest possible cross-section, helping give the aircraft a higher top speed than several contemporary fighters, including the Hawker Hurricane.
Mitchell continued to refine the design until his death in 1937, whereupon his colleague Joseph Smith took over as chief designer, overseeing the Spitfire's development through its multitude of variants.
During the Battle of Britain, from July to October 1940, the public perceived the Spitfire to be the main RAF fighter, though the more numerous Hawker Hurricane shouldered a greater proportion of the burden against Nazi Germany's air force, the Luftwaffe.
However, Spitfire units had a lower attrition rate and a higher victory-to-loss ratio than those flying Hurricanes because of the fighter's higher performance. During the Battle, Spitfires were generally tasked with engaging Luftwaffe fighters—mainly Messerschmitt Bf 109E series aircraft—which were a close match for them.
After the Battle of Britain, the Spitfire superseded the Hurricane to become the backbone of RAF Fighter Command, and saw action in the European, Mediterranean, Pacific, and South-East Asian theaters.
Much loved by its pilots, the Spitfire served in several roles, including interceptor, photo-reconnaissance, fighter-bomber and trainer, and it continued to serve in these roles until the 1950 s. The Seafire was a carrier-based adaptation of the Spitfire which served in the Fleet Air Arm from 1942 through to the mid-1950 s.
Although the original air frame was designed to be powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine producing 1,030 hp (768 kW), it was strong enough and adaptable enough to use increasingly powerful Merlins and, in later marks, Rolls-Royce Griffon engines producing up to 2,340 hp (1,745 kW). As a result, the Spitfire's performance and capabilities improved over the course of its service life.
There were 24 marks of Spitfire and many sub-variants. These covered the Spitfire in development from the Merlin to Griffon engines, the high-speed photo-reconnaissance variants and the different wing configurations.
More Spitfire Mk Vs were built than any other type, with 6,487 built, followed by the 5,656 Mk IXs. Different wings, featuring a variety of weapons, were fitted to most marks; the A wing used eight .303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns, the B wing had four .303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns and two 20 mm (.79 in) Hispano cannon, and the C, or universal, wing could mount either four 20 mm (.79 in) cannon or two 20 mm (.79 in) and four .303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns.
As the war progressed, the C wing became more common. Another armament variation was the E wing which housed two 20 mm (.79 in) cannon and two .50 in (12.7 mm) Browning machine guns.
Although the Spitfire continued to improve in speed and armament because of its limited fuel capacity its range and endurance were limited: it remained "short-legged" throughout its life except in the dedicated photo-reconnaissance role, when its guns were replaced by extra fuel tanks
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 in 2017) (Estonian order for 12 Spitfires in 1939)
Variants: Supermarine Seafire & Spiteful
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, using several wing configurations, and it was produced in greater numbers than any other British aircraft.
It was also the only British fighter produced continuously throughout the war. The Spitfire continues to be popular among enthusiasts; about 54 remain airworthy, and many more are static exhibits in aviation museums throughout the world.
The Spitfire was designed as a short-range, high-performance interceptor aircraft by R. J. Mitchell, chief designer at Supermarine Aviation Works, which operated as a subsidiary of Vickers-Armstrong from 1928. Mitchell pushed the Spitfire's distinctive elliptical wing designed by Beverley Shenstone to have the thinnest possible cross-section, helping give the aircraft a higher top speed than several contemporary fighters, including the Hawker Hurricane.
Mitchell continued to refine the design until his death in 1937, whereupon his colleague Joseph Smith took over as chief designer, overseeing the Spitfire's development through its multitude of variants.
During the Battle of Britain, from July to October 1940, the public perceived the Spitfire to be the main RAF fighter, though the more numerous Hawker Hurricane shouldered a greater proportion of the burden against Nazi Germany's air force, the Luftwaffe.
However, Spitfire units had a lower attrition rate and a higher victory-to-loss ratio than those flying Hurricanes because of the fighter's higher performance. During the Battle, Spitfires were generally tasked with engaging Luftwaffe fighters—mainly Messerschmitt Bf 109E series aircraft—which were a close match for them.
After the Battle of Britain, the Spitfire superseded the Hurricane to become the backbone of RAF Fighter Command, and saw action in the European, Mediterranean, Pacific, and South-East Asian theaters.
Much loved by its pilots, the Spitfire served in several roles, including interceptor, photo-reconnaissance, fighter-bomber and trainer, and it continued to serve in these roles until the 1950 s. The Seafire was a carrier-based adaptation of the Spitfire which served in the Fleet Air Arm from 1942 through to the mid-1950 s.
Although the original air frame was designed to be powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine producing 1,030 hp (768 kW), it was strong enough and adaptable enough to use increasingly powerful Merlins and, in later marks, Rolls-Royce Griffon engines producing up to 2,340 hp (1,745 kW). As a result, the Spitfire's performance and capabilities improved over the course of its service life.
There were 24 marks of Spitfire and many sub-variants. These covered the Spitfire in development from the Merlin to Griffon engines, the high-speed photo-reconnaissance variants and the different wing configurations.
More Spitfire Mk Vs were built than any other type, with 6,487 built, followed by the 5,656 Mk IXs. Different wings, featuring a variety of weapons, were fitted to most marks; the A wing used eight .303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns, the B wing had four .303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns and two 20 mm (.79 in) Hispano cannon, and the C, or universal, wing could mount either four 20 mm (.79 in) cannon or two 20 mm (.79 in) and four .303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns.
