#042 Spitfire Mk.XIV

Building the beautiful candy red G-Fire Spitfire Mk.XIV from Airfix in 1:48 scale.

Build

Notes

Who can resist a bit of candy? Obviously not me, as the bright red G-Fire scheme sold me on this kit. Not doing anything special with it - just a clean out-of-the-box build that I’ve had running in the background for a while.

The Kit

The Airfix Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XIV comes with a couple of striking civilian schemes. The kit goes together beautifully and is reasonably well detailed. I think the tool is from 2019, while these schemes are in the 2020 boxing.

box-art

The Subject

The Spitfire Mk.XIV is one of the Griffon-powered variants using a Rolls-Royce Griffon 65.

The G-FIRE registration belonged to Spencer Flack/Classic Air Displays, Elstree, from January 1979, for aircraft serial number NH904.

Scheme

A05139 Supermarine Spitfire FR Mk.XIV G-Fire, Duxford, Cambridgeshire, England, 1988. (A)

Features	Recommended	Used
wheel well	Humbrol 11 Metallic Silver	77.701
fuselage	Humbrol 19 Red - Gloss	Mr Hobby Aqueous H3
	Humbrol 21 Black - Gloss	70.950 Black
spinner, undercarriage	Humbrol 22 White - Gloss	70.951 White
prop tips	Humbrol 24 Trainer Yellow - Matt	70.952 Lemon Yellow
	Humbrol 26 Khaki - Matt
propeller, tires	Humbrol 33 Black - Matt	70.950 Black
wheel rims	Humbrol 53 Gunmetal - Metallic	Humbrol 53
fuselage interior	Humbrol 56 Aluminium - Metallic	Humbrol 56
	Humbrol 61 Flesh - Matt
seat walls	Humbrol 62 Leather - Matt	70.843 Cork Brown
cockpit walls, chair frame	Humbrol 78 Cockpit Green	Humbrol 78
cockpit controls	Humbrol 85 Black - Satin	70.950 Black
	Humbrol 155 Matt Olive Drab - Matt
wheel wells		77.701 Aluminium

Construction

This is a nice new 2019 tooling and fit is great. And with only 118 parts, it goes together in no time.

build01a

The cockpit has a enough detail that I didn’t mind going with the out-of-the-box parts and decals. “Perfect Pits” enthusiasts would probably want a whole lot more after-market though.

build02a build02b