1:48 SPITFIRE IXc

Two calibers side by side and what you will see of them

The Mk IX came about as a quick answer to the German Fw 190, which in the spring of 1942 proved an unpleasant surprise over the English Channel. A two-stage Merlin of the 60 series was built into the airframe of the Mk V, which you recognize by the longer nose and the four-blade propeller. The letter in the designation again points to the armament: the universal C wing could be fitted with several combinations of weapons, most often two cannons and four machine guns.

When all four metal parts count and when only half of them do. It is worth working out. A cannon of 20 mm caliber has a muzzle of around 0.4 mm at this size of model, which is a diameter the eye can tell and which can be hollowed out convincingly. A machine gun of 7.7 mm caliber works out at roughly 0.16 mm, that is below the limit at which an opening is visible as anything other than a dark point. The metal cannons therefore do visible work, while the remaining pair of barrels sharpens the shape and the spacing rather than the impression of depth.

• Four metal barrels, two of cannon caliber and two of machine gun caliber.
• The glazing can be masked from inside as well; decals are included.
• Two sets of masks for the insignia, so the lower surfaces work out too.

The package is cut to the Hasegawa kit. During the build it is useful to know that with the universal wing the number of weapons actually fitted differed between individual machines and some had the cannon bays blanked off. A photograph of the particular aircraft will therefore decide how many barrels you finally use.