As the war progressed, the C wing became more common. Another armament variation was the E wing which housed two 20 mm (.79 in) cannon and two .50 in (12.7 mm) Browning machine guns.
Although the Spitfire continued to improve in speed and armament because of its limited fuel capacity its range and endurance were limited: it remained "short-legged" throughout its life except in the dedicated photo-reconnaissance role, when its guns were replaced by extra fuel tanks
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 in 2017) (Estonian order for 12 Spitfires in 1939)
Variants: Supermarine Seafire & Spiteful
THE KIT:
Otaki was a model company based in Tokyo, Japan. I believe they have gone out of business.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Spitfire Mk. 8 against a yellow sky being attacked by a Fw-190. The Spitfire is in a wave pattern of dark-sea gray and dark-green over a light-gray undercarriage.
It has a black and white spinner and a white fuselage code of CR roundel C and a black serial no. A58-464 over the fuselage band that is white. It has an ace of spades logo on the rudder flap and 27 victory marks under the cockpit, half of them as Luftwaffe kills and the other half as Japanese kills.
It is the personal plane of Col. C.R. Caldwell, Commander of the Australian A.F. 80th Fighter Wing.
One side panel has 2 small color profiles of other schemes:
1. A Spitfire in sand and olive-drab wave pattern over a light-gray undercarriage, with fuselage code behind the roundel of red WFD outlined in white, followed by the black serial no. JF814.
It is the personal aircraft of Air Vice Marshal Sir W.F. Dickson.
2. A Spitfire in a medium-gray and dark-green wave pattern over a light-gray undercarriage. It has a red fuselage code outlined in white of ZX roundel M, followed by black serial no, MT928. There is a white circle with a black cross n it on the side of the nose.
Otaki was a model company based in Tokyo, Japan. I believe they have gone out of business.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Spitfire Mk. 8 against a yellow sky being attacked by a Fw-190. The Spitfire is in a wave pattern of dark-sea gray and dark-green over a light-gray undercarriage.
It has a black and white spinner and a white fuselage code of CR roundel C and a black serial no. A58-464 over the fuselage band that is white. It has an ace of spades logo on the rudder flap and 27 victory marks under the cockpit, half of them as Luftwaffe kills and the other half as Japanese kills.
It is the personal plane of Col. C.R. Caldwell, Commander of the Australian A.F. 80th Fighter Wing.
One side panel has 2 small color profiles of other schemes:
1. A Spitfire in sand and olive-drab wave pattern over a light-gray undercarriage, with fuselage code behind the roundel of red WFD outlined in white, followed by the black serial no. JF814.
It is the personal aircraft of Air Vice Marshal Sir W.F. Dickson.
2. A Spitfire in a medium-gray and dark-green wave pattern over a light-gray undercarriage. It has a red fuselage code outlined in white of ZX roundel M, followed by black serial no, MT928. There is a white circle with a black cross n it on the side of the nose.
The other side panel has the box art for kits that Otaki made.
These are the:
Spitfire Mk. 8
Bf109G-6
FW190A-8
P-40E Curtiss
P-51D Mustang
These are the:
Spitfire Mk. 8
Bf109G-6
FW190A-8
P-40E Curtiss
P-51D Mustang
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 3 medium-gray trees, a clear tree and the decal sheet in 2 clear stapled-shut cello bags and 2 instructions sheets.
The first instruction sheet is a single sheet folded in the center to create 4 pages in 7" x 10" page format.
Page 1 has the history of the Spitfire over the parts trees illustrations with names of all the parts.
Page 2 & 3 give a total of 8 assembly steps.
Page 4 has side profiles of the 3 schemes (already described above.
The second instruction sheet is the same size as the first, printed on one side in color on slick-coated paper.
It shows 2 profiles of the Spitfire in color. The one with red fuselage code ZX roundel M outlined in white and the one with red fuselage code WFD in red outlined in white.
The kit holds 3 medium-gray trees, a clear tree and the decal sheet in 2 clear stapled-shut cello bags and 2 instructions sheets.
The first instruction sheet is a single sheet folded in the center to create 4 pages in 7" x 10" page format.
Page 1 has the history of the Spitfire over the parts trees illustrations with names of all the parts.
Page 2 & 3 give a total of 8 assembly steps.
Page 4 has side profiles of the 3 schemes (already described above.
The second instruction sheet is the same size as the first, printed on one side in color on slick-coated paper.
It shows 2 profiles of the Spitfire in color. The one with red fuselage code ZX roundel M outlined in white and the one with red fuselage code WFD in red outlined in white.
Trees are alphabetized and illustrated in the instructions and have part number tabs next to the parts on them.
Medium-gray letter A tree hold: engine air intakes, fuselage halves, elevators (6 parts)
Medium-gray letter A tree hold: engine air intakes, fuselage halves, elevators (6 parts)
Medium-gray letter B tree holds wing halves (3 parts)
Medium-gray letter C tree holds: propeller, spinner with propeller shaft molded to it , main wheels, seat, air-cooler intakes, instrument panel, seat back wall, joy stick, fuel tank, landing gear leg covers, landing gear legs, alternate tail wheels, pitot tube, machine gun, exhaust pipes, pilot figure (33 parts)
The clear part holds the cockpit canopy and gun sight lens (2 parts)
The decal sheet completes the kit.
Nicely engraved panel lines. Flaps are all molded solid.
Highly recommended.