1:72 Spitfire Mk.V - Radio Compartment (for Eduard Kits / 3D-Printed)

Eduard 1:72 Spitfire Mk.V – radio compartment (3D printed)

This product is not a kit of an aircraft but a detail set. It is meant to improve the Supermarine Spitfire Mk.V kit in 1:72 scale from Eduard. The set supplies a 3D-printed interior of the radio compartment, which on the real Spitfire sat in the fuselage right behind the cockpit and was reached through a hinged panel on the side of the fuselage. A sheet of decals for the stencils of the radio equipment and instructions are included in the package.

What it is for

Plastic kits treat the fuselage at this point as an empty shell. The set makes it possible to open the compartment up and show it — the model gains detail that is rare in 1:72 scale and looks more interesting at a show than an aircraft with a closed fuselage. An open access panel also sits naturally in a diorama with ground crew.

Fitting and painting

• Cutting into the fuselage is necessary: the access panel is cut out along the impression in the plastic and the cockpit sides have to be shortened. Follow the enclosed instructions.
• Cut the printed parts away from the supports with a sharp blade and sand the remains down finely (sand wet and protect your airways).
• Wash the parts in lukewarm soapy water before painting and let them dry.
• Glue with super glue (cyanoacrylate), not with polystyrene cement.
• Paint with a primer and thin coats; the fine detail comes out after a wash and dry-brushing. The cut-out panel can be propped with a piece of wire so that it stays open.

Who the set is for

• More experienced modelers — it calls for cutting into the fuselage and working with very small parts.
• Builders of the Spitfire Mk.V in 1:72 who want to display the model with the panel open.
• Creators of dioramas where the aircraft is under maintenance.

This is not a model of an aircraft but an accessory for another kit. The base kit, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.